preparing toddler and five year old for a section

[PeppaPigStinks]

I've got to embrace it's Happening.

I've also got to accept it will be in the summer holidays.

Does anyone have any suggestions for preparing my two dc I will be having an operation to have the baby?

My five year old is very inquisitive so will ask loads of questions but at the same time is quite squeamish.

[Idontknowwhoiam]

I explained d that the doctor gives me medicine so I can't feel my belly and then opens my belly to pull the baby out. Then I get sewn up.
I was able to explain that I had it done to get the both of them out before this one (4 and 6 year old dc) 6 weeks ago and I was fine then so there's no reason I won't be this time.
If your child is squeamish maybe don't say they cut you open... just be a bit more vague.
Also I thought it was important to say that the medicine doesn't last a long time and that I would be sore afterwards so they had to be really careful with my belly.
Have you had sections before to show them the scar? My 6yo ds was impressed by the scar lol

[Wolfiefan]

I would just say you are having an operation so they can take the baby out. At their age they won't have any idea of how babies may or may not arrive.
I would get them prepared before they visit that they can't jump on you though.

[PeppaPigStinks]

No this will be the first one.

Due to various issues along the way I am wary of my older dc especially blaming the baby for it all.

[2nds]

I wouldn't mention the OP at all, I'd just say I'm going in to hospital to have the baby. What's the point in potentially making a 5 year old worry about you having an operation?

[PeppaPigStinks]

No this will be the first one.

Due to various issues along the way I am wary of my older dc especially blaming the baby for it all.

[Idontknowwhoiam]

The fact that you won't be home for several days and unable to carry on as normal when you return is a good enough reason.
I found my son especially was happier knowing what was going on and he would've been much worse off wondering what I was doing for 3 days in hospital.
It also depends when they visit you. Mine came a few hours after so I still had drips in but they knew to expect that so it wasn't a shock.
When my dd was born my son was 20 months so he just got told I wa shaving the baby and visited the next day.
A five year old will be expecting an explanation and will have questions afterwards.
There is also the potential of them seeing the scar/wound when the midwife visits or if they follow you to the loo.

[PeppaPigStinks]

Thank you.
To be honest I am just trying to work out the questions and have a bank of answers ready!

[maamalady]

No idea for an older child, but my 20-month DD1 waved me off "to have the baby" quite happily. She visited me in hospital the following day with great enthusiasm, cuddled me and DD2, and accepted that she had to be careful because my tummy was sore quite well.

[Alwaysinahurrynow]

My now three year old understands that he wriggled to find a way out, but couldn't so I had to have an operation and he came out of the line on my tummy. Or as he puts it 'when I was in your tummy, I caused and emergency as a wriggled and struggled'.

Off to have my third section in September, so I've been saying it's the same as when his younger brother arrived and mummy will be in hospital for a few days and my tummy will be very sore for a few weeks. I think preparing them for what you'll be capable of when you get home is more important than anything else.

Both times midwives signed me off within 10 days of being home and visited three times max. The only one where they looked at my scar in detail (the others it was just a quick look to check for infection and to check the uterus was shrinking) was when they took the stitches out, so that might be one you might prefer to have someone to keep an eye on the kids for.

[Alwaysinahurrynow]

Just reread my three year old words and clearly I can't type rather than he can't speak properly!!