Really scared. Accidentally lifted more than my baby.

[Coulddowithopinions]

I’m 2 weeks post c-section today and have a lot of worry about any possible actions that could cause internal scarring. It’s a fear I’ve had since having my first baby.

Today I was carrying my baby and without thinking I lifted a bag which weighs 1.3kg to carry downstairs. I put it down straightaway when I thought about it halfway down but now I’m worrying that I’ll somehow have caused myself a problem by going against the advice not to carry more than the weight of my baby. For reference my baby weighs 3.62kg.

Any mumsnetters with knowledge on this? Should I be concerned? Am I being irrational? How much can I lift without being worried? Thank you

Don't worry. No harm done.

You are being irrational, you will be fine! How do you even know it weighed 1.3kg? Just relax a bit and keep lifting to a minimum, I wouldn’t keep an exact limit on it

It’s advice - so you follow it as much as it practicable
you lifted something weighing just over a kilo
You will be fine

You’d have felt it if you did any damage. I moved something heavy too early and opened a couple of stitches and I knew I’d done something straight away.

I weighed it after 😳

Please stop worrying.
Second time Mums have to deal with toddlers post cs. It's advice, not prohibited.

But, as gently as I can, please also keep an eye on your mental health, and talk to a health care professional if this level of anxiety continues.

Were they external stitches? Were you in intense pain?

I haven’t opened my external stitches, but had a bit of stomach pain after. My husband thinks that it’s me overthinking it and thinking I’m in pain rather than being in pain as such. I’m inclined to agree as it wasn’t intense pain and has gone now. It also could have been because it’s the first day I had taken no pain relief and then took some.

I’m just constantly worried about doing something internally and not knowing about it. Did you have any issues like that after you had damaged external stitches?

Would you carry a baby and a coat OP? Or a baby and a glass of water?
Some babies are born nearly a kg heavier than yours and those mums don’t all automatically have issues with their C-Section incisions.
Carry on avoiding heavy lifting for a bit but stop worrying about the bag.

If the bag was 1.3k and your baby 3kg+ then the bag was much lighter than your baby? But either way you’re fine. I’ve lifted much more soon after my c section because sometimes there’s just no choice. Just listen to your body.

You’ll be fine. I had 4 sections and often picked up toddlers post section without thinking about it.

Yes that’s true, I did try to rationalise it in my head that way. But then doubt crept in because I thought well the bag was more than a kilo. Having said that I’m guessing those ladies would lift small items alongside their baby. I think I’m just taking advice really literally about not lifting anything heavier than baby at all. But I suppose that advice is aimed at car seats and prams etc

Thanks, I meant I lifted it at the same time as carrying my baby.

Thanks, and it didn’t cause internal scarring?

This is my third section and the surgeon kindly removed one of my external scars so it feels quite a bit tighter this time round my incision which I think is causing me to feel twinges of pain there. I can’t remember how long is normal to feel those type of pains.

I got all our Xmas decorations out of the attic and put them up 2 weeks after my c-section. Probably not the most sensible but did myself no damage. The bag weighed less than your baby, as long as you feel okay I’m sure it’s fine ❤️

Not that I’m aware of!

You'll be fine.

I'm not saying it's smart or advisable but I just followed my body and as I felt fine pretty quickly I didn't really follow that advice.

On day 5 I carried a pram/car seat, with baby in it up and down a few steps. In total about 10kg. From 2 weeks I was back to carrying my 2yo. At least 12kg.
From week 3 I would tandem sling then, toddler in the back newborn on the front.

I'm not saying to do that, but that lots of us aren't sticking to they guidance. Not many people wait 6 weeks before carrying round their toddler, for example.

I carried my 3yo, 2yo and 2 week old baby up the stairs (at the same time, very stupid) post section.. had also been on a 4 mile walk pushing all 3 of them in the pram.
All a bit dim, but just wanted to say that I healed fine, it was also my 2nd section.

Try not to worry too much and just take it easy. You'll soon relax and know when the time is right for you to progress with extra activities and weight.

You'll be fine. I remember spending a few seconds trying to lift my kid in her car seat before remembering I had no stomach muscles!

I put my hands up to all these women lifting kids 2 weeks after their sections. I definitely didnt feel back to normal before 6 weeks. The point is your body has told you you need to rest, so tried to rest. Little and often I think, no heroics.

I was pushing the pram through snow 2 weeks post c section as I had to take my older child to school, no one else to do it.

I was and am absolutely fine.
You will be fine, honestly.

So you lifted it again? 🤦🏽‍♀️

I had twins and was told not to lift more than my twins. I assume twin mums' bodies probably heal about the same as everyone else after a c section so when I heard singleton mums being told not to lift more than their one baby, I was a bit sceptical. It's guidance not a strict rule. One doctor said to me basically don't go moving house and lifting boxes straight afterwards.

Presumably she put the baby down first, it was carrying both at the same time that scared her.

If you had a toddler would you not pick them up? I had sections with both babies and while I didn’t drive for six weeks I carried on as usual - whatever felt comfortable. You’d have felt it right away if you’d done some damage.

Yes on its own, without holding my baby at the same time because it weighs less than my baby?