How much are you capable of doing after the birth?

[heverhoney1]

And how quickly are you back to doing normal things i.e. going out, food shopping.

I am a first timer and I have all but written off 2 weeks after the birth as being in a zombie like state? Am I over or under anticipating??

You're right to write off some time in terms of doing houswork-y stuff, more so that you can have chance to relax and spend time with your baby than that you won't be capable of it. If you have a C-Sect then it'll be longer but after a "normal" delivery, you should make sure you have plenty of help on-hand to do the day-to-day stuff if you can.
As mum of 4 I STRONGLY advise you to make the most of all the help you can get as a first timer becuase once you have more kids, I found that I got back to doing stuff almost as soon as I set foot back in the door from the hospital!!!!
I went out with ds1 fairly quickly for walks and trips to baby-friendly stores and same with food shopping but TBH my parents were so helpful those first few weeks, bringing over casseroles and supplies that I didn't need to do any shopping for the first month I don't think!

You don't know until it happens, but 2 weeks sounds reasonble.

I got going too soon after Ds1, so after DS2 I took it much easier.

I found stitches quite uncomfortable - they felt fine pottering round the house but quite painful once walking properly outside.

I remember going into down after Ds1, thinking I felt fine, nad half way round feeling like i'd been hit by a truck - I needed to go home straight away.

Enjoy those early days with your baby, cuddle up in bed and get waited on hand and foot!

I was in complete shell shock after my first ds1 arrived. My body felt battered and he fed sooo much more often than I expected, and slept so little that it was a month before I felt vaguely normal. I did do shopping - evenings at the supermarket with dh at hand were good - but then when I eventually ventured out on my own with him, I kept locking myself out of the car/running the battery flat (hint - if you stop to breastfeed in the car on a gloomy day, switch off the headlights! The warning buzzer doesn't come on until you open the doors a while later!

With ds2 I was out on the first day, and couldn't believe that I hadn't done it with no 1.

Depends on what sort of labour you have, how much help you have and what sort of person you are.

With ds, I was out of hospital same day and I was out food shopping the next day( he was early so not very organised).

I think I had more energy for the first few days, then when the sleep deprivation kicked in, felt more exhausted.

My mum stayed for 3 days- she did all the cooking which was a great help. Dh is disabled so was less able to some things.

Similar story with dd but had to be back 'up and running' and into a normal routine quite quickly for ds.

I also know someone who was out christmas shopping 3 days after a c-section.

With my first (epidural, assisted delivery) I was flat out for 3 days, and kind of fragile for about 3 weeks).

Second birth (drug free, natural delivery) I was up and about in hours, 'normal' within 2 days - walking to the shops, playing with 3 year old etc. BUT that wasn't ideal, as my lochia kept going back to bright red (ie overdoing it, not healing properly inside).

So, take your 2 weeks, and enjoy them

Take your 2 weeks and really aim to sit about and feed and do nothing. I did far too much after I gave birth - dog walking, food shopping, trip into central London to get maternity bras, baby head wetting down the pub after a week. It was too much, but at the time I thought I felt fine and could do it all, but now I wish I had slowed down and just hunkered down with DD and not run about so much.

I think you are wise to write it off. I didn't need very long to recover at all and , as I am fidgety, found myself trying to do too much once I realised I could do a bit. I ended up feeling wretched a few days later. Force yourself to slow down if you possibly can.

Write it off in your mind then there's no pressure if you do feel like doing a bit more.

I had a CS but was still keen to be getting on with things and had to be stopped from ironing, loading dishwasher etc.

You won't be immobilised (hopefully) but you may have bursts of energy because you're on a high, alternated with being zonked out because you are still recovering/getting broken sleep etc.

Second the point to make the most of help available, I didnt but wish I had (Mrs Independant you see!) because it will free up your energy to concentrate on the bits you want to, ie bonding with the baby or doing your hair/having a shower in peace.

HTH

It realy depends on the type of birth you have.

With my first 2 i was up and about within days doing my normal things as i felt ok rested when tired but otherwise fine.

With ds my 3rd it took me a month to recover as his birth was back to back and much harder. Lucky for me dh was off work for 3 weeks and my mum lives around the corner and i was able to call on her when i needed help.

