How soon could you do the following after elective c-section?

[HotSwissCheese]

I've pretty much decided on an elective CS, and have read lots on how quickly people have recovered after. I'd be really grateful though to hear how long it took people before they could do these specific things:

Go on an hour's walk
Pick up baby in car seat
Drive
Resume exercise such as running
Have sex
Sit up in bed/on sofa without pain
Resume normal household tasks such as washing and hoovering
Move about normally with 0 pain

Thanks so much ladies.

I didn't have an elective, I had emergency which I hear is worse recovery-wise but have nothing but two vaginal births to compare it to but for reference:

Go on an hour's walk: Can't remember
Pick up baby in car seat: Probably a week or so
Drive: I drove after two weeks
Resume exercise such as running: Three years 😂
Have sex: Three weeks
Sit up in bed/on sofa without pain: Within a few days? I didn't experience much pain.
Resume normal household tasks such as washing and hoovering: Day 1! Washing etc anyhow, probably not hoovering but DH does that anyhow!
Move about normally with 0 pain: As above. My pain was minimal.

The thing that I found hurt the most after two weeks was pushing one of the big trolleys around Sainsburys with the baby in. I definitely shouldn't have done that so soon!

Very similar answers to PP from me (except for driving, and that’s just because I don’t….).

I have heard some horror stories, but I was basically back to normal in a fortnight or so.

I’m having my second ELCS in a couple of weeks so hoping for the same again!

My first C-section I was back to normal and pain free after 10 -14 days. The second one was a much longer recovery and took about 6 weeks.

Mine was EMCS under general but I'll answer anyway

Go on an hour's walk: about 5 days although was up and down to NICU myself the day after. Didn't want to wait for a wheelchair to take me and was told the quicker you move the quicker you heal - I think that was true for me!
Pick up baby in car seat: 2 weeks
Drive: 12 days ( checked with insurance first )
Resume exercise such as running: I've never run in my life
Have sex: we had sex 6 weeks after but could have sooner, just chose to wait the 6 weeks
Sit up in bed/on sofa without pain: properly pain about 3 days. Twinges/pulling about 3 weeks
Resume normal household tasks such as washing and hoovering: I put a load of the day after getting home so 8 days, did hoovering on day 10
Move about normally with 0 pain: 3 weeks

Mine was actually an EMCS, but I think around 2 weeks for everything on your list except exercise (which I didn't do until after my 6 week check up) and hoovering, which is one of DHs tasks. Pain wise, I never really experienced anything beyond mild discomfort.

Go on an hour's walk short walks within a few days, an hour within a month
Pick up baby in car seat I probably shouldn’t have but I picked up the car seat and carried it to the car (DH had to bring the car to the front and was a bit annoyed I had waddled out with the car seat 😂) so approx 48hr after
Drive I didn’t drive at the time but I would have been OK within a month
Resume exercise such as running I felt a bit jellyish so wasn’t keen on more than walking for a few months, I didn’t attempt running!
Have sex I was terrified of getting pregnant again so it was a few months! Physically after about a month it would have been OK, I just avoided for longer.
Sit up in bed/on sofa without pain About a week but after a few days it was just uncomfortable more than pain
Resume normal household tasks such as washing and hoovering had to do these within a week, just slowly
Move about normally with 0 pain I can’t remember exactly but it was within a few weeks

I’ve had 4 ELCS. All amazing births.

Go on an hour's walk - day 6
Pick up baby in car seat - about a week
Drive - 10/14 days each time
Resume exercise such as running - 6 weeks
Have sex - 6 weeks
Sit up in bed/on sofa without pain - few days
Resume normal household tasks such as washing and hoovering - few days
Move about normally with 0 pain - can’t remember but day 6 we went to the zoo for the day with baby number 3 and I was absolutely fine all day. Probably around a week - 10 days

Go on an hour's walk a week or so can’t remember
Pick up baby in car seat following day
Drive don’t drive
Resume exercise such as running didn’t do this for a while because didn’t want to
Have sex havent
Sit up in bed/on sofa without pain week
Resume normal household tasks such as washing and hoovering few days
Move about normally with 0 pain couple of weeks

Be mindful that certain hospitals give out different pain relief. I was sent home the morning after with nothing & picked up paracetamol on the way home.

Go on an hour's walk: About a week
Pick up baby in car seat: I don't remember ever doing this as I had a Doona and we don't have a car.
Drive: Live in a big city and haven't driven in years, so no idea.
Resume exercise such as running: After 6 week check.
Have sex: After 6 week check, but sex drive was dead while I was breastfeeding. Physically fine though
Sit up in bed/on sofa without pain: Less than a week
Resume normal household tasks such as washing and hoovering: 10 days maybe? but in the immortal words of Cardi B "I don't cook, I don't clean
But let me tell you, I got this ring"
Move about normally with 0 pain: I never had any actual pain - but I was back to normal by 3 weeks later when my parents came to visit.

