OK, moms of 2. Help a sister out here.

IncogNeato · January 2013

Ok, so I don't know hot this is supposed to work. After childbirth we aren't supposed to pick up anything heavier than a baby..... so what the heck did you do about your toddler for those first few weeks? Getting them in and out of the car, crib, convincing them to go upstairs when they didn't want to? I just finished dragging DD up the stairs for her nap and I hurt all over.

I'm really starting to stress. It's so miserable trying to pick DD up NOW and I can't imagine how I'm going to do it when I'm recovering from childbirth.

Help!

jillybean800 · January 2013

Are you having a C/S? I don't even remember hearing this rule for vaginal birth!

But honestly my H was home for 2 weeks after the baby was born. I made him do a lot with A while I tended to B. He walked a lot, and my parents and in laws took him a lot to do bath time and bed time etc.

Also, remember that the first often "paves the way" for the second. Meaning that my vagina was basically a slip and slide when it came to B, and recovery was much much easier, even though I tore again. I know that's not true for everyone (sorry, Mands Sad ) but it could be for you!

jillybean800 · January 2013

p.s. Mands, where the heck have you been?

jnicolen1 · January 2013

My second was a cs. I couldn't lift Oliver for over 4 weeks. My husband was home for two weeks and my mom came for the next two weeks. It was difficult to explain to him why mama couldn't pick him up as he was only 17 months.... But we made it through.
Is there anyone who can lend a hand?

dee12807 · January 2013

I had a vaginal birth with Daphne, but had 3rd degree tears and was told not to pick up T for at least 2 weeks. It was hard, but H was around a lot and I did a lot of kneeling down to him for hugs and asking him to hold my hand and walk. I did have to say (twice I think) that mommy had a boo boo, but then he wanted to try and carry me

T was also already in a toddler style bed, so I didn't have to worryabout in and out if the crib. Luckily that 2 weeks went by so quickly!

EMOmamma · January 2013

The only lifting I had to do at first was in and out of the crib and H helped with that most of the time. We didn't really go anywhere with just me and both kids at first. And he really wasn't any heavier than the baby in the infant seat. J has been doing the stairs himself for a while. He didn't want to be left behind if I took the baby out of the room so he'd usually follow.

Really after the first week or so it was actually easier than it was in 3rd tri.

Kellina · January 2013

I had a RCS. DH was home for a week. Then we took DS1 to daycare during the day. I couldn't do bedtime b/c I couldn't lift him in the crib. Other than that- I'd sit and was able to pick him up that way even from the start. Or I'd have him get in the couch, etc. Start practicing now! :-)

IncogNeato · January 2013

Thanks ladies. I'm not expecting a C-section but I don't to risk having.... ahem... pee issues.... for life by overstraining my pelvic floor. DH will take some time to work from home but I don't know how much.

Toddlers make life more complicated!

xxbabycakesxx · January 2013

I tried to not hold Griff as much. DH was home to help for I think 2 weeks but, you know, I still carried him sometimes. When I did I found my bleeding to increase. Just try not holding LO cause healing will go by a lot faster.

Serendipity117 · January 2013

EMO-mamma:
The only lifting I had to do at first was in and out of the crib and H helped with that most of the time. We didn't really go anywhere with just me and both kids at first. And he really wasn't any heavier than the baby in the infant seat. J has been doing the stairs himself for a while. He didn't want to be left behind if I took the baby out of the room so he'd usually follow.
Really after the first week or so it was actually easier than it was in 3rd tri.

This was me too. Like Jilly, I don't remember hearing the "heavier than the baby" rule, I was just told to take it easy. Try not to stress too much. Our toddlers are so independent right now that they should be able to do most of the work.

enjoylife · January 2013

I took it easy after J came and DH was home for 2 weeks for lifting A if needed but I felt back to prepregnancy normal energy after 1 week. Not to be confused with prepregnancy weight that I'm still working on. Anyways I found working with A before j came to walk up/down stairs, washing hands , cleaning up and praising big boy behavior made it a little easier to transition as long as I made sure to have 1 on 1 time with him when J was asleep or being held by someone else. Now A is definitely more of a daddy's boy and he had more trouble adjusting to my H holding or caring for J but when H went back to work it wasn't that bad. Although by the end of the day when H got home I gave him both kids and said Tag you're it because by then I needed 20 or 30 min to myself for shower, pee break etc. but physically I don't remember them listing weight restrictions because if you overdo it then bleeding will get heavier as a sign to slow down .

TMNTgirl · January 2013

I had a vaginal delivery and didn't even push with #2. He literally just slid out with a contraction - so I was freakishly lucky when it came to recovery.

I don't remember not being told to lift anything heavier than the baby. But I had DH home for a week. And those first few weeks we definitely did a lot of snuggling on the couch watching TV while I was nursing. And DS1 can climb up on the couch by himself.

I remember 2 or 3 times my bleeding did increase a bit, so I took that as a sign to try and take it easy for a bit.

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OK, moms of 2. Help a sister out here.

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