Shift worker help?

[Moose657]

So I have my first full shift worker job (including nights) I have 2 small children who will be in nursery/school and husband will be doing drop off and pick up for that.
I'm just wondering how to stay organised?
Also wondering what people eat on night shifts and how to get used to night shifts?

Thank you

Anyone?

You will either love em or hate em.
They are particularly difficult to navigate with kids. A huge spanner in the works is if they are unwell and you get the call to come and pick them up or they can’t go/school holidays etc. As long as you have an excellent robust back up plan for these situations, prepare to be absolutely dog tired and sleep deprived.

For me, nights made me unwell. Physically and mentally. I stuck them out though for years and years.
Some colleagues loved them.
Luckily, my DH took on 80% of the childcare and house work when I was on nights so I could wallow in an exhausted heap as often as I needed to.

Thank you @OHVanessaShanessaJenkins

I'm Nervous but just because it's different!

I'm gonna be working in a hospital.

Don’t be nervous, it will be fine.
nights in hospital is another beast.

Youlll get yourself in a routine. What works for some won't work for others.

Generally before my first night shift I'll go back to bed as soon as the DC are in school and doze/watch tv until around 2pm.

In between nights I'll sleep as soon as I get home until around 3/4pm

Food wise I generally have a small light meal before I go, take another small meal with me which I have about 9/10pm then a snack at 2/3am then I'll eat breakfast before I get into bed then.

Thanks all!

Hi @Moose657
i did night shifts, on the day of your first night shift i would sleep for 2/3 hours, have dinner at your normal time. I would take maybe a sandwich to eat a few hours into your shift. At night i would eat healthy, salads, seeds, nuts. Have breakfast at work about an hour before you finish. Last night shift before days off is the best! x

Ear plugs to sleep during the day.

I eat before I go to work and then take some cereal or a snack (carb heavy!) for the night.

I did nights for 10 years. First night, I would try and do something energetic first thing in the morning (eg a swim or run)so I could try and get a couple hour nap in the afternoon.

I'd also try and have my tea before work and take snacky food for through the night, a big meal made me too sluggish part way through the night.

I also found drinks a fine balance...I didn't want a drink too late in the night or I'd need a wee in the day and once I woke up, I could never get back to sleep, but if i didn't drink enough, I'd wake up with a bad headache.

Finally for day time sleeping, ear plugs, a sleep mask and sleep music app helped.

Get as much sleep as you can leading up to the run of nights and as much sleep as you can the day you start. Prioritise this above absolutely everything else.

I usually have a sandwich on the way in the first night then my meal on my meal break, then breakfast when I wake up the next evening, meal on meal break etc. Meal planning and freezing leftovers for nights works well.

Eye mask and ear plugs!!

I did nights in a hospital when DS was little. It depends on how busy the department is. I just worked 2 nights a week the money was good enough for me. I did both nights together, I would batch cook and made sure I shower and slept straight away after my shift.

I have worked shifts for years following has helped make it more bearable:

reduce my standards in the house, the level of which of course varies from person to person. For me personally I’d do a load of laundry so it didn’t build up, quick swish in bathroom. Make sure dh is pulling his weight with stuff.

I used to buy my lunch on the way to work - meal deal or similar as I found it really hard to decide what to make if I was tired and end up not bothering.

Loads of people wake at lunchtime after a night shift and those 3 hours is not enough if you’re back the same night. I would deliberately stay in my nightwear, laze around, watch Netflix. Rest in the hope of going back to sleep. It’s tempting to get up and do loads.

conversely on the final night shift you’ll be able to sleep till 6 or 7pm…don’t!! Get up at lunchtime, eat, shower, get some daylight. Go to be early and you may well sleep well.

if you need sleep on a weekend morning when the family are home, try and arrange for them to go out from mid morning for a few hours otherwise you’ll definitely be woken and struggle to go back to sleep.

Thank you all for your suggestions