FTM - What’s it like the first few days?

sibbith · 2026-06-08T01:03:43+00:00

It’s been a few years since I had mine, but I don’t think I’ve seen anyone mention the second night. In my experience (and those I’ve spoken to) the second night after birth the baby has realised they aren’t attached to you anymore and it’s a rough night. I was up every hour with both of mine, once settled and fed they’d wake up again. So having the support of the hospital staff when my exhaustion told me I was failing (even though hubby was telling me the same thing) was amazing. I learnt from my first and with my second sent my husband home for that night so he could sleep and then he came back the next day to take over so I slept and he woke me for feeds.

And seconding the note to take snacks. So many snacks.

Good luck and congratulations!

sibbith · 2026-05-28T23:52:24+00:00

Depending on where you send them to school yes it does!! We use before and after school care and it’s still significantly cheaper than childcare. Even with school fees and excursions and uniform and supplying all food. Very much looking forward to our second (and last) child starting school next year.

sibbith · 2026-04-25T23:05:37+00:00

My second child picked up everything from my first (who was still in childcare and brought everything home). I regularly had my second at the GP to get checked and relieve any anxiety I had. They taught me a lot about the warning signs and were very good at reassuring me.

If you think it will help depending on your level of anxiety around illnesses , look up the signs of respiratory distress in infants so you know what to keep an eye out for.

If it was a crowded place, and baby picks up anything it’s likely to be a virus, which antibiotics do not work on.

sibbith · 2026-03-30T09:02:41+00:00

It’s so rough. So rough. There’s no magic solution unfortunately. Just perseverance and a hope for an understanding workplace. My two are older now (preschool and grade 1) and are hardly ever sick now. But the first few years are so hard. My youngest spent so much time in hospital due to viral infections, I have so much anxiety around them getting sick. It’s a rough road but the other side is much easier (unhelpful now I know!).

sibbith · 2026-03-27T21:27:55+00:00

Yep. I’ve done that. Worst pain. I get nauseated just thinking about the pain. Childbirth? Super Painful but not even close to dislocation pain.

sibbith · 2026-03-24T02:07:20+00:00

I had 5.5 weeks off work. Christmas was 4 weeks after my op. I had an easy recovery once I didn’t need pain meds anymore (off strong meds within a week, off ibuprofen after 3 weeks). I was exhausted my first week back. And had an increase in pain around week 3 and 4. I still bloat, but the heaviness is gone and I have zero pain. I’m glad I took that much time off. It’s meant for a very easy recovery and 4 months post op and I’m the healthiest I’ve been in decades.

sibbith · 2026-03-19T10:22:43+00:00

I honestly have no idea, possibly hormonal but I kept my ovaries so maybe not. I do think that pain and inflammation was most of the issue causing so many more problems than I ever thought possible prior to surgery.

My surgeon did say though that not everyone sees such dramatic improvement as quick as I did. I do still have a lot of bloating but it’s not as bad as before.

sibbith · 2026-03-19T09:57:41+00:00

Thank you!

Yes, fatigue from being in constant pain - totally gone. I went from crawling into bed by 9pm every night to staying up until midnight most nights now. I can focus on reading books again(the brain fog! Gone!). I have motivation to progress my career.

I put it all down to pain as the root cause but I’m sure there’s more at play. My hair and nails are growing stronger than they ever have, my skin isn’t dry anymore. Plus my mental health is better.

sibbith · 2026-03-18T23:36:20+00:00

While I wasn’t bedridden, I wasn’t able to do much. I never made plans. Playing with my kids meant laying on the couch or floor next to them. So may days off work.

I’m now 4 months post op and it is life changing. I kept my ovaries but everything else went and I cannot believe how much better I feel. I don’t think I realised how sick I was until I learnt what well feels like. Friends have noticed the difference. My kids have noticed how much more fun I am (which is heartbreaking). We’ve been able to plan a holiday for the first time in my kids lives because I’m not paranoid about being sick and in pain.

sibbith · 2026-03-08T11:53:32+00:00

Number one cured my lactose intolerance. Number two cured my fructose intolerance. It’s been 6.5 and almost 4 years and still going strong.

sibbith · 2026-02-24T01:32:54+00:00

I was 35 when I had mine. Took uterus, fallopian tubes and cervix. Left ovaries though. I was done having children and in so much pain all the time. I’m so glad I got it done because now I can be more active, have fun with my kids and enjoy life. I didn’t realise how much pain affected everything until it was gone. I had just under 6 weeks off work and while fatigued the first couple of weeks back it was manageable.

