Brewing with newborns

[Mogwai]

I will encourage my wife to visit her mother frequently. Brewing and not going to the in-laws on a weekend sounds too good to be true...

 

[davefleck]

SAHD here. Today we took a trip to the LHBS. Tomorrow we brew. She is 4 1/2 months. The first 2 without mom, it would be impossible. Now she naps better. Once she is walking it will be more difficult

 

[Sweetchuck]

I was one of those D&D geeks. Me and a couple of buddies were playing one Saturday and his wife decides we're babysitting while she goes out with her friend.

That was a first and last.

 

[danorocks17]

You know, cook, clean, nag, and pillow fights with her friends.

oh I remember when i got to make jokes like this....but then i got married

 

[Bill05]

I have an 8 month old so I know what your up against. Like others have said, you aren't going to care about anything else once you have that little bugger in your arms! And trust me, they don't sleep long! Luckily my wife likes my beer as much as I do so when I ask for some brew time she has no complaints. I wasn't in to brewing until about 4 months ago, but I wouldn't have been able to brew with a newborn. You will be way to tired to do it! Drinking is a chore with a newborn (they don't care if you are hungover, they want that bottle!!) Good Luck and Congrats! You will be brewing again in no time.

 

[genes]

Really?!

 

[Clann]

you learn quick. getting pooped on is a great motivator

Ha ha ha

Guess I'll learn soon enough

 

[Vance71975]

Yes, I know what the title implies, feel free to add appropriate jokes/puns.

Anyway, my wife is very pregnant with a due date of next Thursday (6/23). Since this is our first child, I expect life to become quite hectic with limited time for brewing (and drinking).
Luckily I have a batch (my first) in bottles, ready to be had, with a second batch ready to be bottled tonight. When do you think I can brew again? My thought was to brew as soon as possible before the baby will need more of my time (I figured the little rascal will be sleeping and eating the first few weeks).

What are your experiences with newborns and brewing? Can I squeeze in a few hours of brewing without neglecting my other duties?

This is quite simple, Bribe the wife, tell her that every day she allows you to brew, you will in turn take the baby for the same amount of time so that she can do whatever she wants be it hang with friends, take a hot bath, go shopping etc. 50/50 trade off, But you HAVE to keep up your end, or no more brew days for you my friend!

 

[Vance71975]

I have an 8 month old so I know what your up against. Like others have said, you aren't going to care about anything else once you have that little bugger in your arms! And trust me, they don't sleep long! Luckily my wife likes my beer as much as I do so when I ask for some brew time she has no complaints. I wasn't in to brewing until about 4 months ago, but I wouldn't have been able to brew with a newborn. You will be way to tired to do it! Drinking is a chore with a newborn (they don't care if you are hungover, they want that bottle!!) Good Luck and Congrats! You will be brewing again in no time.

I have 3 kids, Only ONE of them didn't sleep a solid 8 hrs at night RIGHT after coming home from the hospital.

 

[adx]

Mine is 15 months and only my 3rd brew since she was born. Mostly because I like to brew early on the weekends and I mostly just want to sleep in on those days as much as I can now. The lack of sleep was the biggest killer for me and mine sleeps really well. Now she can easily go 12 hours a night and we only had about 1 month where she would wake up at 3 AM.

I used to post a lot more around here at one point in time too.

 

[Special Hops]

I have 2 now. The youngest being 6 months. I dint brew as often but I got a bigger keggle so I can brew a double batch in the same amount of time.

 

[TheDom]

Having a kid really helped my case for switching to kegging.
SWMBO: "No more F^&%*[email protected] beer bottles all over the house? Sold!"
Me: "Giggity!"

My wife and I have a give and take arrangement, where I'll get to brew, then I'll take our boy 15 month old for a while and let her do her own thing. The first few weeks after the birth though, brewing should probably be off the table. Even if she says it is ok, it'll probably stop being ok 17 years later or something.

 

[Bucks-04]

My wife is due in July and i plan on doing what Jetsmooth did. INLAWS!!

My father in-law's son brews mr beer, so i plan on introducing him and my self to my first all grain when they come out to visit. I have only done extract and i feel this is the perfect time to move on into all grain!

Congrats on the new one!!

