What's your top post partum recovery tip?

[littleraysofsunshine]

?

After a bath dry episiotomy stitches gently with hairdryer on cool.

Start downing lactulose as soon after the birth as poss.

Y'know, I see a lot of folk advising people to stay in pj's and laze around in bed for a week or two after the birth, avoiding visitors - and you should, of course, totally give yourself permission to do that if you feel like it - but I personally couldn't think of anything worse! I was desperate to get up and out, I get cabin fever after 24 hours indoors. I spent 4 days in hospital after DD1 and was climbing the walls - it felt like an age. After DD2 I was up and about the following day and pushing my pram up into town on day 3 feeling fantastic. I also enjoyed having visitors, although must admit pretty much all the visitors in the early days (other than PILs who are total arseholes at the best of times) brought meals or cakes.

Hmm. DM bought me the tena pants and I was very ungrateful and hid them on top of the bathroom cabinet.

Clearly this was hasty.

Don't forget to eat, sounds silly but you'd be surprised. Now is a good time to fill your house with energy bars.

No, Emsy. I mean that you dress to go out, but if visitors are coming (e.g. mid-morning) you are still in your pjs.

To not succumb to pressure from your partner to 'get on with things' too soon. That said, mine was a git.

So, take care of the baby and take care of yourself and let your partner fend for his bloody self for a bit.

Thanks! What about those who have small children already?! (3&20m here!)

Stay in pj's, ban visitors for a couple of weeks. Lots of good telly and chocolate bics for you.

Have a bf or feeding box of toys / books. these only come out when you are feeding and have to be put away after you / baby have finished. Swap them round. When you sit have the remote to hand . Ask for help in 1st few weeks if possible until you get into a routine. If no help then i wish for you that sleep times co incide and you can all get some rest...

Arnica bubble bath (it's expensive but worked). I put some in a bucket with hot water and swished my bits in it regularly.

Have a beaker (they had plastic ones in the hospital whch I took home) in the toilet with a bottle of tea tree oil. For every wee, I filled the bucket with warm water and a few drops of tea tree oil then poured it over my bits as I went.

Arnica gel, not cream, smothered over my bits.

Massive tena lady pads not maternity ones with a few drops of tea tree oil on then.

Spatone sachets - 2 a day. Much better than iron tablets and worked faster too (I lost a lot of blood).

Pelvic floors from day one. I couldn't actually feel the muscles when I first tried though!

When I had my second and a toddler in tow, we had lots of family help. I recovered quite quickly though.

Have a small table by where you plan on sitting (living room?). This can hold you drinks, snacks, tissues, remotes, telephone, magazine or book etc, so that if you have a clingy baby (like ds2 who woke as soon as I even sneezed etc), everything is to hand and you don't have to stretch to find the remote to turn the tv off, answer the phone, get a drink etc.

Also a blanket on the back of the chair to cover your shoulders when you get cold.

Get friends to visit and bring lunch with them!

Eat lots of fruit and veg. A thermos mug is great for keeping your drinks hot.

Accept offers of help (but only if you want it) and direct people to the Hoover, washing the pots etc

I have 3 too, littleray - I have to say that I found recovering after the 2nd and 3rd much easier and quicker than the 1st! While DH was on his pitifully short paternity leave I made sure I rested as much as poss and took lots of lavender baths. It was fine! Congrats and good luck

Prune juice. Constipation with stitches is more terrifying than birth.

Don't let anyone in unless they've brought cake/dinner.

Sleep when the baby sleeps and good food (from the freezer that you filled up before your DD!).

Never refuse an offer of help (especially if it's to take the older dc's out for a while).

If you have 2 small dc's already, a tumble dryer and enough baby grows that you can have a huge pile and not need to put a wash on for ages if needs be.

I have my dd who started preschool every morning in jan. 8:30-11:30. So have to do that. Dd2 has her needs, along with ds (12do) so rest isn't an option at the minute until dp gets home from work at 5pm.

I am trying to get early bedtimes, regular baths in peace but that doesn't happen much lately if dds aren't settling for bed well.

I lucky haven't had to use anything down below, that's healed well but it's more the energy levels, trying to not snap at my dds, and dp all the time.

Also trying to keep a good diet for bf, and strengthen my core as I have like a fist worth of separation and no strength in my back.

What foods and snacks would you say? I've breastfed for a total of 28months combining the last two but I've forgotten what's beneficial! Other than water!

Use bidet (around £10 off amazon) to soak bottom bits.

Whole foods, fish, chicken, eggs, cheese, plenty of veg and fruit. Porridge and peanut butter are goo energy givers

Think it depends on you and what you are like. I got stuck in hospital and was going bonkers lying about. So I'd say for me it was getting moving again fairly quickly, I healed quickly and just felt less knackered for a bit of fresh air. I would say I was in the minority there, didn't spot too many other new mothers off for a stroll but if you do get restless I'd say listen to yourself and don't feel you have to lie down in order to be taking it easy! I also learned very quickly to make cups of tea/ toast/ feed the dog while holding a breastfeeding baby under one arm, handy skill and the challenge of hanging on to a moving target seemed to make her feed better. It meant that I didn't feel quite so confined when she was hungry and for the first few weeks I spent a lot of time feeding!

I took floridex tablets the whole time I was bf'ing - they're very gentle on the stomach and an easily digestible form of iron. That helped me a lot. Taking them with a glass of orange juice will help you to absorb the iron more efficiently. Plenty of protein will also help with your energy levels, eggs and tinned sardines are particularly good as they also contain high levels of vitamin d which will really help with energy and mood

Have your first glass of wine as soon as possible!!

Bath with lavender oil and a bit of milk to help it disperse in the water - soothe your bits!

OP, just had my third last week. Already have a 4 year old and a two year old. My mum has been with us for two weeks and then DH starts paternity next week as Mum leaves. Absolutely could not have survived without her. I am so tired and snappy from lack of sleep and have really relied on my DM to deal with the older two DC while I look after baby.

On the plus side, my recovery has been the easiest and fastest of the three. Best of luck!

Your job is now the baby. Dont get involved with any work stuff, dont reply to work emails etc unless you have t (self employed for example) I made this mistake and was talking my maternity cover person through procedures on the phone whilst still on the ward. Ridiculous - dont do it.