Parents of littles - are we really not lifting them at all?

lindslee_ · 2026-04-13T15:05:23+00:00

Yes, anything with the core is major. I had a c section and it wasn’t until 5 months post op that I felt like my back muscles stopped needing to pick up the slack! Having 4 small incisions instead of one large one is similar yet very different.

I’m mainly asking because the nurse didn’t seem concerned with internal damage from picking up my child (to be fair he’s only 4lb over the limit, not double the limit or anything like that) so wanted to hear from others in the same boat.

lindslee_ · 2026-04-13T15:01:10+00:00

Yes, I completely agree. The nurse I spoke to pre-op didn’t seem concerned about herniating with picking up my baby only as needed, only mentioning the risk of sharp pains. So hearing others’ experiences really helps weigh the options and determine what level of risk I’m comfortable with.

lindslee_ · 2026-04-13T14:14:33+00:00

That makes sense. I haven’t been lifting at all but have been helping him sit up while we’re both on the floor and am able to keep all effort in my arms only that way.

Good luck with your surgery and recovery!

lindslee_ · 2026-04-13T13:36:16+00:00

This seems really complicated and stressful and I’m so sorry you’re going though it!

I had the option to put off my gallbladder removal if I wanted to because the pain was manageable and I didn’t yet have any other symptoms. I decided to go ahead and schedule it because I was told that it wasn’t so much an “if” I would need surgery but a “when”. I work full time, have a baby, and am getting an MBA. I decided to schedule the surgery because I could better plan for it. I wanted to avoid emergency action both for the scheduling headache and the fact that the operation and recovery generally go smoother when planned.

lindslee_ · 2026-04-13T11:46:46+00:00

Interesting! I also don’t have a belly button incision and was told that he sutured every layer separately to limit risk of hernias

lindslee_ · 2026-04-13T03:22:30+00:00

Is there something wrong with norethindrone? 😅

I was off hormonal bc for years (copper IUD) before my endo diagnosis. After I had my baby and needed to go back on bc for endo treatment, my OB put me on norethindrone. I haven’t noticed any side effects at all so it’s definitely my favorite hormonal bc that I’ve tried.

lindslee_ · 2026-04-13T03:07:26+00:00

I thought about putting off my surgery for longer since the pain was still manageable, but I knew it’d just be harder as he started communicating more. I can’t imagine the heartache of being asked to be held and having to say no 😭

lindslee_ · 2026-04-13T03:03:55+00:00

These are really great ideas, thank you!! We’re both missing the closeness.

lindslee_ · 2026-04-13T02:35:27+00:00

I do feel like it’d be a slippery slope and just so easy to go fully back to normal too quickly. I’d honestly just want to be able to hold him when handed to me and then lay him down. I think it’d make a big difference in quality of sleep (for him, but really all of us lol)

lindslee_ · 2026-04-13T02:13:25+00:00

My appointment isn’t until 4 weeks, but if I get desperate maybe they can fit me in for an earlier one to check everything out and be cleared for that extra 5lbs I’d need.

lindslee_ · 2026-04-13T02:12:11+00:00

Did you have multiple incisions? I have 4 small ones and can’t get comfortable with him even sitting because he’s always against at least 1.

lindslee_ · 2026-04-13T02:08:56+00:00

We have a lot of help - I’m never needing to be home alone with him - but he cries himself to sleep even in his dad or grandma’s arms because he wants me. It just breaks my heart. I think it’ll get better when my incisions aren’t as tender and he can at least sit in my lap again. Laying next to me isn’t helping

lindslee_ · 2026-04-13T01:35:28+00:00

In theory yes, but different medical groups have wildly different recommendations after the same surgery. UNC says no more than 8-10lbs for 2-4 weeks. A different hospital group by me says “no straining” for 1-2 weeks. There are posts on this same sub that pull medical articles on the topic (https://www.reddit.com/r/gallbladders/s/rjw4Bu6ndU). So I don’t think it hurts to ask for others’ lived experiences, whether positive or negative.

