Night shifts with a 6 month old baby

Jules A, MSN · Feb 14, 2007

Hi! I am a new grad that was a LPN before I became an RN. Well, I have recently started in the NICU, which I feel is my passion, but I am working nights. Well, my baby as well as my husband are not appreciating me working nights. Everytime I leave for work I am almost in tears. My manager says she cannot let me go to days because she cannot switch anyone right now, and there are already others that want to go to days that have been waiting 6 months (at least). She also will not let me go to part time because I am a new grad and do not have the experience. Well, I am in this dilemma to find a day job and enjoy my baby and family or do nights in the job I love but let my family suffer. My husband says not to worry that I will be able to do the NICU sometime, and I have the rest of my life to do the NICU if that is what I want.

If it were me and I loved my job I would try to find a way to make it work. Are you crying because you don't want to leave the baby or is it because your husband is being a pill? I don't think it is at all unreasonable for him to have to care for the baby overnight. I'd bet that your 6mo old doesn't have much of a clue whether Mom works day shift or night shift and in either circumstance you have to find a way to juggle home and work. I don't think that at this young age night shift is causing your family to suffer. If you don't put in your time now, when does your husband suggest you go back to night shift at NICU, when the baby goes to school? That would be a disruption then, imo. Best of luck with whatever you decide.

allnurses Guide · Feb 14, 2007

Someone needs to combine these two threads . . .

https://allnurses.com/forums/f33/night-shifts-hard-family-207148.html

As I said in the above thread - give this gift of time to your baby and husband. NICU will always be there.

Best wishes . .

steph

mtngrl, ASN, RN · Feb 15, 2007

I would think night shift is better for you with having a child, since (hopefully) they are sleeping the majority of the time you are at work! If you switch to days I guarantee you will be in tears missing your baby moreso than working nights.

love2shop · Feb 15, 2007

Amanda ---I can so feel your pain. I am in the same boat as you. I just had a baby and was offered the job of a life time. I have been working for 4 years in a dept that is slow, boring, and get no credit for being able to think. But the schedule is wonderful. I went back and forth with changing not knowing what I might be getting into. Someone reminded me how fast time goes...doesn't it just feel like you had your baby? It has been 6 months....pretty soon 6 years. I am worried that I might like my job to much and my priorities get out of wack so I turned it down. It will be there when I little one starts school. I have 30 years to work and only 18 for mothering! Good luck!

RN_Amanda · Feb 16, 2007

Thanks for understanding. I am sure the positon I love will be there when it works better for my family. Like my manager told me, NICU will always be here, your baby will not always be a baby.

And to the above post, days worked better for my family. I did orient on days for a month before going to nights.

pumpkin · Feb 23, 2007

I feel your pain. I worked nights when I gave birth to my son. I thought this would be ideal - we wouldn't have to put him in daycare and I would get to spend time with him during the day. But it was awful. He was a horrible napper, so I would get home after working 12 hour shifts in the ER and he'd nap for 30 minutes at a time. I was miserable, and I felt I couldn't enjoy him as much because I was so sleep deprived. I ended up taking a job in the OR where I work days and rare weekends. My son is now 13 months and even though he is in daycare I feel like I can be a better mother to him with a full night's sleep! I don't feel the OR is my passion, but I don't want to have to go back to nights. It's a tough decision, and I wish you the best of luck.

KellieNurse06 · Feb 23, 2007

I feel for you....is it your husband being upset because now he has to care for the baby at night, or is it that you are torn???

If it's because your hubby is upset at having to care for the baby at night.....well ( & if I am wrong I apologize immensly up front!!!!!) I say he should snap out of it......he is a father to the baby just as you are the mother to the baby......it took two people to create the baby...so two people should be raising the baby & caring for it as well......and like I already said....I am very very sorry if I am off here.........but I tend to notice quite a few men forget that they are the parent as well...........some have this old mindset that the mother does all of it because thats "what they are supposed to do"...mindset...and just like the novelty of calling them self a father.......so that being said.....I hope that isn't the case because it seems like you found the job you really really want & I'd hate to see you put that on the back burner simply because your hubby doesn't want to care for his baby during the night.......I know there is nothing like the mothers care & such with their child........but I know a woman who went to nursing school for 4 years 2 nights a week & every weekend and her hubby now says it gave him bonding time & he appreciates that & has a closeness he never realized with his kids...and they have 5 of them......and he wasn't too keen about it at 1st......but he says he'd never trade that experience for anything & it gave him a new appreciation for what she does with the kids....... Good Luck......and again I am very sorry if I am off base !!!! :icon_hug: