how long to recover
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
Forum Description: Want help? Need support? Want tips? Men and women share advice and tips in this supportive community
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=25775
Printed Date: 09 September 2025 at 8:21pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: how long to recover
Posted By: monikah
Subject: how long to recover
Date Posted: 08 April 2009 at 6:18pm
|
...from giving brith until you were able to resume normish life. unles my baby comes out early which is unlikely, i need to be back on my feet as soon as possible. DH has 5 weeks annual leave and does most of the chores and duties round the house since i study so i have it pretty easy really, but how long did i take you before you were able to get out and about again after a non-c-section birth? ------------- 
|
Replies:
Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 08 April 2009 at 6:44pm
|
I was back going to playgroup by two weeks. So that involved taking both kids with me on my own, loading them in and out of the car etc. Mine was a vontouse delivery and I had an episiotomy and a 2nd degree internal tear so quite a lot to recover from. If he has 5 weeks off you should be absolutely fine, even a c/s shouldn't take that long to recover from. ------------- 
 
|
Posted By: monikah
Date Posted: 08 April 2009 at 6:50pm
|
just to clarify. i need to back at class asap. he will be coming into uni with me and i am allowed baby in class so if he gets unsettled DH can take him out and if he needs feeding then there are BFing rooms in almost every building. im only there 2 hours 4 days a week but every class i miss is really hard to catch up on. i can get impaired performance to help with my grades but with my degree everything you learn gets built upon so if i dont understand nothing follows smoothly IYKWIM -------------
|
Posted By: BugTeeny
Date Posted: 08 April 2009 at 6:53pm
14 months and counting 
Seriously, a couple of weeks, all going well. However, your brain takes a bit of a beating in those first few weeks and sleep deprivation is a tough monster to battle, but if you have something else to focus on (like your study) you will hopefully be fine 
------------- 
|
Posted By: Blankney94
Date Posted: 08 April 2009 at 7:26pm
|
I had a CS and was a bit naughty - was driving my car after 10 days (freedom!). I didn't find the pain too intense - although it was uncomfortable to roll over in bed, and breastfeeding was also uncomfy because baby rests on yr belly. I was offered home help but turned it down as I didn't feel I needed it. Just had to do everything slowly - no sudden movements etc. Prob the thing that annoyed me most was the pram was a bit heavy to lift out of the boot of the car with stitches etc, so I had to wait before I could attempt that one. My DH took a fortnight off work and I was fine. Other than the physical things, it was my hormones that annoyed me the most - I was all over the place. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
|
Posted By: kriss
Date Posted: 08 April 2009 at 7:42pm
|
I was achey for a few days, but we were out and about from 3 days after birth, shopping for more socks lol and visiting our grannies. I tired quickly, but really enjoyed doing normal things and getting some fresh air.
My sis had a C and was out and about within the week, she had lots of energy and wouldn't sit still and rest. I think it depends on the circumstances of the birth and from what I have read your fitness level before birth. I wish you a speedy recovery, Monikah!  ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
 Little Angel, April 10
|
Posted By: angel4
Date Posted: 08 April 2009 at 7:42pm
| i went to church 7days after bubs was born. Was walking to the shopping centre 5days after he was born - would have been sooner but it was snowing. I had to get out. I had a 'normal' birth, no drugs and no tearing though. and he was 4weeks early so i never really got to the huge pregnancy stage either so i may have recovered quick not sure. Try and get as much sleep as you can during the day would be my advice. |
Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 08 April 2009 at 7:43pm
first baby i was up and about and visiting within a few days!!! (i had stitches in the lower region too) with 2nd it took arund 3 weeks to feel ok, i had a majorly sore fufu! (torn urethra) and i kept getting horibly contractiony cramps!
|
Posted By: Daizy
Date Posted: 08 April 2009 at 8:20pm
|
First baby I was up and about after a couple of weeks. Never stopped me doing anything right up until the birth and that after a very easy straight forward birth I made the most of having people running around after me. The sleep thing was a big one to over come and having confidence to go out and feed in public was another but it really didnt take that long to get back to normal. (Although a completley different kind of normal)
Second time around was fine doing everything right up until the day she was born and went home straight after. I found I recovered much faster keeping on my feet and was even back at playgroup with both girls on my own less than a week later. Hope it all goes well, and wishing you all the best for a quick recovery! The more support you have the easier it will be! ------------- 
 
|
Posted By: monikah
Date Posted: 08 April 2009 at 8:21pm
|
owie man that sounds nasty. lol. i currently walk 6-8km a day with no trouble apart from being a wee bit tired when i first get home and can still walk up kelburn hill to uni at a push. bubs is currently 6lb and my doc doesnt reckon he'll go past 7.5lb so hopefully he fits out ok and i wont need help. the idea of being at home sends me nutty with boredom even though i know ill be really tired i continuosly need my brain to be engaged and i asolutly die without adult company. -------------
|
Posted By: Chickoin
Date Posted: 08 April 2009 at 9:37pm
|
I had a big bubba, 2nd degree tear, very very very sore back (couldn't lift her for a week). DH went back to work at 2 weeks, but I would have liked him to stay around for another week.
