Beck,

I had this surgery 4 weeks after the birth of my first son (by c/section). I had enough expressed for the day when I went in early morning, fed up until the op pre med, pumped the first feed after the op (once I was able to get up and about which was about midnight) and then fed bubs the next morning and left the hospital that day (afternoon I think). My surgeon had suggested I could even room in with bubs but given I wasn't in the maternity ward they required hubby to be there to look after him anyway so we thought it better they went home. Anaethitist said I didn't have to pump the feed if I didn't want too cause it was miniscul (sp??) quantity but given bubs was at home, I had had the morphine drip and I was exploding I just pumped and threw to be 100% sure and cause I was going to burst otherwise

Only had the one child and had help around but don't remember recovery being too bad other than the gas build up in the shoulder which stayed for the full six weeks for some reason (but that was just an ache).

got a bit of oozing from my belly button which may have been contributed to by the breastfeeding - tried to make I used a pillow between wounds and bubs immediately after - with a six mth old you may need to watch that but a bit of padding between you and bubs should prevent any hassles.

Given I'd had two GA's in the space of four weeks I recovered pretty well. Post op pain relief was the same brand as after the c/section so wasn't worried about the affects of that on bubs.

sorry if this is all over the place but just wanted to let you know have been there done that so to speak although with only bubs to look after. Can you work the op to tie in with your husbands days off cause I'm pretty sure after 3 or 4 days you'll be doing pretty well - i can't remember how well I was though for looking after a toddler though. I do know that 4 weeks later I had my inlaws for christmas and a christening and I was perfectly fine