2nd Trimester

repeat c-section mamas

i had an unplanned/emergency c-section w/ DS and am trying to decide between a repeat C or a vbac.  i'm leaning toward a C but my biggest concern is caring for my children after the birth.  DH will have 2 weeks off and then it will be all on me.  DS is 23.5 #s - will i be able to lift him after the C?  are you making any plans to care for your older kids after your SO goes back to work?
DS - June 2009
DD - February 2011

Re: repeat c-section mamas

  • I'm trying to VBAC for a number of reasons but if I have another c, my mom and MIL will stay for a few weeks to help.
    "Hello, babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you've got about a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies. God damn it, you've got to be kind." - Kurt Vonnegut
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  • I plan to have a repeat C only because my recovery from my first went really, really well.  Of course, every pregnancy and every surgery is different but I am hoping this will be the case again this time - Especially since it will not be "planned," rather than happening after an exhausting two-day failed induction.  (With no sleep!)  

    That said, though, I am lucky in that DH gets 30 working days off for paternity leave, so... about 5 1/2 weeks.  

     

    Do you have anyone you can call upon for help?  Mother, MIL, etc?  If so, I would just talk with them now and explain that because of the C, you may need additional help once DH goes back to work.

     

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  • I was really hoping for a vbac but will most likely schedule another C. H is able to work from home sometimes so he should be around a bit to help me. DS is 27 lbs and I have been trying to not lift him much. He climbs stairs alone or holding my hand,climbs into car and carseat, is no longer using the high chair (I have a booster on top of a regular chair at the table) and we will be moving him to a new room with a bed asap. I am hoping I won't need to carry him much after the C. I will be relying on help from family too. I am lucky enough to have great parents and siblings that live close by and will have some family visiting after the LO arrives.
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  • I am really hoping to do a VBAC, but who knows what will happen. 

    After my surgery with my son my husband was home & was able to use his vacation time.  We are hoping the same thing happens this time & he can use his vacation time when the new baby comes b/c if I do end up in surgery again I am most definately going to need help. 

    Reesa Wife to Andy (7/23/05) Mom to Adam (10/7/08) and Julia (2/8/11) http://www.etsy.com/shop/LittleLewsBowtique http://mommalewsblog.blogspot.com/
  • I'm having a repeat c/s.  I had a really easy recovery the first time and so I'm hoping things will go smooth this time as well.  My DH will be taking 4 weeks off so that will be a huge help with dd.  She's 17 months and 23 lbs now.  I've been teaching her to do a lot of things to help me lift her already because I have some restrictions while pg.  I expect that she will continue to become more independent with these things making it easier for me when the baby arrives but I know I'll still need (and want) to pick her up for certian things.  If I still need help after those 4 weeks I have family close by and my mom, MIL, or babysitter can help me out.

    Clomid M/C 8 weeks 2/08 *IVF #1-DD born 3/09
    *Surprise BFP-T18 baby lost at 13w 1/10 *FET #1-DS born 2/11
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  • I will be having a repeat C for a number of reasons and have already enlisted the help of my step mom, mom and MIL.  My son will be 2.5 at that time so he is pretty independent as far as having to be picked up, etc.  It took about two weeks after my first C to start feeling a little bit more "normal" - I started doing laundry 1.5 weeks after getting home with my first.

    Good Luck!

  • I had an emergency c/s with DS as well and have to have one this time around as well because my OB doesn't do VBACs. DS is well over 30 pounds and so I know I will not be able to lift him. After DD is born, DH will take 2 weeks off of work to stay home with us and after that my mom will probably take a week as well. So I'll have 3 weeks. I'm hoping that my grandmother comes from Italy as well, (she came to watch DS for us when I went back to work, she stayed from when he was 4 months until 10 months, she wants to do the same thing this time since I will go back to work mid-school year DD will be 3 or 4 months when I go back and then next September she will go to daycare at 9 months, but she's not sure if she will be able to come this time. If not I'm gonna stay home until April, then DH will take family leave until the end of the school year. We don't want to put DD in daycare at 4 months old, that's way too young for us). If she does then I will have help for a longer amount of time. It's gonna be tough, but has to be do-able, right?!

    Good luck!

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  • I'm having a repeat. I'm nervous about what it will be like to recover with a newborn. I had an easy recovery last time and I'm assuming a lot of that has to do with not having a baby to take care of for the majority of the recovery.
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  • This will be my third c-section.  My first was an emergency one, and I planned the second after speaking with my doctor.  I am getting my tubes tied with the third.  The second was a whole lot easier to recover from than the first.  I asked my Dr. for one of those stretchy, c-section recovery bands.  It was a miracle.  If your insurance won't cover it, I would go buy myself one.  My DS was a little older, but I started teaching him to do some tasks by himself.  I taught him how to get in the car on his own, and that was a big help.  I am a little worried about how to get things taken care of with the third.  My DD will only be 22 months when the LO gets here.   

    Just remember that you can't drive for about 2 weeks after surgery, so plan for that. 

  • Hoping for a VBAC, but DH SAH, so he'll be dealing with lifting/carrying of DS if I do have a c/s.  My mom will most likely be around for awhile afterward, too (Feb. MN weather permitting).
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  • Repeat c/s. DS is 43# but I don't need to lift him for anything usually. DH is taking 3 weeks off and DS will be in school when DH goes back to work.
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  • My first c-section was unplanned and he hardest to recover from. I weighed my options big time before deciding to have a repeat c-section with my second. I didn't want to labor all that time again just to have another c-section. It was nice to schedule it, as lousy as it sounds. 

    When my #2 son was born my oldest son was 16 months, not sure what he weighed, but by the time DH went back to work(he took a week off from the time I came home from the hospital) I was fine at home with the two of them. I had the occasional day where we went to Gma's to hang out for the afternoon so I could sit around a little more than normal, but overall I was good to go. 

    I had a c-section with my third too, and my oldest was not quite three and my middle guy was 17 months. My Dad and Stepmom came into town for the week and spent the days at home with me so I could tend to LO while they helped out more with the older boys, but after that week it was back to just me and the boys, and an afternoon with Gma here and there. 

     

    I think you'll do fine with a c-section, my biggest struggle was just finding something to occupy DS while the new guy was getting the hang of nursing, so I wasn't getting up every 5 minutes. Which is something to think about regardless of having a c-section. 

     

  • Recovery from c/s #2 went a lot easier than recovery from #1.  I am planning on having a 3rd c/s...
  • I am planning a VBAC. You technically will not be able to lift DC #2 after a c-section. The rule for me was nothing heavier than your newborn.

    I had a good recovery last time, but I don't think that is reason enough for me to have another one! I do not want to do that again. I would like to be able to easily care for both of my kids when I am alone, which will happen within about a week for me. 

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  • I spoke to my doctor on our 1st visit about a VBAC and he said absolutely not.  My 1st was an emergency c/s.  He is concerned about uterine abruption.  I was concerned about risks due to surgery, recovery, infection or throwing a clot and dying.  I did get an infection w/ my 1st c/s and I was on iv abx and had to have puss drained from the incision site.  I know about the complications related to uterine abruption and of course w/ a c/s and w/ all that being said I will have a repeat c/s.  My mother and MIL will be available to help and DH will take the 1st week off to be w/ me.  I will have DD got to daycare to keep her schedule normal.  From what I hear from friends 2nd c/s are easier to recoup from.  They say you recoup faster cause you have a LO at home that needs to be cared for and not just the newborn.  Good luck w/ your decision!
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