Just given birth a few days ago - how long before I'm back on my feet?

[Miaou]

Had ds on Monday and (generally speaking) feel pretty good - getting enough sleep etc. Problem is I am suffering from "cabin fever" - I feel cooped up indoors and it's driving me mad!

My pelvis and nether regions are very tender and sore, and although I feel fairly energetic atm I know that if I walk more than a few hundred yards I will be in too much pain/discomfort to go further. I walked down to the ferry and back with a friend today (total distance, about 400 yards) and couldn't realistically have gone another step!

Argh - how long before I will feel able to walk round the supermarket/down to town? How long after birth did you make your first trip out?

About a week after birth, i started walking daily to local shops (5mins) but very slowly as had lots of stitches.
Probably 2 weeks before i felt confident going further afield that involved more walking.

Congratulations btw!! and enjoy putting your feet up. Although iirc you have older children so that may not be possible

You will be able to walk further each day, but should be back to normal within a fortnight.

Can't really helkp here as I had sections, but just wanted to say Hi and congats again.

It's lovely having a little boy isn't it ???

Sorry forgot to say congrats

one thing you may learn by next week is that the 1st wk after childbirth the body seems to be on an adrenalin high and the second week brought a crashing low for me - coupled with flu which I am sure I picked up on hospital as I had to stay in for 8 days. by week 2/3 baby will start to 'wake up' from that newborn doze. that is when the real work will start! if you feel you have lots of energy. cook some meals instead and freeze them for the days ahead.

About 5 days after having ds I went for a walk to the park. it took all day to get organised!

Next day I walked about 5km pushing the pram. I was really fit before giving birth though.

then of course I can be totally wrong and it all goes swimmingly for you. every experience is different.

take it slowly and don't over do it. Just open lots of windows so you can feel the fresh air if you are not up to walking far.

I had sections and tried to walk a long distance before I was ready and ended up in agony. It took me about 14 weeks to completely recover from 2nd section but thats because I'm a wimp!

I went marching into town 4 days after a 42 hour labour because I needed to for reasons too lengthy to go into here.

I got so confused and disoriented on the way back that i stood on a raffic island and burst into tears, unable to remember which way I had been heading. God knows what would have happened if my mum hadn't been walking (unknown to me) 200 feet behind me!

what I am getting at is, err on the side of caution. I think your inner reserves of energy are greatly depleted after birth, and although you maY feel fine, you can exhaust yourself completely before you realise you have done it.

Try going for a short walk each day, but don't go as far as you think you can and it'll be about right

Congratulations again, Miaou - how is your gorgeous bundle?

Thank you all for the advice and congrats. Nutty, do you remember my angst about the possibility of having a boy? Well I love it, don't know what I was worrying about ... have bonded well with him

Anyway, good point about the "high" followed by the "low" - will watch out for that. I'm notorious for overdoing it in this house.

I am having such an easy time of it atm - dh is not working so he is looking after the girls, doing all the meals and washing up etc - all I have to do is see to ds. Hence why I have time/energy to get bored!

He's just delightful hunker. I can't get enough of him - silky hair, soft skin, tiny feet...sigh

Awww! Good job I'm pg or I'd be terribly broody!

He sounds positively edible, Miaou!