 

[jsbiral]

I wholeheartedly agree with TheDom. I have three ranging from 5 to 9 months and they definitely have reduced the number of times I'm able to brew annually by at least half. The first few weeks to month are going to be very difficult to adjust to for both you and your wife (lack of sleep, adjusting to the new family member, people constantly wanting to stop by to see the new baby, etc). There has to be give and take and like TheDom, if the wife gives me an evening "off" to brew, I give her one to do her thing. Good luck and congrats on the little one!

 

[theonetrueruss]

I have a pair of 2.5 year olds and the way I've been brewing is to brew at night after they are asleep.. that puts my brew day from like 9pm till 3am. rough but works

 

[tradgunkie]

Make sure you take care of the mom. A happy mother = happy spouse = happy marriage = time for you to brew. I started brewing before my third child, so I never really knew what it was like to brew without responsibilities.

But I learned this much: You can brew as much as your wife wants you to brew. Just ask her which day would be best for you to brew, and hopefully she'll respect your hobby and give you the 4-5 hours that you need.

The first five years are the hardest. If you survive those, your pipeline will come back into balance.

 

[ktillman1]

I have my first due in a few weeks! I love brewing but I think it might be wise to put it aside for a while. In preparation I have taught a few buddies to brew. Hopefully beer karma will come into play here, by my calculations I should have a few years of free brew...!

 

[DannPM]

I've found that homebrew makes babies happy, quiet, and all around just...jolly. You should encounter no problems. For infants perhaps a milk stout would be appropriate. You can start things like a Saison around 9-13 months.

 

[mcbethenstein]

Good Luck to all the future parents on this thread! It's so much fun!....

That being said, I MUST be an anomaly on here. I bought the kit at christmas when my little boy was 3 1/2 months old. It turned out my SO was more into the idea of brewing than the actual process (But he does help me bottle), so I became the brewer. I did have a bit of trouble getting the first few batches done without interruptions (I was breastfeeding up until a month ago). But as the little one got older I figured out how to mash, then feed him, start a boil, then put him down for a nap...etc. In all fairness my SO does have a 8 yr old son who lives with us and he is a big help keeping the Little One laughing and occupied. Also the little one has spent many a brew day playing with toys in his high-chair, while I mash, boil, etc.... As long as he could see and hear me it was OK with him. In the last 6 months I've made 10 batches, with my 11th one being brewed on friday before I take the baby for his 9 month doctor appointment.

NOW that I've given you some hope, I am going to say that I can not imagine trying to do anything else the first 6 weeks but eat, sleep, take care of the baby, and take daily trips to target so I could pick up a Starbucks coffee and get the baby to nap in the car-seat...(he didn't like napping until I figured out how to swaddle him.) Seriously, get the "Happiest Baby on the Block" DVD. It SAVED my life! So hold off on the brewing until you doctor's give you the 6 week clearance. It's a good milestone, and by then you will be a little bit more settled into the whole parenting thing.

 

[mcbethenstein]

The first one is a brew day. The second I think I was doing dishes, and cleaning bottles.

 

[FromZwolle]

Seriously, get the "Happiest Baby on the Block" DVD. It SAVED my life!

and the david gilmour cd on an island. you get to enjoy some very floydian music and babies/toddlers will pass right out after two tracks.

 

[TheDom]

Also the little one has spent many a brew day playing with toys in his high-chair, while I mash, boil, etc.... As long as he could see and hear me it was OK with him.

This. Ours is running everywhere now, but our house is pretty baby-proof, so I'll run out and get a sparge done, or check on the boil here and there. I brew in our open garage, and I'll kinda arrange stuff to block off the burner/keggle so he can run around the garage if I need more than a few minutes with both hands free.

Now that I've given you some hope, I am going to say that I can not imagine trying to do anything else the first 6 weeks but eat, sleep, take care of the baby, and take daily trips to target so I could pick up a Starbucks coffee and get the baby to nap in the car-seat...(he didn't like napping until I figured out how to swaddle him.) Seriously, get the "Happiest Baby on the Block" DVD. It SAVED my life! So hold off on the brewing until you doctor's give you the 6 week clearance. It's a good milestone, and by then you will be a little bit more settled into the whole parenting thing.