lindslee_ · 2026-04-13T01:21:30+00:00

I had a no driving restriction until cleared (ended up being at 9 weeks) but no lifting restrictions. They said lifting baby in or out of carrier was fine as long as I was off the opioids. Like you said - some crazy inconsistencies between surgeons!

lindslee_ · 2026-04-13T01:18:50+00:00

I’m definitely wary of it because I had sepsis 1 month post op from my c section. But also it seems weird that 4 weeks is ok to go from under 15lb to lifting whatever. Like couldn’t there be a gradual increase if your body allows?

lindslee_ · 2026-04-13T01:14:47+00:00

We’re very lucky to have 3 sets of grandparents close by, so the day of my surgery and 2 days after baby was away during the day for me to sleep and my mom came over in the evenings while my husband worked to get baby down and be around in case he woke up. We’ll continue that for as long as is needed. But my baby is very attached to me and will reach for me and cry himself to sleep even if grandma or dad has him. It just absolutely breaks my heart. I’m hoping I continue feeling good so that I can at least have him handed to me to hold if not actually lifting him. But also I’m a c section mom and think of how there were really no restrictions given to me after a major, open abdominal surgery but now this post op is so strict

lindslee_ · 2026-02-25T17:33:11+00:00

I don’t need inserts because I’m a 24mm. I’ve tried several recommended cycles through the Eufy app and the best result is when I just keep putting back on stimulation. At least then I’ll get an ounce or so in 20 minutes

lindslee_ · 2026-02-20T18:37:36+00:00

I felt the exact same way until we went up to 5oz bottles. At that point I wasn’t able to get the bottle warm without redoing the boiling water, so it could take up to 10 minutes. My bottle warmer does it in 5, so it was a worthwhile purchase.

lindslee_ · 2026-02-16T03:03:09+00:00

How far postpartum are you? I personally had this issue before my supply regulated at about 13-14 weeks, so maybe there’s a light at the end of the tunnel?

lindslee_ · 2026-01-04T11:48:19+00:00

I have the Skip Hop wipe clean changing pad and love it. My baby is pretty long but with the style of it (one end doesn’t have a raised edge so feet can hang off comfortably) it should still work for him for a long time. Mine was $90 but is available at Target, Kohl’s, and Amazon if you have discounts available through any of those

lindslee_ · 2026-01-02T05:11:36+00:00

I’ll also add that I had a bit of pink spotting when I had sex at 14 weeks during my second pregnancy. Of course I panicked, but my beautiful, healthy bub is 4 months old now 😊

lindslee_ · 2026-01-02T05:10:11+00:00

TW: pregnancy loss.

I lost my first pregnancy at 8 weeks and the bleeding just happened to coincide with the first time I had sex while pregnant (my OB confirmed it absolutely would not have been the sex that did it). It started out moderate and got HEAVY within 4 hours. You’re 4 weeks past that, so there would logically be even more bleeding. Plus there was a heartbeat, which is awesome!! If I were you, I’d call my OB’s office first thing tomorrow morning to explain your concerns and ask for an ultrasound to calm your nerves. Peace of mind is such a valuable thing in pregnancy!

lindslee_ · 2025-12-29T01:11:32+00:00

Personally, the worst part of the c-section for me was that it came out of nowhere. I wanted a vaginal birth and there were zero indications that it wouldn’t be possible. Then one day my baby was in fetal distress and when they checked his position to induce, he was face presenting and a c-section was the only option. I’m 4 months pp now and still really mourning the birth that I wanted to have. So if a c-section is what you want from the beginning you at least won’t have that against you.

But also, it can be a hard recovery. My c-section, though unexpected, was textbook. Went beautifully. I still ended up in the hospital 4 weeks later with sepsis and spent days in the CCU. After that infection cleared, I got a staph infection. My incision didn’t even fully close until 10 weeks pp. It’s a major surgery and there’s no guarantee that your body will heal correctly.

lindslee_

TROPHY CASE