Q. I just stumbled across your site while almost weeping with desperation. Our baby girl is 9 weeks old and my husband and I fight nonstop. We are both so into our baby and are madly in love with her. And my husband does a lot … cooking, tidying up our home, picking up groceries etc....
During the newborn stage, new parents resort to all manner of fun and games to keep themselves amused during this difficult time. One of our personal favorites is called Midnight Chicken, also known as Who Will Blink First? It goes something like this: It’s 3:00 a.m. The baby is awake (again) and crying (again). You are both awake. You both hear her. But nobody moves. Women are tacitly calling in their chit (Surely he knows it’s his turn this time?), but men, the masters of this game, simply play dead (maybe they throw in a little snoring).
This period is short, but it can be savage. As new parents, we often experience fear, extreme sleep deprivation and cluelessness. We wind up bickering more than ever before. It’s like we just entered The Twilight Zone. Why? The answer is simple. There is a newborn in the house.
Q: My husband works late and has to work a lot of weekends. I don't sleep at night because I'm on red alert that the baby is going to wake up. I don't know how much longer I can keep going at this pace - I don't even have the energy to care about my marriage. Tell me I'm not alone.
A: You are definitely not alone! What you are describing is very common once you bring a baby home! What you need is 8 hours of shut-eye. That’s the only way you can charge your battery. Now’s the time to sit down with your husband, and figure out a plan so you can sleep through the night at least once a week...
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Body After Baby: Let’s Get Real | Babyproofing Your Marriage is available at any major bookstore, or online: |