My partner and I had our second a few weeks ago and I received a number of 100% genuine (and appreciated) “have fun with the kiddo” and “enjoy this time while it lasts” messages and you know what? I fucking hate the newborn phase.
Lack of sleep makes me angry, and the entire newborn phase is a red tinted haze of fury. Here i am in the middle of the GODDAMN night rocking this fucking potato for 45 fucking minutes and it’s just staring at me without blinking having the time of its goddamn life. My fucking feet hurt, I’m getting fat because food is the only thing that brings me the tiniest flicker of happiness, my partner is frankly a raging bitch and I’m sure I am in return, the toddler loses his mind at the drop of a hat, and I’m supposed to enjoy it?
Nothing about this is enjoyable. I hate every fucking second and I can’t wait to sleep train this goddamn barnacle who I CAN’T EVEN HELP CALM BECAUSE I’M NOT THE ONE BREAST FEEDING and I guess that means the only person the baby will relax with is mom. Being helpful and competent are core aspects of my self image, and this mindless sack of shit has robbed me of that.
I’m so fucking tired.
The newborn phase (and also money) is why we aren’t having any more children.
When our twins were born and we couldn’t take shifts and also couldn’t have outside help because Covid happened 6 weeks later. I had some dark dark thoughts.
Like everything though. It gets better. You already have one you know that. Doesn’t really help in the moment.
That sounds like hell, how’d you do it?
We just kept forcing ourselves to get through every day until it just got easier really.
I went back to work after my vacation time ran out but made myself available to my wife when needed. We had a pretty liberal work from home policy due to the pandemic but I made sure I was in the office for my own sanity when possible and when she couldn’t take it anymore I would work from home so she could take a walk or something.