What to expect immediately after birth?

[domuch]

The Childbirth section seemed quiet, so I thought I'd post here.

How long was it before you were able to get cleaned up etc? Were you left alone or was there always someone about? How did you feel physically? When did you let people know baby was here?

I know it will be different for everyone and complications can happen, but general pointers would be great. I don't really know what to expect.

You get cleaned up quite quickly and served the best tea and toast EVER!!

You will get taken up to the ward where the women have given birth are.

There are always people about, and you get observations and baby will be be checked too.

Physically l felt like l had been hit by a bus!! It takes time to recover. And depending on how the birth went will determine how you feel.

My husband was phoning people to let them know.

Good luck.

For me there was a cooling down period after both as the frantic bit was suddenly over I just cuddled with baby for an hour so waiting for placenta mostly or getting stitches. After that baby was bundled up after being checked over and put in cot to sleep/went to daddy.

After that yes I had a shower/toilet. Felt fine both times if a bit shaky even after the epidural. Difficult to put a time frame but I would say within a couple of hours you can walk about again. Just make sure you pack massive period pads as the bleeding is very heavy and constant for the first couple of days.

How quickly do you go up to the ward (roughly)?

If you have an epidural you'll be laying still until you get your legs back. Don't be surprised if you go into shock straight after giving birth - feeling cold and shaking uncontrollably, that is completely normal.

There will be a LOT of blood and your first bath/shower will look like an abattoir, otherwise it's pretty relaxed. Lots of cuddles with baby and everything at your pace.

I was discharged straight home from delivery with one of mine. 6 hours after birth.

Your downstairs may feel very sore and swollen for a day or three. First baby got stuck do might be especially bad for me. I refused to touch or look as it felt so weird but was stunned how everything went back to normalish within 4-5 days. That first shower was wonderful though.

I had an EMCS and they helped me shower on (I think) Day 3 because I was quite poorly. You don't really mind being gross though, everyone just had a baby, everyone is gross lol. There's no judgement.

I felt a bit dazed to be honest it's kind of a blur! I had pre-eclampsia and on high doses of drugs so I wasn't very well. The C section healing itself was fine, I didn't need much pain relief. It was itchy more than anything. I think I told my mum and dad when he was about an hour old, then let them tell everyone else.

Whether you're left alone kind of depends. If you're on the high dependency ward like I was someone is poking you every hour or so. Once you're on the maternity ward they basically leave you alone though because they're so busy. You normally pull the cord and someone comes to see you if you need them.

I am a bit of a clean freak and love a shower so I'm looking forward to it already!

Thank you everyone, this is so helpful. 6 hours seems quite a long time, or did it fly by?

It flew by. I'd had an epidural and some blood loss so there was not hurry to get up and out.

@Lifeisforsleeping i shook every time and basically thought I was dying. I can't believe I never copped and no one ever told me it was shock. I also puked up the toast. And I got lemon marmalade. I was unimpressed to say the least.

I felt very cold immediately afterwards each time. Shaky and shivery, it’s very normal.
the first time I wasn’t expecting to have to deliver the placenta aswell, no one had told me about that so that was a shock to me 😂
I seem to remember getting cleaned up very quickly, they had whipped away everything bloody before I even registered it.
Dh went out to phone our parents once he’d had a cuddle.
I had 3 births on the NHS and not once was I offered tea OR toast! I would say I feel robbed but I don’t drink tea and I’m incredibly picky about my toast so not really a loss 🤣
went for a shower once he was back in from making the phone calls and he cuddled the baby while I got washed up. Bath the first 2 times and only a shower offered the third time, I felt a bit unsteady on my feet in the shower but all fine, they were really good about making sure I was up and about moving as quickly as possible.

We were on the midwife unit for first burth and were allowed to say the night as bby was born at around midnight. Were moved to ward late next morning. Second time on the medicalised ward to give birth and had to move in a few hours to free up the room.

Another thing. You may feel shattered and sleep lots or feel wired! Hormones are no joke. You will probably feel really good for a few days. I had about 2 hours sleep over 4 days and felt fantastic before crashing at about day 4 when the hormones wore off. Also known as baby blues.

@Lovingitallnow that’s made me roar with laughter now that it’s just been pointed out to me that the uncontrollable shaking was in fact shock!

Oh if you get the opportunity to pump using a hospital pump do so. Those things are great, we hired one second time round (you get a discount if baby is in nicu)

I got up and had a shower pretty quick after birth then went all shakey so had some tea and toast before I was allowed to see my baby as she was rushed off to neo natel. I then bled quite heavy so was laid up on a hormone drip for most the day and then clotted quite bad for a a while (that bit was horrible) if you stay in they do obs regularly but if all ok you can be out within the day or 2.

With my last 3 I didn’t go to the ward. Straight home from tbe delivery room.

My eldest was born at about 4pm and I was on the ward by 6 all stitched up (I walked as well - ouch!). I was still absolutely off my face but I was excited for visitors.

My husband sent a text at about 5 i think amd my mum was annoyed it took him so long (45 minutes).

Was never alone until the evening when I just wanted to sleep and sleep. I was exhausted.

I went for a shower pretty quickly, maybe 20 mins, I then went to the ward. I was able to make calls myself (private room by chance) I felt fine pretty much straight away both times - I know this isn't everyone's experience. (Natural birth without drugs both times, no stitches.)

Be prepared to vomit straight after birth too. No one warns you of the cold the shakes and the puking.

It's all normal.

Birth is gross

Part of me thinks it'd be lovely to go straight home and part doesn't! I've never looked after a newborn before, I am nervous.

I was in hospital 5 days and then discharged myself. It depends on circumstances. My birth plan is still at the bottom of my go bag having never been looked at since it was written. He's 4.5 months old 😂😂

I had the best bed bath ever 😂 the two lovely ladies where super fast and gentle

once the placenta is out and you’re stitched up you get bathed and get alone time to bond and eat.

then after an hour or so they wheel you up to your ward to recover x

i gave birth at 12:52PM. By 4:30 I was in bed up stairs eating mac & cheese and baby was sleeping 😂 xx

I had no idea that the uncontrollable shaking was shock! I genuinely thought I was dying.

I don't know if it is 100% shock but that's what I was told it was. Im sure someone will come along and correct me! No one warned me about it though and like everyone else I too thought I was dying