anyone else stress about whether husband will be well rested enough for labor

[akat]

or am I just neurotic?

I have a doula, too.

[akat]

of course, there's only like 3 people left to even possibly discuss this since everyone else already has a baby!

[smokeylo]

Yes, I do worry about this, mostly since DH is such a whiner about being tired . He actually did take a nap during my daughter's birth (and thank goodness for doulas!).

[gabeyho]

ha! Mine always sleeps through most of it, then waits to be told what to do. THIS time he is supposed to be more active and helpful (we're doing Bradley), but I'm not holding my breath for him in the middle of the night.....He doesn't do himself any favors by working out to failure, having a few glasses of wine, and then crashing on the couch.

[Magistra]

My partner had a migraine Sunday night when I was up most of the night with contractions. I didn't tell her, because I wanted her to be able to rest until I really needed her. (And then they didn't go anywhere, so I was really glad I hadn't woken her up or called my in-laws.)

Last time, she had been up about 40 hours when I finally delivered our son. I managed to sleep between some contractions that night, but she couldn't. To her credit, she was actively involved the whole time. But I'd rather that not happen to her again. At least this time, the birthing rooms at our hospital have more comfortable bed-chairs for the birth partners.

[akat]

my husband just needs a lot less sleep than me, too, even when I'm not pregnant. so I watch him sleeping like 5 hours a night and think, uh oh.

plus, yeah, who knows how long this erratic stuff will go on, I don't want to use up my help before true labor even starts.

[jillmamma]

Yeah, mine is taking a nap now as he is sick with the same bad cold as me. Such a fun thing to deal with when almost 40 weeks preggo (NOT!).

[akat]

that sucks. my 5yo has a bad cold - he's had a fever since Saturday. I am really really hoping I don't get it.

[NaturallyPeachey]

I was going back and forth about hiring our doula again even though I loved her the first time around money is kinda tight. Then DH and DS got horrible colds a week from my due date and I called her right away fearing they wouldn't even let DH in the labor and delivery room he was sooooooo sick. DH ended up being healthy and okay but I'm still glad we had her there anyways!

[Gray's Mommy]

We have a doula & my husband rocks during labor & birth. Such a blessing. I don't think I really gave him a chance with our firstborn, but I needed him so much more with our second birth & first homebirth. This time I think he knows what is expected. He isn't working graveyards anymore, so he is much more rested. I also let him nap while labor is still pleasant It makes for a happier daddy to be.

His leutenient on his new shift is a buttbrain though...I just hope he doesn't give him a hard time if I call & say that I need him home when the time comes.

[JayJay]

Haha - I had a doula for this very reason and I was very worried about it for a long time! In the end though, adrenaline took over and he was very much awake the whole time. XXX

[ktmeyer]

OMG, I thought I was the only one! My dh has been working on a big project for work, staying up all night one night last week, and until at least 1am the last few nights. And now he has a cold on top of it! (of course, I gave him the cold....but that's not the point). He needs to get some sleep, i don't want to be worrying about him while i'm in labor, and I know I will if he doesn't get some sleep. I keep telling him he needs to get his rest, but he ignores it. I'm not worried about him bailing on me during labor, I know he'll stay up with me and what not, but I'll be worried about the impact on him later.

[akat]

well, now I have a cold so I don't even give a crap about all the other little worries anymore. plus I haven't slept more than one hour at a time for a couple days now, from the contrax.

in a way, maybe the cold is a blessing b/c it's making me sort of surrender all the little worries and responsibilities? i don't know...

i've been thinking to myself for months, i am just so happy i haven't had a single cold during my whole pregnancy! *but don't say it out loud so you don't jinx yourself!* and then i get a damn cold on my due date.

[yeah, on topic, though, he'll be fine - he is very good at taking care of me when I need it, and he's pretty hardy. at some point, though, he may crash...he doesn't exactly *ignore* it when I tell him to rest, he just can't really fall asleep any earlier.]