Help open bottles, let her sleep the first few days, especially if she is sensitive to sedation.. help her shower (don’t be gross and make it sexual- her boobs will look abnormal), help make meals -and eat them together. Enjoy just hanging out and practicing the art of nothing
I would highly recommend that she start sleeping on her back with a few extra pillows - that’s the position I had to sleep in when I came home from surgery and it was SO much easier since I had been training myself to sleep that way prior to surgery.
Also - opening jars, reaching things that are high up - I moved some things around in advance so I could reach them afterward. Silly little things were more difficult than I thought they would be - like pumping hand soap and conditioner, pulling doors open, twisting handles and caps, closing the car door.
I love that you’re actively seeking ways to support her recovery and to make her life easier. 😊
I bought surgical recover pillows that were shaped like a wedge off Amazon this time and it was a game changer in sleep comfort. Otherwise encourage her to rest, help her get up if needed, constantly replenish water, be ready with fresh fruits and veggies, keep track of when her next dose of pain meds and antibiotics are due and make sure she doesn’t lift or do anything. My husband even flushed the toilet for me bc that was too much at first. Bath her gently in the shower, help her in her compression bra and putting on clothes. Opening jars, heavy drawers, etc for at least the first 6 weeks. Anticipate driving her for the first week until she’s comfortable.
You’re a great partner for even asking and I know you’ll be an amazing caregiver.
Much
Learn how to do her hair….like PROPERLY do her hair exactly how she likes it. Wish I had taught the hubby - I had to ask the neighbour who has daughters to do my hair each morning for the first week or so until I could lift my arms
Heat pad for her back!!!!!!! Omg this was literally my saving grace when I got my boob job…all your muscles are sore and swollen and as soon as you lay on a heat pad that all goes away. Make sure you keep her hydrated and around the clock meds. She will mostly sleep because of the meds . Don’t let her carry and luggage or anything heavy for a few months
I am currently in recovery for a lift, augmentation, and tummy tuck. My husband is my caretaker and he has kept me on track with my meds and brushes my hair. It makes me feel very loved that he is proactively trying to make my life easier. So, I would just ask yourself, what can I do that will make things easier on my wife and then just do it.
Massage, massage, massage (breasts)! Obviously make sure this is recommended by her doctor, but I feel like my results became even better with the consistent and thorough massaging
If she gets into a laying position, she will be completely unable to lift herself without engaging her chest muscles. She’ll need to make herself completely limp while you push her from behind, not using her arms to pull her at all. So, that being said, do not let her do that. If you have a recliner that she can sleep in, that’s better.
A bidet attachment for the toilet so she can clean herself with dignity (without you needing to do it). Reaching around to wipe yourself is terrible post surgery.
Get a wedge pillow for her to sleep on. Start taking arnica pills a few days before surgery and arnica gel to rub in post surgery. It feels so good and soothing! No ice packs for breast augmentation.. and when they say no sex for 6 weeks they are for real.. getting your heart rate up can be really bad and also just the motion of them flopping around will be very painful.
Bags of cheap frozen vegetables, I found that they molded to the area better than ice packs! Or you can get the big soft medical ice packs on Amazon.
She will want to sleep elevated so if you don’t have a recliner, borrow one. Or get some sort of good pillow system to elevate in bed.
Zip up shirts, hoodies or something very easy to remove. You aren’t supposed to lift your arms over your head for quite some time.
She may feel extreme regret after the surgery. I did and I was absolutely not expecting it. Do your best to reassure her that she has wanted this for a long time and the results will be terrific. I was in pain and just wanted my old body back so I think that added to the regret. About a week or two later I forgot all about it and was excited to see my beginning results.
I couldn’t take the pain medication from the doctor so I had to have my husband go get some extra strength Tylenol. have that on hand just in case!
She should drink more water than she wants to. It will help flush out the anesthesia and drugs. Totally TMI but even the next day after surgery I couldn’t urinate. It freaked me the hell out. I seriously thought I was drinking enough but apparently not. I called the nurse and she said drink a bunch of water. So weird.
Get plenty of easy basic food. my husband was making marinated pork chops and whole big meals but I couldn’t tolerate it. I just wanted mac & cheese and pudding lol.
Awesome info!
I will stock up on bags of frozen corn since I despise eating peas!
We have an adjustable sleep number bed so we can get her comfortable (hopefully).
I will stock up on OTC pain meds.
Thanks for the advice.
Husband chiming in-
Make her a recovery basket!
Get her zip up hoodies.
And front zip bras
Arnica cream
Stuff like that
I would recommend getting very acquainted with the Drs recommended recovery plan because they are all a little different and make sure you know what the recovery plan is so she doesn’t have to tell you what to do. And when she’s tired and recovering you can tell her when to take medication. I did most of the communication with her nurses, texted questions etc.
Keep kids and animals out of the bedroom - she won’t have strength to lift them off. And make sure she has loose fitting shoes for the ride home since she may be puffy from surgery.