Had ventouse and epidural with ds1 and I felt utterly shell shocked...not in pain or anything but just completely dazed and overwhelmed. Also bf was nightmare.

DS2 was a fast and furious natural birth, no pain relief, no stitches, but I felt absolutely fine literally minutes afterwards.

I'd guess most of us are a bit overwhelmed with the first, whatever kind of birth you have, so take it easy and accept all the help you can get, and most of all enjoy that special time with your new baby.

Good Luck!

With DD I had a c/s on the Monday, left hospital on the Thursday, went for a walk with the pram and the family on the Friday, and Saturday we went into town to buy a few things.

I felt like driving within about 2 weeks but left it to 4 to be safe.

First timer, 2 weeks.
Subsequent children? I was out doing the school run with DD at 3 days

God, ideally take it easy for the traditional 6 weeks if you can

at least 2 weeks but like dinny says, take it easy for 6 and enjoy

Depends on the birth. Was really not strong at all for a long time after a hideous first birth (ending in theatre and HDU).

The second time round I was out and about two days later.

Ive had 3 vaginal births and each time I was up, dressed and about around 1hour after the birth. But I was lucky and didn't need stitches. I had a 6hour discharge each time and went home via Sainsburys 2nd time round. I was also fairly high on adrenalin for a day or so but was shattered by day 3 each time especially when the BF startedto take it out of me. So I'd say that even if you feel fabulous, take it easy!

Obviously if you have a CS, you'll need far more rest and recovery time though just like a VB, this varies from woman to woman and birth to birth.

Rest as much as you can and enjoy being pampered this first time because next time you'lljust have to get on with it. Good luck.

I'd aim for 6 weeks too if the option is there, ie if it is number 1.
Also if you are bfing you will spend the first 6 weeks with your baby attached to you. I didn't believe this btw - oh, no, my baby would be an efficient feeder. Sadly this was far from the case.
I was out walking the pram after a few days and pottering about at the shops after the first week, but dh was doing the proper shopping and the housework/washing.
Soem people are fine straight away, some are fine then end up collapsing after a few months, some can barely move because of difficult births. You just havw to take it as it come.

Good luck.

x post with redcardi.
I was as high as a kite for the first three days only to end up in bits by the end of the first week, so take it easy.

I was fine in terms of my body after the birth, going shopping the next day and so on, but the shock of just how much work a newborn can be meant that I had to write off considerably more than two weeks before I was up to much (I won't tell you how much longer because you are a first timer and I don't want to scare you too much ).

Yes, I think the shock of the sleep deprivation is the worse thing esp if you BF. IME giving birth was the easy bit. Looking after a newborn first time around nearly killed me. I'd advise taking as much help as is offered esp after the first week or so when your DH returns to work.

hello! it all depends ime. I am an antenatal teacher and all women have different experiences.
my own experience - with dd1 C section I was perky within about 3 days and back in the saddle within a couple of weeks.
with dd2 (difficult birth, forceps, lots of stitches, lots of lost blood) I was up and about within hours, drove home next day, drove to a rehearsal within 48 hours and sang in a concert within 6 days.

I had an emCS, and was home 4 days later. I felt most peculiar - effects of surgery and strong painkillers I think. But i was blessed with a very good baby. From what I remember, the first week at home was me making loads of bottles/sterilising as I never succeeded in my attempts to BF. And me and DH sitting round watching movies whilst dd slept/ate. I didn't feel up to much at all, but had somehow imagined it would be more "exciting".

it really depends
i have be ucky to have 3 short labours (

Post 36 hour labour and emCs with dd, it took about 4 weeks but I had some post operative complications.

With ds I was cooking tea for dd less than 14 hours after he was born, and took her to nursery the next day, but I wouldn't recommend it.

I think planning 2 weeks of not doing much sounds extremely sensible.

I think the point is that you might feel up to being up and about and rushing around. but this one time when you really don't have to... (especially with first baby).

DD (second baby) was born 2 days before Christmas and I took full advantage of it being cold and dark outside to snuggle down with newborn and toddler for the first week or so. In fact HV turned up on day 10 when the whole family was taking a nap in our kingsize bed (not that we told her that as only would have got told off for 'making a rod' yada yada)