Those of you who have had c-sections

kris356

I would like to do something for my SIL. She ended up with a c-section because they discovered the baby was breech when they did an ultrasound because she was passed due. Anyhoo, I have no ideas. I will make them food, her parents are here, and my brother is off for two weeks for paternity leave.

Jcubed2003

I loved it when folks brought food to us after E was born and everything went back to "normal" (i.e. my DH went back to work). Another idea would be doing some house chores like Laundry. I wasn't supposed to "do the stairs" too much for the first couple weeks and our laundry was  in the basement and we lived in a two story house. 

kris356

I should mentioned, that my parents live 5 minutes away also and I am pretty sure my brother will just drop off their laundry. 

Her family is all out of town, actually out of country, so she is stuck with 5 SIL and her ILs.

Meghan&Rich

Definitely food!  It doesn't even have to be meals, even snacks/drinks are nice (for any new parent).  Any help around the house or just offering to hold the baby while she showers, naps, etc.

bride2003

Gift certificate for massage (post natal) may be nice as well.  Not that she'll have time early on but will be nice to have once she feels normal again.   Food always good as well. 

sarahandtim

I loved getting a gift card and promised babysitting for a date night when we were all feeling up to it.

gwennythepooh

sarahandtim said:

I loved getting a gift card and promised babysitting for a date night when we were all feeling up to it.

This. While I didn't have a c-section - I was pretty overwhelmed at first and didn't know WHAT we needed at that exact moment. Something for down the road when they're ready for it would be nice. Congrats to them! 

kris356

Oh, don't worry baby watching and holding is noooo issue in my family. You want to shower, I come hold your squishy baby.

Although, children in our family all love my father. Seriously the man is a baby whisperer. Then he yells at us for not doing it right.

I will go load up on snacks. I am making wedding soup this weekend and will jar that up and take food over when my brother goes back to work in a couple weeks.

denalea

I agree with food.  The more "heat and serve" it can be the better.  After DH went back to work I struggled to find enough ready to eat stuff that I could grab quickly between diaper changes and feedings, etc.  I was also ravenously hungry All.The.Time.  Just pre-prepping snacks would be a super big help.  Cut up veggies.  Single serve crackers.   A cheese tray/bags of cheese that were already cubed.  Fruit that was a ready to eat as it could be.  I ended up eating so horribly (nutrition wise) those first few weeks because the convenience food was easy.  (Hello Eggo Waffles!!!!  I swear I could eat a whole box!)  This time I hope to plan ahead a bit and have some better stuff on hand.

Bonus points if the food can be eaten with one hand.  My LO had radar for when I was eating, and would yell his head off.  And as a new parent I could not enjoy a meal (or snack, or anything really) if he was screaming in the next room.  Especially if I was by myself.

Soup sounds great!  You could even portion it into a few smaller containers for easy heating/storage. 

My biggest (unplanned) CS related struggle was that I had some stuff in bottom drawers and such, (like jammies) and bending over was really hard.  So, if she's open to it, you could offer to collect a basket of most needed stuff and put it in a place where she won't have to bend.  Her parents may be doing that for her, but that was the one thing that took me by surprise.  I was fine in most respects, but bending HURT. 

kris356

Thanks girls!

She is lucky that my brother gets a two week paternity leave and my parents and sisters are all five minutes away.

Love the idea of grab and go portioned bags. I will do that right before K goes back to work.