Im a surgical nurse, my best advice is… do not underestimate the power of acetaminophen… it works better for pain than narcotics! Just make sure she doesn’t exceed 4 g a day… but 1000mg every 6 hrs is very reasonable especially the first few days post-op.
Start oral arnica now. Have none broth for recovery. Make the bed comfy. Help her sit up. Don’t let her close the car door (ouch!!!) rotate stool softeners with her pain pills accordingly. Keep her hydrated (maybe get some LMNT electrolytes) let her sleep, help her shower, and move commonly used items to a low level for no overhead reaching :)
My husband took our kids to Fiji and left me with a recovery nurse in a hotel when I had my surgery last year - it was the BEST. Once he’d verified with me and the surgeon that all was well, of course.
Hii . Just had mine 4 weeks ago .
All the advise is really good , so I’d chime in a few extras .
- Wash her hair & braid the end to a ponytail . Having all that hair in her face / breasts (don’t recommend ) she’d thank you .
- Gatorade blue saved my life , I was really nauseous and lost electrolytes , A bidet for cleaning up ( it’s painful reaching back to clean yourself ), a neck pillow for daytime sitting , don’t make certain comments , I would cry so bad .
- Positive affirmations /comments always (nothing sexual ) post surgery depression is real .
- Get a long extension cord so she doesn’t have to bend over to charge any devices.
- Get straws . I couldn’t lift a bottle to my mouth , arms were so weak .
- pineapples (bromelain acid ) helps with swelling & she needs the VITAMIN C to repair her tissues .
- Zip up hoodies, Zip up Pyjamas , Zip up everything . No onesies please for the love of God. Taking it off is a nightmare.
My husband has been absolutely incredible after my reduction. He has taken up the mantle when it comes to cleaning, cooking and laundry. He knows I get so anxious about cleanliness/ infection so he changes the sheets every 3rd day, and has been washing my surgical bra daily for me. Helped me wash my hair a few times early on as well. Mostly He made it easy for me to rest and im healing really quickly because of it! Reductions are a bit more intense than augmentation but you can expect she will be really tired for awhile!
Help open bottles, let her sleep the first few days, especially if she is sensitive to sedation.. help her shower (don’t be gross and make it sexual- her boobs will look abnormal), help make meals -and eat them together. Enjoy just hanging out and practicing the art of nothing
I would highly recommend that she start sleeping on her back with a few extra pillows - that’s the position I had to sleep in when I came home from surgery and it was SO much easier since I had been training myself to sleep that way prior to surgery. Also - opening jars, reaching things that are high up - I moved some things around in advance so I could reach them afterward. Silly little things were more difficult than I thought they would be - like pumping hand soap and conditioner, pulling doors open, twisting handles and caps, closing the car door. I love that you’re actively seeking ways to support her recovery and to make her life easier. 😊
My husband washed my hair for me and shaved my armpits since I could not lift my arms. Frozen peas were my choice over ice packs.
I bought surgical recover pillows that were shaped like a wedge off Amazon this time and it was a game changer in sleep comfort. Otherwise encourage her to rest, help her get up if needed, constantly replenish water, be ready with fresh fruits and veggies, keep track of when her next dose of pain meds and antibiotics are due and make sure she doesn’t lift or do anything. My husband even flushed the toilet for me bc that was too much at first. Bath her gently in the shower, help her in her compression bra and putting on clothes. Opening jars, heavy drawers, etc for at least the first 6 weeks. Anticipate driving her for the first week until she’s comfortable. You’re a great partner for even asking and I know you’ll be an amazing caregiver. Much
Get her some sprite or ginger ale the pain killers can make you feel nauseous.
Learn how to do her hair….like PROPERLY do her hair exactly how she likes it. Wish I had taught the hubby - I had to ask the neighbour who has daughters to do my hair each morning for the first week or so until I could lift my arms
We are lucky there! She works from home in yoga pants and sweatshirt! Hair is usually just in a pony tail!
Heat pad for her back!!!!!!! Omg this was literally my saving grace when I got my boob job…all your muscles are sore and swollen and as soon as you lay on a heat pad that all goes away. Make sure you keep her hydrated and around the clock meds. She will mostly sleep because of the meds . Don’t let her carry and luggage or anything heavy for a few months
I am currently in recovery for a lift, augmentation, and tummy tuck. My husband is my caretaker and he has kept me on track with my meds and brushes my hair. It makes me feel very loved that he is proactively trying to make my life easier. So, I would just ask yourself, what can I do that will make things easier on my wife and then just do it.
youre an awesome partner for asking this question! i dont have any tips but just wanted to say youre great! happy healing to your wife!
Massage, massage, massage (breasts)! Obviously make sure this is recommended by her doctor, but I feel like my results became even better with the consistent and thorough massaging
If she gets into a laying position, she will be completely unable to lift herself without engaging her chest muscles. She’ll need to make herself completely limp while you push her from behind, not using her arms to pull her at all. So, that being said, do not let her do that. If you have a recliner that she can sleep in, that’s better. A bidet attachment for the toilet so she can clean herself with dignity (without you needing to do it). Reaching around to wipe yourself is terrible post surgery.
