Will my wife be ok 3 weeks after C section when I go back work?

[Podg22]

Hi

Concerned husband here, my wife had an elective C section on the 14th June and she had a bleed from the wound for the first week where a blood vessel hadn't knitted properly (which had me in a panic), but that's all healed now. I've had the usual 2 weeks paternity leave and have took an extra weeks holiday to help look after our son and do the stuff around the house while my wife rests but I can't get any more time off and will be returning to work on the 9th July which will be 3 weeks and 3 days into my wife's recovery. I've been helping her get in and out the shower and getting dressed as well (pant, socks and trousers) so she hasn't had to bend. I'm just worried that when I go back to work that she may injure herself either doing too much or when bending to get dressed (she won't be round the house without socks and PJ bottoms 😆) I was wondering if any mum's on here went through similar things with their others halfs after a C section?

Thanks and sorry for the long rant 😂

It’s very individual. Some women are back up and about in days, others take much longer. At three weeks I was still very delicate - i had some complications and I’d lost a LOT of blood and that alone was rough (almost 4 pints..) the wound was still sore and I found movement and lifting hard.

She’s had a complication so that will have set her back a bit.

By three weeks I was sort of Ok but I would have struggled a lot left by myself.

So what to do about it? Firstly great that you’re asking! What you need to do if you HAVE to go back to work is set her day up so she has to do as little as possible:

I’d think about stuff like How is she with getting downstairs by herself with the baby? I found it hard to get down whilst carrying him at first. If that’s the case then before you leave the house Make sure both of you are up, dressed, fed etc before you leave for work.

If you can do everything else around work for a bit that’s great too. DH took on all the cleaning, cooking etc (we did a fair amount of batch cooking beforehand.) I found stuff that I thought would be easy quite hard - loading the washing machine for example because of the bending and twisting.

In short - between you set her day up so all she has to do is feed and change the baby while you’re out at work. DH managed to swing working from home for a few weeks as well which helped HUGELY.

Any way you can swing some WFH or another week off?

Oh just saw you have an older one as well. That makes things harder.

Any relations you can rope in to help?

Your post brought a tear to my eye you sound lovely.

Make sure she needs to do as little as possible and let work know you're still supporting her a lot and she might need to ring you.

Can anyone pop round during the day to help or even be on stand by?

Congratulations for your newborn x

Thank you for your replies, unfortunately I can't work from home because I'm a lorry driver and they already gave me the 3rd week off short notice, so don't want to push it. Luckily we live in a bungalow so stairs are not an issue and we've put everything that my wife might need throughout the day for her and our son at her height in easy reach, I've also asked her not to do any washing, cleaning and cooking while I'm at work and I'll do it when I get home, I'll only be gone from 4am until 2pm. I was just mainly worried about her bending getting dress when I go back to work because she can be very stubborn and likes to be independent so won't just wear a dressing gown round the house when I'm at work.

She won’t do herself any damage getting dressed, carrying baby etc so don’t worry. She may still be sore but she should be fine.

Unless the doctor advises against it (and do check if you’re worried) I should think getting dressed/normal movement around the house will be good for her recovery by 3 weeks in.

Absolutely you do the heavy lifting/big chores/washing when you get in for awhile and perhaps make breakfast/lunch and put in the fridge the night before each night.

You sound like a fantastic husband. Your wife will be fine she might not be able to do to much so I wouldn't expect a clean house etc etc but she will be able to do the basics such as dress herself, take care of the baby. My own husband had to go back to work after 3 days of me having an emergency c section and I survived.

She'll do what she wants to do! (well I did anyhow!)

She'll get stronger by the day. The things you can do is make some sandwiches so she has lunch ready every day and things like before bed get as much ready for the next day as possible.

Do you have any family and friends that can pop by some days in the beginning?

You sir, are a gem

She should be ok then - stairs were my big thing, we have wooden ones onto a stone floor so I was wary of them.

If you’re doing the heavy housework then she should be fine. I’ve been sitting to get dressed for weeks as I have bad SPD. It’s doable! Clothes all on the bed / within reach and just get dressed sitting down.

Congratulations on your little one!