C-Section question?

crystaleyes39

I'm pregnant w/ twins and the odds are i will be having a C-Section. I was just wondering if those of you that have had one were able to take care of your baby (ies) okay still once at home???

How long until you were able to have sex?

How long until you felt fine to leave the house/ do stuff?

 

Sorry for all the questions, but any extra info helps!

Mrs.DeliaMarieP

Yes I was able to take care of DS both at the hospital and at home.  Everything I did was done very slowly, but I could do it.

We were given the green light for sex at 8 weeks (a little longer than most because I had a very traumatic delivery via emergency c-section).  I wasn't ready at 8 weeks yet and we waited until 10 weeks.

I can't remember when I felt fine to leave the house, I just remember leaving anyways because I'm not a homebody type and needed to get out.  I do remember being told not to lift anything heavier than my DS for at least a couple of weeks if not a little more than that.

I wasn't given any driving restrictions, so I know that I drove toward the end of the first week/beginning of the 2nd, then realized when I got home that I was still on oxycodone and probably shouldn't be driving.

amos2006

I had no problem taking care of DD after, I did use my pain meds as well.

Sex was the same as a vaginal delivery, 6 wks

I am not a home body either, I was at target with in a week after having DD just to get out!  Although my driving was restricted until my 2 wk f/u, at which time I was off of Percocet.

JPandJW

I was up and going the next day. However, I think I am a bit of a freak of nature when it comes to surgery so I don't think my experience is as realistic as others. But who knows, you could get lucky!  I was in a little discomfort (mainly due to swelling from the fluids they pumped me full of). I was able to take care of my son just fine. It also depends on how well you tolerate pain. It's a good idea to stay ahead of the pain with your medication.

Same amount of time before you can have sex as with vaginal- 6 or 8 weeks, I can't remember.

I had my son on a Tuesday, and was at Super Target by Saturday (not recommended). Just a side note- most Dr's won't let you drive for 2 weeks after c-section, so you won't be going too far anyway! 

Try not to expect too much out of yourself- this is major surgery, and you are going to have TWICE the work... accept as much help as you can!

 Now with all of that said- I am having my 2nd c-section on Nov 1st, and we have a 3 yr old. We'll see how resilient I am this time around!

misskristina21

I also didn't have any problem caring for DD. I took my pain meds as directed, and was still able to care for her just fine.

We got the OK for sex at 6 weeks, but we waited until 7 weeks.

I was out of the house 3 days after coming home from the hospital. I really felt fine, and it made me feel better to get out. I had driving restrictions until I was off of the pain meds, but I had people that were willing to drive me wherever I wanted to go.

rachbenn2007

The only time I couldn't take care of the baby was when I was numb from after my c-section. Other than that I was back to my normal self within days.

As for the sex, I was told 6 weeks or later.  I wasn't allowed to drive for 2 weeks. But as I was going out with DH and the kids within a few days.  

EveryNameIWantIsTaken

I also had no problem caring for ds.  The hardest part was just getting out of bed or off the couch quick enough to get to him since I just moved a lot slower than normal.  By the time dh went back to work at 2 weeks pp I was fine.  Sex was allowed at 6 weeks, though I had no desire then.  I was out of the house within the first week home because I get really stir crazy.

pitterpatter129

crystaleyes39:

I'm pregnant w/ twins and the odds are i will be having a C-Section. I was just wondering if those of you that have had one were able to take care of your baby (ies) okay still once at home???

How long until you were able to have sex?

How long until you felt fine to leave the house/ do stuff?

 

Sorry for all the questions, but any extra info helps!

I remember after about a week or two, I felt like I could get around and do household stuff easier.  I left the house after the first week to go to Target/Walmart, but my MIL drove.  I think I drove myself after four weeks.  I was told I could drive when I could STOMP hard on the brake with no pain or discomfort.  It was very snowy/icy right after I had him, so I waited awhile until the ice cleared up to drive.  I was cleared for sex (and baths!) at my 8 week appointment, but I think we waited until 12 weeks.  10 months later, it still hurts/isn't comfortable - just an fyi that can happen, especially if you breastfeed because of hormones.

pepomntpat

I was able to care for DD just fine. I did make DH carry her up and down the stairs for about the first week, but otherwise I was able to take care of myself and DD just fine.

We waited to have sex until after my 6 week f/u appointment-same as a vaginal birth. FYI, just because you didn't push doesn't mean it won't hurt!  Take your time. I was super surprised at how sore I was during sex after a c/s. No one told me!

