C section- when could you do days out?

[purplespink]

Having a c section just at the start of the summer holidays. I was wondering when people felt up to having days out, or is it too ambitious to loosely plan some towards the end of the summer? Feeling guilty for the kids 😓 DH would be driving.

It really depends on you, but don’t push yourself. My SIL had an emergency c section with her first daughter and after a week in hospital due to an infection, she was up and about and back to normal. She had an elective CS with her second and was unable to do much for nearly 8 weeks. She had a vacuum on her scar and really struggled to do much at all.

Do you mean like full days out? I was doing lunch/coffee out when DS was 6 days old. A decent walk on the beach when he was 10 days old, but remember getting quite sore after a while. I went to a fair in a park when he was 2.5 weeks old, that involved sitting on the grass and decent bit of walking. Was fine by then. IME with myself and friends, you think you're not getting better day by day, but suddenly at 2 weeks you notice a huge change. Giving birth beginning of summer and planning events for towards end of summer will be totally fine IMO! 😊

I was fine, but I had very limited pain (didn't take painkillers past the first 36 hours) and I know that's not the same for everyone.

Gentle is the way forward, I went to Tesco about 7 days after and pushing the trolley was a bit much! But in the days after the c-section I was fine walking etc, it's better to be moving around anyhow rather than just sitting on the sofa.

Maybe just plan in some easy things that could easily be changed if you're not feeling up to it.

Currently 4 weeks post section and can walk/move fine, push buggy or have baby in carrier. However I can’t lift the buggy yet, or my toddler beyond a quick lift into highchair etc. Twisting/reaching are still uncomfortable/painful and I am sore by the end of the day if I do too much.

Were I was back in hospital from day 5 to day 10.

It’s really unpredictable. A c section is major surgery and it’s the only time you will have major surgery and then be expected to not put yourself first. Don’t put yourself last. DH can still do the day out without you.

Completely depends on you and your recovery. I was back to walking the school run with a double buggy after 9 days. Congratulations and hope all goes well for you

Oh absolutely yeah, I meant to add everyone's experience varies so much and there's no 'normal' as such.
All going well, end of summer is plenty of time to have recovered.
Big believer in not putting pressure on yourself. Listening to your body is so important.
Hope you made a good recovery after your readmission.

Four days later I managed to go to church followed by a trip to the pub.

(Just looking back at photos) - five days after birth I managed a slow mile stroll to a different pub.

A week after birth I was walking around the shops and able to go for lunch.

Two weeks after birth I think I felt back to normal. Doubt I would have been going ice skating or trampolining but everyday life I was knackered from having a NB, not from having C-section.

The first couple of days you know you’ve been cut in half. I remember laying in hospital 1.5 days after the C-section tearing up, worried how I was going to manage to walk to the car as I could barely sit up without being in pain.

I remember the first couple of days home from hospital I just wanted to catch up on sleep as I was exhausted/sore. Watched lots of TV, DH waited on me hand and foot and I just focused on having new born snuggles/feeding. It was magical. Good luck!

I was out walking around day 4/5. Full days out after a couple of weeks (that was tiredness related rather than any pain). I was driving by week four and would do solo days out with my child as my husband was back at work.

It’s impossible to say really. Recovery from my emergency c-section was a long road. I got an infection and wasn’t fully comfortable back on my feet for 5 months. Other women I know were fine in a matter of weeks. This is one where you just have to put yourself first and listen to your body. The best advice is not to push yourself. The more you push the longer it takes. Wishing you a safe and happy delivery OP.

That baby is now 9 so definitley recovered now, although I was very ill at time.

In my case I was up for something like that after about 4 weeks. Now 11 weeks and I honestly barely remember I had a section. I did take it fairly easy the first couple of weeks, which I think really helped with recovery. This is my second section, third baby. First section was similar.

It varies so much, but you should be ok to do gentle days out by the end of the summer holidays. I remember walking around town after four weeks and being ok, but still a bit slow and could feel the scar pulling.

I spent the first week in bed/on the sofa in pyjamas, then started doing short walks.

Unpredictable. After my second emcs I went out for lunch on day 2 and was walking around a castle followed by Ikea on day 7. However I had friends who would probably have struggled getting to said castle at the 6 week mark due to infection and other issues as it was down a long bumpy track.

I felt ok after 2 weeks, was dying to get out so went for a long walk. It majorly set me back, and I didn't feel fully recovered until 8 weeks. I did have an infection though so that didn't help. I would say try to give yourself at least 6 weeks

Out of my 6 babies my last 3 were c section - I would say roughly 2 weeks I was able to move about with ease- my second one I tried to do school run after 10 days- bad idea! Set me back. Take it easy but you know your body- don't push yourself too much- difficult if you have other kiddos x

Emergency section, was only just starting to feel recovered at 8 weeks. But I was jogging at 5 months.

Planned section, I managed 2hrs at wedding reception literally on the doorstep with lovely friends when DD was 3 weeks old. I couldn't have done a day out for a while though.

The best things you can do to help your recovery are mobilise as soon as you’re able, stay ahead of the pain by taking painkillers on a schedule and avoiding any twisting, bending or lifting motions. A pub lunch and walks to the midwife clinic I managed during week 1. Week 2 with my second I was doing the school run on foot with the pram. Went to Kew Gardens when baby was 4 weeks and that was absolutely fine. But it’s quite unpredictable because everyone’s recovery is different. I’d just plan whatever you would normally and worst case scenario DH can take the other kids whilst you and baby stay home, or depending on what you’re thinking maybe see if there’s a middle ground like you and baby sit in the cafe whilst they explore whatever it is. Whatever you don’t push it- if your pain level and/or bleeding increases that’s a sign you’re overdoing so scale back. Better to miss out on a few things in the early weeks than set your recovery back months by splitting your stitches.

I had a c-section earlier this year (elective), first baby. I had planned to do the 5-5-5 rule: 5 days in bed, 5 days around the bed and 5 days around the house. Wanted this to rest, recover, bond with baby and to stop unwanted visitors from turning up 😂 however by day 5 I was getting cabin fever and did short 15-20mins walks outside for some fresh air. By day 14 I had been for a few days out.

the one thing I will say is that I thought recovery was going to be so much harder than it was. Not that it was easy, far from it, but in my head I wouldn’t have been able to move without assistance which wasn’t the case at all. However, what I did find it that I probably pushed myself far too soon because of this, days where I was feeling good I would have been out for the day and thought ‘great I’m back to normal’ but then the following day I would have been quite sore and tired. Still get days like that now and baby is nearly 5 months old!

ultimately you will know your own body and what you are able to do, but don’t underestimate that a c-section is major surgery and you need to look after yourself. Stay on top of painkillers, mobilise within reason but listen to your body!

I went to John Lewis cafe after 8 days. It was awful 🤣 shortly after I ended up with sepsis and was in hospital so no days out for a while lol.
I don't think you can plan really, you could feel great within a couple of weeks or it could be much longer.