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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

C section - will I be able to do stairs after?

31 replies

Yardley42 · 30/12/2023 15:23

I am likely to end up having a C section. I am also likely to be on my own after I am released from hospital - no partner, parents are moving house at basically the same time, other family and friends all work. I can rely on people checking on me regularly - probably even someone every evening for a week or so, but I'll likely be on my own with baby during the day.

I am planning how to set myself up so I can cope, and thinking of basically moving into my bedroom on the first floor of my house - the same floor as the bathroom (no downstairs loo). And bringing up the kettle, toaster, blender etc and buying a mini fridge, so I can survive on protein shakes, snacks and toast during the day at least! And have ready meals for dinners. Also bringing my cats' food and bowls up!

In others' experience though, how were stairs after C section? Manageable once released from hospital? Or not for a week? Okay to nip downstairs a couple times a day to fetch food when baby sleeping (hopefully!) in cot?

Just after some personal experiences so I can try and judge how planned I need to be, and whether it's worth spending on an upstairs fridge! Thanks.

OP posts:
menopausalmare · 30/12/2023 15:32

After mine, stairs and short walks were fine. Coughing was in uncomfortable and longer walks gave a tugging feeling in the scar. I was able to get out and take the buggy on the train to meet friends ( not allowed to drive for 6 weeks).
I did move house in week 5 and did a bit of light lifting but not to be recommended.

Simd1 · 30/12/2023 15:37

I could manage stairs fine after mine but I think your plan of being as organised as possible with everything in easy reach is a really good idea. Sitting up again after being in a lying down position was the main challenge.

DoorPath · 30/12/2023 15:39

Yes, stairs were fine for me. Going from lying down to sitting was very hard.

Christmasapple · 30/12/2023 15:39

Manageable. I’d consider setting up a little bedside baby station though, especially for overnight.

They get you up and walking ridiculously fast. Within hours you’re moving around.

NotToYou · 30/12/2023 15:45

I've had 2 c sections, no problems with stairs either time.

TheBeeb · 30/12/2023 15:47

I found stairs absolutely fine, it was getting up from lying down that was difficult

Olika · 30/12/2023 15:49

I had no issues using stairs. I just took it very slowly and supported myself with the rail.

InTheRainOnATrain · 30/12/2023 15:51

Stairs are fine. It’s anything that involves bending or twisting that’s tricky eg unloading the dishwasher or getting out of bed when you’ve lying down!

recyclemeagain · 30/12/2023 15:51

I live in a top floor flat so had to manage 4 flights of stairs as soon as we got home. Take them slow and carefully and you'll be fine. Good luck!

Workingmammabear · 30/12/2023 15:58

Not to share a horror story, but just an alternative to the "I was absolutely fine" responses you're going to get ... I could barely walk 10 steps after my c section. I had complications which meant I was in hospital for the first week and then wheel chair to the car to get home. I needed help to get to the loo and shower. I did go up and down stairs but extremely slowly. The complications weren't particularly rare, drs told me it was a fairly normal experience so please don't feel "bad" if you do struggle to begin with. All bodies are different and rest and recovery is important. If you can draft in some more support during the first few days I'd definitely recommend doing so.

Original poster
Yardley42 · 30/12/2023 16:11

Oh wow, thanks so much everyone for the swift replies! On the whole, fingers crossed, quite reassuring, but really good to hear what was the hardest. It actually sounds like maybe I should focus on getting visitors to bend and feed cats and load / unload dishwasher!

I am pretty crap at asking for help, but I do have people around who are very willing to do so, so I just need to be clear in my head what I need, and to warn people.

I am very aware that getting in and out of bed will suck. Was sleeping sitting up any better than lying down?

And thank you for the alternate experience, @Workingmammabear - obviously this all depends on a lot of luck! And things can always go (sometimes very) wrong. I think if I was really incapacitated, my mother would drop things and come stay with me, so I do have a 'nuclear' option.

OP posts:
HappyBusman · 30/12/2023 16:12

Simd1 · 30/12/2023 15:37

I could manage stairs fine after mine but I think your plan of being as organised as possible with everything in easy reach is a really good idea. Sitting up again after being in a lying down position was the main challenge.

Yes, I was desperate for one of those tipping-up seats you see advertised for elderly people in the back of Sunday supplements.

I was ok with steps — had to be as I lived in a flat up ten steps.

The one thing I absolutely couldn’t do for weeks was step over something — like the edge of a bath. (Which was awkward as we only had a shower over a bath then…)

romdowa · 30/12/2023 16:18

Yardley42 · 30/12/2023 16:11

Oh wow, thanks so much everyone for the swift replies! On the whole, fingers crossed, quite reassuring, but really good to hear what was the hardest. It actually sounds like maybe I should focus on getting visitors to bend and feed cats and load / unload dishwasher!

I am pretty crap at asking for help, but I do have people around who are very willing to do so, so I just need to be clear in my head what I need, and to warn people.

I am very aware that getting in and out of bed will suck. Was sleeping sitting up any better than lying down?

And thank you for the alternate experience, @Workingmammabear - obviously this all depends on a lot of luck! And things can always go (sometimes very) wrong. I think if I was really incapacitated, my mother would drop things and come stay with me, so I do have a 'nuclear' option.