I found the recovery time a lot faster and less painful than having my wisdom teeth out. I was achy and uncomfortable, but never in any actual pain.

also even if it doesn't hurt you should still try & avoid lifting heavy things to let the insides all heal correctly.

Had an elective and had a very smooth recovery:

Go on an hour's walk 2 weeks*
Pick up baby in car seat was forced to on day 5, it was fine but obvs not recommended. It was an emergency.
Drive I waited 6 weeks but felt physically ready a few weeks earlier
Resume exercise such as running Never started that so can't comment
Have sex 6 weeks
Sit up in bed/on sofa without pain I really didn't have any pain (although I took pain medication for first 5 days so that helped). I moved mindfully the first week but could move about quite easily the day after birth.
Resume normal household tasks such as washing and hoovering* 1 week
Move about normally with 0 pain After stopping painkillers on day 5. I will say I had some discomfort and some tightening sensations but I wouldn't describe it as pain.

Mine was an EMCS with a GA but I was back at work (self employed) by day 5, with baby under my arm. It was a long time ago but I don’t remember any pain. I needed to drive within the first 10 days. We moved house 6 weeks after his birth and I was carrying furniture up 2 flights of stairs. Sex? I was far too busy for a while but probably about 6-8 weeks

And you didn't ask but pushing a shopping trolley round a corner was the longest recovery - hoping to regain the ability any day now 🤣🤣

I've had 4 c sections. I can't remember how long it took to do each of the things on your list but I had no choice but to get on with it after the second and third as I was a single mum and had other kids to care for and housework to do. I probably overdid it but couldn't be helped. I remember feeling fully back to normal around 6 weeks after my fourth. I had sex after about a week and half after my fourth, but that's just me. I was fine but it's not recommended. Sitting up fron the couch helps if you hold a pillow against your stomach to take the pressure off.

Mine was elective - recovery did take a while, but I had a massive baby (9lb 10oz so I reckon the surgeons must have had to rummage around to get him out!) and I am an absolute wimp about pain.

Go on an hour's walk - probably 3/4 weeks. At 4 weeks I was definitely doing a half hour round trip twice a day.
Pick up baby in car seat - put this off as long as you can! Also pushing supermarket trolleys as these both need your core muscles which need time to heal. I did it comfortably around 6 weeks, probably earlier but let DH carry car seat whenever he was available.
Drive - 6 weeks. My insurance wanted confirmation from doctor before I drove.
Resume exercise such as running - I didn’t have any to resume.
Have sex - around 6 weeks (which is when my bleeding stopped)
Sit up in bed/on sofa without pain - 2/3 weeks for 0 pain, but I learned pretty quickly how to move to minimise pain.
Resume normal household tasks such as washing and hoovering - DH took 4 weeks pat leave, so I didn’t have to do much until after that, but it was fine. Hoovering was easy, washing the main issue was carrying the full basket.
Move about normally with 0 pain - 2/3 weeks. I stopped regular painkillers around 2 weeks. At 3 weeks there’s a photo of me sat on the kitchen floor cross-legged in skinny jeans so I must’ve been feeling pretty ok!

My elective left me in pain for a very long time, but the it became manageable remarkably quickly.

My emergency one which was later was much better and I recovered very quickly.

5+ years on and I still get pain though

I had an ELCS the 2nd time around. The elective was a much easier recovery, it was much longer for all after my first which was an emergency after about a million hours of induction.

Go on an hour's walk - 4 weeks, probably could have been sooner but had winter babies and the weather was rubbish.

Pick up baby in car seat
I didn't for ages after either - too heavy, so left the car seat in the car.

Drive
About 5-6 weeks both times, could have probably driven at 3 as pain was under control, just didn't want to risk it.

Resume exercise such as running
6 months or so, but more related to building up my fitness again.

Have sex
After my 6 week check.

Sit up in bed/on sofa without pain
About a week, but I took pain killers by the clock for the first 7 days, so it might have been sooner, I just didn't stop the analgesia until a week.

Resume normal household tasks such as washing and hoovering
A couple of weeks - I could put a load in the washing machine and hoover, but I couldn't get it up and down the stairs for another couple of weeks after that.

Move about normally with 0 pain
7 days (see above about pain killers).. but I was moving about 8 hrs after the section, up and showered / brushed my teeth because I wanted to get home the next day.

Thing is, a c-section is major surgery. Any other abdominal surgery, you're told not to lift anything heavier than a kettle for 6 weeks, but with a c-section there is somehow much more pressure to be "back to normal" while your life is turned upside down by a small screaming baby who doesn't sleep! So you shouldn't be under pressure to be back to normal in a certain timeframe, the only focus should be allowing yourself to heal and looking after the baby.

