Recovering from VSG while caring for toddler

Hi everyone,

I'm in the process of all my pre-op appointments within the Bariatric Network in Toronto. I'm going to be having a VSG whether insurance decides to cover it or not. I'm curious if anyone is willing to share their experience in caring for their child/children after surgery? I'm a single mother and I have a 2 year old daughter. She is in daycare but she is EXTREMELY active. We spend nearly every evening at a park. I have parents who do not live locally but are happy to take her while I'm having surgery and in the hospital. But how soon post-op were you able to resume fully caring for your child/children unaided?

YOU WILL HAVE to have someone with you looking after when you first come home.

I have two toddlers i thought id be okay after a few days, i had surgery 4th july i am still at my mums but going home on friday and will still be in pain , i only just started driving so my mum was doing the drive for them to school, its hard to bend and your not allowed to lift. there is no way you would come home the day from hosp and look after her fully on your own, some may risk it but i would not.

you will be so sleepy and exausted last thing you want is falling asleep when she is on her own.

goodluck

+ 2 yrs is much more demanding than my 4 and 5 year old. they need alot of attention i would make sure to have support planned for after.

You will be able to do most things, but the only ABSOLUTE restriction is no lifting anything heavier than 10 pounds for 6 to 8 weeks after surgery. It could be very dangerous if you do.

Anything else you will be able to handle. Most everyone does. You will be tired much quicker for quite a while, and will need naps more than you might think. But other than lifting, there will be nothing you can't do.

Ditto about the lifting restrictions! It might be wise to get help for the evenings so she has someone to run around with her at the parks - local babysitter? Or maybe a playmate/parent from daycare?

You'll likely be super tired (and drugged) for the first 2-7 days and then your energy will sloooooowly return over the next few weeks. But the lifting restriction is the big thing to think about here.

Thankfully, at 2, you can explain to her "no jumping on mommy right now." :)

Oh boy, I don't think I could have managed taking care of my daughter when she was 2 right after surgery. Perhaps you should ask your parents how they feel about taking her for a solid two weeks? Maybe stay with them so you can do some of the child care that doesn't involve picking her up.

My parents are really wonderful and since my daughter is literally their everything I know they'd love that but my daughter has never had an overnight. I'm concerned about how she'll manage just while I'm in the hospital so a 2 week stint is not possible. My mom is volunteering to come stay with us though so I will have help for the few weeks after.

That's really fantastic of your mom! Assuming having her stay with you won't add to your stress while recovering, sounds like a good offer to accept.

My baby was 10.5 months and 18lbs when I had VSG. My husband was able to work from home for a week after I had surgery but then I was on my own. I was exhausted, uncomfortable, and had a hard time lifting my baby for more than just a few seconds until about week 4. I survived without complications from not following the lifting restriction but it was a really difficult time and I 100% do not recommend it!

I'd like to chime in that I absolutely agree about the lifting. The problem is really that at some point, you might forget that you can't pick them up. For me - my youngest was 7 at the time of surgery, and I think it was about 3-4 weeks out... She had fallen asleep somewhere other than her bed, which is normal for her. What's normal for me to do is to pick her up and move her to her bed. I was really careful about that in the first couple of weeks, but at this point, I completely forgot. I picked her up, and instantly felt pain (a ripping sensation) in my incisions and had to put her right down. Fortunately nothing has come of it, but it could have been a major problem. You have to be really careful!