I needed many many pillows for the first 10 days post section. I couldn't lie flat at all. Other than lying down , coughing and sneezing everything else was OK as long as I took it easy

TwoDrifters2 · 30/12/2023 16:20

Just don’t do what I did and hasten downstairs to let the community midwife in. I had new cosy slippers that lived up to their name and slipped completely off the fifth step from the bottom and I went down HARD on my coccyx. Couldn’t sit for weeks without pain, and standing up was excruciating 🤦🏻‍♀️ It put the CS stitches into perspective!

roshi42 · 30/12/2023 16:21

TwoDrifters2 · 30/12/2023 16:20

Just don’t do what I did and hasten downstairs to let the community midwife in. I had new cosy slippers that lived up to their name and slipped completely off the fifth step from the bottom and I went down HARD on my coccyx. Couldn’t sit for weeks without pain, and standing up was excruciating 🤦🏻‍♀️ It put the CS stitches into perspective!

😬😬😬

bloody hell - as if you needed both!!

Latewinter · 30/12/2023 16:26

Stairs were fine. The one thing I would have found very difficult alone was getting those pressure stockings and on off, and giving myself the anti clot injections.

NeverStopTwinkling · 30/12/2023 16:27

I could manage stairs but I couldn't have managed them plus holding something heavy.

You'll have MW coming round - when they phone let them know you're on your own so might take a few minutes to get to the door. So you're not rushing.

Your plan sounds great to be honest, it makes sense. You might be fine but it will make life easier.

Be prepared for your bowels to be all over the place afterwards. The bowel pain, wind and diarrhoea/constipation lasted weeks for me and was agony. Far worse than any other aspect of the birth! Have some glycerin suppositories and some windeze and go gentle on the protein shakes until you're feeling half decent in that department...

FlyingHighFlyingLow · 30/12/2023 16:27

I'm 3 weeks post c section. I could do stairs just fine as soon as I could walk. No more or less difficult. So if you can walk fine, stairs should be too. I could carry my big baby (over 9lb) fine from get go, change him etc. I couldn't lift him in and out of cot from lying down however, and getting out of bed was a pita. I was very slow for the first week. How are you getting home from hospital? I couldn't have carried baby in car seat. Much too heavy for the first couple weeks.

kweeble · 30/12/2023 16:27

Whatever you do I’d leave the cats and litter tray downstairs - you will be fine on the stairs but ask for help. Don’t carry much and carry your baby in a sling rather than a carry cot or car seat.
I think it’s a good idea to have a tea station, snacks and fridge upstairs too.

Gliblet · 30/12/2023 16:30

I was okay with stairs if I took them slowly - the steep, tall Victorian staircase in our old house was definitely challenging though. I spent most of the time downstairs with DS in a moses basket and did all the nappy changes wherever was easiest to get to at the time (floor if I was already on the floor or sofa, dining room table if I was standing up).

MIL (retired midwife) gave me a useful tip after my C-section - wherever you're sleeping make sure there's an extra, firm pillow handy. When you need to sit up, lie on your back and put the pillow over your lower belly. Apply gentle but firm pressure to the pillow with one hand as you sit up and don't try to swing your legs out of the bed until you're sitting completely upright so that you turn your hips instead of twisting your waist. Takes longer but hurts a lot less!

Floralnomad · 30/12/2023 16:32

I had a section with my second and it was an absolute breeze compared to my first ( vaginal ) delivery . I spent less time in hospital , could do more on discharge and recovered a lot quicker . I looked after the baby home alone from day 4 with no problems

roshi42 · 30/12/2023 16:35

FlyingHighFlyingLow · 30/12/2023 16:27

I'm 3 weeks post c section. I could do stairs just fine as soon as I could walk. No more or less difficult. So if you can walk fine, stairs should be too. I could carry my big baby (over 9lb) fine from get go, change him etc. I couldn't lift him in and out of cot from lying down however, and getting out of bed was a pita. I was very slow for the first week. How are you getting home from hospital? I couldn't have carried baby in car seat. Much too heavy for the first couple weeks.

I'll definitely have someone who can pick me up and take me home / get me settled - likely parents, or sister nearby who has a recent baby and isofix base in her car.

Tbh, being able to schedule when that will be for people is another point in favour of just going for an elective that I hadn't thought of. (A few risk factors, currently breech, and expected to be large, are the reasons it seems likely even if I don't actively choose it.)

mynameiscalypso · 30/12/2023 16:38

For getting up from lying down, someone here suggested tying something - a towel or a cord from the dressing gown - around the top of your bed or headboard and using that to pull yourself up. Made it much easier.

Lndnmummy · 30/12/2023 16:42

I also managed stairs fine. Make sure you have paracetamol and ibuprofen at home and keep taking them at regular intervals, even if you dont think you need to. They really helped me to keep mobile for the first few days and my recovery was really smooth. Miles better than my forceps delivery which was much more traumatic.

Also keep on top of anything they give you to keep bowls moving.

You can do this🫶🏻

SparkyBlue · 30/12/2023 16:45

Stairs for me was absolutely fine. My
Dc were always in nicu and I do remember taking the stairs rather than waiting for the lift on occasions in the hospital. You are dead right to be getting so prepared. Physically I recovered really well and very quickly but I know everyone is different. My own advice is to take it easy in general. Drink lots of water and eat as well as possible. Trapped wind and constipation can be a nightmare after c sections and I had trapped wind after my third and that was the most painful thing I had. I think it was peppermint oil capsules that I got to help with it.

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