Any mammas out there??

[ittybittytittys]

Hey ladies! 

I'm booked in for my ba in early October and am ridiculously excited however I am a little worried about how I will manage with my baby boy post op (he will be crawling age). 

Just wondering if there are any ladies who have been there in this situation and any tips tricks, things to definatley avoid ect. I do have my hubby for a week after and then my mum for a little but I have the feeling I may struggle a little. Do you think It would be wise to see if hubby can take an extra week off? Tia

[AspiretoInspire]

Definitely.  Go through the threads and have a read.  People have put mattresses on the ground etc to avoid lifting the little ones who are crawling and unable to walk. You aren't supposed to pick up anything heavy for six weeks.  If you do, you can damage the implants and surgery.  I would definitely be asking hubby to take another week off.

[Win]

My bub had just turned 1 a week before & was still crawling and still really needy lol I was so lucky my hubby had 3 weeks off, then I had my parents stay on the 4th week & it was only then I felt I could lift him at very very limited times. I just got down to his level when he needed me. We have a little kids table & he sat at that to eat with his sister instead of the highchair which he thought was just great.

I must note I was a real struggler I found it so painful, you may breeze through it but you really should listen to your surgeons advise regarding lifting. Get as much help as you can for as long. 

[MezMoz]

I'm in the same boat. My BA is booked for 29 July and I have a 10.5kg baby boy who isn't even close to crawling yet (he's 10 months and slow on the uptake). On the positive side, I can plonk him down and know he's not going anywhere! Unfortunately most of the great tips about getting him to crawl up to me, sit at a kids table etc probably won't apply so I'll have to be a bit more creative about how I move him around.

My hubby will be around for 5 days afterwards but then I'm paying our 18 year old neighbour to look after the kids with me from 7.30am - 6.30pm Mon - Fri for 4 weeks. I figure she can do all the lifting etc while I 'manage'. Depending on how everything goes, I may even extend for a few more weeks. It's costing a small fortune but given the amount I'm paying for my BA, it's like added insurance coz I don't want to ruin my new boobs. As we have no family to call on, I've also asked friends to pop in over the weekends to give my husband a break and so he can take my 4 yo daughter to her swimming lessons. I hate asking for help and never have before, so was very grateful when my friends said they were more than happy to lend a hand. I have one amazing friend who is even taking me to my 1 week post op appt. I'm also planning on paying our 13 year old dog walker to lend a hand on some of the weekends.

I've already started a massive cook up and plan to do an insane clean just before my surgery. We use Coles Online so that will help and have a cleaner coming fortnightly.

I think the hardest part will be how I comfort my baby when he cries as he loves a big chest to chest cuddle. 

Have you got friends and family you can ask to help? Or a student in your neighbourhood who wants to earn a bit of extra cash? 

Feel free to send me a friend request and I'll keep you posted on what I find works with looking after my bub.

 

[Excitedforboobs]

i had my BA 10 days ago and I have  a 2 year old and 6 year old.  I was also a travelling for my BA so kids came too.   My mum came with us to help for 6 days and it was such a god send.  She also came back on the plane  with us to help with kids and luggage.  We wouldn't have coped without her help cooking meals and looking after kids.    The 2 year old still wakes during the night so my hubby has to get up to her.  I still cannot pick her up howver she weights 12kg.  6 year old is self sufficient and has been really helpful.   2 year old had adapted pretty well.   Hubby had to work so I actually managed to get her to climb into her cot on her own and then out up the cot rail so she couldn't climb out again.  She likes her sleep so she now goes in and out of her cot and to sleep just fine.   I just have to lower the cot rail for her.   I'm back at work and the 2 year old is at child care.  Hubby drops off and I pick up but she walks to car and climbs into her car seat on her own.  Sometimes she is non compliant and I've had to ask for her for childcare to get her into car.   It has been hard but not impossible.   Surround yourself with as much as as possible.   

