How many days did you need around-the-clock help after coming home?

teacherjess

DH and I are trying to plan how long he needs to request off for when I have a c-section, because he'll need to put in his request over the summer. For a scheduled c-section, how many days will I be in the hospital? After coming home from the hospital, how many days will I need help for for the majority of the day (I am thinking that I probably won't be able to go up and down the stairs, lift things heavier than the baby, maybe need help getting up and down, in and out of bed, etc.??).

MarnieMS

I dont know for sure, but I was told by my OB not be alone at all for the first week after coming home from the hospital, also told I would spent 96 hours in the hospital.

lbeth888

I think a typical hospital stay would be 3 days (with no complications) after a c-section. I would plan on extra help for a week or two as you will be sore. If he can do a few weeks off, that will give you enough time to recover and not be exhausted. Just my opinion from having a c-section a month ago. Good luck!  

swimiz500

My DH was only able to take off a week, so I only had him for 6 days after we came home, and I was fine. It was 10 days PP when he went back to work, and I was really okay. I tried to limit my up and down stairs trips, but I did just fine.  Of course, it would have been great to have DH home longer, so if yours can be, then definitely do! 

Oh and I think the "usual" stay is 3 nights. Assuming there are no issues.  

Daisy22

I was in the hospital 3 days with DS1, 4 days with DS2. With DS2 I stayed a day longer b/c I knew coming home to my 15 month old would require a lot of work. With DS1, he came on a sunday night and dh took the next week off then my mom came for 2 days. Then I was alone. With DS2, I had him on a thursday. DH was with me while in the hospital and the whole next week then I was on my own.

I have easy recoveries through. With both I was walking about the neighborhood after the 1st week. Our garage is in the basement and I had no choice but to do stairs up to our main living area and then we have stairs up to the bedrooms. I was slow but I was fine going up/down stairs. By the 2nd week I was pretty much back to normal. Maybe a little slower but I was still pretty much doing everyything I needed to do.

Daisy22

Check your insurance about days. My insurance gives up to 3 days for vaginal and 4 days for c/s in the hospital. My OB was fine letting me go on day 3 both times through.

Mrs. Braxton

I was in the hospital for 2 days after both csections. I was beyond ready to leave at that point. As far as recovery goes, my first and second recoveries were totally different but I will just talk about the recovery from my scheduled section since that's what your having. The only time I really needed 24/7 help was in the hospital. The first night I had my cathater and iv still for most of the night (it was actually removed in the middle of the night just because I was up anyway and that's the soonest they could remove it per hospital policy). Once it was out that night, as well as the second day, I was pretty sore. and needed help getting DD when she needed to BF, be changed, etc. I probably could have done it if I pushed myself but it would have been uncomfortable getting up and down so frequently. The second night was totally fine. I felt a little stiff still but was fine getting up and down (I was taking the pain meds). Once I was home I felt great. I had DH home for a week after we came home but he mostly helped with keeping DD1 entertained (taking her out to play and do the things she normally does through the week). I never really needed 24/7 help, except for the first night/day in the hospital.

byrne15

DH stayed home with me for 4 days after we came home from the hospital.

After that, I was home for most of the day by myself and my mom would come over after she got out of work.  Honestly, not a lot got done.  I basically fed & changed ds and slept when he slept.

pepomntpat

DH was home for two weeks I think. I made sure that I had everything I needed for LO on one floor of the house so I could limit my stair climbing. I was not really comfortable carrying LO up and down the stairs for quite a while. 

The only real issues I had after the two weeks were getting up from lying down and the stairs. The stairs were not terrible, they just made me nervous so I wouldn't carry LO. 

Mostly Ro and I just hung out on the couch nursing anyway, so it was no biggie.  I didn't do any major house work at all. MIL, my mom and DH kept up with laundry (in the basement-there are those stairs again) and the vacuuming and such. I was able to cook and do dishes without any trouble. 

ChiTown Bridget

I stayed in the hospital 5 nights. A normal stay is 3 but my son was in the nicu so I was able to stay the two extra nights. My husband was off of work for 3 weeks. I definitely needed help the first week but was feeling better by the second week.

kcisthebombdotcom

For my first, one week. I had a wonderful experience and bounced back quick.

