Those who had a C-section, what were you able to do for baby while recovering from surgery?

[blessedbythebest88]

New parents, I'm still a mom-to-be but I'm most likely having a c section as baby is 99th percentile, plus breech and I'm only 5ft tall.

My husband and I are trying to figure out what I'll be able to do while recovering so we can divide the baby duties. I'll be trying to breastfeed for sure but what about diapering? Did you find that easy or difficult to do with the scar healing? Anything you were not able to do at all?

Thanks in advance for all the inputs!

 

[offenbarung]

@blessedbythebest88 I had an unplanned c-section in August last year. All I did for the first twoish weeks was feed baby and hold her for contact naps. I didn’t carry her anywhere. I didn’t change diapers. I literally did nothing but hold her sitting down and breastfeed. My husband did everything else. Swaddling, diaper changes, dressing up, feeding us. Some people have easier recoveries, but I had a really difficult time even walking or getting off the couch for at least 2-3 weeks. I probably could have done some diaper changes on the right heighted table, but our change table was too low and hinging at the waist was near impossible. Also, a lot of the time I couldn’t move promptly enough to do a lot of things. I was sooooo slow.

 

[blessedbythebest88]

@offenbarung Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I have no idea how my recovery will be but just knowing that this is a possibility helps when planning. How did things change as the first 3 weeks passed?

 

[offenbarung]

@blessedbythebest88 As the first 3 weeks passed my stomach started to feel a lot more… contained. Everything sort of feels like sore jello. It got a lot better by week 3 and I would say I was back to feeling 100% normal (mostly) by week 6-7. Buy a belly band for yourself! The hospital one kinda sucks and I felt that the support it gave me made me feel a lot more comfortable.

 

[gell]

@offenbarung Yes! Belly band, and there is this high waisted underwear with a silicone patch at the incision spot that i wore after getting out of diapers.

I had a long labor with a 99th percentile baby. Im 5’, 117 prebaby weight. It was an emergency C so my recovery was a bit more intense. I started working part time around 4 months pp.

 

[blessedbythebest88]

@gell Oh my, our size and weight are almost the same. I will look into that underwear.

 

[prodigal1]

@blessedbythebest88 I’m 4’10” unplanned but not emergency C-section, I was fine a few days later. A week out and I was great, a little tender where the incision is but other than that I was ok. I did diapers and feeding. Baby ended up back in the hospital so I just hung out with the baby and fed/changed him for a week (no home chores, etc.) by two weeks I was released to do whatever I felt comfortable with and returned to most normal activities. I know that’s not necessarily the norm, but is possible. My sister-in-law didn’t get out of bed for two weeks, so I really think it’s person dependent.

 

[blessedbythebest88]

@prodigal1 Yeah. All bodies are so different but it's really helping to see so many different experiences. At least I know kind of the range of outcomes. Thanks for sharing!

 

[gell]

@offenbarung Yeah this was me too. Around week 4 i could walk while carrying her, but couldnt bend and pick up, or put down, or stairs. I did do a nice baby massage self care time standing at the changing table with babe.

By week 6 i was going up and down the stairs and taking short walks. I had everything i needed for the day around my chaise lounge in the living room and was able to nurse, change, nap, and play with her while my husband worked. Had a friend come over for a little each day to help me get food and things set up.

Doing a Meal Train was how we ate for the first two months.

By week 8 i was baby wearing, and pretty self sufficient but still seriously recovering.

A nursing pillow like My Breast Friend was a life saver. I called it the flying saucer and it held my huge baby up so she wasnt laying on my incision.

Also, Soft high waisted underwear. Knee socks. And a cozy bathrobe was my outfit for the first few weeks. Depends diapers in a few sizes. Silk velvet nipple pads SAVED my nipples along with silverette caps. Compression socks, like diabetes ones. Magnesium calm… hmmmm lmao. These were a few of my favorite things lol.

 

[blessedbythebest88]

@gell These sound so good I have to get those. Except for the compression sucks. I'm currently wearing them and they are so hard to put and take off I hate them. I was considering the silverettes and you have convinced me now.
Thanks for sharing all these tips!

 

[gell]

@blessedbythebest88 I have had zero nipple issues. Those silverettes were such a life saver. They would stop the redness and soothe the rawness during heavy bouts of cluster feeding.

Honestly i wore snowboarding sock most of the time. I had some trouble with a lot of edema in my feet post opp.

 

[bama_girl]

@blessedbythebest88 Reading others comments, I must have been super lucky but I was able to do all the usual stuff (feeding, changing, etc) since day 1. I was on my feet in less than 24h. Pain meds helped a lot. I was advised to not hold anything heavier than baby for 2 weeks but that was about it. I was released 3 days after the section (and would have been earlier but baby was being monitored) and getting in and out my own bed by myself, just adapting how to make it easier. Climbing stairs took me a little longer.

 

[tommy2022]

@bama_girl My experience was the same - I was sitting and walking within 24 hrs. I was able to breastfeed, change baby, carry baby, get in and out of my bed etc. I also live on the third floor (no elevator) and my apartment is a duplex with bedrooms upstairs - I had no issues with walking up and down them and even went for a couple of walks outside in the first couple of weeks. I also chose to only take Advil and Tylenol for pain - I did not bring any opioids home with me. I did not have any residual pain that would have required anything stronger.

I may have been lucky…

 

[blessedbythebest88]

@bama_girl Oh geez, we live on a 2nd level condo so your last sentence scares me a bit. I'll try to plan around it. I'm glad your recovery went well. Thank you so much for sharing

 

[brodri91]

@bama_girl Similar experience here. I avoided lifting anything heavier than the baby, but besides that I was able to do pretty much everything. Some things I had to take slow the first week or so, like getting out of bed. My husband still changed all of the diapers at first - not because of the c-section, but because it made sense as a division of labor at the time.

 

[muel89]

@bama_girl This was my experience too! Two C-sections and same timeline both times. I had no choice but to climb stairs starting Day 3, I just took it slow and it was fine. The belly band helped me feel much more stable!

 

[james1971]

@bama_girl I'm adding to say that I was also able to do everything the next day. Once I was actually able to walk, which was about 12 hours later, I was good to change diaper, hold baby, feed, and everything else. When we got home I had no problem with stairs. I regularly took Tylenol and Motrin combo every 4 hours for about a week. I was so scared the recovery was going to be so much worse than it was.

 

[jamessmith112]

@bama_girl Same!

 

[ocdandme]

@bama_girl Same.

Our house is a multilevel home so I would just pass the LO off to husband (or my mom or sister who were taking turns helping us out) when it came to walking up or down the stairs.

By week 2 pp I was fine but I think using the belly binder belt, staying on schedule for pain medicine and icing/heating really helped.

 

[blessedbythebest88]

@ocdandme Thanks! This brings me hope