ELCS with dc 2 due in Aug - how much help will I need

[IAteTheCake]

I had an EMCS with dd in 2011 and it took some time to recover. About 6-8 weeks from recollection and I had dh and my ma around to help for about a month. Dc 2 is due in Aug and I am having an elcs due to placenta previa and ptsd following the birth of dd. This time we also have a 2 year old to contend with. How much help will I realistically need? How different is a elcs in terms of recovery? How has anyone else dealt with recovery with a toddler and newborn?

Elective or emergency is still a c-section. You will still need the 6-8 weeks recovery and won't be able to do any lifting, including picking up your baby, or driving etc for at least the first 3/4 weeks.

You will need help definitely for the 1st month, and more so to deal with your toddler, as initially there is no way you can run around after them, whilst recovering from major abdominal surgery.

Can your mum come to help our again? Can your DP take paternity leave? If not, could you afford a maternity nurse for a month?

All the best with the elves and birth of baby and hope it'll be easy to find someone to help.

You'll find people's responses vary a lot but I needed a lot of help. I had a second ELCS for DD2 in March. DD1 is 3.5. DH was off for 4 weeks, MIL came for 2 weeks and my parents were here for a week. There was a bit of overlap but I wasn't on my own till DD2 was 5 weeks old. This was a luxury, certainly, but I really felt it the first week I was on my own -- I was not fully recovered, although I could do what I needed to do.

Take it easy and let people help.

Keep in mind you won't be able to lift your toddler.

Elcs not elves! Aargh! Silly predictive text

My advice would be don't do too much too soon And take as much help as you can afford/are offered. My recovery was much quicker with the section second time and I was out of hospital within 24 hours however looking back I wish I had have stayed in an extra day just to get that extra rest.