When did you feel back to full emotional and physical health after having first baby?

[yellowflowers]

A friend asked me the other day whether I feel back to emotional and physical health (I had my baby 7 months ago) and though I had never really thought about it in those terms at all before I instinctively said no. It's handy really as I had been thinking about trying for number 2 soon and realise now I am not ready.

Physically I am run down and exhausted and my asthma is a bit worse than before and I am getting coughs and colds. Also still have hand problems post carpe tunnel syndrome in pregnancy and have had recurring thrush and other fungal things.

Emotionally I cry a lot. And argue with dh. And get upset about some of the bad aspects of my baby's birth.

So just wondered when did you feel back to normal and therefore ready to have another one?

Still don't, and DS is 11 months - but I had SPD which hasn't gone away. Apart from that I do feel OK. The other health niggles I have are related to hauling (massive, heavy) DS around rather than being left over from his birth.

Any day now.

When she slept through regularly...about 14 months!

Never, almost 5 years since first child. I hate that I'm not fighting fit anymore (I was stupidly fit pre-kids though). I don't feel like me anymore.

When DD1 was 2 and a half. I woke up one morning and felt back to my normal self! Like the fog had lifted. I had more emotional/mental health issues than physical.

Then we had DD2 and 18 months on im well on my way to feeling like me again after a rough time of it with similar issues to the first time.

Takes time but you will get there! :)

Any time now (she's ten next month)

DD is 5, still nowhere near.

DC1 is 4 and DC2 is 2 and I feel like I'm on the verge of gettng myself back. DC2 will start pre-school for 2 morning sessions in Sept and I can't wait for those precious 6hrs a week.

My body felt healed over a year after. Stopping breast feeding after a year helped me feel like old self again.Emotionally and sleep wise felt better after two years.
Felt back to my old self and then got preg again. Now back to normal another two years later (but with a slightly saggy tum, bags under eyes etc !)

I would wait until you are feeling stronger. My hormones were all over place at least for a year.
Have you talked through your birth with someone?

About five months. He still wasn't sleeping through (still doesn't and he's getting on for five years old now) but I had completely recovered from the birth, had lost the weight, DH and I had adjusted well to being parents and were (and are) happy - sex life back to normal.

Physically - very soon. About 3-4 months. DS was/is a very good sleeper and that helped. I lost weight quickly too. Emotionally - took a LOT longer. About a year or so (DS is 20mo). I had mild PND which while hard, did go a long way towards losing weight....

I think that emotionally, when DS was 7mo I felt much like you do now.

I am currently 10wks pg with DC2. Part of me is worried; I've not long got my perspective back and I'm risking losing it again. But...I've got experience on my side this time.

I only started feeling like myself again when he was 2. Big upheaval!

I think I might just about be there, she is 21 on the 22nd of this month.

Brainwise about 8months. I started having proper conversations!
Physical , not yet, had my return to work interview today & I'm getting some reduced duties due to SPD
Emotional- not yet

Oh dd3 is 9 months

After my daughter turned two

I wasn't ready to have another child until DC1 was 3.5.

DC3 is now 6, and I have given up all hope of a full recovery.

About 2. Only 14 months till I recover from dd2!

I mean when dd1 was about 2.

After ds when he was about 2.6, after dd I'm still waiting 3.6 years later!

I think my emotional health is better than it ever was. Physical health is nowhere near as good as it used to be and I doubt it ever will improve now - but I think that's as much to do with my age as having a child. I'm just a lot less fit than I used to be and I have back problems. DD is nearly 5.

After dd1, it took two years to feel remotely ready for another baby - partly because thats the age kids are when they start to be a tad less dependent (walking, starting to talk well enough to communicate, etc).

It depends so much on the birth, on how well they sleep, etc...you sound soo normal for 7 months, to me!

Physically from the shock of the birth and being generally baby-knackered, about 18 months. Mentally probably when my DTs were 3. However I am still tired much of time - and they are now 6!

Soon, I hope (he's 13)