81–90 of 110 posts
Fortunately my mother-in-law stayed with us for a month just to help out and show mainly my wife the ropes to speak with when kiddo cries and you have no idea what to do and you know it somehow all comes together.
And be understanding with your partner - the house is going to be a mess cause she now sleeps on baby time - it get's better - really it does.
Maybe really have a hard think or even talk with your manager about this? I have bluntly asked exactly where I stand when I feel like I am underperforming. It is part of their job to make you feel secure, if you are afraid of being fired they are doing a poor job at management. Up until the second they axe you your managers job is to make you feel as comfortable as possible.
No one is ever fully prepared for becoming a parent. Good luck - it is a rough ride (or at least it was for me). Use as much leave as you have available to you.
If you're able to take Paternity, take it. It's going to be a whirlwind, especially if this is your first child, and this is likely the first real stretch of time you've had off in your entire adult life. It's hard to bond with a week-old child, but spend as much time as you can with the baby and make yourself available to help mom with anything she might want help with. The good news is that the baby sleeps... a lot…
Some sleep like... er... babies, and some wake up every 1.5-2 hours and drive you crazy. :-)
Dude! Congrats! This is a magical time. Don't waste it by worrying. Stay at your job. Milk them for whatever paternity leave they will give you. And if you announce you are going on a long paternity leave, they are not going to fire you right before you leave. DO NOT SWITCH JOBS NOW. When the hospital sends you the bill - argue, argue, argue. They did stupid stuff to us like bill both my wife and the child for all th…
Just to add another data point. This last year due to the shortage, we’re spending 200/mo on formula alone.
Dude! Congrats! This is a magical time. Don't waste it by worrying. Stay at your job. Milk them for whatever paternity leave they will give you. And if you announce you are going on a long paternity leave, they are not going to fire you right before you leave. DO NOT SWITCH JOBS NOW. When the hospital sends you the bill - argue, argue, argue. They did stupid stuff to us like bill both my wife and the child for all th…
Agreed, it’s not expensive to start. Just wanted to add that if you don’t inherit or are not gifted stuff from friends and family for your kid that you need, check second hand stores and/or kijiji/Craigslist/etc first. Many items are 1/5 of the cost of buying it new, and a lot of the time it’s brand new anyways. It does get expensive if you have to pay for care. Not sure where you live OP, or what your support system…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Just to add another data point. This last year due to the shortage, we’re spending 200/mo on formula alone.
To this point, consider breastfeeding. I won’t comment on nutritional differences, but you save money at the cost of time/flexibility.
Even if direct nursing is going well, I highly recommend doing some pumping along the way from early on so that if/when she needs to be away from the baby for a few hours, it's not as big a deal.
The baby will keep you busy, but it will be a different sort of busy. My husband got some cool projects done, while still being the main changer of midnight diapers.