We were out and about at around the 10 day mark or so.

lewis514

6 weeks to have sex (but we waited longer)

 I left the house a few days after discharge to take DD to the pedi but I wasn't allowed to drive for 2 weeks (bc your abdominal muscles are week.

cottonlily84

I only had my c-section 2 weeks ago.  I can take care of DD but it's hard.  She was in the NICU for 8 nights and so we are readjusting our routines once again now that we're home.  I'm BFing and she wants to eat every 2 hours.  So all that combined with being sore, slow and medicated makes it more difficult.  I would still be taking my meds but I'm already so sleepy that I can't function on them.  The hospital said no sex until the post partum dr's visit which is the 6 week check up.  I have 0 thoughts of having sex right now though.  I have been out of the house 3 times with LO for our dr appts and it's hard.  DH is still helping me but Monday she has a ped appt I have to go to alone.  I'm still not supposed to be lifting more than her so we'll see how that goes!  Going out for fun with her isn't on the radar either.  I would be fine physically to go without her but I'd rather be home taking it easy.  The dr said I could drive as soon as I was off the oxycodone. 

biblionerd

We found out (yaaay) that DH is literally worthless when he is sleep deprived, so I took care of DS a large amt of time by myself and was fine. I'm short and the crib was too hard to put him in the first night, but he was so congested I decided to use the RNP anyway.  

I was given the green light at 8 weeks, but we waited until 12. That's when LO#2 was conceived and we haven't since lol. Poor dh... 

We had to go back to the hospital the day after we came home to have his bilirubin checked and I felt pretty good. We ended up having to walk far and it wasn't a picnic, but I definitely wasn't struggling to walk or anything like that.  

 

stardust317

Along with PP, my DH is also totally useless and excessively grumpy when sleep deprived.  I had no problems taking care of DD with the exception of the first night when I was unable to get out of bed.  I'll be 2 weeks out on Monday, and I left DD at home with the husband today and went shopping with a girlfriend.  I started to feel kind of crummy after a couple of hours, but other than that I feel great.  I was told not to drive for 2 weeks and no sex for 6 weeks.

sabrina69barnes

I was able to take care of my LO's just fine but I did move very slowly. I was able to have sex at 6w pp. I felt fine going out and doing stuff right away. With both boys I did some shopping before going home after leaving the hospital. They were both smaller than expected so I needed clothes that weren't huge on them. At 10 days PP I drove by myself to leave the house but I would have been ok to drive at 7days. My OB said it was fine as long as I was off pain meds and driving didn't hurt.

flutepharm87

I hope that you make it to 37-38 weeks and are able to care for your babies while you're in the hospital. Mine were in NICU, so I wasn't able to care for them right away. I had pre-eclampsia, so I was on magnesium and couldn't get out of bed for 24hrs post delivery. But the more you get up, the better you feel. Stairs were hard the first couple of weeks and getting into and out of cars was a bit difficult, but it wasn't that bad. I did have to pull the mattress off the bed to get in and out easier, though. When Ian came home (after 8 days in the NICU), I had no issues taking care of him and by the time Jack joined him (after 23 total days in NICU), I was definitely healed enough to care for both.

I was cleared to have sex 6 weeks after delivery. It was rough, but it gets better the more you go at it

I never let my surgery recovery prevent me from leaving the house. I was grocery shopping 2 days after being released and I was at the hospital NICU every day to see my boys. Cleaning and laundry took about 2 weeks before I was ready (due to bending and lifting). I started driving again after 2 weeks as well, although I technically wasn't cleared to do so.

Congrats on having twins, though, they're tons of fun!

mamajanna28

I was fine to take care of LO both in the hospital and at home.  I struggled to get in and out of the bed the first few days but was able to do it on my own.

Ummmm...We did the deed at 4 weeks pp   It was fine, just had to go slow.

I was shopping at 4 days pp, driving at 1 week.  Again, just go slow and listen to your body!

crystaleyes39

Thank you everyone for all your stories! I definitely pray that I make it as far as possible, but i'm glad to know that most of you sound like your c-sections did not stop or prevent you from being able to do things or take care of your little ones. I of course will have my hubby around at first and extra family help, but I know i'll want to do as much as possible on my own as well.

skio

Hell yeah, I was able to take care of my baby. It didn't matter how sore I was, she was mine and I was bent on being her mother. I didn't take much help from others and to be honest, I probably should've taken a little more, lol.

Sex sucked for a looooong time. We tried at 6.5w pp and had to stop. Tried another week later and finished but it was horrible. It was bad until about 5 months pp...just in the last couple weeks (DD is 7m) has it gotten at all pleasurable again. Ugh.

I was out for walks with DD at a week post partum. I went to a restaurant 3w pp.

Try not to worry! It's not that bad, promise.