How long were you told not to drive/lift heavy stuff post c?

[cilantro]

C-section.

My SIL insists she is told no driving or lifting heavy stuff for six weeks.

I was told two.  I'm curious what's the norm.  Six sounds insane to me.  I felt like I could go jogging by then...if I didn't hate jogging.

[statlerwaldorf]

I wasn't supposed to drive until I was off pain killers and could press down on the break without pain/hesitation. I wasn't supposed to lift anything heavier than the baby for 6 weeks.

At 3 weeks pp, my incision got infected and opened, so it was about 5 weeks until I was pain free. I wasn't supposed to lift anything above 25 lbs until my incision closed around 3 months pp.

It wasn't realistic for me especially since I had to go get my incision packed 3 times a week.

[annieh22]

2weeks no driving.
6 weeks no lifting over 10 lbs.

However with my 2nd, I was told to try to limit lifting, but to use my judgement since I had to lift my toddler and my baby was almost 11 lbs. I made sure to lift properly and not carry my toddler around, just straight up and down.

[sunshine608]

2 weeks no driving
6 weeks no lifting anything heavier than baby (including the baby in the infant seat) which is what sucked the most. ETA: Cause I really couldn't go anywhere.

[narockshard]

I was able to drive whenever I wanted; the doctor told me the 2 week deal was just in case I was more focused on my incision hurting in the case I had to hit the brakes abruptly. But if I felt like I wouldn't be focused on that, I was fine to drive. Exercise was 6 weeks.

[jessnpaul]

2 weeks, although I was told I could drive before that (maybe 1.5 weeks? I forget)

[tealblue]

I think they said 2 weeks but that they wanted you to be off pain pills and be able to slam on the brake if needed. I drove multiple times in the first 2 weeks because I didn't take any prescription pain pills, nor did I have someone to take us to dr appts so I did it by myself (and to other places too). By 3 weeks I went on walks through the neighborhood and would not have followed dr orders for 6 weeks unless there was a complication.

[kershnic]

2 weeks for both.

My dr said that the driving is because studies have shown that no matter how good you feel your braking reaction time is slower following abdominal surgery. Your body instinctively protects your incision or something I guess.

[samanthamkm]

As long as I wasn't on prescription pain meds I could drive. No exercising until 6 weeks. Gradually increase lifting. I was lifting my 30 lb preschool 3weeks after surgery if I needed to.

[cookiecutter]

Oct 21, 2014 12:33:44 GMT -5 cilantro said:

C-section.

My SIL insists she is told no driving or lifting heavy stuff for six weeks.

I was told two.  I'm curious what's the norm.  Six sounds insane to me.  I felt like I could go jogging by then...if I didn't hate jogging.

I could drive when no longer taking pain meds.  I was carrying my toddler by 2.5 weeks or so.  I could lift stuff as I felt I could. 

[pinotgrig]

I was told no driving while on pain meds. After being off pain meds, I was told driving was ok if I felt ok stomping my foot (I guess if I had to hit the brakes suddenly?).

Your SIL is being a tad dramatic, barring some sort of complication.

[pinotgrig]

Oct 21, 2014 12:52:36 GMT -5 kershnic said:

2 weeks for both.

My dr said that the driving is because studies have shown that no matter how good you feel your braking reaction time is slower following abdominal surgery. Your body instinctively protects your incision or something I guess.

Huh. Interesting. My doc told me of I could stomp by foot I was good to drive. That makes more sense based on your post.

[lostlenore]

2 weeks for both. Which meant when DS2 was born, I had to have someone home with me all the time b/c DS1 was still in a crib & I couldn't lift him in or out of it. That was really hard on both of us.

[flgirl]

2 weeks for driving.I stuck to that for the first one but not the last two. I had appointments and activities for the older kids that didn't stop.

The lifting was for 6 weeks. I found after my last (3rd) c-section that every time I lifted something I would start bleeding. That lasted until about 12 weeks.

[mandapanda18]

Oct 21, 2014 12:46:57 GMT -5 sunshine608 said:

2 weeks no driving
6 weeks no lifting anything heavier than baby (including the baby in the infant seat) which is what sucked the most. ETA: Cause I really couldn't go anywhere.

this... I was released to work out at 5 weeks, so I got of a week earlier.

 

[hermione]

The doc that discharged me said a month. I made it 2 weeks.

[VillainV]

They didn't give me a timeframe. I just let pain be my guide for the most part. I think it was about two weeks before I lifted anything heavier than the baby, and it was about 6-8 weeks before I drove (I could have driven earlier than that, but H was off work the whole time I was on ML, so he drove everywhere).

[vtdiamond]

I asked my Ob this today as I'll be having a scheduled c/s.
Her recommendation was 2-4 weeks, I would need to be off narcotic pain meds and able to step on the brake quickly if needed.

[stealthmom]

2

[mlvmd]

I was told no driving for four weeks, but I had a horizontal and vertical cut and a ton of internal damage so they were worried about my ability to brake. I wasn't on pain meds other than Motrin and that wasn't much after I left the hospital.

I am anticipating similar restrictions this time and is one reason I have asked DH to request four weeks up front and then take the other eight after I go back to work.

[laurenh]

I was told 2 weeks but wasn't on narcotics after I left the hospital.

I asked about weight restrictions this time before deciding on a repeat c/s due to my toddler but even with her the doctor said just a week or two and to just limit based on how I feel. We'll see how that goes.

[carolinagirl831]

Driving 2 weeks, lifting 6 weeks

[carolinagirl831]

If she's still taking pain meds she shouldn't drive, or if her incision reopened

[GotWine]

I was told 2 weeks for driving, and 6 weeks for lifting. The 2 weeks seemed to be mostly related to the pain medication and I was not on the percocet that long so I believe I started driving around 10- 12 days.

[arch01]

2 weeks.

[Deleted]

My SIL couldn't lift the baby, anything over 5 pounds or drive for six weeks. She had a rough C section and a gnarly infection though.

[Deleted]

I think they said no driving for 2 weeks? or was it 4? BUT I drove after 7 days because there was nobody else who could drive me. I guess I could've taken a taxi, but I felt totally fine with driving.

[jnoellee]

Lurking from April 2012, But I must have not listened because I don't remember following any rules.

I drove my cat to the vet when my twins were 5 days old and I picked up my 30lb toddler way to soon, like the first week:/. He was only 16 months at the time. I also had to take the girls to their first appts by myself and held a carseat w/ baby in each hand because I didn't want to deal with the stroller.

I surprisingly healed great though!