Post Delivery - Climbing Stairs?

Wow, I never heard this one :-) I lived in a 4-level house when I had my daughter and was climbing stairs Day 1 (or Day 2 since Day 1 was in hospital). Never gave it a thought. You'll want to rest as much as possible the first days, but soon you'll be able to judge how much activity is OK for you.

Well, I've never had a C-section, but my vaginal deliveries were far from easy (included long and exhausting pushing sessions and episiotomies). I have had two kids in a home with all the bedrooms and showers upstairs and it was not a problem. You won't feel like running up and down the steps all day long for a week or so - maybe move a pack-n-play downstairs for babies naps - but a few times a day will be fine. 4-6 weeks with no stairs is pretty excessive! Maybe the C-section moms will have another perspective...

I was told not to drive and avoid lifting things heavier than my baby for 2 weeks after my C-section, and I think they may have mentioned trying to limit going up and down stairs - but the stairs were definitely not a problem (nor were they after my vaginal delivery). No strenuous exercise for 4-6 weeks is probably more likely.

I had a vaginal birth and climbed stairs - was never advised to do otherwise.
My sister has had 4 c sections and always had to climb stairs to get to her apartment. She was advised however to keep it to a minimum until well healed.
Good luck!

Both of my kids were delivered via C-Section. I was never told to avoid stairs. I would take it easy. Basically if it hurts, don't do it or be careful. And it's very helpful if you keep diapers and wipes in different rooms so you don't always have to run up and down stairs to change diapers.

I'm with the camp who was never advised against stairs. We have a two-story house and I delivered vaginally but incurred the most severe tear you can. I was still never advised not to climb stairs. I did everyday and just took it easy and slow. I healed fine with no long term effects. Hope this helps!

People are crazy, you will be fine.

I had 3 c-sections and I was never told to avoid the stairs. I live in a split-level so it would have been impossible to stay off of them completely. I was told only to avoid lifting anything over 20 lbs for 4-6 weeks, which is hard to do when you have two toddlers. Like everyone else has said - take it slow, take it easy and listen to your body, but I don't think you need to worry about avoiding stairs completely.

I had a c-section and didn't have a problem with stairs. I also live in a 2 story house. Just take it easy - and listen to your body as it heals. You will know your limitations.

I can tell you this much. With my first child I had 13 stairs to climb cause I lived in an apartment building. With my second child I had14.and with my third there was 15 to my bedroom. I climbed those stairs. However I did have my chidren naturally. With a c section I don't see why you couldn't sit up the stairs if you have to. I think what they don't want you to do is rip stitches. Just be careful. By the way I am fine and I'm 57.

Sandy

Two vaginal births here, lots of stairs. In fact, I delivered my second at home, in our basement, so I had to go up stairs to go to bed two hours after I delivered.

Women have been laboring for thousands of years and going to work immediately after. Yes, you may need to take it easier for a few days, yes, it may be a bit longer if you need a lot of stitches or sometime, but I was out walking three days after delivery with both of my kids.

I personally had no problems with stairs with my c-section. Good luck!

Three vaginal deliveries, one at home and no problems with stairs. Don't worry and best of luck.

I had an emergency C-section after 18 hours or so of labor and I was able to climb stairs as long as I took my time and climbed one stair at a time (right foot up, left foot up...next step, etc.). Of course, I had pain medication at first because if the C-section but my baby was in the NICU at that time so there was a lot of traveling and a lot of walking and I was fine. I have never heard anything about not climbing stairs after a vaginal birth. The reason they say not to after a C-section is because they don't want you to rip your internal stitches.

The house we were living in when we had our son had 1 flight of stairs. It wasn't easy going up/down them for a few weeks before or after (vaginal) delivery (my hip joints were so loose my bones felt like they were grinding). My Dr never said to avoid stairs, but I minimized using them when ever I could for a bit. My husband carried everything up and down for M. for awhile and he always stayed on the down side from M. so he could catch M. if I fell. I never did, but it was a sweet gesture. Stairs ease of use probably varies a lot from person to person.

I was told by my OB not to use our stairs for 2 weeks after discharge from the hospital after my c-section. My understanding is that this is not an issue with a vaginal birth. I did have complications including an infection and was in the hospital longer than the usual. I spent my first week after discharge at my parents' house - a one story to avoid the stairs. Then when we went home, I would only go upstairs at night for bed and shower.

In the morning, I cleaned myself up, got dressed and went downstairs for the day. I piled things at the bottom of the stairs for my husband to take upstairs when he got home and my son and I stayed downstairs. I have a 1/2 bath downstairs so toilet wasn't an issue and I bathed him in the kitchen sink. I had a pack n' play for him downstairs and slept on the sofa myself.

You may be fine but think about what you would need to do in case you can't do the stairs. Maybe a moses basket, cradle or pack n' play would be helpful downstairs - consider having all diaper changing / bathing supplies downstairs.

Also, after c-section you are told to not lift anything heavier than baby for 2 weeks and to not drive!! This is because c-section is a major abdominal surgery!!! In some states, you are given physical therapy after c-section - ask about it if you don't have a vaginal birth.

Best wishes and congrats! C.

I believe that after a c-section it can be difficult/painful. But after a vaginal birth, you can climb stairs.

I had stairs in my house after I delivered my daughter. It was a little painful the day after delivery but fine after that. I had a natural delivery and 5 or 6 stitches but it was really never a problem. Good luck!

