Those who've had CS - how soon did you pick up your toddler if you have one?!

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Had ELCS for DD2 about a month ago. Was told to leave it 6 weeks before lifting anything heavy but figured that really wasn't realistic with a demanding toddler to look after so tried to avoid lifting her completely for 4 weeks and then gently begin. So, have been lifting her into her cot/bath/pram etc for the past 3 days but feeling v twingy round the scar area - is that normal and can I just pop a couple of paracetemol and carry on regardless? Would I know if I'd done any damage?

Your thoughts/experiences please - thanks, ladies

My mum had hysterectomy and started lifting heavy things before she was supposed to. She now has something else wrong with her as a result of his (something to with her bladder, she tells me her insides are falling out). She probably was not as careful as you. She is a clean freak and martyr, but please do be careful and listen to medical advice.

Gah - Thanks ShinyandNew, was a bit worried someone might say that. Am a bit of a neat freak myself (never used to be, something to do with having children has made me a tad obsessive). It's just DH works v long hours and I've no idea how else I could get the two of them to bed.

Will be watching this thread with interest. I had a c section 15 days ago and also have an 18 month old. I just can't see how not lifting her for 6 weeks is realsitic but i don't want to give myself permenant damage!

I had a c section last Friday and have been lifting my toddler since day 2! Don't see how you can avoid it really. I understood that it couldn't really lead to any permanent damage. Too late now anyway! DS1 insists of being picked up and there's no way I can reject him.

I lifted DD out of her cot two weeks after my CS and was in a lot of pain for a day afterwards. I left it a while and started lifting occasionally at 4 weeks and was ok to do it at that point though like you I still had a lot of twinges as my body got used to it.

I think it makes a difference how you lift as well as when. Bending over at the waist and lifting from the waist as I did when I picked up DD from her cot was painful and foolish in hindsight but when I lifted her into her buggy by bending down and lifting with legs iyswim it was a lot easier.

I ended up lifting ds2 about 2-3 weeks after c-section - no choice really - had to help him into high chair etc.

However it was my 3rd c-section and took a lot longer for scar to feel comfortable. Also bleeding resumed very heavily on days when I'd too much.

Do try and lift as little as possible but as we all know its just not always possible not to.

Ah well, v reassuring to hear all your comments and that I'm not the only one breaking the rules. Posted because I feel really sore today so was concerned I might have done some damage and have definitely not been lifting properly so thanks for the reminder on that Benjy

Could just be sore because your muscles are non-existent? Like over exercising on a muscle that hasn't been used for a while?

I asked lots of medical people in hospital after my cs what I was allowed to do / not allowed to do and all I was told was that if it hurt too much then not to do it, but also that it was impossible to burst your stitches (inside or out) so I just cracked on whilst bearing that in mind.

A couple of weeks, but I really tried to take it easy.

ha! I was lifting ds about 4 days after my cs. The mw said no heavy lifting for a month, no hoovering for 2 months etc.... yeah, right. Back in the real world.... I did try to take it easy, but sometimes it's impossible. That said, it's taken me much longer to recover from this cs than last time, it may be because I pushed it too much, plus I bled for much longer, 6 weeks on and off.

I didn't lift my ds for 2 weeks after my planned cs. I was very careful and only did it when I had to, like getting him in or out of his cot.

But I didn't have to lift either of them for 6 weeks after my hysterectomy .

Just try and keep lifting to the bare minimum. The longer you can hold out the safer your recovery (states the bleedin' obvious ).

Sorry, couldn't get online yesterday just wanted to thank you for all your responses. was in quite a lot of pain yesterday (and I'm 4.5 weeks in - it's my second CS) but tried to ease off on everything and feeling a lot better today

I lifted my first child who was 2 1/2 but wieghed 12kgs 2 weeks post c-section. I took it easy but did not have anyone to help me out and she could not walk so needed to be lifted and carried. I was driving at three weeks post c-section 2 and 3.