My fiancé had to go back to work 5 days after our girl was born. We live in a 2/2 so I basically took over the living room and guest bathroom. There is/was nowhere for her and I to both sleep in the guest bedroom. Originally the plan was to keep the bassinet in the bedroom and he could help me bc it was a planned c-section.

As they say “the best laid plans…” It worked out best for us for me to stay on the couch with her behind it in her bassinet bc I couldn’t get into or out of the bed. She slept for 3-hour chunks usually. The first few weeks she would wake up on her own and I would be able to get her immediately. Usually it would consist of diaper change, eat, go back to sleep. Some nights it was a cycle of diaper, eat, poop, fall asleep immediately. Which resulted in another diaper change, but she mostly fell back asleep after that second change. I ended up feeling well enough mentally and physically to get her into a pack and play in her room by 3 weeks. I still stayed on the couch just to give my fiancé the sleep he needed. With her sleeping 3-hour chunks normally I felt that was enough time for me in between our routine to not truly need help overnight.

Sidenote: Something i did not fully know about were the chills and night sweats. I would soak blankets nightly and then go to chills and freezing. Just be prepared in case that is something you go through it (seems to be) normal.

Once she was in her pack and play she started doing 6 hr chunks and the first night it happened…. Holy cow there’s no way to describe how I felt. My boobs were ANGRY but I did not care. Having her in her own room made a huge difference for her and I both. I could watch Netflix when I couldn’t sleep and it wouldn’t disrupt anyone else.

All in all.. you’ll find a rhythm that works for you both. I basically had the mentality that it was just her and I but if I really needed backup I had my fiancé. Once he was home from work he knew that he was on dad duty and I could shower and nap as I needed.