I didn't expect that tightening/holding my core muscles *wouldn't* hurt, but it didn't, and it helped to get me standing up straight. I rememebr the physio came in and said "tighten your core muscles and it'll help you stand up straight and it'll help stop the pulling down on the scar". And my face went ARE YOU KIDDING ME! It seriously felt like the LAST thing I wanted to do, and the last thing that would help me stand up straight or feel less pullig/pain, but it was right. The more I held my core muscles in the easier it was to stand and move and pick up DD.

The thing I didn't expect was how difficult it was to twist and reach - the first night was really difficult as I wasn't out of bed yet (she was born late afternoon) and every time she cried my mummy instincts kicked in and I just wanted to hold her but some *****y stupid nurse had moved her cot out of arms length and no one was responding to my buzzer so I tried to reach over and almost fell out of bed, and I was so sore and tender I just cried.