My husband and I were supposed to be a team after our baby was born, but he let me down. Recently, something happened that made me realize how much he wasn’t helping. Let me explain. My husband Jake and I welcomed our daughter Tilly three weeks ago.
Every time I asked Jake for help with Tilly, he would say, “Let me relax; my paternity leave is too short.” I’ve been struggling alone with sleepless nights, and things came to a head last Saturday during a family gathering. As the party went on, Jake was busy telling everyone, “I needed this paternity leave because I couldn’t imagine how tired I would have been if I was working and taking care of the baby.”
Exhausted, I ended up fainting right there in the middle of the party. When I woke up, my family was worried, but Jake just looked annoyed. Later at home, he exploded, upset that I embarrassed him and made him “look bad.”
Just when I was about to leave for my mom’s house, my in-laws showed up with a professional nanny they hired. “She’s here to help with the baby and to teach Jake how to care for her,” my mother-in-law explained. They also insisted I go on a spa retreat for a week.
Their kindness overwhelmed me, and I agreed immediately. That week away was exactly what I needed to recover. When I returned home, I was amazed by the change! The nanny had put Jake through a baby boot camp. He learned to change diapers, cook baby food, comfort a crying baby, and establish a sleep routine. Jake greeted me with a sincere apology, having sold his prized vintage guitars to pay for the nanny and my retreat, showing how committed he was to our family.
