How long did you rest after birth?

mh2t · September 2009

My midwife said she considers a new mom incapacitated for two weeks - I'm not supposed to do anything besides eat, drink, sleep, nurse and pee during that time. My mom and sister live nearby so they come over every day when DH is at work to help - so I don't have to do anything. But I'm starting to get stir crazy! When did you start resuming your normal household tasks?

eas15905 · September 2009

I had a hard time just sitting around so I was up doing that stuff after a week. Now I'm wishing I had some of that time back where she slept all day haha.

valerieanderic · September 2009

I went grocery shopping when she was 5 days old. I felt good and I can't sit still!

dmsmth · September 2009

I did what I could but stopped if I felt fatigued or axausted. Which wasn't too hard the first few weeks.

yellowcar · September 2009

We were out shopping when DS was a week old, at Costco. And that was after a c-section--people probably thought we were nuts, but I was stir-crazy.

As for household tasks, I was a little slow on the uptake, because I had a setback two days after I came home--I got an infection (they think) and I ended up back in L&D triage with a raging fever. But again, I was recovering from surgery, so I wasn't folding laundry or rearranging rooms or anything.

If you feel like doing something, do it. Your body will tell you when you are overdoing it (not to be gross, but you will notice a ton of blood loss. I would bleed very heavily when I was too active.)

jeffrae · September 2009

about a week I started moving around more, but I was so tired. I think household tasks were tackled in week 3.

shortyran · September 2009

I think I did that for a few days- the we started taking him out- I can't sit still and was going stir crazy. We took him (and still do) for walks daily and when he was about a week old, we took him out to run errands (during the day, so that there were less people.) As for the household tasks- my husband has been doing those

Seriously though, my house just doesn't get cleaned as often. Laundry takes longer to do (EVERYTHING takes longer to do!) but if everyone's happy and fed then I'm good with that

steve&heather · September 2009

I was on light duty for the first two weeks after delivery. I didn't drive or carry things heavier than DS. I did cook our meals and go for some walks, if I started to get crampy or feel lightheaded or some pain I would stop and rest.

jnealet · September 2009

You can start when you feel up to it! But don't over do it!

My grandmother passed away about 10 days after EC was born, so before that we were going to the drs and visiting my grandmother. After that we were going to the drs and going to the memorial service and such. It was about all that I could do.

I did get out on the exact day that I could drive again. EC and I went to the mall and to Target. It was fantastic to feel like I could control my own life again.

sharon2004 · October 2009

steve&heather:
I was on light duty for the first two weeks after delivery. I didn't drive or carry things heavier than DS. I did cook our meals and go for some walks, if I started to get crampy or feel lightheaded or some pain I would stop and rest.

This. FWIW, I had a c-section.

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