Noodleface
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Parent Thread
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Guest, it's time once again for the massively important and exciting FoH Asshat Tournament!
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Anyone take paternity leave? Would it be best to try and take it all right after the baby is born or does it make sense to wait a few weeks or couple months when the wife goes back to work?
Noodleface
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I took a month paternity leave right when the baby was born. A lot of people told me the baby wouldn't do anything the first month but ours was a terror. We were sleeping in shifts. Definitely helped her out.
Woefully Inept
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I'd also suggest taking it right away. Getting everyone on a schedule will save your sanity. I've been a stay at home dad from the get go and the first month I couldn't in imagine leaving the wife home alone. She would have been a wreck.
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My brother in law and sister worked it out that she took 6 months of maternity leave right when the baby was born, and he took 6 months of paternity leave for the following 6 months, meaning each of their children were home with a parent for the first full year of life. Seemed to work out well for them.
Noodleface
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I took 2 weeks with our first, 2 weeks with our second, and 3 weeks with our third. With the first I would have taken up to 6 months if I could have. She was a colicy baby and it suuuuucked until 6 months and wasn't done until 9 months. With the second I should have take another week just to help my wife cope with two kids, but c'est la vie. Third I finally wised up and took 3 weeks and "worked from home" the fourth week (where they just told me to be at meetings and respond to emails), so it was nice.
Take it right away, even if it just means letting baby-mama spend more time with baby (or sleep in shifts... #1 rule is sleep when baby sleeps).
Falstaff
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For our first kid I took 6 weeks when she was two months old because my wife started back at work then and I had saved up so much PTO. Our second kid, my new job gives three months paid so I took it right away.
I think whatever works best for you guys is the ideal option as others have said.
Woefully Inept
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The kid only had a 30 minute second nap yesterday due to getting some Easter Bunny photos taking and holy mother of God he was a NIGHTMARE last night because of it. He went to bed just fine then at 10 he woke up screaming bloody murder. He'd calm down and as soon as he'd drift off to sleep he'd start screaming again. We didn't get to bed until 3am. There isn't much that has made me feel useless like trying to calm a screaming baby and failing miserably.
opiate82
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Before my daughter was born I always figured that the first few months would be incredibly boring and I would enjoy parenthood a lot more once she grew up a bit and was more interactive.
After reading some parenting books that go into the development and bonding that happens early on I made sure I was set up so I basically didn't have to work for the first 3 months and I am very grateful I did.
You won't ruin your kid if you can't take a bunch of paternity right when they are born, but if you can afford it and your job allows for it I'd recommend taking full advantage.
It is worth pointing out I basically work from home so I still get a bunch of time with my daughter even now, but if I did have to go into an office, now that I experienced having that time off, I would prioritize taking my PTO for right after my kid was born rather than putting it off till they were a bit older.
After reading some parenting books that go into the development and bonding that happens early on I made sure I was set up so I basically didn't have to work for the first 3 months and I am very grateful I did.
You won't ruin your kid if you can't take a bunch of paternity right when they are born, but if you can afford it and your job allows for it I'd recommend taking full advantage.
It is worth pointing out I basically work from home so I still get a bunch of time with my daughter even now, but if I did have to go into an office, now that I experienced having that time off, I would prioritize taking my PTO for right after my kid was born rather than putting it off till they were a bit older.
Noodleface
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I was going to post here the other day asking for help with my dog. She panics whenever the kid is near her, and sometimes she gets in such a panic to run away she'll knock him over - but I was more worried she'd end up cutting him with a claw or even worse feeling cornered and biting him.
Then this weekend something magical happened and she started following him around the house as he crawled and explored, kissing him and playing with him. It was a complete 180 out of nowhere, literally earlier in the day she was in panic mode. Phew.
Then this weekend something magical happened and she started following him around the house as he crawled and explored, kissing him and playing with him. It was a complete 180 out of nowhere, literally earlier in the day she was in panic mode. Phew.
Cad
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Make the nanny work nights for the first few months. Then you'll be rested in the daytime and can relax with your kid and not be crazy.
Also, if it's your first kid (and no criticism, I sucked with my first kid too) you probably have no fucking idea how to get a kid to sleep. The nanny/mother in law/whomever will teach you. Suck it up and listen! You're not an inadequate parent because you don't know how to put your kid to sleep anymore than you were an inadequate employee because you didn't instantly know how to do everything your first day on the job.
Fucking nannies that have been taking care of infants for 20 years know more about infants than you will EVER know.
Noodleface
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Cad
scientia potentia est
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Well, you can trust me on this the nanny is the best money I have ever spent. I'd downgrade to a Yaris before I stopped spending on a nanny.
Noodleface
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That's fine, and I don't criticize those that use one - just something we didn't want to do. It all worked out anyways, kid is doing well.
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The dog was finally broken! It goes in stages, pretty soon the dog won't even notice the kid crawling on her or pulling her hair/ears/tail (still, don't let that happen if you can help it).
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Yeah, dogs take time to get used to things, too. And once the baby is more mobile, the dog understands it more, I think. Dogs get quite protective of babies sometimes.