Bringing DD to hospital day of c-section - your thoughts??

[Mummy252]

Ok, so dd is 21 months and I'm due for an elective c-section( after very bad birth with her) in 2 weeks!!
To be fair dd and I may have some attachment issues, we literally spend every waking and sleeping for that matter moment together. She doesn't go to nursery and is with me 24/7, we tried nursery but both of us hated it.

Anyway, I'm dreading being away from her overnight as I genuinely don't remember anyone else ever putting her to sleep/ getting her up etc and I know she will be very confused.
My mum is coming over in the morning as we leave very early for hospital so dd will wake up with her. I know there's 3 of us booked in that day and they usually only book 2 so no idea when I will actually go down to theatre.
My question is could dd come to the hospital with us? With my mum of course? Then we can be together and wake up together etc until its time to go to theatre? I want her to come see me and her baby brother after the birth anyway?
Just wondering how others played it with their little ones when they went in?

[Mutley77]

I am sure this has all been said before, and I don't know how much time you have before your baby arrives, but during this time your priority needs to be getting your DD used to having a relationship with your DH - particularly at bedtime. You are being seriously unfair to her if you don't push this now - before she has the additional disruption of a baby sibling.

Your DH will have to put her to bed at least 2 nights. Therefore you need to make sure he can do this without her completely losing it - otherwise of course this will be absolutely awful for both you and her. It will worry you sick and tarnish your early days with your DS which are absolutely crucial (the bonding time in hospital with DC2 is particularly important as once you get home they need to share mum with with DC1).

If DH is putting her to bed in advance of the C/S (which I highly recommend) you need to go out - hard as it is - that is the only way he is going to get through it. You won't be able to leave him to it if you can hear how distressed she is.

As to the taking DD into hosp before the op - it doesn't solve your main issue - which is the bedtime. You can get up with your DD and see her in the morning no matter how early you are going in. If you have sorted the relationship between you DD and DH you could always leave them together and get your mum to drop you in - DH won't be needed until you go to theatre which is going to be at least 3 hours after you arrive so he can come in later and have time to give DD her brekkie etc. She will probably be able to come and see you for a short visit after the op (assuming all has gone ok and you aren't in HDU or anything) but you need to recognise that - much as you will want to see her - it may be worse for her seeing you and then having to leave, no doubt she will be v distressed at leaving and it may be getting close to bedtime when tiredness will make this worse.

I am sure you will cope fine afterwards with no help - it won't be pleasant but as you say people have to. I have 2 other DC and won't have any help beyond 3 weeks post-op this time (and it was going to be 2 weeks which I was fine with having had 2 C/S before).

However you won't be able to give DD 100% of your attention once you have 2 children; that just isn't physically possible. And remember were you or DS ill and you weren't able to be there for her you would be better off if you had addressed the issue in advance by ensuring she has a trusting relationship with her father. I don't see why this is such a problem to you, it is not "childcare with a ratio of 1:6 or unqualified teenagers", it is a man who presumably loves and cares for her 100% and is equally as capable and valuable as a carer as you are.

[pumpkinsweetie]

I would leave her with your mother, it will be too much for you after coming round and little children waiting around hospitals get very bored.

[Iggi101]

ELlie that sounds like a lot to deal with. I haven't pushed a wheelchair but know that pushing a (full) shopping trolley at 4 weeks caused quite a bit of pain. But I recovered slowly. You'll see people on here skydiving at 3 days etc. Hope the meeting gives you some answers, and maybe a plan in case it goes that way.

[elliejjtiny]

Sorry for hijack but how long after c-section can you push a wheelchair and lift a disabled child? I always thought it was 3-6 weeks butthis thread has made me panic a bit as I am pregnant with DC4, I have polyhydramnios and baby is breech at 33 weeks. DS2 (5) is disabled and a wheelchair user. I've got an appointment to discuss my birth options on 11th June but worrying in the meantime.

[soontobeslendergirl]

I have 13 months between my two and both were sections. We had to be at hospital at 7am, so we took eldest to my Mums for half six and went into hospital - I was booked in first so was back up on the ward by 9.30 with the baby my OH went to my mums about lunchtime and brought them in to see me and the new baby and after visiting he dropped my mum home and took No1 son home and looked after him and did visiting etc. I only stayed in 2 nights as I was fit and ready to come home.

