My husband and I were supposed to be a team when we had our first child, but he turned his back on me. I recently experienced one of the most embarrassing and enlightening moments of my life. Allow me to backtrack a bit. Three weeks ago, my husband of 29 years, Jake, and I gave birth to our beautiful daughter, Tilly.
Whenever I ask Tilly’s dad for help, he responds: ‘Let me relax, my maternity leave is very short’. I’ve been struggling with sleepless nights alone, and last Saturday it went too far during a family party. As the party progressed, Jake was telling everyone, ‘I needed this maternity leave because I couldn’t imagine how exhausted I would be working and caring for a toddler.’
Exhausted, I fainted right in the middle of the party. I woke up to the stares of concerned family members and a scowling Jake. He later exploded at home, annoyed that I had embarrassed him and accused me of making him ‘look bad!’.
Just as I was about to leave for my mum’s house, my in-laws arrived with a professional nanny they’d hired. ‘She’s here to help with the baby and teach Jake how to care for him,’ my mum explained. They also insisted that I go to a spa for a week.
Overwhelmed by their kindness, I immediately agreed. The week was blissful and helped me recover. At home, the changes were astounding! The nanny put Jake through a rigorous “baby training camp”. He learned how to change nappies, prepare baby food, soothe a crying baby and follow a sleep schedule. Jake met me with a sincere apology: he sold his vintage guitars to pay for the nanny and my departure, demonstrating his dedication to our family.
