4am wake-up thoughts - am I prepared for this?

Nov 241 min read

Baby girl arrives in 8 weeks. We have the crib, the car seat, we've taken classes. But reading forums like this at 4am while my wife sleeps has me spiraling. What if I can't handle the sleep deprivation? What if I'm not patient enough? What if I drop her or something happens because I'm too tired to think straight? Everyone keeps saying "oh you'll be fine" but that's not actually comforting. How do you guys actually deal with the panic?

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Comments(11)

CChuck M.Regular4h ago

Honestly? The fact that you're worried about being patient enough probably means you will be. The parents who aren't anxious about this stuff are the ones who might struggle. Your concern is a good sign.

JJoel F.Regularjust now

Stop reading forums at 4am - that's just your anxiety talking to other anxious people. You will be tired. You will be less patient than you want to be. But you will also somehow figure it out like millions of parents have. Baby girl will be fine.

MMatt W.Regularjust now

Every new parent spirals at 4am before baby arrives. It's completely normal. You'll be sleep-deprived and weird for a few months but you will not drop her or fail her. Your brain is just scared because it's a big deal. That's healthy anxiety, not prophetic anxiety.

SSteve Q.Regularjust now

The 4am spiraling is real and also probably made worse by forum reading lol. You've done classes, got gear - you're more prepared than most. The sleep deprivation will be brutal but temporary. The 'what if I drop her' anxiety is universal and you won't.

BByron S.Regularjust now

8 weeks is coming fast but here's the thing - newborns are incredibly resilient. You won't break her or mess her up with normal tired-parent mistakes. The catastrophizing at 4am feels real but it's not accurate.

RRandy B.Regularjust now

The 4am spiral is universal. You will not drop her. You will not lack patience (first month maybe but by month 3 you're just trying to survive, no patience required). The sleep deprivation is real but you adjust faster than you think.

SStan D.Regularjust now

The classes are honestly the least useful prep. What helps: knowing WHERE to get support when you're panicking at 3am (your OB, your partner, your pediatrician, literally anyone). Have phone numbers saved.

MMitch R.Regularjust now

Stop reading forums at 4am. Seriously. Your brain is already panicking, internet strangers' horror stories won't help. Trust your classes, trust your doctor, trust yourself. You're already prepared more than you think.

BBenny R.Regular1d ago

You're gonna be tired. You're gonna feel clumsy sometimes. Your brain will feel scrambled. But literally millions of sleep-deprived people have kept tiny humans alive. You'll be one of them.

TTerrence J.Regularjust now

8 weeks away is not that far. Put the forums down at 4am because they will only spiral you more. Nothing you read at 4am is gonna help, everything you read at 4am is terrifying.

TTony L.Regularjust now

The 'what if I'm not patient enough' thought hits different when there's an actual baby. But patience with a newborn is easier because they can't ANNOY you the same way older kids do. She'll cry and you'll handle it. Repeat.