Question:
Realistically how long will it be before I can care for my child?

I was wondering about how long realistically (with no complications) it will be before I can do things for my child such as...lift her into the car, lift her into a shopping cart, carry her, roll around on the ground with her? She is 2 and I am concerned this is going to be very difficult for me but mostly confusing for her.    — [Anonymous] (posted on December 7, 2001)

December 7, 2001
I had open RNY this past August. My surgeon said no lifting over 10 lbs for 6 weeks, no driving for 4-6 weeks. The surgeon really stressed no lifting because of the chance of herniating at the incision site. I don't know about your 2 year old but when my son was 2 he could climb to the top of the house if I didn't watch him. Your child might do fine climbing up into your lap without you lifting. Put something close to the bed so the child can climb up without you lifting or you can alway put a pallet on the floor for the child to sleep on. You can modify how you care for your child so you don't have to lift. I would think the running after a 2 yo would be the worst. My son wasn't the most cooperative at that age but if your's will mind you and follow directions that sure would make it easier. Where there's a will, there's a way.
   — Helen B.

December 7, 2001
I had my Open Rny surgery on 5-15-01 a Tuesday. I got out of the hospital on Friday. My husband took care of my 2 year old son (well he was actually 22 months) over the weekend. I would sit on the couch and put a pillow over me and let him climb up in my lap and sit with me. It did confuse him but he was happy to sit with me. My Mother in law cam that following Monday. She took car of Alex for the most part until that Thursday and by then I was feeling better and Alex was a little tired of her LOL. She stayed until that Friday. After she left I just modified how I took care of him. I placed a chair next to the counter so that he could climb up and sit on the counter while I cooked. When we went places instead of me picking him up and putting him in the car seat he climbed in and then I buckled him up. Now I will say that I did lift him more than I should have he weighed 30 pounds and I shouldnt have lifted him at all but Moms do what they have to do. I was lucky and didnt get a hernia. So to answer your question if you make some small changes here and there you should be doing fin 2 to 3 weeks after surgery to do all the normal mommy stuff. Good Luck.
   — Robin C.

December 7, 2001
You didn't say if you were having lap or open. If it is lap then you can do most things after about the 3rd or 4th week. I had both and my post op instructions were: no lifting more than 5 pounds for the next 6 - 8 weeks and no pushing or pulling (as in vacuuming). I could drive after the first week as long as I was comfortable with it. I had an open incision two years ago when they did exploratory surgery... I didn't listen to the surgeon then and got right back into doing housework and such and got a really big hernia in my incision. When I had the bypass done, they did the bypass lap, but re-opened the large incision down the front of my tummy to repair the hernia. Due to getting sick and throwing up alot after the WLS I ended up blowing out the incision again and getting another hernia that was bigger than the first one... and that was just from the strain of vomiting. Six weeks post op from bypass surgery I was in getting the hernia repaired again. All I can suggest is to really take it easy and allow time for the incision to heal properly. It may be the most important thing you do for yourself.
   — Kellie Jo B.

December 8, 2001
My surgeon was different on this than some of these others. I had Open RNY on 09.17.01 and was told that I could lift my then 21 month old (27 lbs) the day I got home from the hospital if I did it right (as demonstrated by the surgeon). I felt too weak to do it the first day home but the next day I picked her up and carried her and did fine... such a relief to both of us, as she is momma's girl!! :-) Getting her in the carseat was tougher because of all the twisting involved to get her into the middle seat of the Camry; I think it was about three weeks before I did that. I did have her dad take her to daycare every day while I was home so I would get more rest. Not quite 12 weeks out, I'm down 70 lbs and 58 inches, and have no hernia! I couldn't be more pleased! Feel free to read my profile, pages three and four, for more details about how I handled caring for my daughter. Good luck!
   — Julia M.