Repeat c/s with toddler ?

devilingucci

I'm sure this question has been asked before but I am scheduled to have my repeat c-section on November 11th.  When DS #1 is born, DS #2 will be 17 months.  I'm nervous about how I will be able to lift him and take care of him when I get home from the hospital.

I don't have any family or friends close by and my husband will only get a limited time off for paternity leave.  DS is not a huge child (he is 18 lbs. at 14 months right now) but I will still need to carry him up and down the stairs, as well as lift him into his crib.  How did you do this?? 

I am trying to figure this out now so if I need to hire someone to help me for a few weeks, I can start looking into this.  Any suggestions? 

I'mAcrossThePond

Are you absolutely set on a repeat c/s? With a VBAC, recover is so much faster and you'll not have any lifting limitations. I'm hoping for a VBAC for those exact reasons. How much time off does DH get? I'd push for him to have at least 2-3 weeks if you have no family/friends coming in.

devilingucci

I'mAcrossThePond:

Are you absolutely set on a repeat c/s? With a VBAC, recover is so much faster and you'll not have any lifting limitations. I'm hoping for a VBAC for those exact reasons. How much time off does DH get? I'd push for him to have at least 2-3 weeks if you have no family/friends coming in.

My OB doesn't recommend trying a VBAC since my children are so close in age.  Also, I have GD and have the possibility of having a larger baby (he is measuring a little ahead already).  Plus with my first c/s, I developed a staph infection and had some issues with the incision healing... so they are even more worried of rupture if I was to attempt a VBAC.

What are the usual recommendations about lifting?  Do you think if I could get help for 3 weeks that would be sufficient? 

All of a sudden this seems so much real when I woke up this morning and realized that DS #2 is coming in 3 months.  I'm really nervous now...

stargirlsheart

I am in the same position as you due in Dec and DD will be 18 mo old.

I remember the restriction on lifting was not to lift anything heavier than the baby for the first 2 weeks.   DH does not have much time off since he started a new job earlier this year and I am not sure how I am going to manage either.

I have been practicing steps with DD so she can go up and down with me instead of me carrying her.  I will have to lift her in and out of her crib and high chair but other than that I am hoping I can limit it.

I am hoping that my step son's girlfriend is home from college when DH goes back to work so maybe I can pay her a little something to come over and help out.  (Stepson is still in highschool so he won't be much help during the day).

HarrietNJMommy

This question depends on you and your body. Some people heal really well, and others take long to heal.

I have had 3 c/s's. No issues. In fact, by c/s standards, probably not normal by any stretch of the imagination. I'm up, walking and showered by MYSELF the next day. I don't take any pain meds in the hospital or at home (I have a VERY high tolerance for pain) and I heal VERY well. So well, that my OB said she'd perform a 4th c/s on me without any hesitation.

BUT, that is NOT the norm. I lift my kids at 2 weeks PP. That's usually when I have no more help at home. DH goes back to work, and I haven't ever hired anyone to help out (mostly because I don't need help with the baby, I need help with my older kids and baby nurses didn't fit the bill).

My OB just told me to listen to my body in regards to picking up my child(ren).

GL!

howleyshell

Repeat section 17 months apart here.

 

How do you do it?

 

Like everything else with 2u2 you just do.

 

My OB started to give me my lifting restrictions and then laughed and said:  "Do the best you can to be kind to your body and lift with your knees instead of at your waist as much as possible."

 

I had help and I still lifted the toddler myself.

The one thing that helped was coaching him on how to scoot on his bottom up and down stairs before the baby even got here.  He'd scoot down or crawl up and I'd walk right below him just in case he lost his balance.

Now there are times DH gets on my case for carrying both of them places.  That's over 50 lbs of kid and I only weigh a bit over 100!

You'll figure it all out and find tricks that help as you go along.