10 days post hysterectomy - I've been doing this...

bending, squatting, lifting my 17 lb daughter... normal activity. I had to take out my garbage last night and it was kind of heavy. Just had a lil abdominal pain and back pain. I had some help with my daughter in the beginning then I felt up to it. I was told to just take it easy nothing specific. I'm hurting but I'm fine. I'm now 10 days post op.

Were you not given a list of restrictions when you were discharged from the hospital?

You should be resting. You should not be bending or lifting, it can hurt you inside, things need to heal. Before 3 week mark, you still have internal stitches holding things together and then weeks 3-6 those stitches dissolve.
Make sure to call your doctor and make sure you are healing correctly since you have only one chance to heal.
Please rest and heal....sleep when you can since we do our best healing when we sleep.
Take care

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Originally Posted by SuzieQ992 Were you not given a list of restrictions when you were discharged from the hospital?

No just some discharge papers. And was told to take it easy and not go back to work. 6 week check up the end of April.

If you doctor told you not to go back to work, then it may be that he figured working would be too much for your healing body. Likely he meant you shouldn't be working at home either. It would be a good idea to give him a call just to find out for sure what you can and cannot do.

I will not do things like take out the trash, sweep, vacuum, clothes out of the wash into the dryer. Can someone help you with those? It is that pull across you mid that is dangerous. You can do anything with your arms and legs you want but don't stress out your core. They did tell me not to lift more than 10 pounds, but I was exercising and lifting weight before surgery and my arms are quite strong so I pick up a tad bit more. I also did not mind bending and squatting carefully. You probably are strong enough to hold the baby since you were constantly doing that pre-op but just be careful how you pick her up.

I was given the same instructions as BeachBabeSoon. My pre op paperwork also contains all of my post op instructions. I was told not to lift more than 10 lbs for about 6 weeks. I'm 8 days po, but I still have to have my mom, husband and my daughter help with all the housework and chores.

My big accomplishments today: I was able to change out of pajamas and wear my regular clothes (unbuttoned/unzipped), I was able to put away most of the groceries (sent my husband to the store), I was able to do some light dusting.

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Originally Posted by Sheisamazing bending, squatting, lifting my 17 lb daughter... normal activity. I had to take out my garbage last night and it was kind of heavy. Just had a lil abdominal pain and back pain. I had some help with my daughter in the beginning then I felt up to it. I was told to just take it easy nothing specific. I'm hurting but I'm fine. I'm now 10 days post op.

By me, the two most important sources of information to listen to are your doctor and your body. In your case, your doctor didn't give you specific restrictions. That leaves your body. You mention that you're "hurting." I'd suggest paying attention to the level of "hurting" you're experiencing, because that's your body telling you something.

I know for myself, I tried to pick up my 13-lb cat three days after surgery and my body told me quite clearly to put the cat down! Nor did it want to bend, but it was fine with stooping as long as I kept my butt above the level of my knees and used walls or furniture support while going up or down.

I'd suggest that one thing that's important is to pay attention to how you're moving and how it's making your body feel. If you start to moving in a certain way that causes pain, then stop immediately. Household tasks can be tricky because we tend to focus on the task rather than on our bodies. We push through and get the job done and then discover too late that we're hurting.

Myself, I experienced soreness and twingey-ness but no real pain *except* the few times I tried to do something stupid. Don't try to do a plank at three weeks, for example. Just don't.

If you pay attention to your body and follow its advice, you'll rarely go wrong.