Recovery timeframes for Mums with young kids.

[Mumma-K 180]

Hi everyone!

I’m having my surgery on 27th June, getting 375cc mentor anatomicals with Dr Sam Cunneen. I have a question for all the mums on here that have young kids...how did you go with recovery after surgery?

I’m wondering approx. how long it might take me to be able to be comfortably doing different home duties and cuddling my kids, driving and walking to school (I usually push a pram up a steep hill).

I do return to work 2 weeks after the surgery but only work 2 days per week. The rest of the time I’m home with a needy 3yo and my 6yo is in school.

I really have no idea what to expect in terms of timeframes and how debilitated I’ll be ?

My mum will help out for a few days post surgery and my hubby will be home in the evenings, just don’t want to load him up with too many extra things to do!

Can anyone shed some light on their experience as a mum of young kids post surgery?

Thanks so much x

[Hozza 4]

Hi Mumma-K,

I have two little ones too, one was 18 months and the other 4.5 when I had mine done. I also got 375cc anatomicals, but I had my surgery in a different town to where I live so I stayed 5 days after surgery before going home. I personally found recovery so easy and no where near as bad as I’d prepared myself for. Once I got home it was pretty much back into life as usual at home, with the exception of things like making beds, carrying heavy washing baskets - I got my partner to help with all those things. With my little one I changed her nappy on the floor, rather than picking her up to put on the change table and lots of piggy backs Lol. I found pushing the pram felt the most awkward, so I didn’t go far and tried to keep my arms right by side, not stretched out infront to get up the hills.

If anything the most funny/awkward part was when my eldest daughter asked why my boobies were now “up” and will they stay like that forever ?.

Hopefully you have a pain free, quick recovery!

[JD* 361]

Following this thread ?

[pink butterfly 1,509]

The first 5 days will be the hardest. You will definitely need help during this time. Plus you can't drive a car after anaesthetic or taking strong pain killers. On day 3 I stopped the strong pain killers as hubby had to go back to work. But on day 5 I was able to drive the kids down to the local park which is 5 minutes away. After an hour or so at the park, I was ready to go home. I took 2 weeks off for my recovery and I am a domestic cleaner. The first week back was hard but by week 4 post op I was fine.

[Chook81 56]

Also following

[Mumma-K 180]

@Hozza thanks so much for the reply. It’s good to know the worst will probably be over after a week or so. I find it very hard to stop and rest so that will be a challenge I think. I’ve also never had major surgery before so no idea how I’ll react. I might ask my mum to stay for 5 nights just in case I need extra help!

@Hozza I’ve already told my 6yo daughter and she asked some pretty interesting questions!!

@pink butterfly thanks for replying. It is especially helpful to know how people went with the specifics.

I won’t really need to drive for the first week thankfully. My Mum has taken carers leave to help me with the kids ?

My job is quite physical too but my surgeon suggested 2 weeks was enough time off.

[I HaveBoobs 951]

Hi @Mumma-K the first 3 days after surgery with Sam you'll feel a little tender and stiff but nothing to painful he's a very gentle surgen and i barley had any pain/discomfort, just remember to do your stretches every couple of hours. You'll feel great by day 5 and you'll feel like you can go back to doing most things but don't as you just had major surgery (i think it all has to do with how he performs the op but its like he uses the rapid recovery method but dosnt advertise it as everyone heasl differently). I was driving by day 7 but i think he reccomends 7-10 days or as long as you can turn the wheel without pain, as for pushing the pram I'd say give yourself a good couple of weeks before you try that i found it hard to even vacuum the floor at 3 wpo and as for lifting your 3 yo sit down and have him climb up onto your lap for the first 2-3 wks. I'm a hairdresser by trade and took 3 wks of just to be on the safe side and my first week back was tough as i have my arms up most of the day , i was tired and a little sore but not to bad just take your first week back easy.

Hope this has helped. I had my BA with Sam in November last year

[Ss84 49]

Hi @Mumma-K,

I have recently had BA surgery and have 4 little ones ranging from 15mths, 3 yrs, 5yrs & 7yrs.

My hubby could only take the first 4 days off work, and after that I had my mum pop in and out. Our 3 year old is very independent, and she would either walk or ride her scooter to the school and back each day to collect the older ones, while I pushed the pram with the 15mths old. I surprisingly found this very easy.

My surgeon recommended no lifting for the first 2 weeks, but understood sometimes this can't be avoided. I definitely tried to stick to his advise as closely as possible, however hard it was.

