BTDT Advice for the first month
A37licia
member
Mobile: BTDT Advice for the first month
Since this comes up a lot: please seriously reconsider any commitments to events that are to take place within a month of your EDD. You might go late, and you might have a harder recovery. People might not understand, but your first priority is your baby and your recovery.
Women can face long term complications of doing too much too soon, and I personally have taken the advice seriously to GO SLOW the first 2-3 weeks post partum. So that's 2-3 weeks from when the baby is born - build in a cushion to your EDD to take that in account. You don't want to mess with hemorrhaging, prolapse, longer healing time for stitches/staples (whether vaginal or cs), unnecessary fatigue and emotional stress, disruptions in establishing a nursing relationship, etc.
For the immediate pp period, advice I have received has been something along the lines of: 3 days in bed, 3 days on the bed, and 3 days next to the bed. This gives you an idea of what recovery for some women might look like. Yep, sure there are women who bounce back a lot sooner, but you don't know what camp you'll be in. Keep expectations low for that first month both for yourself and what you communicate to other people!
That is all! 
Re: BTDT Advice for the first month
It is my goal to not plan anything for the first month and just do what is necessary for LO and my body. But it is getting hard now as friends and family are starting to make plans, ask about this date and that date, but so far we are still on track.
Hear Hear...
The first month, especially the first 2 weeks... take it easy. In fact my nurse recommended not even wearing non-PJ like clothes those 2 weeks to help remind you that you are supposed to be healing. You do not have to be supermom, in fact it can backfire and just extend your healing time.
It doesn't, but having help come alleviates that. I'll have two toddlers this time, but with my mom and DH helping out, I'm still going to be resting. I know not everyone gets help, but those moms who don't have help need to rest when they can if they have to be back on their feet sooner.
I had a very easy recovery the first time. I have no family help other then DH and I have a toddler. It would be a cold day in hell where I had the opportunity to lay in bed for three days....you have got to be kidding....I mean of course I will take it as easy as I can but lets be real...
Exactly... wishful thinking. DH has been deployed since a few weeks after we found out and won't be back in time. We don't have family here and being new to the area, friends are few and far between. The ones we have, have their own lives, jobs and children. I have a toddler and know that I will probably not get a break anytime soon.
This, exactly. I suppose I could hire help but my family lives pretty far from us, and taking too much time from work is not an option for my husband. I will have two toddlers but am not really worried because my recoveries were easy before. I think I was going grocery shopping without much issue within a week.
it really depends on your labor and your body. I didn't have to get any stitches or anything so maybe that helped.
Sorry you guys don't have help...I'm sure you'd agree that while your situation doesn't allow, that doesn't mean pp women shouldn't rest.
The spirit of the post, which has been missed by your own situations, is to give women an idea of what to expect - what recovery might look like. There are so many posts on here about a friend's wedding 10 days after the edd, or a concert people want to go to at 2 weeks post partum, going on vacation a week after the edd, and should I go, etc. This is speaking to the suggestion to have low expectations following birth. HTH!
No kidding. I also have to head back to work and grad school very soon. I'm going to do my best to rest but life still happens!