Cs recovery with a toddler at home- top tips please!

[soppypreggyloon]

I'm having elcs on Friday and starting to worry about coping with 2yo ds as well. Dh will be home for 4 weeks so I'm very lucky but from what I can vaguely remember from last time I wasn't right till 6 weeks or more.

What are your top tips for recovery and coping with toddler after a cs? :)

I've got my arnica tablets already.

Did you have an emergency c/s last time?

I had an em cs first time and an elective second time and found the recovery much easier 2nd time.

Dh only had 10 days off, including the birth and the time I was in hosp so I was on my own from a week after coming out of hosp. It was much easier than I had expected - my dd1 was 2.8 and old enough to bring me stories to read if I was feeding, that sort of thing.

The biggest problem was just getting the 2 yr old out of the house as she went a bit mad if inside all day. For two days a friend came and drove us all to a playgroup and then I started driving myself (two wks after the birth - the six weeks for driving thing is a myth).

I'll try to think of anything else I did - but honestly it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Lifting dd1 onto swings in the park was hard but I would ask another person in the park to do it!

Actually it was SO much easier the second time round for me (had 2 ELCS, dd1 was 2.3 when dd2 was born) I don't remember the recovery being too much of a problem. Dh was at home for a few weeks (we were lucky and got a few extra days because she was born just before Christmas) so he did a lot of looking after dd1. Otherwise, lots of DVD's, sticker books etc. Don't start potty training until you are up and about again (if you haven't already). What you will probably do differently is not carry the baby around so much - when she slept, she was put down and left too it - with dd1, one of us carried her almost all the time! Ummm....can't remember much else...

Yeah last time was an emcs after failure to progress, epidural, max hormone dose, stuck baby etc etc.
I just remember feeling so weak.
BUT I am physically much stronger (read massive guns) now after lifting and carrying ds for the last 2 years.

tips

DVDs
colouring
plan ahead to have lots of THINGS to do that toddler can easily do with minimal input, or with you on the sofa!

keep a stash of books in the lounge to read if pinned feeding

If your dh is home for 4 wks just rest as much as you can in that time.

Is your ds old enough to get himself into car seat, onto chairs for meals, that sort of thing? Lifting the older child is hard, luckily dd1 was old enough to do those sort of things.

And you will be better to start with, for not having gone through a long labour first. El cs is all done and dusted in 20 mins!

steps everywhere, and teach them to get on to chairs, bath etc themselves, books at feeding time, it is amazing how easy ith is to feed and read to a toddler. Dont worry everyone adapts quickly, and if the toddlers gets a little more cbebbies than normal well thats not going to harm them !

20 mins? You must have had a record-breaking speed-section! I seem to recall it was more like 45-mins by the time they finish the sewing....But yes probably a lot less tiring than an emergency section following labour.

Oh I thought 20 mins was norm...maybe it was a bit longer. She was born at 11.21 and they did say they were all quite keen to go off to lunch

My ELCS recovery was a million times easier than my EMCS. I didn't need paracetamol after 10 days and had much more energy.

Lots of cbeebies for DS and my family popped round and kept him amused or took him out for a walk. I first lifted him 2 weeks post cs, but only to get him out of his cot in the morning then we were ok the rest of the day as I had help.

Fill the freezer.

Try not to worry too much. I had an emergency section with DD1 and was really very wiped out by it. DD2 was ELCS when DD1 had just turned 2. I was totally and utterly fine physically. I really don't remember having any issues at all. Same again with DS (DD2 had just turned 2 when he was born). The best tip I had was to drop down to their level. So when DD1 wanted picking up, I'd sit down on the floor and pull her into my lap (even if I was in the park!!). Also - make them climb - e.g. I had a step stool so she could get into and out of the bath, whilst holding my hand of course, but it meant I didn't have to lift. I was driving about 10 days after both DD2 and DS (insurance was fine and with both powered steering and brakes I think I was perfectly safe), at that age they are surprisingly good at climbing into their car seat if you just have the patience to let them do it (with a little help pulling up on your arm). Lots of TV is definitely important too - don't despair, this stage doesn't last forever and they won't be glued to CBeebies for their entire childhood! Show your toddler the cut - say that the baby came out of it, that you are fine but a bit fragile and your tummy will hurt for a little while and s/he needs to be gentle. In my experience they were fascinated but also quite understanding and caring about it.