I think you should leave her with your mum - it would be tedious for both of them to hang about in a hospital all day.

[youaintallthat]

posted the above post after only reading the first page of this thread - why so many haters on this thread jeepers!!! mummy252 asked for a bit of advice not to be publically hung drawn and quartered for managing to cope very well under exceptional circumstances.

[youaintallthat]

I am in exactly the same position as you [mummy252] I had a very similar birth experience to you feel like I was butchered badly mismanaged when I had my ds, I also needed emergency surgery and blood transfusions and now find myself in a similar position to you - I would love a home birth or even hospital birth so I don't have to spend too much time away from my ds but so scared of same thing happening again so will most likely be having a c section like you. I know what you are going through - I'm going to get my mum to look after ds and bring him to the hospital asap after c section - providing I'm well enough and I'm not looking like I've been hit by a bus (which is how I look on all my post labour pictures from last time!!). I know that he will be well looked after by my mum and dad and that he will be well looked after by my dh when i'm not there so i'm sure any short term anxiety of not seeing me will soon be forgotten once i'm home again. My ds has been left with my parents quite a few times in the past and despite an initial cry when i'm leaving he has soon forgotten any upset when my mum and dad are spoiling him rotten - I sometimes think its the children that are more resilient than us parents...I'm sure your dd will be absolutely fine and spoilt rotten by your mum and if she is with your mum you can phone her and talk to her while you are waiting. I'm sure being with your mum will be much more fun for her than being confined to one bed space in a hospital which is unfamiliar and then the distress she will get when you are wheeled away from her and come back a bit worse for wear, with drips cathethers and lots of other scary looking equipment to little eyes....I wish you good luck hope it goes well....:)

[Jojobump1986]

OP, have you considered trying for a homebirth? I know you had an awful time last time but every labour is different. A friend of mine had a nearly 3 day labour with her first but just 3 hours with her second! I'm just wondering whether it would be possible for you to plan to have a homebirth so you'd be around for your DD but agree in advance that you'd transfer in for a CS if the baby hadn't arrived within a certain time after labour started.

Hope everything goes well for you & you have an easy/speedy recovery!

[Stangirl]

Wait and see how you feel afterwards. I had planned for my DD to come in and see me the afternoon after my ELCS and she was duly brought in by my Mum. Unfortunately there was some rather unexpected (and unusual) events during the ELCS and I ended up in the High Dependency Unit fighting for my life. Poor DD was in the waiting room but wasn't allowed in to see me as no visitors were allowed. She was really upset. I was away with the fairies on morphine at the time and recovered quickly - but poor DD had very negative associations with her DB for a while.

[DIYandEatCake]

mummy252 if you're still reading, I can understand how you feel and just a few practical suggestions for night:

1. would she fall asleep in the pushchair if walked / in the car seat if driven and then whoever was caring for her could transfer her to bed?
   
2. would she be happier sleeping with whoever's caring for her rather than alone?
   I'm fortunate that my (equally attached) dd will be older than yours when dc2 arrives, so i think will take it better, but at 21 months it would have been very difficult. I can really understand how you feel, and hope it all goes well and that you come home quickly.

[givemeaclue]

You won't be able to push a heavy wheelchair six weeks after a section.

I was in hospital for a month after mine.

[freddiemisagreatshag]

OP you have bigger problems than this, from reading some of your old posts.

I'd suggest you post in relationships for some advice on the bigger picture.

And I'm sorry I was harsh. I wasn't aware of the massive back story.

[meglet]

Actually I was a single mum when I had a hysterectomy. DS was 2.8 and DD was 10 months old. I had to hand over all parenting to mum + stepdad, sister, dad + stepmum for over a month. At no point was it even an option for me to try and get back to normal to spend time with them as it was a priority for me to recover. Yes, it was weird not doing much with the kids but they had a whale of a time with my family, I just 'directed' everything from my room and read their bedtime stories. It takes a village and all that.

From the sound of it your DH is letting you be a single parent so take some of his hard earned cash and spend money on paid help.

[TondelayoSchwarzkopf]

Hi Mummy you have been given some brilliant advice here especially by 1944girl it would be a great shame if you don't listen to it. You seem to be extremely anxious about the birth and after your last experience I don't blame you. I think wanting your daughter there is more about you than her - she is your constant companion and comfort but she is a baby and you need to think about her. Postnatal wards can be distressing and disorienting for adults, never mind children.

