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Childbirth

Five weeks post c-section- how much activity?

37 replies

TeaJunky · 09/01/2013 17:13

I'm five weeks (six weeks on Friday) post EMCS and wondering how much activity/housework is OK at this point without overdoing it?
Up until now, DH has done all of the cooking, cleaning and general house chores. He did the night feeds for the first three weeks, and also does the school run for dd1. I've been concentrating on baby feeding/bathing during the day and night feeds now for past 2 weeks.
I do feel like I'm recovering but also get tired really quick. I am anaemic so on iron tabs. From Monday DH will be concentrating on work again so I'll be doing the cooking.

Just wondered how much activity/housework everyone did post c section and when , and when do you start feeling completely ok again?

OP posts:

Report

Lovejesus · 09/01/2013 17:35

I went 2 c the doctor about 4 weeks after section and he said it was ok 4 me 2 drive. I would still b cautious lifting anything 2 heavy eg saucepans of potatoes, wet washing basket etc but would by this stage b dusting, cleaning bathroom, dishes etc. hoovering? Maybe a wee bit but not carrying it downstairs. Hope this helps.

TeaJunky · 09/01/2013 17:37

lovejesus thanks that's helpful. So light chores. Damn, and I had myself convinced doing the dishes was harmful

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TeaJunky · 09/01/2013 18:07

Anyone else?!

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DolomitesDonkey · 09/01/2013 18:10

Did housework the day I got home, walked in to town same day. Drove after 10 days and rode my sports horse at 6 weeks. All following emcs for PE and whilst still taking meds.

TeaJunky · 09/01/2013 18:15

Wow Dolomites! Did you do all this through feeling pain?

Many family and friends have advised me to have complete bed rest for the first six weeks - with the warning that 'you'll feel it afterwards if you overdo it now'. I was wondering how much truth there was in that.

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TeaJunky · 09/01/2013 18:18

What's PE?

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HavingAnOffDAy · 09/01/2013 18:29

DD, ELCS, light house work after a couple of weeks, driving at 4 weeks.

DS, ELCS, light house work after 3 days, theme park day 7, driving after 3 weeks.

My recovery was pretty quick, no complications, scar healed well etc

I stopped meds after about 2 weeks with them both

DolomitesDonkey · 09/01/2013 18:32

PE = pre-eclampsia

Yes, there was a little pain - like if you've had a hard session at the gym. But far from bed-ridden!

I can't imagine being inactive for 6 weeks. :(

redandwhitesprinkles · 09/01/2013 18:34

I could barely walk so I think anything more trying than looking after the baby is too much!

ShowOfHands · 09/01/2013 18:37

I have had 2x emcs. I didn't take any painkillers with either as I was fortunate not to need them. I was discharged after 12hrs first time round and I took it a bit easy for a week but I still cooked and did light cleaning from about day 3. By 2 weeks I was pretty much back to normal activity. Waited for my 6 week check to do anything like proper exercise though.

2nd time round I had a dd just starting school (4 days post cs) so was doing a long school run, walking 2 miles there and 2 miles back by 7 days post cs (dh had to go back to work). I worked up to proper exercise again and was doing light cardio and resistance by 5/6 weeks and was back running again at 8 weeks.

bonzo77 · 09/01/2013 18:37

It's so variable and depends entirely on how you feel. If you just don't feel up to it......

I'm 5 weeks post ELCS tomorrow. I was off painkillers at about 5 days, light house work on day of discharge (day4) and fully functional including driving by 2 weeks. Will be back riding nutcase horses on Sunday.

After my emcs 2.10 years ago recovery was slower so drove at 4 weeks, riding at about 4 months (more due to lack of horse though). I actually over did it initially last time and ended up with a minor infection of the incision.

If you have a classical (vertical) incision, unusual these days, I understand recovery can take far longer.

ShowOfHands · 09/01/2013 18:41

Meant to say there is no right or wrong. You have to listen to your body, not push it while still on painkillers as you might mask warning signs and do as little or as much as you are ready to.

