christening booked for 4 weeks after caesarean - am I crazy?

cheaperthantherapy · 2012-02-22T11:37:30+00:00

Just finished the invitations and it's just hit me.... Due to family arriving from Australia for a limited time after the birth of our second child we've booked the christening for our new baby only 4 weeks and 3 days after the scheduled caesarean... Just wondering if I'm totally crazy for doing this - do you think I will be able to cope having just had major surgery? WWYD?

diyqueen · 22/02/2012 12:38

You'll be fine, don't worry. By a month after mine I was feeling pretty much OK - no heavy lifting or too much exertion but would have been fine to be at a christening. Enjoy being with your family and all the best!

Original poster

cheaperthantherapy · 22/02/2012 13:23

Thanks diy :)

Had a momentary panic attack just finishing the invites.

OP posts:

hippopo · 22/02/2012 17:29

I was going to say YES after reading only title but under circumstances described I can see it makes sense and with family helping out you'll be fine.

cleoismycat · 22/02/2012 17:37

I was driving within three weeks, just take it easy and insist on your family waiting on you!

rosebery · 22/02/2012 18:16

With lots of help, I'm sure you'll be fine. At 4 weeks post emcs, we went to a wedding 5 hours drive away with newborn in tow. A bit bonkers maybe, but we had a great weekend!

BellaCB · 22/02/2012 21:47

I'm sure you'll be absolutely fine. I'm 4 weeks post emcs and feeling absolutely fine - lugging a pram around, doing the hoovering, you name it. The only thing that affects me now is if I walk fast for quite a long distance, and even then it only leaves me feeling a bit sore/tired, not in agony or anything. But I would say it gives you an excuse to take things easy for the first week or two to make sure you are well!

Babycameearly · 22/02/2012 23:22

Hi - I'm 3 weeks post EMCS and feel fab - you'll be fine!

First couple of days were quite sore - consultant commented that it was nice to see me 'walking tall' the day after the op (I'm big busted and have always walked with a straight back to avoid the 'big boob stoop') as most women tend to walk bent because of the soreness - she said it'd really help to heal.

My baby was in SCBU so I was up and down from my hospital room down a maze of corridors from day 1 then back and forth to hospital to see him after I was discharged after 3 days.

Much easier than I anticipated although you won't feel like that for the first couple of nights! Enjoy the christening and good luck!

Original poster

cheaperthantherapy · 23/02/2012 17:19

Thanks everyone :) am feeling better about it... Have told dh that I will spend the reception sat on a chair nursing a glass of wine/soda and some cake (and obviously baby) and the organisation etc is all up to him.

Still a tad nervous but will make the most of everyone there to support me! Just occurred to me that i'll probably be super protective of baby and not wanting to pass him around to everyone when only 4 weeks old - hopefully he will be asleep through most of it!

OP posts:

Original poster

cheaperthantherapy · 23/02/2012 17:40

Thanks everyone :) am feeling better about it... Have told dh that I will spend the reception sat on a chair nursing a glass of wine/soda and some cake (and obviously baby) and the organisation etc is all up to him.

Still a tad nervous but will make the most of everyone there to support me! Just occurred to me that i'll probably be super protective of baby and not wanting to pass him around to everyone when only 4 weeks old - hopefully he will be asleep through most of it!

OP posts:

helsinkihelen · 24/02/2012 10:17

Ditto, i am now 5 weeks post second CS and feel completely normal. Make sure that you take it easy the first couple of weeks, however well you feel. But mentally i think it helps to get up as soon as possible after the op ( i was in the shower 8 hours post surgery) and stay active. I didn't pick up my 2 year old for about 2-3 weeks but was driving at a week and a half but being my second CS i kinda knew from experience that it would be ok as i recovered well with my first. I think the 6 week recovery time is overcautious and used as a tool to put women off having c sections!!!! But saying that, at every poss opportunity use the post-major surgery card to get everyone else to make you cups of tea, do the cleaning/shopping and anything else that can be delegated whilst you get plenty of cuddles with bubba.xxxxxx

loveisagirlnameddaisy · 24/02/2012 19:11

Apologies for a minor derail of the thread, but can I ask you helsinki if you've found it okay having a second CS with a toddler. I'm still deciding what to do having had EMCS first time around; my LO will be 3 months off 3 when I give birth. She's very clingy at the mo, asking to be picked up a lot and I'm wondering if that will be an issue when the baby comes, although I'm only 20 weeks at mo.

cheaper - sorry, this is your thread! I think you'll be fine as long as you've got support. It took me 2/3 weeks to feel physically back to normal after my EMCS. Just a quick point, for me it was the emotional wobbles at 4 weeks post birth that were more serious than the physical recovery. Just something to consider...

helsinkihelen · 26/02/2012 22:22

My LO was pretty clingy also as between him being 1 and 2 i had been working full time, but i was signed off for the last 2 months of my pregnancy and we spent that time together and he went from being a real daddy's boy to a mummy's boy and just wanting to be picked up all the time so i was really worried, but he's been great. although just having turned 2, he did seem to understand that after the c section, mummy couldn't pick him up because i had a sore tummy and we had talked a lot about a babba coming to live with us before she came along. i was really worried about not being able to pick him up or look after him and the impact it would have on him, so much so that i originally planned to have a VBAC but after reading many horror stories on here decided that i would go for another c section (lol, i decided this at 41+3!) as i would prefer the proverbial devil i knew if you know what i mean. I don't know why I'm calling it the devil as it was a brilliant experience, and second time around i recovered even quicker. My partner has been great though, for the time he was off on paternity leave he took really good care of our little boy, did loads with him and made him feel special whilst i took it easy and looked after the baby. He also spent quite a lot of time being spoilt by his grandparents and i made sure any visitors fussed over him more than the baby. Once my partner went back to work i was in a much better place to resume taking care of them both and now, 5 weeks on we all seems to have gotton used to the new addition. Although he's deffo been sidelined a bit i make sure i tell him as much as i can how special he is and how he's mummy's best boy (luckily no2 was a girl so not showing favorites!) Good luck.xx