C-Sec and steps....and driving??

"Jennifer and Robert Howe" wrote in message
nk.net...
heck I was in the hospital for 3 days the doc told me no driving or steps
for 2 weeks. I didn't listen and started driving after a week and doing
steps a few days after I came home. You need to listen to your own body
and
it will tell you if you need to rest or stop those activities.

Well... your body may feel ready to drive after a c-section, but that
doesn't mean you won't eviscerate in a minor crash all the same.

"listening to your body" is great, but it's not the answer to everything.


Donna

"Donna" wrote in message
...

"Jacqui" wrote in message
. 7...
Donna wibbled

I have been under the impression that the major risk
factor in even a minor accident (following abdominal surgery) is
impact with the steering wheel.

I would imagine that wearing a lap belt is out, though, since a
crash with a lap belt can have nasty results in the midriff area
anyway, and if you did have a crash with a low-slung shoulder belt
it could hurt a heck of a lot - I felt like I bruised very easily
for a while after mine, if the baby kicked my stomach while nursing
for instance. Because the nerves are cut and you can't feel much
around the incision until they start to reconnect, you could in
theory do some damage that you wouldn't notice for some time, I
suppose. Certainly my wound infection didn't hurt at all, and it
certainly should have given the swelling and whatnot. But I went
home from hospital in the car and no one mentioned anything then,
just that I shouldn't drive myself.

That's what is so curious. What you observe above certainly makes sense,
but I do wonder why riding as a passenger isn't given as a routine risk?
It;s curious.

Donna

I expect because, while it's possible to not drive for a month, it's not
possible to not be a passenger for a month. If no other reason, you're
probably going to have a follow-up appointment for you and the baby within
that time, have to come back and get the staples out, etc. I can think of 6
times at least I had to be in the car going somewhere the first month after
coming home from the hospital-including several within the first week.

I had to go to see the dr 10 dd after my c-section because of high bp post
delivery and when my dr saw how well I was doing she said I could go up and
down the stairs as long as it did not hurt and I could drive. I think it
really depends on how well you recover.

It seems that you recovered fantastically well.
--
Love

Nicky

Proud mamma to Alexandra (03/22/2004)

Alexandra's birth announcement
Fur Babies

On Thu, 27 May 2004 19:53:04 -0400, "Donna"
wrote:


"Jennifer and Robert Howe" wrote in message
ink.net...
heck I was in the hospital for 3 days the doc told me no driving or steps
for 2 weeks. I didn't listen and started driving after a week and doing
steps a few days after I came home. You need to listen to your own body
and
it will tell you if you need to rest or stop those activities.

Well... your body may feel ready to drive after a c-section, but that
doesn't mean you won't eviscerate in a minor crash all the same.

Not to be the voice of doom and gloom, but sometimes, even taking it
super easy after a section doesn't mean you won't eviscerate. In the
middle of a drugstore, even :-/

Nan

snip
My Dr didn't say a word about steps, and I lived in a single level home so
it never occured to me they might be a problem....All he did say was don't
drive for 2 weeks, I thought it was ment to be 6 weeks...I could of easily
driven a car at 2 weeks but didn't need to go anywhere in the first 4 weeks
that DH couldn't take me....I think the passenger thing is a bit of
overkill, you could walk accross the road and get hit by a car....what would
that do to you abdo healing.....( mind you I didn't experince much pain
after my c/s either, I only took painkillers occasionally for the first
week).
Alissa

My question is this:
I was told by my Dr. NOT to do steps more than once or twice a day and
when I do, take baby steps ( one step at a time ).....well it turns out
that I felt fine...( I was discharged last wed ) so its just been a
week....I have NO pain at all, and taking NO pain meds....I consider
myself very lucky!!!!!!!!
but how many of you did steps anyhow??
if you feel good can it hurt anything?

I didn't take the pain meds either. My doctor just advised me not to drive.
She just said take it easy. I was up and walking the same day I delivered
and really felt fine from then on (except the one incident of sharp shooting
pains after the catheter was removed and prior to me relieving myself which
the nurse said may have been a bladder spasm).

My doctor said not to drive for 2 weeks. She may have said 4 but I only
heard 2. Steps were never mentioned.

so can just steps hurt me?

I would think the falling down possibility is what is worse than the
stepping.

Driving, Dr. said NO driving for 4 weeks AND NO riding either for 4
weeks.....now I had a nurse in the hospital tell me that i CAN ride in
the car,,,but NO driving.....the dr. said its because If we would wreck
OR if he would have to slam on the brakes, that would NOT be good for my
insides....

does anyone ride in the car?

I did. Right away.


~Carol Ann
Mom to Morgan born 3.24.04
http://share.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=EeBNnDdizZNneg ---Pictures!

"Donna Metler" wrote in message
.. .



I expect because, while it's possible to not drive for a month, it's not
possible to not be a passenger for a month. If no other reason, you're
probably going to have a follow-up appointment for you and the baby within
that time, have to come back and get the staples out, etc. I can think of
6
times at least I had to be in the car going somewhere the first month
after
coming home from the hospital-including several within the first week.

That sounds right to me.

Also, it occurs to me that one is *much* less likely to get into a car
accident if one is not driving sleep-deprived. Of the two parents, mom is
generally much more tired in the early days than dad is. Maybe that
contributes to the idea that it's generally ok to be a passenger, if not a
driver.

Donna

"Nan" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 27 May 2004 19:53:04 -0400, "Donna"
wrote:


"Jennifer and Robert Howe" wrote in message
ink.net...
heck I was in the hospital for 3 days the doc told me no driving or
steps
for 2 weeks. I didn't listen and started driving after a week and
doing
steps a few days after I came home. You need to listen to your own body
and
it will tell you if you need to rest or stop those activities.

Well... your body may feel ready to drive after a c-section, but that
doesn't mean you won't eviscerate in a minor crash all the same.

Not to be the voice of doom and gloom, but sometimes, even taking it
super easy after a section doesn't mean you won't eviscerate. In the
middle of a drugstore, even :-/

Poor Nan. I remember that happened to you. We were very worried around
here when we heard.

Donna

Donna wrote:
They both feel that after abdominal surgery, the consequences of an
accident can be so severe, that it's better not to be driving at all for
that period of time. Neither one has ever said that *riding* in a car was
at all risky. I have been under the impression that the major risk factor
in even a minor accident (following abdominal surgery) is impact with the
steering wheel.

The recommendation to not drive also comes in the fact that you are
stretching the incision by pushing on the brake and foot pedals. If you had
to slam on the brakes, you would then pull at the incision. I never heard of
not riding in a car, just not driving for a few weeks.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)

After two weeks I was driving again. Getting up and down for the first two
weeks was a challenge for me though. For some reason the staples were
pulling my skin real bad! The docote did an awesome job with a tiny paper
thin scar and I was completely healed at my 6 week check up. I was going
shopping and all too around the 3rd week. Even doing some cooking and
cleaning.