A rant about timing

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So my husband and I just got certified last summer and were looking forward to getting in a lot of practice diving, both in a few weeks during my week off between jobs --> http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/florida-diving/472193-most-dives-$$-florida.html and this summer.

Well, that all came to a screeching halt. I found out two weeks ago that I'm pregnant!! Don't get me wrong, I'm happy. And I'll be 34 when the baby is born, so I didn't want to wait too much longer to have a baby. And we've been married for three years, so we had a good run with no real responsibilities. But I feel like this kid is going to seriously cramp my style when it comes to diving. My husband and I don't have a very good family support system (i.e. I would be afraid to leave my kid with my mother or his parents).

So, I'm just annoyed that I have to stop diving, and save money for the 6 weeks I'm out on maternity leave, since I'm also starting a new job in three weeks and I have to take the time off unpaid.

Has anyone else faced the same issue where their husband was their dive buddy and they had no one to watch the baby? I've been hoping to get another couple we're friends with to get certified so that we can take turns watching each other's kids while the other couple is diving (or the girls go and the dads watch the kids, etc.).

Anyone else have this issue??

 

[underH2Oman]

Congratulations on the soon to be new family member.

Although my youngest is now 21 (still tags along for some dive weekends) I had that issue early on with my family. I would recommend looking into finding a dive club in your area that you might be able to join for dives. This will introduce you to more dive buddies and they may even have families in your position. this will help for local diving but might not help for destination based trips. If you can expand your buddy list that might help to get people you are familiar with to join you for trips.

I have been diving with many families over the years. It comes down to planning, and/or if you can find someone to leave the little one with, or finding more divers that can become buddies.

I have had lots of dive trips with families that both parents dive. We have made several different arrangements so that all can dive.

We have schedule morning and afternoon dives so that one parent can dive in the am the other in the pm. Who knows you might like to get away from the hubby for a half day!
We have had one couple look after the others child while the other couple dives. Once you know them and they have earned some trust.
We have had parents bring a baby sitter for the trip. Not the least expensive way to go but you know who you are leaving your child with.

We have had one parent dive today and the other the next day. Alternating dive days.

I am confident you will not have to take a long vacation from diving.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I've also had some dealing with families and diving and if the parents are willing there are solutions. Clubs are great. But get into one now. Don't expect to just show up with a 8 month old on an outing and say here, watch my kid while I get a dive in. And see you are in Md. Weather is not exactly dive weather now anyway and an active club will have other functions during the winter. And depending on how your labor goes you may not want to dive with your hubby for awhile after what he did to you! And make sure he knows that he was half responsible and therefore half the time with the kid is his. Including dive time when you'll be under water and he is changing diapers and getting puked on.

 

[tomfcrist]

A lot of hubby and wife teams are in local dive clubs. If you do find a couple in the same position as you, you could let the boys dive together, and when they are doing their SI, you ladies can dive. It works well from what I have seen

 

[AfterDark]

Congratulations kids are right up there with diving! Both my girls are grown, I babysit my Grand Daughter now and am looking forward to doing the same with a Grandson in March!

I'll third the dive club idea. You'll meet lots of nice people already certified, with kids! Maybe ya'll can get some of that "family support action"!

 

[diversteve]

Another option is to look for AI resorts with kids programs that also offer diving. One that I'm aware of is Beaches in Turks and Caicos. They offer everything from infant care on up using certified nannies. Beaches Kids Camp: Resorts with Childcare and Vacation Activities for Kids

What's really interesting about diving there is not only do they dive Provo's NW Point area but they also go out to French Cay on certain trips. That's some of the best Caribbean diving we've ever done. All Inclusive Scuba Diving Vacations in the Caribbean - Resort Diving at Beaches' All Inclusive Caribbean Resorts

 

[drrich2]

You mentioned Florida. I'm a guy with a wife & a baby daughter. Back in September, planning a dive trip where I'd be the only one diving (she's a warm water vacation occasional dabbler; I'm more avid), I wanted a location where we'd have fast access to U.S. healthcare in case our child got sick, to keep costs under control (especially taking along my mother-in-law to keep my wife company and do some baby sitting), and to avoid markedly long plane rides.

Flew out of Nashville, TN to Ft. Lauderdale, Fl, drop down to Key Largo, stayed in one room at Hotel Marriot, did 20 dives in 5 days with Rainbow Reef Dive Center at the end of the hotel parking lot, probably didn't blow 4 grand for all of us the whole week counting eating out, SUV rental & airfare.

Since both of you want to dive, you can either take a baby sitter along or check into area day care options at the destination.

I'm surprised not to see more posts on the forum listing reputable daycare offerings in popular Florida dive destinations like Key Largo, Ft. Lauderdale/Pompano Beach, Miami, West Palm Beach, Jupiter, etc...

This is the U.S., land of the 2 income household. And they do heavy dive tourism down there, with a lot of concerned parents who want trust worthy daycare.

Richard.

 

[button]

Thanks for all of the great ideas, everyone! Although it's funny that I posted this in Women's Perspectives and only men replied, lol.

Maybe we should start getting involved with a club now. My LDS organizes a fair number of trips, but so far I haven't met too many people in our particular situation. They end up certifying a lot of college students, so they're all a bit younger than us. The other divers mostly have kids that are out of the house.

I'd never thought about doing a temporary daycare situation in Florida... that's a really great idea! We might also look into some of the AI resorts that have childcare services. We do have a timeshare, after all.

I think that my husband is way more excited about this kid than me. Probably because he doesn't have to grow it and go through labor!! He also still gets to enjoy booze and diving. Pretty much my two favorite things.

 

[rhwestfall]

Wife and I took 8 years off from diving when our daughter was born. Likely didn't need to be 8 years, but we fell into some sort of "comfort zone" that was not including diving. I returned before my wife (i am much more driven with diving), but she too is "semi-active" again. Yep, sucks, but happens. Some good advice has been given.

 

[Skittl1321]

People always say if you waited until it was convenient to have a baby, no one would.

Congratulations on the addition to your family, sorry it has made diving more complicated.