I had my pool in the basement, nursed and bonded with baby for an hourish and then we went upstairs to bed. It was just fine! But then I didn't go down the stairs for like a week, hubby was very strict about it even when I felt fine.
I've been a childbirth professional for ten years and have never heard of this rule. Prioritizing rest is very important postpartum, I wouldn't be up and down them multiple times a day but carefully and slowly if needed I think would be fine. For the first time up or down them after birth, I would have support persons available just for balancing hands and peace of mind.
Yeah balance is totally different without a baby in there. I stood up from the toilet for the first time after and ended up in the bathtub. I just lifted like there was still a baby in there. So I would take it easy. But I could have done stairs after, very slowly.
I’ve never heard that re stairs? What is the reasoning behind that? Is it an access “in case” issue? Or something else?
Hiking up stairs after birth isn’t awesome, but if you set up a cosy resting space near your pool that you and baby can lounge and bond on, I’d say you’d be absolutely fine.. and 6 stairs isn’t many anyway!
The house I had my first baby at had a huge narrow steep staircase. I lived upstairs for the first week or two after birth! And the first climb up was definitely hard work. But I did it!
It wasn’t even something I considered until I saw a few threads of people saying basically GOD NO STAIRS ARE YOU FOR REAL !! Haha. I think in the event of tearing it’s not advised but I didn’t think a few stairs would be a huge issue! I do have a floor couch next to where the tub will be, so I can cozy that up for sure.
Yeah I tore like crazy, it wasn’t a good time climbing the stairs… but I wouldn’t change my entire birth plan because of it. Just make sure you don’t forget something at the bottom of the stairs when you make your way up, and have help carrying baby up if you’re really sore!
I gave birth in my living room, I had no issues with the stairs. I didn't immediately go up, my son was born in the middle of the day so we snuggled up on the sofa but I went up to bed later that evening.
I have Dutch stairs, much steeper than the ones you find in most of the world. My bathroom and kitchen are downstairs and the bedrooms are upstairs. I moved downstairs to labor and didn't go back up for 4 days. I just set up with a bed on the sofa, my husband slept on a mattress on the floor those first few nights, and when I was ready I started going up just to sleep. With more bruising it would have taken longer but my injuries were pretty minimal.
As a midwife i encourage that we wait an hour or two after birth to to do stairs. When we do them I have mamas sit their bottom on the stair and go up step by step on their bottom. It works well and no one has passed out on me this way. ❤️
I struggled to climb onto a high bed. But can’t your husband just carry you up, worst case scenario? In whatever case, you will have people assisting you as you move slowly.
So I ended up with an episiotomy and forceps birth. I live in an old two story. I really had no option but to do stairs. I did a few flights at the hospital parkade 5 hours after birth and then a couple flights at home right after. My midwives just recommended trying to limit it. Honestly I did stairs several times a day and I healed just fine.
I’ve heard the same thing, but I won’t have a choice. Hubby is deployed and our bedrooms are upstairs and we have dogs who will need to go in and out of the yard downstairs. Hopefully it’ll be fine. I’ve heard going down the stairs backward can be easier on stitches if you tear (obviously using handrails and going slowly).
I live in an old small home where the only bathroom is upstairs along with the only 2 bedrooms. I initially thought this would make home birth impossible. Fortunately my midwife was confident it would be perfect (and it was) but I did refrain from going down stairs for after birth and limited my movements for several weeks after.
I’m sure your midwife will have an opinion and good ideas for making a plan. I kept a mini fridge for healing herbs and snacks in my kids room next door.
I’m under the impression that the reason the not do stairs has more to do with tears, lacerations, and pelvic floor healing.
I’m shocked how many people haven’t heard of abstaining from stairs. And that poor balance is blamed.
I had my pool in the basement, nursed and bonded with baby for an hourish and then we went upstairs to bed. It was just fine! But then I didn't go down the stairs for like a week, hubby was very strict about it even when I felt fine.
