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3rd Trimester
Midwife went over postpartum "rules" today...
Basically, 1 week PP, absolutely nothing. No cooking, no cleaning, no stairs, nothing. Only get out of bed to pee.
2nd week PP, stairs only once a day but still basically in bed all day.
I'm thinking this is going to be pretty hard with 2 LOs running around. DH is talking about converting the living room into a bedroom for the first 2-3 weeks so I won't be confined to the boring not-so-well-lit upstairs.
I don't remember these restrictions with my last two, but it did take me nearly 5 weeks to stop bleeding, perhaps because I was too active too soon. Although I am looking forward to some time off from real life and getting used to my life as a mom of 3.
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Re: Midwife went over postpartum "rules" today...
Is she crazy?
I have never heard of restrictions like that for a vaginal birth, and I'm assuming if it's a midwife, it's vaginal.
I've never heard anything like this. It doesn't sound realistic at all. What if you were single?
If you can only do stairs once a day does that mean you can walk up one day, but not come back down until the next?
Hm...I see a lot of those being broken on my end. No stairs will definitely not be followed as I live in two story home.
Yes, vaginal. She mentioned that stair-climbing repeatedly throughout the day is stressful for the pelvic floor and can cause problems getting it all back in place. Also, that the stress and strain of moving around too much will cause the uterus to not heal quickly from where the placenta detached.
No, basically go downstairs in the morning, head back up at night.
I totally agree that this is pretty extreme and doubt very strongly that I will actually follow this, but I do hope I can get more rest than I did with my last two. I'll be enlisting DH's help with the kids, that's for sure.
Are you having a c/s? It would make more sense if this is the case.
I am having a c/s, and we are making a sleeping area for me downstairs for the first week, and then I am hoping to be able to do the stairs after that. I think around 2 weeks PP last time I was moving around mostly normal, with some pain- but I remember trying a (very slow) walk around the block the second week.
only out of bed to pee? What about getting up at night to get your lo? Standing up changing diapers, giving baby a bath, making yourself food?
stairs and in bed all day? Um no. When my ds was born I was up and down, going back and forth between my house and the nicu. I couldn't lift things, so dh had to carry stuff in for me. But no, I didn't follow anything besides no heavy lifting and no sex.
I have never heard of that stuff. 5 week isn't that unheard of to stop bleeding. Pretty average.
good luck with the transition of your family from 4 to 5!
Wow, that is intense. Doesn't sound that bad though... I could enjoy it
My MW's "rules" were: 3 days pp- do nothing but eat, sleep, breastfeed, and stare at your new baby
Then for 2 weeks the house should be clean and food should be provided without mom having to worry about it. After that, the general take it easy.
I have to agree with this. Even I, with a c-section, was allowed to do more than that. Take it easy, yes, but DON'T stay in bed all day!
WOW.
I live in a 2 story house, and after my 1st DD I had to go up my stairs at least a few times a day to get my son dressed, put away laundry, put him down for a nap, change my clothes, then bathe and put him to bed... Yeah, staying on the couch all day would be a dream but it's not likely. Especially since DH is only getting 9 days of paternity leave.
But maybe that means I'll get at least 9 days of rest...
It sounds extreme to me, but I would get that in writing and post in my house and sit back and enjoy, lol.
Since you have two already she is probably worried about you over doing it.
Natural M/c 12/13/08 at 8w5d
That might be great for your pelvic floor, but there are other adjustments happening in your body too. Lying in bed all day and not using your full range of motion could make your back heal and readjust in the wrong ways.
I threw my back out when DS was 3 months old, and it was so hard to go almost 6 weeks without being able to pick up my baby, or sit to nurse him, or drive my car. I can't imagine being in that situation with multiple kids!
Ditto! Sounds like a great way to recover and get some time with the new baby. I know I did WAY too much after DS was born (including stairs and I now have a wicked uterine prolapse.)
That is nuts. As a postpartum nurse, we get our c/s patients out of bed after 8 hours and encourage them to take 10-20 minute walks a few times a day, starting the day after surgery. Our discharge instructions for vaginal and c/s deliveries are almost exactly the same. No heavy lifting or strenuous exercises, make stair climbing worthwhile, no sex/tampons/douching for 6 weeks. Walking is encouraged, and you're supposed to be taking care of yourself and the baby. Essentially, just slowly work your way back to your regular routine, but add a baby in there too. Driving for vaginal deliveries is ok after a couple of days, and c/s patients can drive after about 2 weeks as long as they are off narcotics. None of the doctors or midwives that deliver at my hospital would tell anyone to stay in bed for weeks unless there were extenuating circumstances.
That's crazy talk! While I agree that you shouldn't be cooking and cleaning (mostly because you need to rest and enjoy your new baby!). I'd have gone BSC if I'd had to stay in bed for a week. I was out walking and running errands the first week - no problems.
It's normal to bleed some for 5-6 weeks - and nuts to think that you'd stay completely confined to bed if you have a problem free vaginal delivery.
Breastfeeding Counselor with Breastfeeding USA
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That would never happen around here. I agree with PP that I feel much better the sooner I get up and move around. Last time DH had to go back to work 2 days after the baby was born so I was on my own with a toddler and newborn. We spent a lot of time snuggling on the couch, but I did my fair share of getting up to change diapers, make meals, give baths, etc. With #1 I was up on my feet baking pies three days after the birth because it was DHs birthday coming up and he wanted pies.
I was also cleared for sex at 2.5 weeks PP. I guess every MW is different.
I don't know in what alternate reality it would be possible to lay around for that long. Even with help (which I never have) I can't imagine WANTING to just stay in bed. I want my routine.
Braydon 1.23.09
That is ridiculous. I didn't even have restrictions like that after my c/s. You're supposed to just stay in bed two whole weeks postpartum? That sounds like a recipe for hardcore baby blues. And I bet that could actually make your recovery harder. Getting up and moving around is healthy after birth, for both vaginal births and cesareans. I was doing stairs multiple times a day and going out for fresh air as soon as I got home from my c/s.
It's NORMAL to bleed for 5-6 weeks postpartum. You've got 9 months' worth of gook in there.
This. I've had 2 c-sections! I was told to move around as tolerated. Don't lift anything heavier than baby etc. But the bed thing? So strange.... I showered, got dressed as I normally would and just took it easy. No marathons but geeez....our bedrooms are upstairs so I was up and down the stairs quite a few times a day!
This, sounds like a recipe for PPD to me. Getting up and back to your routine are very important after any medical issue, both psychologically and physically. I would have hip replacement people up on their feet 24 hours after surgury. Your midwife has outdated advice. What does she think women did 600 years ago who lived in mobile camps and had to move with thier tribe. People just left them behind? I also bled for 6 weeks last time and my doc said it was completely normal.
Hey man. What the hell? Bump quote fail. I said that, not Robbysbride.
WOW i must have really blown it when I went snow sledding with my son 2 days after I came home.....
Honestly thought I shouldn't have done that, but gezz thats way too restrictive. I've puttered around the house mostly and when I feel tired I sit down.
Well, I just broke all of those rules and feel great. The first few days I moved slower than usual but by the second week I was rockin and rolling. I feel almost completely back to normal and have no trouble doing laundry or loading the dishwasher.
ETA- even with my dangerous stair walking and dishwasher loading I stopped bleeding at 8 days pp. Go figure.
I thought about blood clots too. I would ask about that.