While going in for surgery is never fun, undergoing a surgical procedure can be even more difficult to figure out logistically when you’re a mother with young kids at home. But with the right planning, preparation, and expectations, you can find a way to recover safely at home without losing complete control over your household.
To show you how this can be done, here are three tips for moms recovering for a surgical procedure.
Get On The Same Page With Your Partner
If you have a partner at home, it’s important that you’re able to get on the same page about how things will be handled when you’re at home recovering. Things you were once able to do might have to be put on the back burner or given to someone else to take care of until you’re able to get back to your previous physical health.
According to Amanda Gardner, a contributor to WebMD.com, this should include not only your duties at home as a mother, but also within your relationship with your partner. After many surgeries, especially ones that took place in your pelvic region, you’ll likely have to abstain from sex for a while. But by getting on the same page with your partner, you’ll be able to make it through this recovery time without too much hardship.
Enlist The Help Of Friends, Family, and Neighbors
For some people, they either don’t have a partner at home or have a partner that won’t be able to pick up all the slack while their recovering from surgery. In situations such as this, it can be helpful to enlist the help of friends, family, and neighbors so you can focus on recovering quickly and safely.
Heather Holtz, a contributor to Chicago Parent, shares that even something as small as scheduling a playdate at a friend’s house or asking someone to bring in dinner for a few days can really take a lot of the stress off while you’re healing and resting. If no one offers these things to do, swallow your pride and ask someone if they would be willing to help you out, as you’ll likely be happy you did.
Keep Reminding Your Kids To Be Gentle
While you might be prepared for your kids to nervous about your surgery, what many parents don’t remember is to teach their kids to be gentle with Mom when she comes home.
To help with this, Allison Walsh, a contributor to Spine-Health.com, recommends that you come up with a plan to be around your kids in a safe way while you’re recovering. This might mean keeping some physical distance so that they don’t wind up hurting you.
If you’re going to be having surgery soon, consider using the tips mentioned above to prepare yourself, your home, and your family for Mom being on bed rest for a while.