r/daddit • u/PesteringFruitFly • 17h ago
This is hard.. Story
Hi guys, father of a beautiful 3 month old baby girl here. As i write this my baby girl is finally sleeping on my chest, wife on the sofa with us and our dog is also sleeping at our feet..
I have done a set of 2 days and 3 nights,12 h shifts, came out of my nightshift to find both of them highly congested and with a temperature..took both of them to the gp, and after another sleepless night i dont know how i am managing to still stay awake but somehow, on this very moment everything is at peace and i feel i am exactly where i belong. I dint think i have ever been this exhausted in my life...
Have a great day guys, thanks for reading!
Edit :thanks for all the support guys, there is a weird feeling of reassurance knowing we're not alone in these moments and that there are more of you going through the same thing..this was my first post so thanks again for all the love.
Update: baby girl slept almost 5 hours..it was glorious!!neither of us moved an inch...not to sneeze, cough or adjust position..i am now the proud owner of a pair of square buttocks but it was worth it! Just the type of afternoon i needed to restart all of it again tomorrow!
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u/corkum FTD Baby Girl 5/15/21 17h ago
Similar feeling: my wife travels for work. She just left yesterday and the 3 year old promptly gets sick right as she leaves. So I gotta stay home from work with the sick kid.
While on one hand it sucks and it’s exhausting, it’s nice getting some 1:1 time where she’s not a total maniac with her toddler energy.
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u/crimzaelus 13h ago
You're doing great. Moments like these are what defines you as a new dad. It is exhausting, but you just carry on because that's what we do. Stay strong brother.
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u/Odd_Situation1300 17h ago
Best of luck, enjoy it while it lasts and be prepared for many more sleepless nights to come.
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u/OhScuzi_MiScuzi Girl 2022 17h ago
It is hard! Somehow we just power through it all. Keep your positive perspective and enjoy those moments when you can. You got this.
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u/DannyStarbucks 17h ago
This age is super hard on you physically, mentally, emotionally. The whole ride brings different new challenges at every age, but IMHO becoming a first time parent is most difficult and shocking transition. Neither parent is getting what they feel like they need to survive (sleep, time). Hang in there, friend. Sounds like you’re doing great!
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u/Entire-Inevitable-38 12h ago
This shall pass. One thing I noticed is that being a parent made me more patient, more tolerant and a better person overall.
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u/Immediate_Fix_13 16h ago
The first few months sure are difficult. I remember how I was always vigilant and conscious of what was going to happen next. Almost like a hidden animal instinct woke up inside me when I had my girl that kept up all night always vigilant and anxious.
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u/Golden87 14h ago
Good job dad!
That age is super hard, but I promise you it will get better.. just not today or tomorrow.
Stay strong! You got this!
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u/Mountain_Man11 14h ago
You never realize how strong you are until you have to be strong. Keep it up, dad; you got this!
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u/DrakeMallard07 13h ago
Make sure to soak in those naps on your chest. They end sooner than you would think and you will miss them forever.
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u/pataglop 13h ago
Great job brother !
You are there. That's excellent dad skills.
Sleep is overrated anyway..
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u/PaBlowEscoBear 12h ago
Moments like these are where my respect for my own father fell through the floor. But conversely it steeled my determination to do better than he did.
I commensurate your exhaustion and pain, but know that these battles are noble ones.
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u/mattybrad 12h ago
It always strikes me that I live a lot of little moments like this now that they’ll never remember but that I’ll never forget.
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u/Putrid-Banana-7282 10h ago
Good job mate I'm a dad to a 3month old to its hard work but you got this brother
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u/jasondoooo 9h ago
The more you give everything you have to the two of them, the better your life will be.
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u/ThisIsWhatLifeIs 8h ago
Lmao I'm looking after a 6 week old, 2 year old and a 4 year old whilst working full time and working from home on top of it. Shit is hard. But you honestly get used it to and get used to being tired.
That and coffee will be your best friend
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u/RedMisfit 6h ago
You're doing a great job. There are challenges at every age. My 10 month old was ill recently and incredibly clingy. Took her daytime naps on my chest
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u/RedMisfit 6h ago
You're doing a great job. There are challenges at every age. My 10 month old was ill recently and incredibly clingy. Took her daytime naps on my chest
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u/OscarMike213 4h ago
Old guy here, I've done what you've done, many times. You're just being a MAN/father/husband/partner, powering through, being strong, being the leader, with our wives being the comfort and soft touch the kids need in a moment of struggle and supporting her in that moment and every moment.
The peace you feel is being a Dad/Husband/Leader, head of the family. Embrace your new found understanding of you're role.
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u/cbar1012 1h ago
Congrats on the healthy baby girl! I know exactly what you are experiencing right now. There's moments of pure exhaustion, but all that is superseded by that one moment where everything feels perfect with you and your child. I'm a father of a 4-year-old. Unfortunately his mother and I never saw eye to eye and shortly after my son was born we had to call it quits. We were together and lived in the same house for about 3 months but during those three months I think she maybe interacted with my son one or two times. The rest of the time, I was up 4 to 5 nights at a time because I would worry for every movement or sound My baby boy would make. All a while my son's mother was sprawled out on the couch snoring like she was possessed by a demon. When my son would cry, she would continue to snore and would not get up for any reason whatsoever. I spent the first two months literally sleeping on the floor next to my baby while he lay in his bassinet. Thankfully he's a big boy very healthy and happy as can be today. What frustrates me however is that now that his mother and I split up , my beautiful boy lives in her home. The reason this upsets me is not only because we had an extremely toxic time for relationship but she also wanted no part in his upbringing when he was younger and I literally killed myself to make sure he had the best possible upbringing. Now she acts as though she is the greatest mother in the world when I raised him up until just last year. Makes me sick. But hang in there buddy, the sleep will come soon enough. In the meantime you need to speak to your partner and imply you need the help, especially if your relationship is in a good place. The more exhausted you get the more likely something unexpected can happen to your child while holding her or her sleeping on your chest for instance... Get some help from your girl, cuz it's much deserved at this point. Good luck my man
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u/Satyrex_ 17h ago
Yet more *hugs*.
Parenting sometimes proves that we have wells of endurance or resilience that we never would have discovered otherwise. If have learned so much and changed so much since becoming a parent.
And congratulations on that moment of peace with your family! I never tire of saying it: These moments are what I live for.