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Recovery timeline/ in home help?

beachykeen1723beachykeen1723 member
in C-sections

How long did you need help at home after your csection? Especially if you had a toddler in addition to your newborn? How long before you could drive?

I am trying to plan for needing help. DH will be home for about a week, and then we are hoping one of our moms will be available.

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Re: Recovery timeline/ in home help?

  • justrachetjustrachet member
    My OB told me at least 2 weeks before I could drive, but to use my judgement as to whether or not I feel like I could slam on the brakes if necessary. She doesn't want me picking up DS1 (20 months old, 24 lbs) until 6 weeks postpartum. My mom is here for a couple of weeks, then DH will have a week of paternity leave, then my mom will come back for a couple of weeks. I have my follow up appt at 5 weeks, and we'll see if my Dr will allow me to lift DS1 at that point or wait longer.
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  • disbride061103disbride061103 member

    I drove after 2 weeks.  The b!tch OB from my practice that hates me told me to wait 6(!) weeks, but my discharge orders said 2 to 3 weeks. 

    As far as help at home, DH took the first week off then worked from home the second week.  I was fine after that.  As far as taking care of the toddler, my OB  said that their official orders are not to pick up your toddler for 4 to 6 weeks, but he has young kids and his wife had multiple c/s so he knows that it just isn't possible.  My son was 2 when his brother was born and my doctor said to wait two weeks and try picking him up off of an elevated surface like a bed or a couch and obviously to stop if I had any discomfort.  I followed that advice and by 3 weeks I was picking Jack up like I always had.  Now to be fair, he is on the small side (only 24lbs at 2 years) and he was in a big boy bed so there was no crib to deal with.

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  • azzyberryazzyberry member

    I had help for about 5 weeks after.  We don't have any family nearby so my parents were here for 3 weeks, 1 week before c/s and 2 weeks after.  My inlaws came a week after my parents left and were here for 2 weeks.  DH was also off work for  weeks.

    I would say a minimum of two weeks but closer to 4 is ideal especially if you have a toddler.  I couldn't lift DS until about 4 weeks.

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  • monona9monona9

    Hi, I'm recovering right now. I have a one year old daughter who weighs about 20lbs and they told me I shouldn't pick her up for at least 4 weeks. My DH only has 3 weeks off starting from the time that I had our DS. I don't know what I'm going to do for that last week. My DD is still not walking. DH said if I'm still not feeling ready he might work nights that 4th week to be here during the day and I can have my mom come over to do bedtime with me.

    To tell you the truth I'm kind of terrified of him going back to work. I don't feel close to being ready to take care of both, but I'm hoping by then things will get easier.

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  • pepomntpatpepomntpat member

    I would say about two weeks. DH was home for the first week 24/7 and worked part time after that. My mom and his mom checked in on me periodically and did the house work. I mostly just chilled with the baby for two weeks. Then I felt pretty much back to normal. I added a few things to my routine each day until I was really normal by 6 weeks.

    The only thing I still refused to do was clean litter boxes, because I couldn't put LO down without her flipping out and no way was she going to be near that.  I could do just about anything else with LO in the Moby.

    ETA: I didn't have another baby. I think I'd definitely have needed more help with a toddler around.  

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  • Sundrup23Sundrup23

    With my first I had very little help.  I didn't know I was having a c-section but he was my first.  My mom did come for a little bit and DH was home for a few days after I got home from the hospital.  So I was pretty much able to sit my butt on the couch and care for DS without much interruption other than doing a few small loads of laundry and making small meals.  

    My second I had help for 4 weeks and was a bit too long for my liking :-)  I was ready to have my space but I had an 18 month old that I couldn't lift up so the help was necessary.  

     With this one, I am planning on about 10-14 days of help after I get home.  My boys will be 5 and almost 7 so they can pretty well do things on their own and don't need any lifting and such.  My big thing this time is the driving...since I have to take the boys to the bus in the morning and pick one up from the stop at noon...I need more help with that than anything.   

    Use your best judgement.  I think if having a toddler around, longer help is probably needed.   

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