I *wish* I hadn't let my mw talk me into giving birth on my back, as I feel that was the biggest problem to recovery. -------------   
|
Posted By: Joscia
Date Posted: 09 April 2009 at 10:25am
|
*lurking* This thread is really useful - thanks ladies! It's great to hear about people's reality of afterwards when you're about to step into the unknown! ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com"> 
|
Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 09 April 2009 at 10:37am
|
After two weeks of having DD2 with a 19mo I was enrolling us in a playcentre. I was cquite tired, though, but needed the company and the walk. ------------- |
Posted By: CuriousG
Date Posted: 09 April 2009 at 10:50am
|
I didn't feel up to going out for about 6 days. I couldn't drive because I had a really sore back from the Epidural site and just didn't feel confident. I do remember going for a short walk to the dairy on day 2 after birth but that was enough to wear me out.
Make sure you have lots of panadol handy as the bruising was the worst bit for me. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
|
Posted By: busyissy
Date Posted: 09 April 2009 at 12:01pm
|
A couple of weeks with both babies. We were stuck at home with Dom for the first two weeks because he had to be on a billibed for jaundice. With Isobelle I was back taking Dom to mainly music and playcentre after 10 days but TBH it was a bit much for me. I would give yourself a couple of weeks it is such an enormous change to your life and you will have to learn how to bf etc, you will be exhausted from the birth and the sleep deprivation too. If you don't look after yourself well you might cause your milk to dry up, get masitis and you put yourself at risk of pnd...etc.
The thing is your life is going to turn upside down. It won't be like it was before but with a baby. You need to consider that your baby is going to need routine and nap times and probably won't be considerate enough to be a sleep anywhere child! I hate to come off as a negative nelly but these are just some of the things you are going to have to consider and it is worth knowing now rather than being caught out after bubs is born. |
Posted By: LeahandJoel
Date Posted: 09 April 2009 at 12:33pm
|
Couple of days and I was out and about, with no2 I had a forceps VBAC with 2nd degree internal tear and episiotomy. Was at coffee group within a week and back at playcentre at 2 weeks. Its a lot easier lifting etc after a vaginal birth compared to a cs. So long as you feel up to it get out and about. I was a bit tired if just wandering around but if I had something I specifically wanted to do I was fine. Good luck -------------  
 
|
Posted By: kiwikid
Date Posted: 10 April 2009 at 9:45am
|
I had a c section and walked up three flights of stairs to get home 2.5 days later, it was a bit ouchy but honestly it was nothing compared to the emotional rollercoaster of those first few weeks. We had a litle bit of trouble getting breastfeeding established and it was at least 7/10 days before we were feeding 'well' ie without tears and upset. I barely left the flat for 10days, it just felt right for me to be there, we went for gentle strolls but nothing stressful where there was any pressure to be somewhere doing something IYKWIM.
The idea of being home with baby might seem boring now but my best advice is just to wait and see how you feel and dont put any pressure on yourself. Its such a MASSIVE change in your life, one you just cant get your head around until you are living it. ------------- 
|
Posted By: Lexidore
Date Posted: 10 April 2009 at 10:09am
Sorry i cant help but i am curious to this... are you allowed to take your baby to any class or are you in specific classes that allow you to do so?? ------------- 
|
monikah wrote:Posted By: monikah
Date Posted: 10 April 2009 at 10:22am
|
im allowed to take him to class :) there about about 300 people in each of my classes in massive lecture theatres so if it sit at the back i can wander in and out if he gets upset. DH will be coming with me too so i wont be doing any carrying and stuff. its 2 hours on mon and fri and 1 hour wed and thurs. the are all between 2-4 in the arvo. im more worried about the hormonal emotional side of things. -------------
|
Posted By: HoppyF
Date Posted: 10 April 2009 at 10:36am
|
Following on from what Saffron wrote. If you go this with expectations about what it will be like - you could well end up disappointed and frustrated.
