Do you have someone stay with you after the birth?

[ChurchPunkMom]

Yeah, a post-partum doula is well worth it.

I've never had anyone stay with me. When I had my first I tore badly too (some say 3rd degree, some say 4th - I tore all the way into my sphincter muscle), so I hear where you're coming from. After he was born, when I left the hospital I went and stayed at my grandma's house for a couple days so that I wouldn't have to climb the stairs to our apartment so soon. J had to go back to work the day after we left the hospital. After 2 nights at grandma's, I went home and was on my own (so about 3-4 days after birth).

As luck would have it, J has always had to go back to work within a couple days of our children's births. So I've always been pretty much on my own from the git go. When Torrin was born (DS3), I did get a week off from watching my niece and nephew - but after that it was all 5 kids in my house 10hrs/day 5 days/week!

All of my recoveries have been easier than my first - by far. I've been ok without the help. After I had Eliana, I was very weak and anemic, but J was working from home at the time so he was able to do all the cooking for everyone and watch the boys. I felt SO spoiled!