c-section recovery with toddler at home

spout3

DD #1 was a vag birth ... they are scheduling me for a c-section with #2 and have no idea what to expect - ESPECIALLY having a 16mo at home already to care for

for those of you that had a CS and already had a toddler at home, what was the recovery like? did you have help...for how long? TIA 

Raffes484

My recovery was pretty easy. I made sure everything I would need was downstairs so that I would have to make as few trips upstairs as possible. Even though I wasn't supposed to, I picked DD up the day we came home from the hospital. At home, I put a stool near my usual chair and at the end of my bed so DD could climb up on her own.

We came home from the hospital on a Saturday and DH went back to work on Tuesday. After that, it was just me and my little ones.

kcisthebombdotcom

DH was home for 3 weeks. It was heaven.

Usually a recovery for a planned c-section a quicker recovery. You shouldnt be too bad.

GL!

CandT

I had two c sections, and my 2nd recovery was easier. The first wasn't bad though I was feeling great by 4-6 weeks. I was feeling great this time between 2-4 weeks. Everyone is different though.

As far as having a toddler. My DD was used to being picked up and held a lot. So we starting working on her holding my hand and walking with me, climbing up on the couch and how to get down safely etc. before surgery. It helped some but she did have several fits when she wanted to be picked up and I couldn't do it. My mom moved in for one week mostly to help DH so he wouldn't have to care for our toddler solo on the week nights/mornings when he was working. It was a huge help for me too during the day!

Good luck

mrsseguin

I had a c/s for both my kids.  My second recovery was much worse than the first one.  I had DH to help for 2 weeks, then I was on my own.  It was hard...even another week would have made a world of difference to me. I would suggest at least a few weeks of help...at least with the toddler, not so much the baby.  

You'll know if you do too much.  Your body will tell you!  Good luck to you, hope you have a quick recovery!

smerka

I had a vaginal delivery with #1 and planned c-section with #2. The c-section recovery with a lot easier for me. I put the high chair on the floor so I only had to lift him into his crib. My parents gave me the best gift ever which was to pay for help for the first couple months. Good luck!

HarrietNJMommy

I had 3 c-sections in 3 years.

When DD#2 was born, DD#1 was 18 months.

When DS was born, DD#1 was 3y1m and DD#2 was 19 months.

I've done it twice with kids at home and it wasn't that bad. I have had really good recoveries though.

The only help I had was my DH for the first week I was home. After that, I've been on my own.

GL! 

bridgeybride

Ahah.. I'm dealing with this right now.  Same here.. my DD was a vag birth (she's now 21 months) .. traumatic experience for us both.. she ended up in NICU.. me with lots of damage down below.. so I planned a csection for my DS a month ago.  WAY better this time. Wasn't as bad as I envisioned it to be.

Your DD is a bit younger, but I think you'll be okay.  If you get someone or 2 weeks to help you.. you'll be alright. As for my recovery..I'm doing okay.  Pretty much feeling back to normal.. with a bit of soreness occasionally. My DH took off 2 and half weeks.. one of which I was in hospital.. baby was born on Monday.. came home Friday.  then I had him home with me for another week and 2 days of following wk. By the time he went back to work I was doing okay on my own.  For me the hardest thing was getting up from a laying down position (out of bed).. took me atleast 2 weeks to feel comfortable doing that. Also.. coughing/laughing/sneezing still sometimes catch me off guard.. and there's tightness/pulling.   

What has helped.. I live in a cape and our MBR is on the first floor.. so I only have to go upstairs with my DD to her room for naps and bedtime. I started practicing having her walk up the stairs when I was pregnant.. so I could just hold her hands and she could do it by herself.  With her high chair.. I have her climb up on to a chair and then step in/out of her high chair. With her crib.. I have a step stool I put inside of it to boost her out of it onto a table.  Just helps a bit.  I have been carrying her alot more just in the last week..It helps when picking her up from something higher up.  I went almost 3 weeks without picking her up.  I would sit down and she could climb up to me for hugs and snuggles. 

I would start trying to get her to be more independent NOW.. like hold her hand and have her walk more instead of carrying her.  Will definitely help prepare her and you.  Good luck!

 

moonfaerie

Both of my kids were planned c/s, and neither recovery was that bad. (I've had female surgery with cuts similar to a c/s, and that was way harder to bounce back back from.) DH takes off the week after I come home from the hospital, and my mom and MIL help out for DH's first few days at work, so that I had help for basically the first two weeks. Like PP said, just make sure you have everything you need on one floor so you don't have to do the stairs that much.

DH of course still did much of the care-taking of our older child when he was home for a while, and MIL would take my oldest for one day a week so that DD2 and I could bond in peace and I could sleep. If you can get someone to do that for you, it was very nice to have that day to myself and #2.

Mama Jan

DS2 was my second c-section so I already pretty much knew what to expect.  DS1 was 17mo and had just learned to walk at 16mo so he definitely needed a lot of lifting (onto the couch, etc).  DH took 2 weeks off so he was with me in the hospital and then home for a week and a half with me.  After he went back to work, I had help from my mom off and on but the biggest help was the meals our friends and family brought (always accept anyhelp you are given).

My recovery was fine - it was a little harder than the first time simply because I couldn't sit down and rest whenever my body told me to.  I took my meds longer the second time.  I would say it took an extra 2-4 weeks to feel "normal" again but the pain had subsided by 2-3 wks pp.  I wasn't able to lift DS1 until that 2-3 weeks but since DH was with me during that time it wasn't a problem.

I'm pretty sure my ob said not to lift him for 6 weeks but that's impossible (how would I get him into his crib for a nap??).  I didn't carry/hold him for those 6 weeks, but I did do the easy lifting into his bed, booster, car seat, etc.

SirSleepsALot

My mom stayed w/ me for 2 weeks (DH travels extensively for work).  I couldn't have done it w/o her.  You aren't supposed to lift your toddler which means, high chairs, changing table, bathtub, crib....all needed to be done by my mom.  It was super frustrating not to be able to pick him up but after the 2 weeks I did everything myself.  Scheduled C/S are a lot easier to recover from than impromptu ones where you go through labor first so at least you can look forward to that.  You should DEF get some kind of help if you can.