C-section recovery advice

[Mamabear04]

Please can you tell me your tips for recovering from a c-section?

I had an ECS and was not really given any after support other than getting the stitches out and ensuring my wound HD healed. I lived in a 1st floor flat and was walking up and down the stairs as it was the only way to get out the house. I was also told in the hospital to get up and walk so I took that quite literally and 3 days after getting home walked to the local shop and continued like this in my recovery. Needless to say I don't think it helped and I found the recovery very hard.

I now live in a house with only a toilet upstairs and a toddler. If I need another c-section what would you advise? DH and parents are around to help but don't want my toddler to have a hard time adjusting without me present to help if that makes sense?

After mine I did normal walking about the house and up the stairs but I agree that walking to shops etc is too much for the first couple of weeks. I had a CS with DS2 when DS1 was 22 months old and still needed quite a lot of physical help like nappy changing. My DH made a little latched gate in his cot side which I could open ti get him in and out for naps which was great, so I didn't have to lift him.

When I had my (planned) csection I was advised by the hospital to move as much as I felt possible as soon as I could do aid healing - from day 3 I was taking (very slow/gentle!) walks around the park near my house, encouraged by DH (if not for him I would have wallowed in a painkiller haze for days/weeks!). I was very very sore, but recovery was smooth and I have had no issues. That said, it would have been 100x harder with a DC - I would say (and it's easy for me, as not in your position!) that you just have to be kind to yourself and accept that you can't be superwoman - accept all the help, try to explain to your kid why things might be a bit different for a little while (accept this might not be easy if they're a toddler) and don't push yourself too hard, especially if you had a hard recovery first time round.