How soon can I swim?

Hi - can anyone help with a couple of questions please?

Just joined the forum yesterday, read some advice to posts about showering and exercise after BA - just wondered what the general advice is about how long it would be before I could swim?

Am seeing consultant Richard Sutton at the new circle hospital in Peasedown st john on 11th October - think he also does Bath Clinic - has anyone had any experience of him or either hospital? Am hoping to have BA on 23rd Dec - have been pencilled in his diary by his secretary before I have even seen him - as I work in Childcare trying to get it done during Xmas Holidays.

For those who have had BA who have small children, how long was it before you could lift them - as my job in childcare involves sometimes lifting babies and toddlers?

Am going on a practise drive to the hospital later today to make sure I can do the journey in 30 mins at rush hour - as don't really want to take time off work for my appointment. Am a bit of a workaholic and control freak and don't want to be late.

you have to take 6 weeks off exercise including swiming xx

Natalia is right, and she is a little fitness bunny!!
Always listen to your surgeon, it will also depend on how well you are recovering. Never push yourself too soon. Each individual case is different xxx

I swim and this was one of the first questions I asked my surgeon as I was very keen to get back into it.

As swimming involves a lot of upper body use you have to wait out the 6 week excercise free period. xx

I was also told 6 weeks

I was gently lifting my 8 month old after 5 days but I had overs and had a very smooth pain free recovery. I had no choice about lifting the baby but I didn't do anything else to compensate for the fact that I had to take care of her. I felt no pain lifting her I was more worried about if I did any damage that I couldn't see/feel. : )

i have a 5 year old so lifting is not such as issue but was lifting my 9 month old nephew after 6 days and wasn't too bad, tho i had overs and had a fairly smooth recovery. I think you just have to listen to your body, and be careful. I decided that as I was in virtually no pain I would do some washing on day 2 and really paid for it.

Thanks for your replies ladies, I guess I will have to cancel my swim membership for a couple of months and do as I am told for a change.

Bit worried about lifting children as I think I will end up having unders, so recovery need a bit longer - am actually a childminder working on my own from home - may have to get another childminder or a friend with a CRB to come and help with lifting, as I was hoping to be back to work after Xmas hols which will be 11 days post op.

I had unders and I have two toddlers age 2 and 3.
I waited nearly 4 weeks before lifting them

abbie wrote:I had unders and I have two toddlers age 2 and 3.
I waited nearly 4 weeks before lifting them

I can't take that long off work or the parents will find someone else - I try to limit the lifting I do anyway as I have a bad back and have "trained" the 2 and 3 year olds to climb into car and car seats and into booster seats at table - will have to build a step ladder so they can get into travel cots on own! Just can't expect the 12 and 18 month old to do the same - I think I will have to get an assistant to help for a few weeks, even if it does mean I'm not earning much after paying them - but at least the children/parents will hopefully stay with me.

thats what I did.
I didnt have help for that long - only 2 weeks, but the rest of the time I stayed around the house so i didnt have to push the pushchair etc, and I managed to still do quite a lot without lifting them.

I have 18 month old twins - I didn't lift them for 2 weeks. Hubby was great tho and done all the bum changing and lifting (great excuse)

Mx