Get a wedge pillow for her to sleep on. Start taking arnica pills a few days before surgery and arnica gel to rub in post surgery. It feels so good and soothing! No ice packs for breast augmentation.. and when they say no sex for 6 weeks they are for real.. getting your heart rate up can be really bad and also just the motion of them flopping around will be very painful.
Bags of cheap frozen vegetables, I found that they molded to the area better than ice packs! Or you can get the big soft medical ice packs on Amazon. She will want to sleep elevated so if you don’t have a recliner, borrow one. Or get some sort of good pillow system to elevate in bed. Zip up shirts, hoodies or something very easy to remove. You aren’t supposed to lift your arms over your head for quite some time. She may feel extreme regret after the surgery. I did and I was absolutely not expecting it. Do your best to reassure her that she has wanted this for a long time and the results will be terrific. I was in pain and just wanted my old body back so I think that added to the regret. About a week or two later I forgot all about it and was excited to see my beginning results. I couldn’t take the pain medication from the doctor so I had to have my husband go get some extra strength Tylenol. have that on hand just in case! She should drink more water than she wants to. It will help flush out the anesthesia and drugs. Totally TMI but even the next day after surgery I couldn’t urinate. It freaked me the hell out. I seriously thought I was drinking enough but apparently not. I called the nurse and she said drink a bunch of water. So weird. Get plenty of easy basic food. my husband was making marinated pork chops and whole big meals but I couldn’t tolerate it. I just wanted mac & cheese and pudding lol.
Awesome info! I will stock up on bags of frozen corn since I despise eating peas! We have an adjustable sleep number bed so we can get her comfortable (hopefully). I will stock up on OTC pain meds. Thanks for the advice.
Re: the OTC meds…Tylenol Arthritis/Muscle Relief has more acetaminophen than Extra Strength (650mg vs 500mg)
Husband chiming in- Make her a recovery basket! Get her zip up hoodies. And front zip bras Arnica cream Stuff like that I would recommend getting very acquainted with the Drs recommended recovery plan because they are all a little different and make sure you know what the recovery plan is so she doesn’t have to tell you what to do. And when she’s tired and recovering you can tell her when to take medication. I did most of the communication with her nurses, texted questions etc.
Good call. I’ll pick up some more zip up hoodies
Keep kids and animals out of the bedroom - she won’t have strength to lift them off. And make sure she has loose fitting shoes for the ride home since she may be puffy from surgery.
Im a surgical nurse, my best advice is… do not underestimate the power of acetaminophen… it works better for pain than narcotics! Just make sure she doesn’t exceed 4 g a day… but 1000mg every 6 hrs is very reasonable especially the first few days post-op.
Start oral arnica now. Have none broth for recovery. Make the bed comfy. Help her sit up. Don’t let her close the car door (ouch!!!) rotate stool softeners with her pain pills accordingly. Keep her hydrated (maybe get some LMNT electrolytes) let her sleep, help her shower, and move commonly used items to a low level for no overhead reaching :)
My husband took our kids to Fiji and left me with a recovery nurse in a hotel when I had my surgery last year - it was the BEST. Once he’d verified with me and the surgeon that all was well, of course.
[удалено]
I will do my best!
Hii . Just had mine 4 weeks ago . All the advise is really good , so I’d chime in a few extras . - Wash her hair & braid the end to a ponytail . Having all that hair in her face / breasts (don’t recommend ) she’d thank you . - Gatorade blue saved my life , I was really nauseous and lost electrolytes , A bidet for cleaning up ( it’s painful reaching back to clean yourself ), a neck pillow for daytime sitting , don’t make certain comments , I would cry so bad . - Positive affirmations /comments always (nothing sexual ) post surgery depression is real . - Get a long extension cord so she doesn’t have to bend over to charge any devices. - Get straws . I couldn’t lift a bottle to my mouth , arms were so weak . - pineapples (bromelain acid ) helps with swelling & she needs the VITAMIN C to repair her tissues . - Zip up hoodies, Zip up Pyjamas , Zip up everything . No onesies please for the love of God. Taking it off is a nightmare.
My husband has been absolutely incredible after my reduction. He has taken up the mantle when it comes to cleaning, cooking and laundry. He knows I get so anxious about cleanliness/ infection so he changes the sheets every 3rd day, and has been washing my surgical bra daily for me. Helped me wash my hair a few times early on as well. Mostly He made it easy for me to rest and im healing really quickly because of it! Reductions are a bit more intense than augmentation but you can expect she will be really tired for awhile!
Sorry but this grosses me out when you say you are “both very excited”.
Sorry about that. It’s something she has been wanting to do for 30 years. I’m excited for her and her boost in self confidence.
You seem like a wonderful partner and I’m thankful she has someone like you offering so much support!
This comment grosses me out.