[ittybittytittys]

Thankyou lovely ladies! I am now in the midst of organizing/concocting a plan of care hehe. Definatley don't want to damage my future fabulous assets. I think deep down I knew I'd need more but I was just hoping by some miracle I might get by buuut why risk it.

Thanks Mezmoz I'd love to friend request you only I don't know how maybe you could for me? I'm still trying to work out what the little number is beside my name lol. Oh and my first born son he too flat out refused to crawl until I made him a little path out of these heinz nutrios (little baby snack things). I should of known he'd move for food hahaha.

[Heather86]

This thread has helped me a lot. My hubby might manage to take 2 weeks off but he works in the mines so I will be completely on my own.

my family are all over seas so can't rely on them. 

I think I wil probably hire some help for the 3rd week to help with my girls (2 - but will be 3 by time of surgery and 5), shopping and cleaning.

its good to get some real perspective  and realisation on post op circumstances ?

 

[ittybittytittys]

Aww good Heather I'm glad others are benefiting from the thread! It would be so difficult to organize care after the fact when we finally did realize it wasn't enough time to heal sufficient enough to do day to day things. 

Oh and the comment mentioning a cleaner... sounds brilliantly luxurious. Think I may have to convince hubby that this is the way to go lol.

 

[MelbGal]

I had 2 little ones when I had mine however my 1 yr old was walking: I had pretty much full time help pretty much with hubby and my mum for the 2 weeks. Mainly for the times I would need to lift my son in and out of his bed and high chair. Apart from that, after the first week I could do a lot of the house hold stuff my self it was just the lifting j felt j couldn't do until end of the second week. If you can have some help the second week that would be ideal, it'll help you avoid doing things that may actually hurt your boobs and cause swelling and delay in recovery

[Mum-of5]

I am also worried about the same thing I have 5 kids all under the age of 8 and I'm worried about how I'm going to get through the 6 weeks. I'm booked in next week :/

 

[ittybittytittys]

Is your hubby around or anyone. I anticipate the most difficult will be being unable to lift or move my crawler at bedtimes and just if he crawls away somewhere. How old are your children?  I think after a few weeks it should get increasingly easier but it's just running the the risk of ruining the 8 plants etc. Is there any help you can seek? 

[mkeames]

This is a great thread. I'm probably most anxious about how I'm going to manage my three children (ages 8, 6 and 2) post op. I'm travelling interstate for my surgery so won't be home until day 5, my husband is taking time off Week 2. But not sure what to expect after that. I have a house cleaner so that area is covered, but I think I might need some help with washing each day.  Mostly concerned about handling my 2 year old. She can climb in and out of her car seat but is still in a cot. How long until you could lift your child in and out of her cot? 

[MezMoz]

I'm 11 day post op and there is no way I would attempt to lift my 11kg baby yet. Perhaps use stairs to help her get in and out of her cot.

[natsacks]

My husband had 4 weeks off but i felt fine lifting my 1year old at 2 weeks post op. My recovery was really good ?

[rad1977]

Hi there, great thread as this was the main thing I was worried about before my op !!! I have a 2 year old and a 9 month old (10kg baby, not crawling yet).  I had my surgery 3 and half weeks ago and although I had a good recovery early on, not too painful,  I'm feeling now that its slow getting back to all my normal activities.  I thought I would be lifting the baby no probs by now.  I can lift her if I really need to, for example this morning she was crying after my toddler hit her on the head (accidentally on purpose lol) so I lifted her from the floor. Although I could do it, I really felt sore in my pecs after. I try to avoid lifting her as I'm so afraid of causing damage to my new boobies. Thankfully my husband has been off all this time so far. He is waiting for a  job to start in about 2 weeks ...Although That's questionable now, as I may need to have a cast on my foot or surgery, will find out tuesday  (injured my foot a week before surgery and its not Healing  ).  So I'm trying to look at the positives, lots of quality family time together !! 