I only did light cleaning the first 3 weeks eg, no mopping (this felt funny to do), or vacuuming (my mum did this for me), trying to hang washing on the line let a little awkward, but ok on a step ladder. I drove to my post op appt day 5 and this felt perfectly fine.

Fortunately, all in all, my recovery was a walk in the park. I didn't require any heavy pain killers after discharge from hospital and only took a couple of panadol here and there. I think remaining in bed and doing very little the first 4 days while hubby was home really helped.

Good luck! I hope it all goes well

[Mumma-K 180]

On 11/06/2024 at 9:05 PM, Wanting boobs said:

Hi @Mumma-K the first 3 days after surgery with Sam you'll feel a little tender and stiff but nothing to painful he's a very gentle surgen and i barley had any pain/discomfort, just remember to do your stretches every couple of hours. You'll feel great by day 5 and you'll feel like you can go back to doing most things but don't as you just had major surgery (i think it all has to do with how he performs the op but its like he uses the rapid recovery method but dosnt advertise it as everyone heasl differently). I was driving by day 7 but i think he reccomends 7-10 days or as long as you can turn the wheel without pain, as for pushing the pram I'd say give yourself a good couple of weeks before you try that i found it hard to even vacuum the floor at 3 wpo and as for lifting your 3 yo sit down and have him climb up onto your lap for the first 2-3 wks. I'm a hairdresser by trade and took 3 wks of just to be on the safe side and my first week back was tough as i have my arms up most of the day , i was tired and a little sore but not to bad just take your first week back easy.

Hope this has helped. I had my BA with Sam in November last year

@Wanting boobs thanks so much, that’s really reassuring! Good to hear from someone who has the same surgeon ?

@Ss84 thanks so much! Sounds like you recovered really well considering you have 4 little ones to look after!

BTW I know you’ve said that you’re not super happy with your size on other posts but I had a look at your pics and you have my dream boobs!! They look amazing ?

[Zoey23 59]

Hi Mumma-K! I had mine done 6 weeks ago tomorrow. I have a 5 year old and an 18 month old. The first 3 days were the hardest, mostly because I was tired from the meds. By day 5, I felt fairly good. The most pain I had actually came from not being able to go to the bathroom! Surgery and meds made that part rough!

I had help for 8 days. After that my MIL had to leave and I was on my own during the day. I was fairly creative with feeding and changing, thanks to suggestions from the ladies here, but I did still have to lift him into the crib for naps.

By 4 weeks PO I felt completely (with my drs blessing) comfortable toting my son around as needed, but still kept it to a minimum, as much as one can.

Just communicate well with your dr, and he will help you feel good about the amount of activity you should/shouldn’t do.

My daughter asked me why my “milk is back”! ???

[Mumma-K 180]

17 hours ago, Zoey23 said:

Hi Mumma-K! I had mine done 6 weeks ago tomorrow. I have a 5 year old and an 18 month old. The first 3 days were the hardest, mostly because I was tired from the meds. By day 5, I felt fairly good. The most pain I had actually came from not being able to go to the bathroom! Surgery and meds made that part rough!

I had help for 8 days. After that my MIL had to leave and I was on my own during the day. I was fairly creative with feeding and changing, thanks to suggestions from the ladies here, but I did still have to lift him into the crib for naps.

By 4 weeks PO I felt completely (with my drs blessing) comfortable toting my son around as needed, but still kept it to a minimum, as much as one can.

Just communicate well with your dr, and he will help you feel good about the amount of activity you should/shouldn’t do.

My daughter asked me why my “milk is back”! ???

@Zoey23 thank so much, makes me feel much better to know that others have done it too and managed quite well!

[Chickita 0]

On 6/18/2018 at 9:00 AM, Zoey23 said:

Hi Mumma-K! I had mine done 6 weeks ago tomorrow. I have a 5 year old and an 18 month old. The first 3 days were the hardest, mostly because I was tired from the meds. By day 5, I felt fairly good. The most pain I had actually came from not being able to go to the bathroom! Surgery and meds made that part rough!

I had help for 8 days. After that my MIL had to leave and I was on my own during the day. I was fairly creative with feeding and changing, thanks to suggestions from the ladies here, but I did still have to lift him into the crib for naps.

By 4 weeks PO I felt completely (with my drs blessing) comfortable toting my son around as needed, but still kept it to a minimum, as much as one can.

Just communicate well with your dr, and he will help you feel good about the amount of activity you should/shouldn’t do.

My daughter asked me why my “milk is back”! ???

Did you have tips on how to put the little ones in their crib during recovery? I have been wondering about that.