Guys may not feel like this, but they're in trouble if they forget that SWMBO will feel like this. In just talking about this thread, my wife reminded me about this point at least 3 times!

 

[jsweet]

Re: Swaddling, absolutely YES, but I do have one comment: Before our first, I went to the trouble of learning how to swaddle for real, then a bunch of people gave us as gifts some of those special-purpose swaddle "blankets" that just have the velcro and such. (There's a few different brands) It was just so much easier and faster and foolproof that I started using those pretty much exclusively. Only downside is now I can't really swaddle with a regular blanket anymore, as a result of not having practice -- I can sort of do it in a pinch, but they tend to bust out right away.

I can also second the tips in Happiest Baby on the Block. They are very effective and simple.

 

[Wobbegong]

It isnt easy in the beginning, thats for sure.

I have a 3 year old boy, and the wife is EXTREMELY pregnant with twin boys. Due in a few weeks. Im building the pipeline up now, 'cause its about to get crazy around my house real soon.....

 

[the_bird]

Congrats on the n00b!

It's hectic for the first few months, but you'll get things figured out before long. Homebrewing's not the worst hobby in the world, as at least you're at home (instead of out playing golf or whatever). Be supportive of your SWMBO, and hopefully she'll be supportive of letting you take five or six hours to get a batch done.

Swaddling helped our oldest out a lot. The youngest, not as much but he's always been a much lower-maintenance kid. Great sleeper, unlike his big sis.

In the meantime, this might help YOU. Audiobook reading of a popular new kid's title. Trust me, many a night you'll feel just like this.

 

[Celticway]

A little piece of advise--from expirience. When the kid gets a bit older and gets interested in all your shiny stuff don't make a stupid mistake like I did. I have a 2 year old daughter and a 3 year old son. My kids love to come in to my brew shed especially my son- he is already an engineer in the making, I can see it plain as day. I don't let them in there when I am actally brewing, too much hot stuff around. They were in there one day however when I was just pumping some PBW through the system. I turned around for a second to turn on more water and heard----zzzzing, followed by screaming. My daughter thought it would be a great idea to stick her finger in the cooling fan of my pump motor.

It wad a good cut, but she healed up ok. I felt so bad and so stupid for not thinking that could happen. You have to be thinking all the time about it because they are great at inventing ways to hurt themselves !

 

[joeldp144]

Once the little one starts sleeping more regularly (2 to 3 months old), then you can start squeezing in night brews. I have 8 month old twins (and a 3.5 year old), and I find that the best time to brew is after the kids are in bed or when my mother-in-law is around to help. All you need is 5 straight hours, so if you start at 8 PM, then you can be done by 1 AM.

Just make sure your wife is ready too. You can get buy with store bought beer for a little while if it is for the good of your family. Congratulations!

 

[craigbrew]

My daughter is 8 months today and I have been able to brew a couple of times since she was born. The thing that helped me is my wife loves my beer and drinks it with me and I am a morning person, so I get up and brew at 5am. I can be done by 10am and she gets up around 7 so the wife is happy to have help the rest of the day. I also moved to 10gal batches so I have more beer with less brewing days. I have a brewing friend that gets up earlier than me to brew and he doesn't even have kids.

 

[dogbar]

+1 on being out of commission for six weeks, but after that I think brewing is one of the easier hobbies to maintain post-baby. Ask my wife if she'd rather see me gone for five hours playing golf or home for five hours brewing, with all the natural breaks (water heating, mash, boil, cooling) when I can help out.

Not to mention, she can't drink a birdie.

 

[dstar26t]

My daughter is 3.5 months old and I've brewed 5 times since she was born (long all-grain and sometimes decoction brew days). I didn't brew her first month but once we got into a groove, it wasn't a problem. I'm sure it'll be harder to find the time later on but right now is fine. From what I gather, she's relatively well behaved, and so is my daughter

 

[Keith_Mahoney]

Seriously, get the "Happiest Baby on the Block" DVD. It SAVED my life!

Golden advice.

Swaddle and vacuum!

 

[blkandrust]

You need to get your priorities in line. Good, quality beer is way more important than the possible neglect of a baby.