Go on an hour's walk - about a week. Due to lack of stamina not pain.
Pick up baby in car seat - didn’t try until day 5 as still in hospital (DS sick, not me) but I could do it fine then.
Drive - waited 6 weeks, probably could have done it earlier but didn’t need to
Resume exercise such as running - 3 months - my core was completely messed up. Started with post-natal pilates and swimming, and I was shockingly weak.
Have sex - didn’t try for ages, honestly.
Sit up in bed/on sofa without pain - day 1. Actually getting from lying to sitting was hard, but once in position I was fine
Resume normal household tasks such as washing and hoovering - we were in hospital until D5 but I could do all of that when I got home. Just tired more easily
Move about normally with 0 pain - I had really excruciating shoulder tip pain - that lasted for about a week. Once that had settled, I was fine. Weak core, so I was still having to roll onto my side to sit up, but no pain.

I had a planned c-section but had an infected wound which meant my recovery took longer than some.

Go on an hour's walk - about two weeks
Pick up baby in car seat - after two weeks I did, but it hurt
Drive - same as picking up car seat
Resume exercise such as running - ha ha never!
Have sex - three weeks
Sit up in bed/on sofa without pain - three weeks
Resume normal household tasks such as washing and hoovering - about three weeks
Move about normally with 0 pain - a couple of months if I’m honest.

I hope it goes as smoothly as possible for you.

Go on an hour's walk I think this depends more on the temperament of the baby then on you tbh. Walking can be started straight away
Pick up baby in car seat I didn’t do this much in first six weeks. Remember you have several layers of stitches to heal up and damage can sometimes take years to surface according to midwife and GP. You’re told not to lift anything heavier then your baby but I have a toddler so was lifting him too and I was sore in evenings if I was lifting him a lot that day.
Drive had to be cleared medically to drive for insurance purposes but GP’s mostly state 4-6 weeks.
Resume exercise such as running High impact exercises take time to build up to. The thinking now is you should not be running until you have regained core and pelvic floor strength. Your pelvic floor is weakened by the pregnancy so just because you have a section doesn’t mean it hasn’t been weakened. Everyone is different but you’re looking at 3-6 months before your back running. I am starting post natal Pilates next week which will focus on my core and pelvic floor. Third Baby is two months old and I am ready but waiting for a course to start otherwise I would have started sooner.
Have sex I wasn’t in mood for sex but it took 6 weeks before we tried.
Sit up in bed/on sofa without pain At least a week but it got less severe after 48 hours
Resume normal household tasks such as washing and hoovering I was pottering around as soon as I got home but left certain jobs to my husband because it wasn’t worth the risk of delaying healing
Move about normally with 0 pain severe pain lasts days and then eased off to twinges when doing certain movements but then one day you realise you haven’t felt pain in a few days.

Go on an hour's walk - About a week
Pick up baby in car seat - About a week
Drive- I waited 6 weeks as that was the guidance at that time
Resume exercise such as running - I don’t run, so not sure.
Have sex - Waited 6 weeks
Sit up in bed/on sofa without pain - A couple days
Resume normal household tasks such as washing and hoovering - Around two weeks but DH did it so I didn’t have to.
Move about normally with 0 pain - After about ten days.

The first 3 days were the worst for pain, I tried all the pain relief I could get my mitts on, including Oramorph but that me sick so after about 2 days I gave up and didn’t bother taking anything. It’s like you’ve done 1,000 sit ups. Mine was just sore after that, I’m very squeamish so I took it easy.

The things you have listed were not my issue, I was sore and tender but generally manageable. One of the reasons I will never have another c section was my bladder and bowels afterwards.

Particularly after my 3rd, my bowels took weeks to recover and it was agony. Complete agony, like horrendous labour pains, I was almost throwing up with the pain and kept crying all the time. My strong recommendation to anyone is to have medicine in the cabinet for both diarrhea and constipation, particularly glycerin suppositories.

I also had retained placenta products and endo after the third and lost huge clots. That was horrible. I was readmitted 17 days after birth to deal with that.

My first was an emergency, very large baby, major PPH, but ok recovery I think (can hardly remember). After my 2nd and 3rd which were elective I had nerve pain in my back but it has resolved.

Good luck, it's a wonderful moment when the rummaging pauses for a second, you feel a weight being lifted off your tummy and hear a loud cry 😍

Hours walk- 4 weeks at a slow pace
Car seat- didn't try before 6 weeks, was fine then over a short distance, some twinges trying to carry it up and down stairs to our flat
Drive- didn't try till 6 weeks, fine then
Sex- didn't try till 8 weeks, fine then
Sit up- once sat fine from a few days, moving between sitting/standing/lying more like 2 weeks then some twinges/pulling for up to 4 weeks
Washing- 4 weeks- it was the bending that was the issue
Hoovering- didn't try for 6 weeks then ok in short bursts
Move about with zero pain about 8 weeks

To be fair I had a lot of help so didn't have to do most things before I was very comfortable.
Also after 10 days I would have said it was mostly uncomfortable rather than pain