well it really depends on the method of birth. Vaginal birth, I have seen women up and around the next day. C-section, has more of a recovery period.

3 days after a natural birth...i think it would depend though

Up and about or out shopping and stuff? I had c-sections with all, I was up and out of bed before the 24 hour period. With all, I did grocery shopping the day I was released, I needed to be out.

i just had my 3rd and was at the grocery store 4 days after delivering a 9 lb. baby. not to brag or anything, i just think that your body bounces back quicker with the 3rd, assuming your delivery was uncomplicated.

I was up 2 days after my emergency c section. But I was in a lot of pain!

With each of my babies I was out of the hospital in 24 hours and was out of the house the very next day. When there's older ones to chase and get to school and such and there's no family around to speak of there's not much choice. My husband took the 1st week after each arrived off work but..... After our 2nd was born he brought me and baby home, then went back to work to finish off a few things so he could enjoy the rest of the week with us. That's when I moved around car seats into my parents' minivan so I could drive my mom to another hospital to pick up my dad who had shoulder surgery that morning. My mom doesn't drive in the city well and I felt up to it. The nurses at the other hospital were excited to see a new baby for a change also. My parents left later that day and drove the 5 hours back to their home. When our 3rd was born my uncle died 2 days later and it was the middle of winter and a week long snow storm. I was very busy running my son to the bus stop for school and then getting people picked up from the airport to stay with us and helping people get from my place to my Aunts home to visit and help with the preparations. If I'd had the opportunity to lounge around, I still don't think I would have. After my 1st was when I had the most lounge time and I felt I healed better and was just feeling better by jumping back into life and getting out doing things!

I spent two nights in the hospital and was pretty much "up and about" the day we came home. I had a relatively uncomplicated vaginal delivery and felt no need to stay cooped up at home.

I was more mobile with my first, though I had more soreness. Bit with this last one I had pubic symphsis dysplasia ( I think that's what it's called). I was in so much pain before labor when I was pregnant, I couldn't walk very well much less anything else. I was up but I still needed help from nurses and family a week after. A month after delivering my second I am still going to a chiropractor and physical therapy.

With baby #1, I was in bad shape for several days after. I don't think I felt like getting out and about for like 4 days, at least. That was due to some pretty significant tearing. With baby #2, I felt AWESOME after like, 10 hours. It was two different worlds and obviously, I much prefer the second scenario. I was home within 24 hours and we were out of the house with both kiddos in tow the next day. Thankfully, there was very little tearing the second time and it made all the difference.

I think it's weird that this story is presented as Nicole Richie doing something extraordinary right after giving birth. She went for a walk and got coffee more than a week later. Even after a c-section that wouldn't have been a strain for me, in fact, it's recommended to walk as much as is comfortable.

Unless you have complications, you can be up and moving the next day. My hubby and I went for a walk the next day, I wanted some fresh air. My mom was 20 when she had me and she said she felt like she could have gone out dancing right after I was born.

My point is... there is nothing extraordinary about Nicole's outings.

With each of my 3 deliveries I was up and hanging around the next day, checking out and heading home after 24-36 hours. Once home, normal activity resumed, including shopping, visiting out and about, chasing after the bigger kids, sports practices, etc, within the first 3 days.

My first was a vaginal 9lb baby. with complications and blood loss and a doctor who wouldn't address them or admit anything was wrong, and i was pretty screwed for a long time. The first week was all about managing to make it to the bathroom and back to bed without passing out. The first two days i DID pass out and the pain was horrific. She ended up in the NICU a week after she was born, and I managed to drag myself down the long halls to stay with her every day. It was rough, and I wasn't walking normally for a month.

I went for about a mile walk within a hour after getting home from the hospital. It was a gorgeous day and I was so antsy to get out!

I was out of the hospital in 24 or less with all 4 of my babies. Like Danni99 I was doing normal activities right away.

Once I left the hospital 24 hours later I was out grocery shopping. I am pretty sure that I was shopping with my mom a week later

Once I got home I was doing everything that I did before. I just made sure I took a nap when my baby did. I had him vaginally and he weighed nearly 10 pounds but I felt great and was not going to stop living my life. I took my son out shopping and visiting friends on his 3rd day of being in the world. I lived in a very small apartment so it was just easier to go visit people then to have them come over.

My second son was over nine pounds at birth. He was born at 4:00 p.m. on a Thursday, I was released at 8:00 a.m. on Friday and attended a concert at 6:00 p.m. that night. I think it was probably the adrenaline high that kept me going, but eventually I came down hard. My mother had to put the baby on my breast to nurse as I slept for almost 12 straight hours.

With my second I gave birth at home 3.00 am at home (a very quick delivery on the bathroom floor), went to the hospital for a few hours to make sure I wasn't bleeding. Came home 11.00 am and felt fine and mobile. The problems I had with moving around had more to do with the pelvic problems I suffered during the pregnancy.

With my first it took me about a week. With my second I was up and around and felt right back to normal the very same day within about an hour or two.

With my 2nd, I was discharged within 2 days, and went to a restaurant on the way home - I was starving, and not about to go home and cook! With my third, I was out less than 24 hours after birth. I felt great - stopped by my sister's work to show her the baby, and then went to my parents for fish and chips.

My baby was a scheduled c-section on a Tuesday. I was up and walking around in the hospital on a Wednesday, and was discharged on a Thursday. By Friday we were out grocery shopping. No big deal.

I think as long as your delivery (be it vaginal or c-section) is complication free, you should be able to get up and about!

With my first, I went home after two days and was out and about a week later. With my second one, a natural birth with no tearing or anything, I was up walking around about an hour later, got them to let me go home at the 24-hour mark, and was out and about the next day. With an older sibling to take care of, it's hard to take time out to relax. I definitely pushed myself harder than I should have.

I flew cross country (with 3 kids.... 3,1, 2 days) 2 days after delivery. I literally got out of the hospital and went to the airport.

Normally that would have never happened but my Mom passed away unexpectedly when I was 39 weeks pregnant. We are a military family so I flew back "home" and dilated from 0cm-4cm during the flight and was unable to fly back home so I stayed and delivered. I had the option to just stay but would have to fly back alone with 3 children under 3 by myself OR I could suck it up and fly back right away with my husbands help. I choose the lesser of 2 evils

With baby #1 (natural) I was in awesome shape - played a pick up game of volleyball after 9 days and went back to work after 14 days.

With baby #2 (c-section) I had been on bedrest for 30 weeks so it took a lot longer to back on track. I was in the hospital off my feet for about 5 days.

Delivered late Thursday, sent home Saturday and I was at Babiers R Us and Home depot by Sunday. Vag delivery though...and I had the little one in my sling the whole time