March 9, 2024 at 7:29 am

Husband Asks His Wife If They Can Switch Off Staying Up With Their Baby, But She Tells Him She “Is Way More Exhausted Than He Will Ever Be”

by Ryan McCarthy

Source: Reddit/AITA/Pexels

When you bring a new baby into your family, the first thing you need to figure out is the division of responsibilities.

Who is changing the diapers, who is taking off of work, who’s bringing them to their doctors appointments… Babies require quite a bit of planning.

But as this user found out, there is nothing more contentious than figuring out who has to stay up all night.

He went to Reddit after his wife criticized him for asking if they could alternate the night shift, considering he was working all day to support them.

Was he in the wrong? Check it out for yourself?

AITA for asking my wife to split the nights taking care of our baby?

My wife (34f) says that I (33m) should take care of the baby every night that I am at home because she needs more rest than I do.

While I understand that the full-time mom job is way more tiring, she does have two more people who help her during the day.

We rely on my job´s income to make ends meet and I’m not concentrated or motivated after not sleeping well.

Additionally, while I am away (around once every two weeks) she hires a night nanny.

So OP asked his wife if they could begin alternating the night shift taking care of the baby.

Today I decided to tell her that I think it’s fair that I do one night and she does another and well, I opened Pandora’s box.

I’m now a horrible husband because I can’t do the night shifts every day even though I “used to wake up early to go to the gym and didn’t complain.”

Apparently I don’t value that she couldn’t sleep during her whole pregnancy, and that she is way more exhausted than I could ever be because she is still breastfeeding.

I don’t think of myself as an AO but today she tried to make me feel like one.

AITA?

I don’t think requesting him and his wife both take night shifts makes him a horrible person, especially if he’s the one supporting the family financially!

Reddit was quick to point out that it wasn’t just her while her husband was at work, it was her, 2 helpers, and a night nanny!

Source: Reddit/AITA

This comment agreed OP wasn’t in the wrong, but still empathized with the wife as a Mom.

Source: Reddit/AITA

Many wondered how old the baby was, and wondered if the Mom may be suffering from some sort of post-partum depression.

Source: Reddit/AITA

This Mom of twins said taking turns doing the night shift was the best decision she and her husband ever made.

Source: Reddit/AITA

And finally, this Mom said she understood if her husband was the one working, he would need his sleep to support their family.

Source: Reddit/AITA

Maybe OP should ask his wife to change roles, she’ll go to work and he’ll become a stay-at-home Dad.

She might be in for a rude awakening!

Want to read another story where somebody got satisfying revenge? Check out this post about a woman who tracked down a contractor who tried to vanish without a trace.