MoMs: One month after you delivered

BizEB

could you have hosted a birthday party?  My son will be turning 2 almost a month after my likely c-section date.  I really want to throw him a birthday party but I'm not sure what condition I'll be in physically.  Minimal effort involved on my part- party will be outside our house at a venue that will take care of food and entertainment, cake, etc.  Probably about 50 guests.  I will have help with all my kids those first few weeks so I should have time to rest and recover from my c-section.  My only real duty will be hosting.  Will likely require that I'm on my feet for 2 hours.  I won't be bringing the twins to the party (too germy and I want the party to be about DS, not people just cooing over the newborn twins). 

Do you think you could have done that?  TIA for any thoughts. 

robinsokj

definitely not.  I would still be too tired/busy to have the time to put into it

GiGi1221

For sure!  I felt pretty back to normal after 2 1/2wks- I did have a vaginal birth though so I don't know about c-section recovery...

Temp159135562506975

nothing about it would be fun. I would have been exhausted, breasts swollen, still not 100% feeling great with the c/s (or if vaginal, chances are your crotch will still hurt if on your feet too long).

My advice- have a very small party for your son... a 2 y/o doesn't understand birthdays.  Griffin turned 2 in March ( i had the babies in June) so we just had a VERY small party at our house with my parents, sister's family, and a couple neighbors... cake and pizza - no frills, no decorations... he couldn't have been more thrilled - he got cake and presents and that is all that mattered to him. 

you can go big when he turns 3 and understands.

RunnerGirl17

I had a really great recovery from my c-section and was in excellent health and shape prior so I'm not sure if mine is a "typical" recovery story.  Physically, I could have definitely handled being on my feet for 2 hours (I was already taking 4 mile walks and starting to run again at that point).  However, I would NOT have wanted to host a big party because of the twins and the attention they required and how exhausted and sleep-deprived and just not "in the mood" for hosting I was.  Maybe go small for this one and do it at a venue or at another family member's house (at another place vs. your house - like you said, lots of people around your little ones is very "germy") where they'll handle the clean-up, cake, decorations, etc.  Hosting and doing it all is doable, but not sure how much you'll enjoy it and how much stress you'll experience beforehand if it's a big ordeal.

jayandjuliecruz

Ok, i am 4 weeks post partum right now.  i feel great.  I could totally host a party.  I feel great right.  I say go ahead and go for it!

beblankster

Go for it.  The guests at the party will be holding and fussing over the twins so you will get a nice break. 

lisa&andy

I had a greay recovery from the c-section, once the swelling went away at 10day pp, I was good to go. I did have some back pain due to everything readjusting after the pregnancy, but easily relieved providing I sat down for a little bit. I say go for it, providing you are not having to set-up/take down stuff.

macchiatto

Not me. We had about 9 guests (7 adults, 2 kids) for half a day when the boys were 3 weeks old and even that was too much! Now, if it's as you described where you don't have to do set up, food, cleanup, etc., that is easier but I would still prefer something smaller. Especially since this is probably the last year you can get away with "He won't remember it anyway."

jenn_darrin1515

While I think you could do it, when the time comes you likely won't *want* to do it...I was in my SIL's wedding 6 days after my c-section and it was beyond terrible and a story for another day (I left after dinner)...even 4 weeks pp I was still so exhausted/recovering...but by 6 weeks I could have done a party no problem...if you don't want to scale it down, maybe push it back a week or two (your DS won't know!) GL!

MamaCrystal

jenn_darrin1515:

I was in my SIL's wedding 6 days after my c-section and it was beyond terrible and a story for another day (I left after dinner)...

OMG!  That must have been crazy.

OP:  Are you planning to BF?  That would make a big difference in what you're able to do or will want to do.  I felt good one month pp, but I would not have wanted to host a party mostly because of BF'ing.  I'd also opt to do something smaller with just immediate family.  You're also not sure yet how your son will react to having 2 babies in the house.  The anticipation and planning that goes into a big birthday party won't help.  It may actually be better for him if you go low-key with people he's very comfortable with.

mlgd

I probably *could have* done it, but I don't think I would have really wanted to or enjoyed it very much -- mainly due to pure exhaustion.

BizEB

MamaCrystal:

jenn_darrin1515:

I was in my SIL's wedding 6 days after my c-section and it was beyond terrible and a story for another day (I left after dinner)...

OMG!  That must have been crazy.

OP:  Are you planning to BF?  That would make a big difference in what you're able to do or will want to do.  I felt good one month pp, but I would not have wanted to host a party mostly because of BF'ing.  I'd also opt to do something smaller with just immediate family.  You're also not sure yet how your son will react to having 2 babies in the house.  The anticipation and planning that goes into a big birthday party won't help.  It may actually be better for him if you go low-key with people he's very comfortable with.

I will be FFing. 

Thanks all for the feedback.  Something small would just be immediate family since I don't want germs in my apartment with the twins.  I have to think on this- pushing back until September might be the best call.  Thanks again!

AlpacaBunny

For me, personally, no, there's no way I could have done it.  But I didnt have much help with my babies at home, it was just me all day and DH in the evenings.  They were still up all night long, eating every hour and a half at only 4 weeks old and I was a zombie.  I guess if you had it all planned before they were born and had everything done for it then maybe.  But I think I would be physically really exhausted and emotional still at that point.  I had a lot of trouble with the baby blues and I literally cried all day long for 6 weeks.  If you think with all the help you will have you can pull it off, then maybe try it.  Will DH or other family members be there that day to help in case you need to leave early?