Looking after 1st child after 2nd C-section? Post Reply

[biscuitbrown]

Hi, I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice for me. I had a very traumatic first birth which I almost didn't survive - am planning to have an elective c-section this time round, but the thing really playing on my mind is how I'll look after my first child for the six weeks of recovery. We don't have family around to help, and once my husband goes back to work after paternity leave I'm thinking through how I'll get my toddler into her cot for naps, in and out of the bath etc.

I'm told recovery from elective c-sections is much quicker and less painful than an emergency section after a traumatic labour, but I only remember how incapable of even walking down the stairs I was for weeks after having my daughter, so don't really know how much I'll be able to do.

Thanks for any advice.
BB

[stayathomemuminsw11]

Hi there,

I had a hideous first birth, (emergency c-section) and planned an elective second time around, but ended up with a semi-emergency one under GA (I went into labour before the scheduled date). I didn't go through labour for very long before I had my c-section, so it was as if it was planned really.

Anyway, I don't want to worry you, but I really did find the recovery pretty hard-although I was out and about reasonably soon, stuff like bath time/shopping/cooking etc was tough.

We arranged for an amazing lady who is a postnatal doula to come and help for 3 weeks after my son was born (just a few hrs a day), doula's are not cheap, £20 an hr, but we took the attitude that we would just spend the £ and cut back in other areas, and it was the BEST money we have spent. I actually enjoyed the weeks after my son's birth despite the tough recovery-she made it enjoyable by just being amazing.

Things she did:

Washing
General Tidying up
Cooking, both for me and my husband, and for the freezer and for my 3 yr old
Looking after one or both kids while I slept or if I needed to go out
Helping me with all aspects of the baby and his routine, although I chose to bottle feed, she is also v experienced with breastfeeding help


And much, much more! She also took the initiative-I didn't need to tell her what I needed-she just did it!

She has been a lifesaver, and in fact she still helps us once a week for a few hrs and my baby is now 3 months! Sadly we'll have to stop her coming soon, as she really only works with families with newborns, but I am certainly going to book her again if we have a third!

Please do PM me if you'd like her name and number or any more info?

[biscuitbrown]

That sounds amazing thank you - I'll PM you. I thought a Doula helped with birth - had no idea they could help afterwards!

[Deearnas]

Hi

Im a doula and maternity nurse depending where you are id happily help you.

Also in my opinion a csect is a csect regardless of emergency or not the recovery is the same.

Hope this helps

[Pc1008]

hi
Totally agree, get a doula or nanny/ mat nurse to come and support. I had an emergency c sec and didnt realise how tough recovery would be!! It was expensive but worth every penny
A couple of other tips.
(i) have a set of everything you need downstairs, so you dont have to go upstairs unless necessary as getting up the stairs can be very sore!
(ii) Cook and freeze lots of meals in advance, so your husband can come home and just defrost/ stick in oven/ microwave. you might want to do the same for your toddler.
(iii) Rearrange bedroom/nursery furniture to minimise activity, ie have lots of stuff within reaching distance, same with downstairs, I basically turned our sofa and surrounding area into a feeding/changing/ sleeping station for the day
(iv)online supermarket shopping a lifesaver

just try and do stuff that makes life more convinient and make the most of all offers of help. Good luck!

have you any friends who could come and stay or help?

th

[NorthcoteLuvvie]

its the effort that I think is really cute

*I* never got a proposal like that

[NorthcoteLuvvie]

Sorry, posted in wrong bit