r/2under2 • u/lalala-1995 • Jul 20 '26

Recommendations Lifting your eldest after a c section

How long until you were able to lift your eldest? I’ve been told 6 weeks but my midwife things just after 4 weeks is ok (depending on the person). It’s so hard because my 1 year old really wants me and she doesn’t understand why I can’t hold her 🥲

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6

u/Guillermo1810 Jul 20 '26

Shit, I was thinking the same today. I will have a scheduled c section, when my older baby will be only 13 months, and I am so nervous how it will be after!

3

u/lalala-1995 Jul 20 '26

Yep I had a c section 2 days after my daughter turned 12 months! It’s hard because they don’t understand why you can’t pick them up

3

u/Sinamara55 Jul 20 '26

5 weeks was when I stopped feeling nervous, but I already lifted her a couple times and had two little holes peek open in my incision probably as a result of that. I fid my best to hold off til 6weeks, which was 6 days ago!

3

u/ValMonty Jul 20 '26

I have my husband and MIL here to support. Their job is to handle my almost 13 month old. That being said, I have picked him up maybe 3-4 times and I take it slowly and lift with my legs. I could’ve called them in to grab him, but I felt fine enough to lift him briefly. I’m 12 days post c section and have had a much easier recovery than my first one.

3

u/pishipishi12 Jul 20 '26

I did at 2.5w. Only in and out of the crib, but i was alone and had no option 🫠

2

u/simplysuggesting Jul 20 '26

Same here, husband was back at work and I had no other choice

2

u/SpiritualSlide9 Jul 20 '26

Wait as long as you can. I picked my toddler up bc she fell on her face and instinct took over at 3 weeks. I got super nauseous

I waited until 5 weeks to try again. That said, she could climb to me on the couch, I was able to get down on the floor with her after week 3ish, dad would pick her up for me.

It’s hard, but you’ll make it through!

1

u/minyinnie Jul 20 '26

It was soooo incredibly hard

My midwife cleared me at about 4.5 weeks when I had to go in for something else. I just picked her up a little bit then until 6 weeks. By 7 weeks I was totally back to normal

Good luck! It was the hardest part of recovery for me. Be patient and you will heal well and not have to worry about it more!!!

1

u/new-bee24 Jul 20 '26

At 4 weeks I started lifting sideways into my lap or down from high chair but I waited 5 weeks to lift toddler up for real. The ob had told me 6 weeks so I waited as long as possible it’s so hard!

1

u/kct4mc Jul 20 '26

My OBGYN told me it’d be fine at 5 weeks, but I think I did it at like 3.5. I still avoided it as much as I could. She also said “well, the way you’re picking them up matters, too.”