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[ERipley]

The standard advice is that you will be able to move around as though you’ve had a vaginal birth within 3 days.

Take the drugs, make sure your partner is going to take a few weeks off and do most of the lifting and you will be fine.

I have had both types of births and c-section is infinitely more civilised.

Enjoy your new baby!

Edited by ERipley, 28 May 2019 - 04:26 PM.

[robhat]

I didn't find pain to be a problem, but lack of tummy muscles was! Some of this may be due to the fact that I am a small person who had huge babies and I had huge tummy muscle separation. Basically as long as I really didn't lift or carry anything heavy I was fine. It made laundry a difficult task so my husband did most of that for the first month. Grocery shopping was mostly done online. Other tasks were mostly fine. We put bub in a high up pram in the living room during the day so I didn't have to do too much bending and lifting of a heavy baby (4.2kg)!

[22Fruitmincepies]

Hope it all goes well OP!

[AdelTwins]

2 planned c sections. Driving automatic car within 10 days - approved by OB (therefore insured), short distances only.
No real issues, took my pain meds, but didn’t need any after leaving hospital. Reaching to upper cupboards was the most painful thing I did.

Just take it easy and stop if it hurts.

Have fun meeting your baby

[MwahMum]

Thanks all. Just clarifying, I'm not the OP, just hijacking due to the last minute nature of my CS. And trying to cram prep in at this last stage...

[FretfulMum]

Good luck!

I’ve had 2 CS - 1st was an emergency & 2nd was semi-planned (It was scheduled but I went into labour a few days earlier.  I still requested a CS). Both recoveries were totally fine! I took pain meds for maybe 3 days. Was walking around my room the day after delivery. Walking short distances in the 1st week. Like others, I could still do most housework etc, just more slowly. I accidentally picked up my 2yo a few times in the 1st week after DS2 was born. It didn’t cause any problems (other than me going ‘ooops! Shouldn’t have done that!). I was driving after 2wks.

All the best with your new arrival!

[Mollyksy]

I was home within 3 days. Be conscious not to overdo it is my advice. It's easy (especially if painkillers are dulling pain) to overdo it. Get someone else on washing, dishes, cooking etc.

[Gruffalo's Child]

Agree with the advice to take it easy.  The painkillers can be so effective it’s easy to forget you shouldn’t be doing things as you recover.    I’ve had 2 csections and my recovery from my first was so easy that I was a bit careless after my second and pushed myself before I should have (long walks pushing a pram, housework etc) - the result was that my recovery was longer and more painful.

Good luck tomorrow - I hope it’s a wonderful experience for you.   Enjoy meeting your little one!

Edited by Gruffalo's Child, 28 May 2019 - 11:37 PM.

[Ollie83]

I’m the OP, and baby is about to turn 1!

Great advise here.

It all went well, I made sure I kept up with pain meds. Cleared to drive at 2 weeks but didn’t need to until 4.

I really did take it easy and didn’t lift much until 6 weeks. Paid off & really well healed. Apart from a scar you wouldn’t know I’d had one now.

[Amica]

I've had 1 natural birth and 3 c/s.

The natural birth I was much much lower to bounce back and my pain was worse.

[livelifelovehappy]

My advice is to be careful! You will feel better than you are and can end up overdoing it. I hung out washing at about 4 weeks. It was awful. My husband has taken over the washing, I’m now at 10 weeks and still don’t feel right with it, but am back to all other normal tasks and even the gym. It’s just something about the reaching upwards that gets me.

[gracie1978]

I was super relaxed after mine, I wouldn't even empty the bottom half of the dishwasher or bath the baby
It drove my Mum nuts, but I didn't push myself at all.

Be lazy like me
I was back at pilates within 12 weeks and they were stunned at my recovery.