I am struggling to understand why, after your first labour, you think that recovery will be much quicker and easier this time. It is unfair of whoever is expecting you to look after your nephew at 6 weeks post ELCS.

Babies and children benefit from forming close and caring relationships with a number of adults - my DS has loving bonds with his aunts, GPs, ex nanny and current childminder and gets benefits out of those relationships that I could never give him on my own. Your DH is missing out and as someone assisted out he seems to be more of an occasional lodger who pays the bills. You are his housekeeper in essence.

You've made negative comments about child care professionals and WOHM which I will ignore because you are clearly distressed and anxious but let me say this:

• looking after a wheel chair bound nephew (unpaid?) 6 weeks post major surgery
  
• going to bed exhausted every night after being a constant carer for a very demanding toddler
  
• having constant back pain for 10 weeks
  
• having no partner to share the burden 75% of the time and when he is there does nothing
  

Is NOBODY's idea of 'huge luxury' - it sounds like penal servitude to me.

You need to let your partner and mother look after your daughter while you are getting some rest in hospital (and compared to your current schedule an ELCS and caring for a newborn sounds restful to me). If your DD goes to bed screaming every night and your DH has to deal win that, it's none of your business, it won't cause any long term damage and it may help them bond.

Good luck with your birth

[Chocoflump]

My son was 2.4 when I had a planned section. I'm very close to my son but he spends time with granny too. I went in in the Friday morning- he had a sleep over at granny's on the Thursday night which he found exciting! My personal choice was that I didn't want him to visit while I was in hospital. I was in hospital with complications at 20 weeks and he visited and I found it too upsetting when he took my hand and tried to pull me out of bed and told me to come home. I cried my eyes out when he had to leave- was so upsetting for me and him. So when it came to the section, when DH was visiting, he stayed with granny, then granny came and visited when DH had him. Luckily I was only in for 2 nights, and he came with DH to pick me and his new little sister up from the hospital, I was so happy to see him.
Kids are so adaptable- out of sight, out of mind!!

However you need to be more realistic in the weeks following your section. I also said that the baby would have to fit in with our plans and that nothing would be changing - oh how I laugh at myself now

The result is a little 8 month old madam who has me, her daddy and her big brother wrapped round her finger!!

[scottishmummy]

I presume him working arse off=solvent?in that case buy some help

[Lulabellarama]

Ok, now you're just sounding like a bit of an arse.
Best of luck

[Mummy252]

The hospital has worked with us to ensure hubby's 2 weeks will run over the csection. The work he does means if he wasn't back on the 31st then someone else would have to cover that 6 week block, so he would not be as to rotate back in for 8 weeks. He will be off for 2 weeks but will have to go back after that

[flamingtoaster]

My DS was 2 years 2 months old when DD was born by planned c-section. I went into the hospital the night before (DS was with DH). DS had never been away from me either so I know how you are feeling. On the morning of the c-section DS was left with my friend while DH came to the hospital to be with me. I had the c-section and DH went off to collect DS. They had lunch and then came to see me - children were allowed into the ward. I had a present for him from DD - he trotted in, looked into the crib, said "Hello, baby" and then played with his new car with the male midwife. I was in for five days. One thing I would urge you to do is ask DD to look after something for you at home. By the third day DS wouldn't speak to me - I realized he thought I wasn't coming home so I asked him could he please be sure to look after my furry slippers and to have them right inside the front door for when I came home. He perked up considerably after that. Your DD will be fine - you can always speak to her on the telephone if for any reason she can't visit you on the actual day. She - and you - will be fine.

[Mummy252]

I guess I just appreciate the fact my hubby works his ass off so I can stay at home n be withy kids which is a huge luxury afforded to very few in this day and age.
I grew up with my mum at home and can't say I like the idea of leaving my kids to be looked after by poorly educated and poorly qualified nursery nurses with ratios like 6-1.

[scottishmummy]

gah,pat leave will your dh take pat leave

[scottishmummy]

will your dh take mat leave?

[pizzaqueen]

Iggi101 I guess if the OP is happy with this arrangement then that's up to her personally couldn't imagine anything worse

She seems to indulge the fact she does it all and DH couldn't possibly lift a finger at home as he works so hard he deserves his downtime, dismissing the fact she does it all 24/7 365 days a year, where's her downtime?

[MrsTomHardy]

This whole thread is just weird!