For my second, 2 weeks I could have managed, but it was nice to have DH home for 3 weeks. Thats taking into account a really overall crappy experience (I was sick for 2 days vomiting a lot which doesnt mesh well with sore abdominal muscles, had bp issues and a spinal headache).

pinkmoonlight

None, I had my c/s on a Monday and was home by Thursday. Friday my husband went back to work. I did it all on my own from then on. My mom was on stand by had I needed help but I did not end up needing any. I sat on the couch fed, diapered and held my baby. When she slept I would sleep too. I did not do anything else other then that. We do not have stairs in our house besides going to the basement which I never go down either way. Getting in and out of bed was a little painful but I just took my time and eased my way out when I needed to.

My DH took care of laundry and the cooking and cleaning for the first few weeks. But he did not take any time off.

kkfeb04

I'm assuming your first wasn't a c-section hence why you are asking. 

DS was born on a Monday, we went home on a Friday, DH went back to work the following Wednesday.  I was perfectly fine.  MIL did come to stay for 2 weeks on Thursday but I sent her home by Saturday as I was not in the mood to entertain her, but I wanted her to clean which she did not want to do that but to hold and take care of DS while I cook and clean.  Yeah, not happening (and this woman had 3 c-sections and had soooo much help afterwards. I also did my stairs (several times a day) as soon as we got home.  I didn't actually remember them telling me to limit them.  DS was 10 lbs and I was lifting him around while going up the stairs.  I also didn't have pain.  I also drove home from the grocery store (and took the carseat in and out of the car since MIL thought it was "too heavy for her") since MIL scared the crap out of me while driving us there.  She had the RPMs of my car up to 5000 in between stop signs which were one block apart.  I told her she doesn't need to step on the gas and she said I notice the car has pickup (it should it has a ton of horsepower) but it didn't stop her from doing it and when doing that she would them slam on the brakes and stop in the middle of the intersections.  While I knew I shouldn't drive less than 2 weeks PP, I did it since it was safer than her driving. 

ChristinaDawn

I had DS late on Friday and was home by Monday afternoon so two and a half days.  My husband stayed with me in the hospital and then for the first week we were home.  I honestly had no issues with recovery.  I was up and walking by Saturday morning and only took a low dose of motrin the whole time I was in the hospital because I didn't feel like I needed anything else.  It was really uncomfortable and laughing hurt like crazy but over all it wasn't as bad as I had imagined it might be.  I did our stairs several times a day and did light housework beginning the second week when my husband went back to work.  The only thing I remember struggling with was getting out of bed, I had to roll out for what felt like weeks!

junebug_07

I stayed in the hospital 3 nights.  My recovery was not as easy as I thought it would be...I was so sore and stiff. 

I needed help for about a week but DH took several weeks just because he could.

cassoppea

I was in the hospital for 4 days. I think your recovery is very individual. I had a relatively easy recovery and didn't really need much help after the hospital. It was nice having MH around for the first few days at home, but I was able to move around well and care for the baby. The only thing was the driving - I felt well enough to drive, but my doctor told me not to for 10 days, so MH and mom drove me to doctors appointments and things like that.

pottermommy

3 days for the hospital and a week after the hospital.

Jenny952

I had DD on a Thursday morning and was discharged Sunday afternoon.  DD had to stay in the nicu for a week, so I just staye at the hospital with her.  If we had gone home, I probably would have needed some help that first week.  We live in a 1-story house, so stairs aren't an issue, but I remember getting really tired at the end of the day.  I didn't have any problems getting in/out of bed or lifting her, but just simple things like doing laundry or loading the dishwasher were really tiring.  It was also nice to have my mom or DH around to hold DD when I needed to take a shower or catch a nap.  I probably would have been ok on my own after that first week, but it was nice having some help.

jjhp2018

I was in the hospital for 48 hours. DH works on the river and was on his normal leave from there for 11 days after we left the hospital but I only needed his help physically the first week (4-5 days at home + he helped more than my nurses during the hospital stay). My recovery was rough but it wasn't a scheduled section. I had labored throughout the day and then ended up with one, which can make the recovery a bit more rough.

jb2rn

I had my baby in Germany, where a typical c section stays 5 days, but I left at 3. My husband had lots of leave accrued (he is in the military) so he had 3 weeks off. But, I think 1 week would be ok. I live in a town house with 4 floors and I did stairs right away. That wasn't very painful, but getting in and out of bed was.

