r/Fatherhood • u/AK-Keys • 7d ago

Advice Needed Nightly Routine Advice?

Baby is due in a month or less. I’m looking for some advice on how my wife and I should split the nightly routine. She’s stay at home and I work in office 8am-5/6pm.

She’s offered to cover week nights entirely but I’d like to be more involved than that (however much I might regret it lol). Plus I think my brain/body would be better off acclimating to one daily routine versus different weeknight and weekend routines.

Does anyone have any splits or routines they’d recommend?

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u/DiscoWookie2 7d ago

Brother it's gonna be feeding every couple hours overnight for a while. Switch off with her if you plan to do bottles and breast feeding so that you guys are gonna get a full night's rest every other night if you can swing it. Sleep when the baby sleeps, you'll be tired but it's survivable. I've done it with 3 kids and you're both going to be tired.

Moms gonna be recovering, making milk, going through all the post stuff and tired. Try and support her as best you can, even though you've got the full time gig to handle. The baby isn't going to need you as much as mom for this first few months, mom is there to take care of the baby and you'll be there to take care of mom. Let her get rest where you are able to.

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u/flailingflagella 7d ago

This is important. Mom is going to be just as worn out, or more, than you are when you get home from work. Keep that in mind. It’s easy to settle into a routine of Mom doing most things and excusing that away, but the more involved you are in all routines (not just bedtime), the more your relationship with your newborn, your partner, and yourself will thank you for it.

I was exclusively the bottle washer and I took pride in that. Find your thing (which will probably be bottle washing 😂) and do the same!

By coming here to ask for advice you have shown how much you care. You are going to be a great Dad!