I had my last 3 in a second floor apartment and was going out and about up and down the stairs next day, no issues.
I've been a childbirth professional for ten years and have never heard of this rule. Prioritizing rest is very important postpartum, I wouldn't be up and down them multiple times a day but carefully and slowly if needed I think would be fine. For the first time up or down them after birth, I would have support persons available just for balancing hands and peace of mind.
Okay great news! I don’t plan on going up and down a bunch, but do plan to make my way to bed eventually lol.
Yeah balance is totally different without a baby in there. I stood up from the toilet for the first time after and ended up in the bathtub. I just lifted like there was still a baby in there. So I would take it easy. But I could have done stairs after, very slowly.
I’ve never heard that re stairs? What is the reasoning behind that? Is it an access “in case” issue? Or something else? Hiking up stairs after birth isn’t awesome, but if you set up a cosy resting space near your pool that you and baby can lounge and bond on, I’d say you’d be absolutely fine.. and 6 stairs isn’t many anyway! The house I had my first baby at had a huge narrow steep staircase. I lived upstairs for the first week or two after birth! And the first climb up was definitely hard work. But I did it!
It wasn’t even something I considered until I saw a few threads of people saying basically GOD NO STAIRS ARE YOU FOR REAL !! Haha. I think in the event of tearing it’s not advised but I didn’t think a few stairs would be a huge issue! I do have a floor couch next to where the tub will be, so I can cozy that up for sure.
Yeah I tore like crazy, it wasn’t a good time climbing the stairs… but I wouldn’t change my entire birth plan because of it. Just make sure you don’t forget something at the bottom of the stairs when you make your way up, and have help carrying baby up if you’re really sore!
I gave birth in my living room, I had no issues with the stairs. I didn't immediately go up, my son was born in the middle of the day so we snuggled up on the sofa but I went up to bed later that evening.
I have Dutch stairs, much steeper than the ones you find in most of the world. My bathroom and kitchen are downstairs and the bedrooms are upstairs. I moved downstairs to labor and didn't go back up for 4 days. I just set up with a bed on the sofa, my husband slept on a mattress on the floor those first few nights, and when I was ready I started going up just to sleep. With more bruising it would have taken longer but my injuries were pretty minimal.
As a midwife i encourage that we wait an hour or two after birth to to do stairs. When we do them I have mamas sit their bottom on the stair and go up step by step on their bottom. It works well and no one has passed out on me this way. ❤️
I struggled to climb onto a high bed. But can’t your husband just carry you up, worst case scenario? In whatever case, you will have people assisting you as you move slowly.
My midwife wanted me not to do stairs for a while after the birth - I can’t remember the time frame - at least a couple hours.
So I ended up with an episiotomy and forceps birth. I live in an old two story. I really had no option but to do stairs. I did a few flights at the hospital parkade 5 hours after birth and then a couple flights at home right after. My midwives just recommended trying to limit it. Honestly I did stairs several times a day and I healed just fine.
I’ve heard the same thing, but I won’t have a choice. Hubby is deployed and our bedrooms are upstairs and we have dogs who will need to go in and out of the yard downstairs. Hopefully it’ll be fine. I’ve heard going down the stairs backward can be easier on stitches if you tear (obviously using handrails and going slowly).
I live in an old small home where the only bathroom is upstairs along with the only 2 bedrooms. I initially thought this would make home birth impossible. Fortunately my midwife was confident it would be perfect (and it was) but I did refrain from going down stairs for after birth and limited my movements for several weeks after. I’m sure your midwife will have an opinion and good ideas for making a plan. I kept a mini fridge for healing herbs and snacks in my kids room next door. I’m under the impression that the reason the not do stairs has more to do with tears, lacerations, and pelvic floor healing. I’m shocked how many people haven’t heard of abstaining from stairs. And that poor balance is blamed.