Night Shift Mama

So I’m officially a night shift nurse now. 7 PM to 7 AM, three times a week, pediatric unit at Rex. I thought nursing school prepared me for everything but nobody mentioned how hard it would be to leave your six-month-old baby sleeping in her crib at 5 AM.

Night Shift Mama

Marcus has been amazing - he’s got the nighttime routine down to a science and somehow manages to look like a natural even when he’s running on two hours of sleep. I came home this morning to find him passed out on the couch with Sophie sleeping on his chest, both of them snoring softly. I almost cried but I was too tired.

We’re running on caffeine and love and honestly it’s not enough but we’re doing it anyway. Sophie doesn’t know that Mama works weird hours now - she just knows there are extra cuddles in the morning and Daddy makes really good pancakes on Sundays. That’s probably all she needs to know for now.

Twelve-hour shifts are no joke, but coming home to these two makes every exhausting minute worth it. Even if I do smell like hospital disinfectant and my feet are killing me. Glamorous life of a new mom, right?