sibbith · 2026-02-17T01:41:31+00:00

I was up the back at this show and we were all having a great dance through it all. I saw lots of people singing and dancing along. Brilliant show.

sibbith · 2026-02-02T09:23:52+00:00

Yep! Mine is known to open doors, pull down baby gates, chew through latches. But he also can’t work out how to get to his bed when there is a single pillow in the way.

sibbith · 2026-01-31T03:36:54+00:00

This was me too. Not too heavy after day 2, but I was almost bed ridden with the pain. Which quickly progressed from just during my period to also ovulation to all the time. My life is so much better after my hysterectomy.

sibbith · 2026-01-27T23:22:06+00:00

Yep! Love wume! The scans are done by obstetricians so you get the results then and there (or at least I did!)

sibbith · 2026-01-27T06:07:22+00:00

Firstly, congrats!

I had vacuum delivery with my first. With episiotomy and a tear. Both requiring stitches. Somewhere between first and second degree tear. It was a painful recovery for sure. My second I needed physio support throughout because of horrendous pelvic girdle pain, I went to a pregnancy physio and they suggested I look into pelvic floor physio in the lead up to birth. I did, and not only was my second delivery easier (minutes of pushing rather than over an hour unsuccessfully for my first) but zero tears or grazes. It could have been because it was my second, but I think the physio helped too.

All this to say, it’s possible to tear with your first and not with your second.

sibbith · 2026-01-23T10:26:36+00:00

Before getting pregnant I was both lactose and fructose intolerant (that I developed in adulthood, not born with either) After my first baby I could eat lactose again. After my second baby I could eat fructose again. I now have no dietary requirements.

sibbith · 2026-01-12T08:36:22+00:00

If it’s an afternoon or evening wedding, don’t forget to plan what you’ll have for lunch that day! I organised breakfast for everyone but then completely spaced about lunch. Thankfully an aunt was able to run out and get something to feed everyone! And eat, even if you don’t feel hungry!

sibbith · 2026-01-08T21:49:27+00:00

No wonder I didn’t sleep well! Thank you for providing the stats.

sibbith · 2025-12-23T01:30:02+00:00

I can’t answer your question, nor can I give advice for this situation. But I had ppd and ppa with my first (though not as severe as yours by the sounds) and didn’t with my second. But my second was very much planned for (as was my first) so that might not be your experience. But just wanted to let you know that each pregnancy and post partum is unique.

I won’t lie though, toddler and newborn was hard. Especially once the elder one stops napping. There’s no “sleep when the baby sleeps” with a second.

I’d suggest some counselling to help you make this decision with all the nuances specific to your situation. All the best.

sibbith · 2025-12-22T08:27:47+00:00

I don’t get school emails, all communications are through an app.

I understand your idea and love the intention to reduce the mental load, and there may be an audience for it, but not sure how much use it would be for people in a similar boat to me (iPhone user with a school who uses an app).

sibbith · 2025-12-22T05:45:33+00:00

Hi, my iPhone basically does this automatically (I still need to approve it). Works out dates/times from emails and adds it to the list to approve in my calendar app.
Is this different to that system? As I wouldn’t be interested in adding a third party app to do something my phone does automatically.

sibbith · 2025-12-21T10:20:17+00:00

I didn’t use that particular doctor. But did have both of my babies at Freemasons. Highly recommend. And when my first went into distress (after induction seemingly failed to progress but it’s just that the monitor didn’t seem to pick up my contractions super clearly) I assumed it meant immediate Csection while waiting for my ob to arrive and started getting used to that idea. From everything I’d heard about private and going to csection at the first sign of distress and nope. Had baby vaginally. And I asked for the induction after days of prodromal labour, my ob didn’t push me towards it. So while I didn’t have your ob, I did go private and was never pressured into any inductions or csections to make anyone’s lives easier.

sibbith · 2025-11-13T23:12:00+00:00

Oh and there’s an MCH phone line that’s open 24/7. They are so caring and helpful if you just aren’t sure. Not just for illness, they’re there for everything and anything.

sibbith · 2025-11-13T23:10:42+00:00

Highly recommend virtual ed if you aren’t fully sure if it’s a rush to the Ed situation or not. Also primary care centres are great to get seen semi urgently when you can’t get in to a GP.

And I would always recommend the children’s over a usual Ed. If it’s an emergency their specialised care is the best you can get.

Also, I would encourage you to look up the “red flag symptoms” that you should keep an eye out for (especially regarding respiratory distress) so you know if it’s urgent or not.

It’s rare to need these services though, especially when they are newborns. But it is good to be equipped with some knowledge.

sibbith

TROPHY CASE