I know that some of the moms here work grave yard and I am wondering how well the family holds up? I am contemplating a job in the medical field that requires 3 12 hour shifts. I have never worked nights before but it would allow my children to be home with their father and not miss me while I'm away. I would love to hear the Pros and the Cons...LOL TIA

By Mrse on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 05:38 pm:

The only problem I can think of is when do you sleep? You will need to sleep when you get home, are your kids old eneough to let you have a sleep? I only worked 1 night shift few weeks back, nothing like the hours you are talking about, only 4 hours,and I felt like I was a zombie the next day, I had 6 hours sleep.

By Vicki on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 06:02 pm:

I have a friend that works night shift and she is like the walking dead in the summer. It isn't bad when school is in, but in the summer she gets almost no sleep at all. You have to figure in when you get to sleep and in the summer, it really isn't much sleep until her dh gets home from work in the late afternoon.

By Mommyathome on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 06:48 pm:

Will that kind of schedule work out for your DH? My DH worked the night shift for a few months and it was really hard on our marriage. During the day he worked another job, and I was busy with the kids. Night time was our only couple time. I'm not talking "sexually" at all. Just normal couple time. But, I guess if you are only working 3 nights a week, it may be different. DH was working 5 nights a week.
Good luck with whatever you decide

By Tink on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 10:07 pm:

My dh and I work opposite shifts but he has nights. It is really hard because he works from 10pm until 6:30am, comes home and helps get the dks ready for school. He takes care of our youngest while I work 9am to 3:30pm and then sleeps until 9 when he gets up for work again. It does make it hard to have couple time and there is some resentment that we are both working and I'm still doing most of the housework but, for the most part, it works out OK for us. I think the lack of sleep is the biggest problem for us. Good luck what ever your decision may be. What field are you looking at taking a position in?

By Dawnk777 on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 11:29 pm:

I worked nights for almost 10 years. For a few years, straight nights and I think by the time I was married and had kids, it was rotating days and nights. My kids went to the daycare so I could sleep. For the oldest daughter, this was from birth until about 3-1/2 and youngest daughter, only a year. I couldn't have taken care of them at home during the day and worked all night. I would have been one TIRED nurse.

It was hard when I worked weekends, since everyone was home, then. I remember when Sarah was about 5 months old, she cried and cried and cried. Finally in the evening, we decide maybe she's teething and give her some Tylenol. A week-and-a-half later, she had her first two teeth! Ugh. That was my worst time trying to sleep! Then I didn't work nights anymore. Now, I work in a clinic and if I have to close, I'm home sometime in the evening. I don't think I could do nights anymore!

By Christylee on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 11:37 pm:

I plan on doing this as well hopefully once I get through my externship (which is going GREAT).

I worked 11p-7a for four years pre-Brendan days and I loved it. I'd work until 7am then took college classes until noon, went home went to bed and then had evenings with my family. I really enjoyed the night shift. I'm hoping to find a position doing either 12 hour shifts 3 days a week or the 11-7a... I think this will work best for us because I can keep Brendan in his preschool and get a few hours of sleep and then pick him up and have time with him, once he starts school I'll get him off to school and be up by the time it's time for him to be out. PLUS there's always those days when you give up a little sleep to get things done to do daytime things.

Good luck I hope it works out for you.

By Juli4 on Saturday, August 28, 2004 - 03:14 am:

I currently work 3 12 hour nights in healthcare. If you look at the time of my post it is 3am. I like it for a lot of reasons. One it is only 3 nights a week. and two I get shift diff. it depends a lot on your kids age as to how you work them. If they are older and in school then you can work them in a row after you adjust and then have four days off or what I do is work tuesday, friday sat. My husband is home on the weekends so I can sleep and on wed when I come home I have to stay up until nap time but I usually go in the play room with them shut the door and lay on the floor while they play. It will take time to adjust and the first couple of 12s you think you will die but like anything you adjust. I can do them now with not a lot of problems. Especially if your kids are in school it will work even better. But you will find that if you only have one day off in between days it is like you don't have a day off. That day off really goes by fast and for me it is not until the next moring that I feel energized to do much. the hospital is much quieter at night also. You still have a lot to do and it can be busy, but you don't have as many doctors, tests and families to contend with. I like the work but I do stay tired pretty regular. It works the best for us right now with my husband in school. usaully when doing them in a row I can get about 5 to 6 hours of sleep adn feel fine. The third night is the hardest but still doable. When I know that I do not work the next night I don't sleep as much in the day time. I am not as productive as I wish I could be, but I just spend time with the kid and dh. well sorry for the long post. Hope the info worked for you

By Feonad on Saturday, August 28, 2004 - 06:22 am:

Nurses love this schedule if they can get it. Nurses are big family types too. I think you try to do as little as possible the day of the shift since it is 12 hours!