Tending to children post-op

[laffypatty 47]

I'm entering my third month of a 4-month process to be approved for gastric sleeve surgery. If all goes as planned (fingers crossed), I'll have surgery in early September. At that time, I will have a daughter who's almost three and a son who's six months old. Right now, my daughter weighs 32 pounds and my son weighs 18 pounds. (Yes, he's a BIG one!) To those of you who've been through this with small children, how HARD is it? I know that I won't be able to lift up on anything over 20 pounds or so for the first month, and I keep telling myself that it's ONLY A MONTH, but that seems like a long time to not be able to pick up my babies. On the other hand, I am so ready to do this, and if I don't have surgery before my baby starts walking, I won't be able to do it until he's at least 3. But I'd like to hear from those of you who have done it. FYI, my mom has agreed to help out during the week, and my mother-in-law will help us on the weekends. My husband is also very supportive of this surgery.

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

You have a really great support system.......The month will pass by really fast and the kids can sit on your lap and still be with you....You can do this!

[FeeIsMe2 508]

With help you should be fine. Just remember to be careful getting your kids in and out of the car seats, it's such a habit that you may forget.

Good Luck!

[cmathews77 10]

Hi, I'm two weeks post op and have a 3 year old. Like you, I have a huge support system and it really hasn't been that big of a deal for me. She crawls in my lap...I just can't pick her up. I was told to not lift anything over 10 lbs., but if your doctor gave you the o.k. for 20 then you shouldn't have a problem with your 6 month old. Like the other post mentioned, be mindful because I started feeling normal around 4 or 5 days out and I would tend to forget. Good luck!

[kelley5989 9]

I'll be a week out tomorrow. I have three kids, 9, 7 and 3. I've been alone with them since Monday from 6am-6pm daily. And I've made out fine surprisingly because I really stressed about this. I don't have anyone to help me though. Today is the best I've felt since surgery. I do not feel like I've had surgery at all. Good luck to you!

[tesser85 38]

I have a three-year old who thinks I am her personal jungle gym. My husband and I really worked with her before I went for surgery to explain how things would be changing when I got home from the hospital (no more jungle gym, mommy can't pick her up, etc.) and that she would need to be very careful with Mommy's tummy. She has been really great for the most part. We still enjoy our snuggle time, but instead of sitting on my lap, she sits next to me. I'd love to hold her on my lap, but she is too active, and I am not yet healed enough for that. I tried it a few days ago and got a strong elbow poke in one of my incisions. NOT FUN!

Anyway, I would recommend that you prepare your daughter (as much as you feel comfortable sharing with her) and start changing her expectations soon. She is old enough to understand that Mommy has some "boo-boos" and can't pick her up for a while. Your son will not understand, and that will definitely be hard. You will need to brace yourself for feeling like a bad Mommy if you can't pick him up, and you'll have to forgive yourself for it. The most important thing after surgery is that you allow yourself the necessary time to heal! Lean on your support people, and lean on us here at VST if you need us. Know that you're not alone!

[laffypatty 47]

I just love this forum and all of you! Thanks so much!

[ashelaine 383]

I have 3- 3, 6 and 9. The 3 year old wasn't potty trained yet when I had my surgery and he is not an easy pull up change. 4 days after surgery in the 10 minutes people were gone he decides to have a massive blow out. Changing that was NOT fun, but I did it. You should be ok. And I would go easy with the baby for the first week or so, but you should be great

[skittlejessi 18]

I have a 2 and 4 year old, My husband was home with me one day before he went back to work. I never had a wt restriction I was told I could lift my kids (they are 30 and 40 pounds) and drive when I could look over my shoulder. I had about 4 days that I was just tired and napped with them. Other than that didn't need pain meds or anything else. Life was back to normal other than I had to keep showing them my bo bo's so that they could kiss them better. I would say you would need help for maybe one week but to not pick them up for a month seems a little overboard. I have been lifting wts and excersicing since 2 weeks post op and picking up kids all along. Good luck

[abranewme 98]

I have a 2 year old and I am so worried... he loves his Mommy and I love him more... My hubby will be off a week thankfully but a month of not picking him up?!? I'm dreading the thought.

[skittlejessi 18]

Fyi for the moms out there, post op was like 1st trimester. It literally reminded me of morning sickness, some nausea, tired and a little dizzy at times. But unlike the 1st trimester it didn't last for 6+ weeks, for me it was 4-5 days. So if you have more than one child you know how hard it is to be pregnant and take care of your kids. Same senario, Hopefully!

[laffypatty 47]

For those of you sleeved with small children: did you have to submit weight history? If so, did you submit pregnancy weight?

[ashelaine 383]

I submitted my 6 week post op from my 3 year old

[ashelaine 383]

Wait- post baby check up not post op lol

[JessicaAnn 564]

I was just sleeved 3 days ago. I'm a stay at home mom of 2 kids (1 and 3.5) and my husband went back to work. I have a 5lb weight lifting restrictions, but realistically, that's just not possible. I've tried avoiding it, or letting the baby crawl onto the couch and on my lap, but for naps I have to pick him in and out of his crib. I try to lift with my knees. I know I'm not supposed to, but I really have no other choice. I have no help. But once my husband gets home from work, he's an amazing help!