Comment on/critique recovery help plan: 1st C-section with 4 yo and 2yo at home

NicoleWI

My c-section is scheduled for the 12th. Maybe something will happen sooner, or maybe breech baby will turn, but I'm trying to make tentative plans, which is really hard just not knowing how I will feel! Plus everyone's schedules are tight b/c of Christmas.

12--15th in hospital: Have DH come and go during the day, stay overnight with me the first two nights, and sleep at home on night 3 with the kids. Kids at his mom's house the first couple nights and with nanny during the day.

15th/16th: I am asking my mom to come so that both my mom and DH could be around for the day I get home and the following day, so that one could help me/baby and one could help with the kids. What do you think? I don't think DH is really "getting it" and when I mentioned having my mom come, he said, "oh, good, than I could go do some work and stuff." I had to explain, no, the point is to have someone there for the kids plus someone for me!! 

17th--21st (days 5--9 post surgery): have one helper at home with me pretty much the whole time, between the nanny and DH

22nd--26th or so (days 10--14): Family will be in town for Christmas; mostly OK with random helpers? Should I make sure someone is with me and the kids full on 22nd and 23rd? 

THANKS!! I can't predict how everything will go but I would rather be "overprepared" with help than left on my own and struggling, especially with all the Christmas stuff going on at the same time. 

LadyNikon

My godmother was nice enough to take DD for two weeks while I got situated with the boys after my c-section.  DH took two weeks of vacation and new parent leave to assist in my recovery.  He is also working from home 2 weeks after that to make sure I can take care of the boys by myself and am fully healed.  We live 2.5 hrs away from any family members so it is all we could come up with , without paying any extra money.  I was told that I am not suppose to drive for two weeks or walk up and down the steps.  

Heather & Dave

I think if you have help available you should take it.  You can't predict how hard or easy your recovery will be but trying to do too much too soon will just make your recovery harder.  You can always adjust your palns later if you find you don't need as much  help as you've scheduled.

HarrietNJMommy

You're way more prepared with help than I've been. I've only ever had DH and have had 4 c-sections. I'm pretty much on my own from day 14......it's been hard, but fine because my recoveries have been great.

GL to you! Sounds really great. You'll have lots of help. 

NicoleWI

Yes, I should clarify--I don't really have DH the whole time. He's self-employed, so he would like to be away and working as much as he can. It's not like he's taking 2 full weeks off and will just be around, so that's why I'm trying to make sure I have SOMEONE around...and was trying to have DH plus additional help just for the first 2 days home.

Mama-Bear

Honestly, I don't think you'll need that much help (or I didn't).  I expected my recovery to be much harder, but by the time I got home from the hospital, I was feeling so good that I had to consciously remind myself to slow down.  My babies were born on a Thursday, DH was off that day, Friday, and the following week, after that I was on my own.  I had DS1 at home, he was 27m when the twins were born.  The scariest part for me was that I would have to lift him in/out of his crib for naps while DH would be at work.

EnchantedRose819

I am very thankful to live in the same building as my parents.  They were a HUGE help when my first was born via C-Section. 

My plan for #2 is that my first (5 years old) will stay with my parents and they will take him and pick him from school (they do this normally) and he will sleep over.   Hubby will stay with me in the hospital and once we come home he'll take a few days off.  Once he goes back to work, i'll get up in the morning and get my oldest ready for school and have my mom come up and get him until I start to feel better and take him myself while my mom watches the baby.  I only plan on staying home for about 5 weeks, then i'm going to go back to work 2 days a week for about 3 weeks until I go back full time.