You will still be able to do gentle things with your older two but you won’t be able to lift anything heavier than your newborn for the first six weeks. I can’t help with the what to expect with three children part as will be having my third shortly too.

With your recovery don’t push yourself too hard to do things that you normally do accept help where offered. Keep up pain relief for the first few days and then you can try cutting back and see how you go with it.

you’ll be a bit sore. don’t lift your kids, the washing or anything heavier than your baby for 6 weeks. And if possible, get your other half to get a carers certificate to help at home ’cause you can’t drive either!

I had my first child c section and I had preeclampsia and mine got infected and was very very painful like I couldn’t walk at all for weeks it was like that, then got hme and the stitches came open blood shooting out. I then I had a 2nd natural birth and would like to have another child and would deff go natural again even thought I had no drugs or anything to stop the pain but deff would do natural again

I hope all goes well for you, the idea of not being able to drive for 6 weeks freaked me out the most! As long as the baby is happy and healthy you will be fine!

i had a c section with both of my kiddies. and both were so different. I was quite sore the day after, Try not to be a hero like i did and not take pain killers because its important to make sure you try to stand and walk around the day after surgery i did this the second time around. The 1st c section i was in bed for a whole week and this caused lots of problems for me i had large blood clots that stayed in my body beause i was unable to move and was constipated due to all the tablets i was taking and it just got worse as i was stuck i had a catheter in and after that i had a hard trouble going to the toilet. But all in all my second c section was planed it was heaps easier and you will be sore but you get to skip labour pains and thats a plus.

there is some great info here 🙂

I was in hospital for a week with mine and you wont be able to do a lot of lifting but that is about it. You are going to be very sore as it is a major operation, but other than that recovery is short and usually not too bad

I stayed in hospital for 4 days after I had my baby. And 6 weeks rest before I started my daily routine again.

I’ve had 2 natural births and 3rd time was a C-section. The c-section was a walk in the park to the measure of pain as the natural birth stitches were more painfull.
The eldest child will be a great help and will be more than happy to help mummy out.
As for washing – Clothes horse is perfect! big sheets and towels well leave that to hubby same with the dishwasher!!

I’ve had C-sections both time. Things you will have to think about is not being able to lift anything heavier than you baby, so try to encourage your others kids to sit next to you on the lounge to cuddle as you wont be able to pick them up.
Get help with household chores as its very easy to overdo things then end up in pain or with a popped stitch or infection.
You may need to check your insurance- some companies wont cover you if you start driving before the 6 weeks while others just say until you can twist comfortably etc.

I had an emergency C section with my now 3yo son. Was in hospital for 6 days in total. I was more uncomfortable than in pain, and used Panadol as needed. Husband was very helpful and made sure he was on hand to help with everything so I didn’t overdo it. Doctor advised that I take it easy, and I was driving within 3 weeks. I couldn’t really lift anything heavy in the first couple of weeks, but by the 3rd week, I was able to lift and move the baby capsule in and out of the car. Going with an elective C section this time (surgery is in 2 weeks’ time) and doctor again has advised I should take it easy. It will mean that I won’t be able to pick up and carry my 3yo as much as he wants to be picked up and carried, but he’ll live. I would try and not do anything too strenuous in the first 2-3 weeks. Good luck!

everyone is different, my last 2 were c sections not by my choice, (i preferred natural) i was out of hospital within 4days each time, first one i was very careful as i was too scared incase something would happen but with the 2nd one i was driving within a couple weeks (first one i waiting for doc to say yes at my 6week check)… and lifting my 12mth old… i had stitched with the second they hurt a tad coming out … but overall its pretty straight forward 🙂 you do what you feel you can do 🙂

It can be very painful in saying that you absolutely need to get up and moving. My son was in NICU so I had to get out of bed and walk but most will not want to withstand the pain but it is worth it you heal so much quicker. Accept plenty of help too. Good luck xo

2 c-sects. 5 days hospital each time, driving within 2 weeks, limited pain that was helped with panadol. Only needed help with heavy washing baskets. I just had to make sure I wasn’t bending over awkwardly when changing nappies as the scar was right at the bend point.

I had a c section to have my twins in 2011 due to my daughters spinal condition. I already had a 4 yr old son. I stayed in hospital for 3 days. The pain was bearable and pain meds helped. I was crouched over for a few weeks as i was too scared to stand straight. My husband had to help shower me for the first week after. I wasnt allowed to lift anything over 2kg which was hard with my 4 yr old and other little things. Did not drive for about 4 weeks and after 4 weeks i was pretty much back to normal. Your dr will give you a list of things to do and not to do and the best thing to do is follow them because if you over do it you can cause infection and more pain. Try walk as soon as you can after op to help the healing process start, walk small amounts around the house each day. rest, take protien shakes and other multivitamin to help help. lots of water. good luck

I agree with the other ladies. Stay as long as you can in hospital to rest. It’s major abdominal surgery and so many of us forget that! It’s very frustrating not being able to do anything for weeks afterwards, but keep reminding yourself that it will only be for a very short while. I think I was driving within a few weeks, but reaching up to put the clothes on the line was torture (it was a great excuse to get out of doing the laundry for ages 😉 )

You do need to rest while you can. So easy to think you feel fine and then pay for it later. I had an emergency c/section and whilst it was disappointing you just have to ask for help and allow others to do it. Those first 6 weeks are important for ets and yes keep up the mess, it’s major surgery and it gets quite painful!

I had an emergency c/s with my third and was in hospital 5 days. Follow the medication schedule they suggest – I dropped one of the pain killers early (about day 3) thinking I no longer needed it and paid for it with extra pain and discomfort.

Take it as easy as they suggest, it is VERY easy to over-do it. The worst thing for me was trying to roll over from my back to my side to reach the baby – the twisting action was painful, Use all the help you can and make the most of being in hospital and having that support. I found it a bit frustrating, especially after being up and about quickly after my first two natural births, but it really is better to be cautious than to overdo it and set yourself back.

Explain to your older children now that you will need extra help when you get home and that you wont be able to lift them for a while. Allow others to help when they offer especially things like hanging out washing. I even found leaning in to get washing out of the machine difficult for a week or two.

Everyone is different, and recovery times vary form person to person, but it is major surgery and you will need extra rest and to take care for a while.