On a serious note, make the wife watch her for a few hours and then you can take over and she can go and do whatever females do. You know, cook, clean, nag, and pillow fights with her friends.

That's good stuff right there!!

 

[malkore]

I can't seem to get my mill gap adjusted properly, so my efficiency with newborns is abyssmal.



Sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

[sweet_corn]

My daugher did not slow me down. I think the first few weeks we were too tired to do anything, but eventually it gets better. Now, i brew when mom is gone, and I have the kid. First, with an AG and a cooler mash tun, it takes me about 15-20 minutes to get my mash going. Start that at about 5:45 or so, mash in around 6. Play with kid until 6:30 or 6:45, depends on bath night, and then put her to bed. I have the rest of the night to brew. If she does wake up, I can get to her after the boil is going.

My wife does not mind if I do it while she is here as well. Again, during the mash as long as I am daddy and not brewer, she is find with it.

 

[ContinuousD]

I went through the same thing a LONG time ago. I still managed to brew when I could but a few years ago life was busy and I quit brewing. My 4 daughters are 17, 19, 29, & 30 years old now and 2 years ago the older 2 gave me a bunch of new equipment to get me brewing. I guess they wanted some free good beer, or they missed the scents of a brewday.

For the first year or so a baby will control your life. After that it is realy your choice, don't let the kid control your life, make them part of your life. If you are spending time with your kids you are doing what matters.

Oh yeah, use it as an excuse to make your first high gravity ale. Just search for baby's bath .......

 

[edmanster]

My 4 daughters are 17, 19, 29, & 30 years old now.

im gonna listen to eveything you have to say!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bigbeergeek]

My son is one year old this Sunday. The first 4 months of his life were a brewing hiatus for me. I did a few late night/early brews once he was sleeping through the night (thus brewing while he's asleep) but found them too exhausting on myself. Skip the brewing for a while -- you have some very important memories to form, and bonding to participate in right now. Your equipment will be waiting for you, trust me.

Try to work out a schedule where you watch the wee one while your wife has a girl date, pedicure, whatever she likes that's baby free, and in exchange you get a brew in every now and then. That's what my wife and I do. Get's me a brew or two a month now, so I'm happy. Congratulations and good luck!

 

[pd230soi]

This is quite simple, Bribe the wife, tell her that every day she allows you to brew, you will in turn take the baby for the same amount of time so that she can do whatever she wants be it hang with friends, take a hot bath, go shopping etc. 50/50 trade off, But you HAVE to keep up your end, or no more brew days for you my friend!

This is good. As a father of two I will add that at first you should sleep WHENEVER and WHEREEVER you are when the baby falls asleep, except while driving. You could be very sleep deprived for a short while. After a bit everyone including the baby gets into a cycle of activity.

Both parents will need some alone time, talk it over, make a plan, and keep up your end. Its tough, but I just brewed two beers this morning, packed the car for camping and am taking my 3 year old and 6 year old camping for the night. It gets good after some pain.

Congrats!

 

[davefleck]

The whole barter of kid duties sounds good in our male minds but it ends there. Be a good father. Give your wife time off but don't trade for it. If you feel like the balance is equal, you are behind the 8 ball. Be there, be a great husband and father and she won't ever flinch when you ask for brew time. Don't turn your relationship into a business agreement.

 

[jsweet]

be there, be a great husband and father and she won't ever flinch when you ask for brew time.

ymmv.

edit: What I mean by this is every relationship is different. None of the grandparents are in town and able to help us, and the only relatives we have that we are close to who could watch our boys, they have a 10-year-old girl of their own and they both work, so even though they are happy to do it when they are able, they usually aren't. Which means we don't get a lot of help. My wife is a stay-at-home mom, so that means long days for her every day. She expects me to do a lot of the child care when I am not at work, which is okay, but it's like pulling teeth to get any time to myself, at all. I have to really fight for it. My number one focus is taking care of my family -- in fact, I'm working from home today so my wife can get some rest -- but "she won't ever flinch" certainly does not describe my situation, because ANY free time I get, I have to ask my wife to basically work a 15-hour day, or else I need to shirk on weekend chores or household improvements that she'd like me to do.

Like I say, every relationship is different.