MrsSR

I stayed in the hospital 2 days.

I didn't need "round the clock" help.  DH did take that first week off though.

I was cooking dinner and whatnot the first day home.

katmacwv

I think the minimum time you'll be in the hospital will be 48 hours.  I had DD at 8:15pm on a Monday, got out of the hospital on Thursday around lunch time and had DD home with me until the next Monday.  I tried to limit the number of times I went up and down the stairs initially, but we had the Pack N Play on the first floor of the house and the nursery and bedrooms were upstairs, so I didn't need to go up and down the stairs much during the day.

shouldbworkin

If your older DC will be home with you, I think you will need help for 2 weeks (so 1-1.5 weeks after you get home from the hospital).  DS was in daycare FT so I didn't really need help once I got home.  Baby was easy to take care of on my own, but the toddler was not.  DH took him to/from daycare every day for the first 2 weeks and then DS was home PT, which worked out well. 

I stayed in the hospital for 4 days/3 nights both times.  

HBaylies

My insurance allows 4 nights in the hospital after a c/s all of which I used after I had DS.  I stayed as long as I could.  The nurses, BF help, and delivered meals were all awesome reasons for me to stay until the last afternoon.  When we went home, DH had 2 more weeks out of work from his full time day job, but he did go back to his part time night and weekend job about 20 hours a week after we left the hospital.  We don't have any stairs in our condo unit and DS was our first, so even though it was really hard emotionally with the raging hormones and I think all I did was cry when he wasn't home to help, I did manage.  This time he is taking 2 weeks from his full time job, then my mom is taking the third week because he cound't get 3 weeks in a row this time.  And he's taking 4 weeks of leave from his part time job and we'll dip into our savings because I won't be able to take care of DS being 20 months then after the surgery (cooking meals at first, lifting for diaper changes, naps, bedtime, baths, etc...).

J's Jen

I was able to stay in the hopsital for 4 nights and didn't need any around the clock help once I was home. Or really, after 24 hours once the catheter and IV were out. It was nice having my husband home for a week to help with the baby, but I didn't feel like I personally needed help with anything. I was able to drive and go up steps as soon as I was home. 

teacherjess

Thanks, ladies. I didn't have a c-section with DD but DH is a teacher and was off for the summer after I had DD so I had him home full-time for about three months (I am SO going to miss that this time around...). This time around, he doesn't get any actual leave, but he can take FMLA and DD will be in preschool FT so I won't have to worry about her. I am thinking he will take off for four days while I'm in the hospital (although I suppose he could teach PT or something) and then maybe take a week off besides that.

Mrs. Alice

I was in the hospital for 4 days following my c/s.  I didn't have babies at home to care for but I didn't need anyone helping me with normal things around the house.  There was only one incident shortly after I got home that I got "stuck" in bed and my DH had to come help me sit up, but other than that I was independent.  After the first week or so, I felt much better.

kes77

I only had round the clock help the first week and even that was too much.  I think I would have been just fine by the end of the week, maybe only needed help the first 3-4 days home alone. 

AMcLaws

I went into the hospital on wednesday night, because we tried inducing first. Ended up having a csection on thursday afternoon, and I left the hospital on sunday morning.

I was up and moving 6 hours after I had surgery. I felt great. My husband was home for a week with me, and I didn't need any assistance at all. My only issue was that the pain killers made me loopy & dizzy, so I was careful not to hold DD unless I was sitting, just as a precaution. Even then, I think I was off painkillers by wednesday or thursday that same week.

 Everyone is very different though.  In my opinion, if you go in there determined to make the best of it, you'll get up and be moving much quicker. I have a friend who was determined to make the worst of it, and she's still recovering, months later. C-sections are not nearly as bad as people make them out to be. I heard horror stories, and now, looking back, all I can think is "that's it??". SO much easier to recover from than my laparascopy.