New to FIFO

[wannaBamumma]

Hi everyone! Hubby has just accepted a job for 3 months in Kalgoorlie (we're in Brisbane) and we have a 4 month old baby girl! His roster is 7 on 7 off but probably will only be able to fly home every second time off! I'm just wanting to hear from others about how you cope! I've never stayed in our house alone overnight let alone doing it for weeks on end!! I have family close by so will have alot of support but I just want to know the pros and cons by other mums who have done it!!
Thanks!!!'

[Laksa]

We are FIFO but always have been so don't know any different :)

That sux he can't come home every break!! 8 days is long enough for me (tho he was away 2 weeks at a time when we just had one baby)

[Thermolicious]

Congrats on the new job :) we live about 400km north east of Kal in a mining town but hubby did use to FIFO, you find you get use to it pretty quickly and it may feel like hubby is disturbing "your" routine when he is home, I just use to let everything go out the window and patch it up when he left lol, made it a lot less stressful :) I sleep (slept) with a hall light on when he was away (or is on night shift now) because it makes me feel more comfortable, I also prefer to take my mobile to bed. Your very lucky to have close family support, but do remember to get out and about, visit friends and chat to someone each day, I found adjusting to not being able to chat to hubby each night difficult but once I figured that connection out I made myself talk to someone each day- that helped a lot.

:goodluck: feel free to ask any questions :)

[Mum2One Bub]

Hi -my partner works away 8 days on, 6 off and has done for the last 3 and a bit months. We have a 13 month old son. The hardest thing I found was adjusting our daily routine, I used to work everything around when he was due home, as in when dinner would be ready, when to bath DS, etc and that was also my mental marker that yes I could talk to an adult again lol! Definitely get out during the day, we quite often just go and get a coffee and some morning tea and sit at a park for an hour or so - just being out of the house makes me more motivated to do things when I return.

I also alternate between getting Lite n Easy meals and doing bulk cook ups to have meals in the freezer - the first time he went away I got a bit sick because I wasn't eating dinner, or just having toast or something...not good when you're home alone with a baby.

We do a video call maybe once while he's away, this is good for both him and DS, who gets the biggest grin seeing Dad on the screen! We also disregard routine when he's home, DS still follows his general patterns but I rarely do washing or any big housework jobs while he's home, I'd rather be spending quality time as a family :)

Good luck, I am sure you will be fine!