Repeat CSection with a toddler at home questions

I'm 37 weeks pregnant and trying for a VBAC but I've been told it's not very likely to happen. The baby's head is no where near my pelvis so while I'm trying to be optimistic and proactive in the possibility of him dropping, I also want to know how it would be if I had to have a repeat cs.

My dr told me that if I have to have the cs, I shouldn't pick up my DD for a full six weeks. This sounds insane to me. How do people do this? If you didn't have 24 hour help, what did you do? What do you do when your toddler wakes up from a nap and you have to get him or her out of the crib? How do you get them in and out of the car seat? This is crazy. How can I function like this?

Can anyone tell me about the reality of recovering from a cs with a toddler at home? Thanks so much.

Re: Repeat CSection with a toddler at home questions

I'm surprised your doc is already talking about a repeat C. Babies move all the time, including during labor. Don't worry about how low the baby is right now. Stay active (which is easy with a toddler at home) and it'll help position the baby.

I was told the same thing (no lifting, no driving), but basically figured I'd load up on Motrin and deal with it. I couldn't NOT pick up my two year-old, kwim?

Repeat CSection with a toddler at home questions

dd was 16 months when I ha ds last month and the nurses told me no.lifting her for a full 6 weeks. yeah sure. When dh was home, he did lift her 95% of the time. I just made sure to lift her carefully. I 4 weeks oo and doing just fine with lifting her.

Re: Repeat CSection with a toddler at home questions

i did it twice (3 cs here)

I def didnt wait 6 weeks..but I did take it easy for the first week or so! I would sit down and pick them up from a sitting position on to the couch...if we had to go upstairs my DH did that or we waited until he came...Just make sure you have everything you need for the day on one floor of the house.

I remember the hardest was picking them up to the highchair bec it is 3 times a day (times two - up and down after done) But I kinda taught them to climb up the high chair so i was really only assisting them and not fully picking them up!

but I had great recoveries so it wasnt like I was totally useless!

Hopefully your recovery will be the same..make sure you do a lot of the stuff with them from the couch and stay on one level of the house...and change them on the floor!

good luck!

Re: Repeat CSection with a toddler at home questions

I was alone with my 21 month old and newborn after 6 days. I won't even fib I picked up my toddler. I had to especially for nap time to get her in and out of the crib. I had a very rough recovery, my incision oped up. I drove after 8 days. Looking back I really shouldn't have done what I did. I guess there just wasn't really any choice. You have to take care of your kids just try to rest when you can.

Re: Repeat CSection with a toddler at home questions

My DS was 2 when I had my second CS. He came running into the hospital room and I picked him up and gave him a hug. Didn't even think about it. My recovery from the second cs was much easier!

Re: Repeat CSection with a toddler at home questions

I was literally just talking about this at work.

They tell you not to lift anything heavier than the baby. Anyone with a 2 year old at home knows thats nearly impossible.

Just try to do it as little as possible, only when you are home alone.

Re: Repeat CSection with a toddler at home questions

I planned everything ahead of time I taught my 22month old months ahead to climb on the couch or lay on the floor for changing and taught her to climb up and down the stairs so I wouldn't have to carry her and I got a little giant small ladder system that I put along side her crib so that she would with a lil of my help climb into and out of her crib....if she was upset and needed to be held I would sit on the couch and she would climb up on my lap to be held if she was upset going up or down the stairs I would sit on the stairs and comfort her there before continuing up/down the stairs....not gonna lie I picked her up a few times when and if she got hurt and I couldn't get to the couch or chair in time to help her and then there were a couple of times that I flat out cried with her bc of frustration of not being able to pick her up like I wanted but all in all planning ahead really helped me to know that everything would work and it did...I had a very good recovery for both my girls and I'm praying for the same this time around....but now I know its totally doable even though this time around I will have an almost 5 yr old and an almost 3 yr old so things should be much easier for me this time around hopefully lol

Message edited 2/8/2013 10:36:43 AM.

Repeat CSection with a toddler at home questions

My Dr said 2 weeks. I was able too before then though

Repeat CSection with a toddler at home questions

how old is your DC? like the PP, can you train your LO to climb up onto your lap... Is LO in a toddler bed? I'm buying arm's reach cosleeper to use as a bassinet since the one thing I hated was getting up to feed the baby at night. I had to train DS to do things differently and put him in a toddler early in my pregnancy since I couldn't pick him up

Re: Repeat CSection with a toddler at home questions

DH was home the first week and he did all the lifting. When he went back to work I really had no choice. I tried to limit it as much as possibe. DD was in a bed so she climbed in and out herself.

Re: Repeat CSection with a toddler at home questions

Re: Repeat CSection with a toddler at home questions

just had a repeat section 2.5 weeks ago

DS is 33 months

I picked him up at 10 days. There was no way around it. He climbs into his own chair, bed (full size bed) and even into his carseat and then I buckle him. We made a point to teach him to climb into the car so that I wouldn't have to worry about lifting him in.

But, getting into and out of the bath, onto and off the changing table etc I was doing at 10 days.

By 4 days, I was crawling around his playroom floor cleaning up. Should I have been, no BUT 6 weeks is a long time. 2 weeks seems more realistic. I am 18 days post op and feel 99% now.

Re: Repeat CSection with a toddler at home questions

I picked up DS...not right away, but I certainly didn't wait 6 weeks.