[MezMoz]

rad1977 I'm sorry to hear your foot is still giving you trouble. I certainly won't be going to Bounce anytime soon for a date night, although awesome idea.

Sometimes I think it's a blessing I've had my BA now while bubs isn't crawling around getting into mischief and other times I think it would be easier if he would just MOVE! 

Good luck on Tuesday, keep us posted. x

[rad1977]

Thank you so much MezMoz.  Haha I shall never be setting foot on a trampoline again.  Had a CT scan on thurs and turns out it is fractured afterall as well as ligamemt damage, which the xray didnt pick up when it first happened.  I shouldn't have been walking on it at all, but since surgery I couldn't use crutches. I have now borrowed a wheelchair from a friend and I push myself around the house with my good foot... what a mess eh!  Im quite down in the dumps now as I wont be walking for at least 6 more weeks. I question if I should have gone ahead with surgery at all. But we didn't think the injury was as bad as it is. And its making me regret my new boobs a bit :(:(  

[500hp]

Hi girls

when could you change your babies nappy? & when could you dress & feed them your self? 

 

Thank you so much MezMoz.  Haha I shall never be setting foot on a trampoline again.  Had a CT scan on thurs and turns out it is fractured afterall as well as ligamemt damage, which the xray didnt pick up when it first happened.  I shouldn't have been walking on it at all, but since surgery I couldn't use crutches. I have now borrowed a wheelchair from a friend and I push myself around the house with my good foot... what a mess eh!  Im quite down in the dumps now as I wont be walking for at least 6 more weeks. I question if I should have gone ahead with surgery at all. But we didn't think the injury was as bad as it is. And its making me regret my new boobs a bit :(:(  

aww that sucks  hope your feeling better???

[MezMoz]

I could change my 11kg baby's nappy and dress him after about a week but I couldn't and wouldn't lift him onto his change table. 

[rad1977]

Hi hooters2be, I found feeding baby was no problem a day or 2 after surgery, but my husband had to lift her in and out of high chair. But at least feeding her was one thing i could help with, so I usually did that and fed her bottles as she sat next to me on sofa.  Could change nappy and dress her probably a week later if I had to... but I avoided it to be honest, she's strong and wriggles a lot hehe. So again husband did that as I couldn't lift her up anyway. How old is your baby?

[500hp]

Rad1977 I have a 14mnth & 3 year old  

hubby can have a week off but my mum said she can help 

[gracie.d]

Take as much help as u can and try not to feel guilty if he cries. I had fulltime help for a couple of weeks. I was lifting my kids up after 3 weeks. Was ok just gently no throwing them around. Only thing i found hard was putting my youngest in and out of her cot especially in the night times. I eneded up putting a matress on the floor and we slept together, which she loved and slept the best shes ever slept ?

[laa]

This is my number one worry!  Thank you for all the good tips so far.  I have a 3 and 5 year old - they are very snuggly kids and love to lie on my chest, especially when they are tired or sick.  In your experience when do you girls think this would be okay?

 

[elle_cee]

This is my biggest worry too. Mine will be 4 and 2 when I have my surgery and I worry about the little things with them as much as the big things. The putting them to bed and missing out on cuddles!  This thread is pretty reassuring. 

[MezMoz]

I'm now 3 weeks post op and have had a great recovery until the unexpected through me a curve ball...... My 4 year old contracted head lice at kindy and then passed it on to my baby!!!! I ended up pulling a muscle near my left incision from sitting down, crouched over and combing my daughter's hair for hours to try and get the little buggers out. I shaved my baby's head coz because that was an easier option!

So my advice to those who haven't had their BA yet is to be prepared as possible with meals in the freezer, get a cleaner, have your shopping delivered and all housework up to date so that if something unexpected happens, you can deal with it. Thankfully I've had my neighbour to help me with my baldy baby while I focused on my daughter.

Hey, did I just see you scratch your head? ;-)