There is v good evidence to suggest that getting up and about asap post cs is vital for good recovery but whether you want to be doing marathons at 12 weeks or laps of the fridge, is up to you and your recovery. In fact pre-12 weeks the hospital and physio would tell you that high impact exercise is not recommended. I was back running pre 12 weeks with ds but I would never recommend it to anybody else!

Gintonic · 09/01/2013 18:42

It took me 3 months to be able to do anything energetic, though I had other problems too. I did find that if I overdid it I was knackered and sore the next day. Best to build up slowly.

TeaJunky · 09/01/2013 18:53

Wow bonzo...can't believe all these horse riders, just the thought of getting on to a horse frightens the life out of me !

I braved ikea yday tho so I can't be that bad

show yes you're right. I'm off painkillers a week in, and don't have constant pain, just odd twinges and pulling feeling sometimes.

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TeaJunky · 09/01/2013 18:55

red I could
Barely walk in the first week too, and when I did I was like an old lady
Not a good look at 28

dolomites... I've not been inactive .. Just not very active !

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LivingThings · 09/01/2013 19:42

I have had 2 ELCS and was back out running at 5 weeks post CS. Do as much as you are comfortable with.

1944girl · 09/01/2013 20:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TeaJunky · 09/01/2013 20:37

1944girl.. Wow.. I thought it was normal for most people to have bed rest for that long, but thinking of it now, obviously it's not practical or possible for everyone. Why did they do the vertical one before and why the bikini cut now? What's the difference?

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Lozza70 · 09/01/2013 20:45

I've had 2 EMCS. With both I was out of bed and walking around the ward within 12 hours though with the first I was very tired as I had been in labour for 2 days beforehand. I was doing light household chores and all feeds as soon as I got home and driving within 3 - 4 weeks. I was having days out, shopping etc. within 7 or 8 days. I think I recovered from both CS relatively well and took pain relief for as long as I thought was necessary but I think you have to listen to your own body. The only thing I would not do is hover as you twist at the waist, I have a horror story about someone that did, yuk!

1944girl · 09/01/2013 23:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Haggisfish · 10/01/2013 08:43

I would caution against the hoovering, too - this was something I found really hard for ages after my CS, because of the twisting. I'd also be wary of lifting heavy things like baskets of wet washing, just in case. Although it's great all these ther posters have been up and riding and running etc, I think they are probably at one end of the spectrum of recovery (ie the very fast and full recovery!), complete bed rest is at the other end and most people are somewhere in the middle.

noblegiraffe · 10/01/2013 08:50

Don't push yourself just because other people have, do whatever you feel up to. I had a friend who walked for miles a couple of days before giving birth, I could barely hobble to the shops. It affects all of us differently, but if you do push yourself too much too soon, you risk hindering your recovery.

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Pandasandmonkeys · 10/01/2013 11:58

The surgeon advised me to be up and about ASAP to help with healing. I was on the meds for about two weeks. I did light house work from about 2 weeks afterwards and was back driving at 5 weeks but the to said it could have been sooner. I'm still cautious about lifting anything heavy (11weeks later) and occasionally feel a little tender if I over do it, hovering seems to be the only thing that still causes a little ache. Listen to your body and do what you feel ready to do. C section recovery is a very individual thing. My friend was very uncomfortable for weeks and weeks, but a woman on the same ward as me was literally skipping about the ward within 24 hours - while I was still hobbling like and old lady or having to be taken around in a wheel chair

ladymarian · 10/01/2013 14:25

I had an ELCS 8 weeks ago and I tried to take things slowly. I felt I still needed painkillers (just once or twice a day) up to 4 weeks but by 5 weeks I was almost back to normal. I found heavy lifting (eg a full kettle of water, a basket of we washing, carseat with baby in it) did give me pain as did bending so I tried to avoid that as long as possible. By 6 weeks I was driving and lifting the car seat etc without any problem.
I think everyone is different and you will know yourself what is OK for you.

bitbot · 10/01/2013 15:37

I think everyone is different, I walked 3 miles on the Sunday after having an emcs on the Thursday and losing 2.5litres of blood (refused the blood transfusion), friend couldn't walk to the front door 5 weeks post emcs...everyone just recovers differently, just listen to your body

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