My best advice is to really just go with the flow. You will end up happier because you aren't disappointed that something did or did not go the way you wanted it to, and bubs will be happier for it too. Certainly a good idea to have a 'plan' about when you would like to go back to study and give it a go, and if it all works out AWESOME! But if it doesn't work out like that then the best thing is to be relaxed about it and not stressed and just try something else. Stress makes everything worse!  ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
|
Posted By: monikah
Date Posted: 10 April 2009 at 11:19am
|
yea i totally agree on seeing how it goes which is why im keen to hear how other coped. i did my first degree and 3girls had babies and 2 of them were back by day 3 which i think was ludicrous. lol. i know i wouldnt cope with that and wouldnt even try i am hoping for no more than 2 weeks off class but will definitely re-evaluate closer to the time dont worry. lol -------------
|
Posted By: Emmecat
Date Posted: 12 April 2009 at 2:37pm
Monikah- where are the BF rooms at uni? I also spoke to my lecturer last week and he was more than happy for me to bring baby to class after the birth (if I felt up to it of course!), but I was wondering where the parents rooms were...I"ve never seen them and most of my lectures and tutes are in Hunter. -------------   http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
|
Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 12 April 2009 at 3:21pm
|
I had a C Section(emergency) after a lonnnggg labour and I had a few complications afterwards so it took me a good 6 weeks to recover. I was very very sore for 3 weeks, then it took the other 3 weeks for my energy and health to pick up. Also once i stopped breastfeeding at 4 weeks I was a lot better as we had major issues with breastfeeding and I wasn't well enough to deal with it very well.
Most people recover fairly well after C Section though, I was just unlucky! Im hoping this time I can have a natural birth and recover a lot faster
But at this stage you don't know how your labour will go, you might be up and about right after or it might take you a while. I didnt think iw ould go through what I did ------------- |
Posted By: caitlynsmygirl
Date Posted: 12 April 2009 at 4:47pm
|
I was up and about in around 3 days , that was after a natural childbirth .
My friend had a c-section as well , after a 73 hour labour , and her recovery time took ages too, but thats because her wound got infected (ewwww, looked so gross ) another friend ,was up and about after 3 hours of giving birth all different births , all different recovery times , just take it easy the first couple of days, be kind to yourself , sleep when baby sleeps , and your recovery time will probably be shorter
good luck ! wow ,you don't have long to go now ------------- 
|
Posted By: monikah
Date Posted: 12 April 2009 at 5:39pm
|
Em ill try find the link for you on the website and PM it to you :) -------------
|
Posted By: Emmecat
Date Posted: 12 April 2009 at 6:43pm
|
Thanks! ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">
|
Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 12 April 2009 at 7:23pm
holey crap!!! 73 hours!!! poor poor poor chick!!!
|
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 12 April 2009 at 7:35pm
I was studying while I was in labour with Maya - the long labour helped lol  .
I did 3 papers the semester she was born, but I did them extramurally so I wasn't committed to classes etc. It worked really well, I recovered pretty quickly and settled into a routine with her (mind you, helps that she was an easy baby) and didn't have any probs keeping up. When she was about 4 mths, I took her to a one day contact course and she slept in her buggy at the back of the class. I went back on campus when she was 5 mths to do my last semester and whilst it was bloody hard work, it was perfectly do-able. ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
|
Posted By: solitairediamond
Date Posted: 13 April 2009 at 4:58pm
I timed my pregnancy well, as I had my wee girl a few weeks after my last exam at uni. Went back for my fourth year full time when uni went back in Feb (Aurora was 11 weeks). Bit different to you as she is older and I'm going full time (about 30 hrs a week). I don't think I'm allowed to take her in to uni  She is in a day care nearby and I visit her between classes and breast feed her at lunchtimes.
Good luck! ------------- [IMG]http://lb2f.lilypie.com/9p2jp12.png [IMG] |
Posted By: kmarie
Date Posted: 13 April 2009 at 5:27pm
|
I had a normal delivery with no complications and stayed at Birthcare for 3 days which was great. I was pretty exhausted and though I had no stitches or anything, I took panadol & voltaren on & off for about a week. We were out and about within a few days of getting home. Then took her to church at 10 days old and out for dinner to my parents at 11 days old. DH took 2/1/2 weeks off which was fantastic. The first 2 weeks in particular are a blur cuz I basically slept whenever I could (even a 30min window seemed like bliss!). I went for a few walks with Bethany & DH in that time and was perfectly fine. By the time he went back to work I was going out and about a lot with Bethany by myself, whether driving places, having people over, or going for walks. I soon found that as long as I managed to have one sleep a day (usually the afternoon was best cuz that's when I'd droop the most) I was fine.
Long story short, you're doing the right thing in realising that there will be an adjustment period and giving yourself time to get used to a new 'norm'. Going with the flow is definitely the best. All going well, you'll most likely be able to be back at uni by then with your lil bubs but if you bank on it too hard and for some reason you can't then it'll just give you another thing to stress about. Remember to take plenty of time to just enjoy your wee man too! All the best, keep us updated, k? ------------- 
twins in heaven Oct07 Is 40:11 "He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart." |