Can a couple working opposite shifts manage child-raising without daycare?

Question

My wife works third shift and I work a pretty traditional 9-5. We have a 2 month old daughter. We are trying to do without daycare as long as we can, but we aren't sure how practical this may end up being. Does anyone have experience raising an infant while working opposite shifts? Were you able to do without daycare? If not, at what point did you start using daycare? If you didn't use daycare, how did the parent that worked third shift managed their sleep and daytime interactions with their child?

Update:

A couple extra details... this is our first child, and both my wife and I work full time, but my wife works four 10-hour shifts Tu-F.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Its hard days,long night and a lot of close calls with being late to work but it can be done. We didn't want to miss the 1st year. If he missed it i seen it and took the pictures and if i missed it he did the same.ALOT of the millstone take place the 1st year rolling, first words, crawling,walking,smiles, yes even the first temper tantrum. Im not trying to guilt trip but its something to thing about.Some people don't have a chose and i don't judge or blame them for it.You 3 will fall in to a routine and it its not so hard.

Anonymous · Answer

You can but it really takes a toll on your marriage. A better solution is to get your schedules slightly overlapping if you can just to reduce the amount of daycare, such as 4-5 hours a day rather than 8-9. Like if you work from 6am - 3pm and your wife works from 10am-7pm for example, your wife could drop her off at 9:30 and you could pick her up at 3:30.

? · Answer

Both my husband and I worked traditional day jobs when our first was born.  I quit that and worked 5:30-2 am part time.  By avoiding daycare costs, and never having to call in sick because the baby was sick and couldn't go to daycare, I actually earned more part time than full time.  Date nights became very important to stay connected, but my son rec'd better care, and was healthier.  I think it would be difficult to work full-time 3rd shift.  I would encourage exploring part time.  The only way 3rd would work is if baby's nap time and mom's was the same and as soon as you got home, mom went to bed.

LisaLu · Answer

I had a friend who's husband worked 9-5 then she would work from 7-midnight. She wasn't full time, and she only worked a few days during the week but it worked well for them, especially since her husband was very nervous about being left along with the baby for too long.

asrai · Answer

My husband and I did it for 3 years. But I only worked part-time and our daughter was 2 years.

happy mom of 2 · Answer

well if she has to ok,but will be hard

for me ,mother should stay at home and take care of kids,home and husband
because so wht if she goes work if at home is mess,no ready dinner and kids waiting for their mother

woman goes work,come back home and work at home so she has 24/7 job
man go work,come back home and he has off
he doesnt have to cook 
wash,clean
maybe just a small help but this is nothing

so thats why woman shoudnt work,only at home.

Jake&#39;s Mommy · Answer

My parents did it. They had 4 kids. Mom worked morning/afternoon, dad worked in the evening until midnight.

Can a couple working opposite shifts manage child-raising without daycare?

7 Answers