c-section and coping with a toddler

[griffintribe]

How soon after having a c-section can you pick up and carry a 2 year old

Well, I ended p being in a week due to ds2 having an infection. Went down to the hosp canteen with ds1 on about day 4, and thought I'd never manage to look after him again. He was so big and mobile compared to little ds2! Dh was off anothe 2weeks when we got home, but I think it was 2 weeks after the birth when I started lugging ds1 around again (was 2.3 then), but 3 weeks till I was on my own.

When I had dd by c-section my ds was 19 months. I did'nt know how i'd cope on my own but after 3 weeks dp returned to work and everything just seemed to work out ok so more or less after the first few weeks you should be fine, just don't over do it.

i picked dd1 up within the week - she was 2 1/2 and weighed 12/13kgs at the time. Having said that she has sn and was not walking - no help as dh had to work. Was carrying her to the car and some distance within 3 weeks. Just took it easy though did not go crazy with it.

When I had my second elective section I had a 14 month old which I was quite worried about, but it worked out fine. I spent a week or two before the section teaching him to climb onto a chair so I didn't have to lift him far to get into his cot, and the same with his highchair. I think the thing is to just go slowly and if your body is telling you to slow down and not lift so much, don't! I was picking him up as normal within about 6 weeks I think, but carrying him a little bit quite a lot before that. HTH

I helped DS1 (2) up onto my bed the next day. Was lifting him reasonably comfortably within a week.

Recovery was very quick, but I'm glad I planned for DH to have a month off work - it was the organisation of 2 that nearly killed me!