is anyone else NOT leaving th house, or bed, for a while?

[guestmama9904]

my plan is to stay mostly in bed for 2 weeks, as per my midwives "prescription" and my own comfort, but also from all the reading i have done on the post partum time in some cultures where mother and baby do not leave their room for around a month. my parents came over today, i am 5 days pp, and gently teased me about never leaving the house again. am i a freak?

[OkiMom]

I wish I could have done that. DD wasn't realeased from the hospital until 4 days pp. By then my oldest one had been shuffled from one babysitter to another and needed mommy time. She doesn't like being inside so we took her out. DH isn't too good about taking care of her when shes in a mood so I spent most of the last 10 days chasing her around and taking care of the new baby. I keep telling DH that I want one day where all I have to do is lay in bed and take care of the baby but its not going to happen.

Enjoy it while you can!

[erynw]

I don't think you will ever regret taking two weeks to bond, love, snuggle, get-to-know your new sweet baby.

Most people don't have the luxury. Please enjoy it!!!!!

[andi-mama]

I love the idea, and definitely could have done it as DH took 3 weeks off of work, but I can't. Staying in the house- let alone bed- all day makes. me. CRAZY. We went out the next day (though just to my parent's house), and at 3 days PP we went to an indoor playground so DS1 could burn off some energy. By 1 week PP I was back to "work" as the organizer of the local mom's group. I figure I can still have a babymoon on the go

[Limabean1975]

Hi, I'm not in your DDC but wanted to chip in here. If it feels right for you, DO IT and ignore the naysayers. With my first I mostly stayed in for the first 2 weeks or so, but allowed to many visitors and did not focus on resting as I should have, and paid for it with extreme exhaustion and PPD.

REST as much as feels good. Enjoy it!

[liseux]

I'm popping by from April ddc, but I think its a great idea for 3 reasons: milk supply, keeping baby safer in RSV season & mental health. I stay in bed for 2 weeks pp each time, but don't take baby anywhere for a month, not even church. I know some people go crazy cooped up at home, but I feel so much better when I do get out that it works well for me. Its a sweet time you won't get back with that baby-- so enjoy it!

Another thing, for me its such a constant stream of bodily fluids in that first month that I find going out really frustrating until I feel really rested.( Spit up, poo at every diaper change, blood, sweat & tears (me) I try to sleep when baby sleeps and esp. after my c/s I loved it.

[coyotemist]

Wow, you lucky gal! I wish I could have done that, but the only way we got released from the hospital was to have multiple doctors appointments set up in advance.

Enjoy your time to get to know your little darling!

[Booflies]

Briella will be 3 weeks old tomorrow and we've only left the house four times - once to my parents house. I have LOVED every minute of chilling at home and just easing into the role of mommy of two. Tomorrow we'll be back to "real life" though as we have 6 mommies and 10 kids coming over for a playdate

[natalieadw]

Awesome for you to be able to do that! I was up and about a few days pp because of the pp anxiety I had....if I would have stayed in bed it would have been a million times worse!

[snowgirl]

Originally Posted by Limabean1975

Hi, I'm not in your DDC but wanted to chip in here. If it feels right for you, DO IT and ignore the naysayers.

:

I couldn't agree more. I kind of spent the first 2 weeks at home. I had to go back to the hospital 1 week pp for 3 nights. Once I started feeling better, I needed to get out of the house. I was on bedrest for 5 weeks and have felt confined for about 3 months before DS was born. Plus, I used to work from home as well. Some people say, have your babymoon(6 weeks), it is just not an option for me. I will spiral into the ppd abyss if I were to do that. I understand their point, but I need to feel normal again.
Everyone is different, do what feels right to you.

[mochimama]

The first two weeks I think I went to the post office twice, once to the library, and once to a friends house. I think it's great to chill out during that time if it feels right for you. I'm starting to get antsy, though, but I'm trying to do more walks and things without a lot of people. I'm a bit nervous about getting sick this year so we pulled dd1 from preschool until the spring.
Enjoy your babymoon!

[podalyria]

I agree it's a great idea. I wish I had done it with my first so this time round I'm taking the R&R seriuosly. Having said that, we have been for a stroll around the block twice this first week and to mil for aswim on a hot and sticky day. The fresh air does me good. Definitely no trips to the shops or to see people for at least another week. This new baby vulnerable stage is so precious and i think us moms and babes need protecting from the wild world out there.

[E's Mama]

We have stayed in for the most part. I had a c/s, so I was in bed in the hospital room with LO for 4 days. I requested no visitors except my mother and DH and DS #1. It was great! Once I got home, I stayed in for about 2 weeks with only 1 visitor a day at the most.
I prefer to stay in as well! I go back to work in January and will dred leaving my warm comfy house and my special time with the boys!

[Captain_Crunch]

Not in your DDC (my little guy was born WAAAY back in January.) but I have to say that not taking a "babymoon" is the biggest regret I have from my son's birth. I felt so energized when my son was born that I swear I couldn't stay still, I really wish I had listened to everyone who said "stay home and rest!" I spent so much time going here and going there that Luke and I never really had that lovely mommy-son time to bond and fall into a rhythm or routine.

If you're at all like I was, feeling super energized post-partum, try to fight the urge to get out and do..they grow so fast and you can't get those precious first days back.

[Erlaine]

I'm planning not to drive anywhere till 6 wks pp...it's hard to stay in bed though!

[peainthepod]

You're not a freak. I'm trying to do this too. I was working too hard in the first couple of weeks and it really slowed down my healing and put me through a lot of unnecessary stress.

Since the baby was born three weeks ago, I've left the house twice: once to take pictures in the park a block from our house with DH, and once to meet a friend at a nearby coffee shop. The rest of the time I've spent lounging around in PJ's and getting used to being a mom. I really think it's why the baby and I have such a great nursing relationship so far--we've had lots of time to practice without interruptions.

[gypsymomma4]

I wish I could have done more of that. I almost enjoyed the two days in the hospital because for the most part it was just me and baby. I got more bonding time with ben than I did with my last, but I know it has taken me longer to recover, because of how on the go we have had to be. Between doctors appointments, and the kids classes, and being the one who has to run most of the errands, I would love a day at home, with nothing to do but take care of the baby. enjoy it, in the long run you won't regret it.

[Kleine Hexe]

I think it would be great if I lived in a culture where mom and baby stay in the house/room for a month.

I feel so good after this birth and I'm forcing myself to take it easy. So far in the two weeks since Miles was born we've been to my pp appt with the midwife and two pedi appts. I have not gone any where else. DH has been taking the older boys to classes and such. I stay home with baby. If I did try to leave the house, DH would stop me. He is pretty serious about keeping the baby at home for the first 4-6 weeks.

[Om Girl]

I haven't left the house in a week! This is record for me...I'm not going crazy either, although I thought for sure I would. It's just bitterly cold and I'm not enthusiastic about bundling all 3 of us up to venture outside.

Ariasmama-You're a TC girl right? Who were your MW?

[guestmama9904]

Originally Posted by Om Girl

I haven't left the house in a week! This is record for me...I'm not going crazy either, although I thought for sure I would. It's just bitterly cold and I'm not enthusiastic about bundling all 3 of us up to venture outside.

Ariasmama-You're a TC girl right? Who were your MW?

kim and kathy are my midwives. but i actually had a hospital birth due to preeclampsia. it was amazing though, 2 hours long wham bam style and no interventions.

how about you?