I had 2 C sections. One complex one that required a longer hospital stay and blood transfusions. But I did the stairs from day one at home. Just take it slow! I wouldn't worry about it. 4-6 weeks!? Wow - that sounds quite overly cautious. Good luck! :-)

I've had 4 vaginal deliveries and never heard a word about not climbing the stairs. I was home, climbing the stairs, 24 hours after each delivery and never had a problem. Minimizing how much you carry up and down is good, but as others have said, just listen to your body. Pain is your body's way of saying that something isn't right. Having diapers in every main room you are in is a very good suggestion, as is having a pack'n play, or bassinet downstairs. Anything you can to do make things simpler those first few weeks/months is always a good thing!

Oh, and my best friend had 3 c-sections and was told not to drive, and not to do anything excessive that causes her pain, but stairs were never a problem for her.

i was never told not to climb stairs after my daughter was born, and at the time, our apartment was on the third floor of our building. it wasn't a problem for M., i just had to walk slower going up and down the stairs.

I had 2 C-sections in the last 3 years, and both times, I stayed downstairs/slept in a recliner for the first week or so. Then started slowly, going up stairs for the necessity of a shower, made sure to have DH carry the baby, and I walked slowly really USING the hand railing. It wasn't too bad, what was hard was laying flat on my back in the bed after 11 days of being slightly elevated in a hospital bed or recliner. When ou have to lay flat, it really feels like i tpulls on those abdominal staples or stitches or tape and glue, whatever you have at the moment...it loosens up a little at a time.

Once I did start climbing the steps, i tried to limit it to once up at night and once down in the morning, for the first week or so....make sure you do/get everything you need before you make the trip, or send someone else to fetch things for you.

I have not heard that about vaginal deliveries, but with my c-sections, they said no stairs for 2 weeks, but i was recovering well, and had that situation too, so I had to do it, but very carefully. Also, with C-sections, be prepared to not be allowed to drive for 2 weeks, so your after appointments for you and the baby will have to be cheauffered at first.

Jessie

You can climb stairs. They just want you to limit it as much as possible. Such as no extra trips. Keep diapers on every level etc. If you are concerned talk to your dr. They don't want you to over exert yourself and take it easy as much as possible because of bleeding and such.

I have not heard that, but that doesn't mean that it isn't true. If you think about it, women have been having babies for thousands of years, and what if you have more than one child? You've got to get right back on your feet. I think it would be okay, just don't run up the stairs, take your time and listen to your body. Your body will let you know if something is wrong!!

I'm curious too. We moved into a different house and I will HAVE to go up and down stairs unless I want to confine myself to my room/bathroom.

i never heard of that one...c-section i guess i can see..i really never changed anything while preg.or after..up an down stairs long walks etc.there are so many rules to being preg.now-glad i dont have to deal with it anymore.id say just live your life as you normally would..i even went sliding while 9-1/2 months preg with my son..

I never heard that, and i was up and down the stairs all the time post delivery, as there's no way to get in our house without. If it hurts you, you can try sleeping on the couch for a few days until it feels better, but if you dont have any problems, I dont see any reason to avoid the stairs. That's silly.

I have never heard this and had no problems climbing stairs , I had 2 vaginal and 1 c-section , yes I was a little sore and couldn't go up the stairs 2 at a time like I usually do but could go up at a normal pace. Don't panic and re arrange your home , you will be fine.

I had a c-section and wasn't told this! I had diapers and such downstairs along with her playpen/bassinet so that I didn't have to take her upstairs every time she needed a diaper change.... Like the others said, follow what your body says.

I have never heard of this. When they did the old fashioned hysterectomy that would be the case but the way they do it now you can be back to your regular routine in about 3 weeks. I just became a new grandmother and her doctor didn't mention anything about it

The reason people aren't supposed to climb stairs is if they have stitches. The same goes for driving. Either activity will pull on those stitches and make it hurt more. You won't want to be climbing any stairs right away regardless. But after a few days/a week you should be fine to go up the stairs at night and down in the morning. I slept in our recliner the first week anyways and my bed's on the first floor. Time will meld into one big blur and you will be sleeping where you can when you can.

I sure hope not as I climbed stairs regularly (same living situation as yours) after both of my natural births. I think it may be an old wives tale. Not always comfortable, but certainly manageable!

I have never heard of this at all...I would say a good 50+ percent of the women will have to walk up a flight of stairs at least multiple times a day after delivery. i have had two vaginal births and the second was with horrid tearing and I managed the flight of stairs easily. No skipping stairs, running up or down just regular walking up and down should be no issue at all. There is no reason to move because of a few stairs. I think getting in and out of a bed is worse then the stairs... just my opinion!!

i had three vaginal deliveries, came home 24 hours after the births, and was climbing stairs while carrying laundry baskets within an hour of being home. i had a small episiotomy with the first and thus had a little more discomfort - i don't think you'd be able to do much stair climbing following a c-section though, so i'd just plan to head upstairs and bunk there for a few days - let others bring you food and such. good luck.

I live in a two story house with all bedrooms upstairs. I had a c-section with my first pregnancy. As far as stairs went. I just took it slowly.

Stairs after c-section are hard due to the fact that you don't have full use of your abdominal muscles. I couldn't get out of bed, much less raise my leg for stairs. But that only lasted about 2 weeks. No one ever said not to do stairs. I had no problem walking stairs after any of my 3 vaginal births. I really wouldn't worry about it - unless you have a c-section - and then it would only send you to the couch for a couple of weeks - a small inconvenience for the lifetime with your child.

Two vaginal births for M., too, and the only way I was going to live was by climbing stairs as our laundry room is on the second floor along with our bedrooms, baths, etc.

I, too, had an episiotomy with the first child and was told not to climb stairs for a week. It was OK. You just have to be careful not to over-extend it.

After both deliveries, I pushed myself harder than normal which kept M. sorer longer, but there were no complications from going about normal life.