"Light" Housework? What IS that?

Hello!


I am in my 4th week of recovery (see my signature for what all I had done) and I have questions about what I can/cannot do. I KNOW that I cannot vaccuum or move furniture!
Can I load the dishwasher? Bathe the children? Do laundry? Mop the floor? (Would LOVE to mop this floor!)
I'm serious! I have no clue as to what light housework is. I know that I DO have to chase after a 3 year old and 1 year old from 7am until 6 pm....change diapers on the 1 year old, get him into his highchair, etc. Feed them their meals, get 3 year old to pre-school.
So, what is light housework?

My dr told me no lifting over 10 lbs, bending, or stretching for the first 6 weeks. So after thinking about what housework that included after eliminating what he ordered me not to do, I figured it meant that I could do some dusting, wipe off counters, wash dishes by hand, and fold laundry. Of course not do any of this with enough vigor to shake up the belly area and as long as I could do it without bending or stretching. Oh yeah, and I cleaned off the TV screen and other kinds of glass at certain heights.

Hi, Lillith,

Here's a link to a discussion about light housework:

http://www.hystersisters.com/light.php

I hope this helps.

Sending healing hugs,
Helen

I've hired someone to help me with house cleaning.

She will come in once a week to vacuum, change bedding and super clean the kitchen and bath.

Knowing she will be here will be a tremendous emotional load off my mind. Hey, I'm going to play the princess role to the hilt!!!

Here's a good list -- may seem a bit silly once you're past the first few weeks, but it's during this time when we start feeling better that most of us end up overdoing it and paying dearly.

Vacuuming, sweeping and mopping use ab muscles we don't even realize we're using. Best to avoid it.... to reference Kathy's book, _Through the Land of Hyster_ one gal used the no-longer needed pads to stick on the bottom of the feet as a little floor sweeper/mop

-Picking up pillows and repositioning them…..allowed
-Turning on dishwasher AFTER SOMEONE ELSE HAS LOADED IT…..allowed
-Changing roll of toilet paper…..allowed
-Flipping on lightswitch…..allowed
-Folding laundry…..allowed
-Taking short, easy walks and gentle stretching…..allowed
-Lifting the remote control…..allowed
-Asking others for help...allowed and encouraged

X – Vacuuming…..NOT ALLOWED
X – Sweeping or Mopping…..NOT ALLOWED
X – Carrying laundry across house to washer…..NOT ALLOWED
X – Lifting, Bending, Reaching, Driving…..NOT ALLOWED
X – Laying around the house all day doing nothing…..NOT ALLOWED
X - Bending to empty litterboxes....NOT ALLOWED
X - Going to Wal-Mart for a day of bargain shopping....NOT RECOMMENDED
X – Making other people’s problems your own…..NOT ALLOWED

Hope this helps!