To leave maternity ward without red book?

[SOPH781]

So, I'm due in hospital for an elective c-section this week. This is my second ECS and with my first I was ready to leave the next day. Baby was great, I felt great - no pain etc. However, the midwives were not happy about me leaving so early and told me that I had to wait for the red book. They kept me waiting for something like 14 hours - it felt like they were holding me hostage/punishing me for wanting to discharge myself!

I chose to wait for it as I was unsure if I would be able to get the red book from somewhere else and I was aware of its importance. I've asked my current midwife and she didn't know if I would be able to get it later down the line. Have any of you had experience of this? Were you able to collect your red book at a later date?

Thank you

Only AnyFucker could see 'the thinly-veiled HCP bashing'. It takes someone of such extraordinary sensitivity to see it

It really doesn't. It's really fucking obvious to anyone with half a brain. I'm as sensitive as a sledgehammer and it leapt right out of the thread.

No HCP-bashing from me - more a slightly puzzled 'I have no problems, you haven't expressed a need to see me for anything - please can I go home so someone else can have the bed? You're clearly busy, let me get out from under your feet.'

After dc1 and having to stay with him for 3 days, when he was finally cleared by the paediatrician to go home I was desperate to escape. But then I was told I had to wait for this piece of paper, that piece of paper, oh no, you still need another piece of paper... If they'd just given me a checklist and said we really don't want you to leave until all these things have been done, I wouldn't have minded, but it was an extra 15 hours plus car parking costs and all, aside from my clogging up an individual room that I'm sure someone else would have appreciated!

The hospital had improved postnatal care hugely by the time I had dc2, so persuaded me to stay in overnight even though I'd been adamant I'd never stay on a postnatal ward again. As soon as dc2 was cleared to go and I asked to leave, I was given a list of stuff they wanted to go over. They wanted me to inject myself daily for a week so obviously I asked why, (doctor told us to tell you to), and they were very polite about saying if I didn't agree that I would be discharging myself against medical advice and managed to get through to the consultant who left a quick message saying he was about to be in theatre for hours but afterwards would be delighted to explain why he highly recommended the jabs until I agreed.

I took the gear and left to get out of the way of all the excellent but very busy staff.

I think the red book was provided by the HV at the first home visit.

With my first dc I was in for 6 days after an EMCs and it was horrendous. Unfortunately I needed to be in as I was very poorly but I was stuck with a 19 year old who thought it was fine to be chatting to her mate on the phone half the night and kept wandering off during the day and leaving her baby which inevitably ended up screaming. And I was stuck in bed unable to do anything about. The staff were wonderful though and eventually moved me after I ended up in tears of frustration and exhaustion.

Second time around was an elective and I had dc in the morning, was in the shower by the afternoon and felt absolutely fine. However, on a shared ward of 10 with the staff run off their feet, I was left with a full catheter for ages which was incredibly painful and despite asking them to sort it, they kept saying they would get to me soon. I was left for a couple of hours and tempted to rip it out. The light above my bed didn't work so when I got up in the night for the loo (after my catheter was eventually removed) I tripped over and fell. Tears and pain. The next morning I just begged to go home. There were patients being brought down in the middle of the night, babies crying, you just couldn't get any rest and physically I felt fine. They sent a bloody psychiatrist down to see me ffs! He asked me what the problem was so I told him I just wanted to go home as I wasn't sleeping, that the light didn't work, so I couldn't even see my dd at night to feed her etc. He wondered what on earth he was doing seeing me.

I finally got discharged after 48 hours. About 24 hours too late imo.

What is the red book?

Wtf is HCP bashing?? Is that a 'thing' now. Are we not allowed to say negative things about HCPs if we've actually had a negative experience? There are people who are bad/average/good/amazing at their jobs in all professions!

I'm with AF here

I doubt the hcp thought fuck it. I'm going to hide in the cupboard so she can't see me and will have to wait.

They are doing so many other jobs that believe it not, discharging you is not a priority.

They obviously thought you needed to be there whether you feel up to it or not.

Needaclever for 14 hours? Really? Did you not see my follow up post where I said that I received an apology and the 2 midwives were disciplined? Not really relevant to my op but the thread has gone in this direction so I thought I'd add it in!

They are doing so many other jobs that believe it not, discharging you is not a priority

But clearing space for the new (potentially urgent) people probably IS a priority, so it makes sense to turf people out in a timely fashion, surely?

I think that most of the time on a labour ward, due to staff shortages and NOT due to any fault of the staff, it's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease. There's so much going on that the most urgent jobs/people get priority and anybody else doesn't get dealt with until they're yelling. For everyone's sake, that needs to change - it's not fair on the HCPs or patients.

As a hospital worker I am quite disgusted at some of the attitudes here.

The staff have better things to do than keep people in hospital taking up much needed beds when they are fit to go home.

The thing that takes the longest is paperwork. On a quiet day with nothing else to do and only one patient to see filling out all of the paperwork can take a minimum of 2 or 3 hours. Then you have doctor checks to wait for and pharmacy to sort out prescriptions.

The HV told me they couldn't give red books after the birth and are in short supply (where is the stock they give to new mums then?) Thankfully never needed it though but feel like I should have one!

I gave birth last Sunday and because of a massive PPH had to stay in for two nights afterwards (which was extremely annoying as the birth went fantastically!).

My hospital don't give out red books, you get them from the HV on their first visit. The hearing test was carried out on the ward but they just gave me a piece of paper to stick in it when I get it.

I pushed to get out of hospital - not because the care was bad; it wasn't, it was exemplary. But I wanted my own bed and my family around me. Once I was stable and I promised on all my worldly goods that I'd go back for a transfusion if I started to feel ropey again they agreed to let me out - but the process took time; I needed a dr to sign me off, a new baby check to be carried out, cannula removed, all my meds to be written up and dispensed, all my discharge paperwork completed and to have a chat with the discharge mw about PND and what I was planning on doing about contraception (). So it was the work of about 6 different people just to get me out of the door and did take about 7 or 8 hours. Not ideal, but these people were fitting in organising the 'well' people (ie me) around actually caring for sick people who needed their attention more. Worth waiting for, I think.

They had them in a small treatment room loads of them when I was there i'll be honest and say they probably did it to keep you longer. My hospital said you could leave 24 hours after a csection if all was well before that your risking your health by leaving so that's probably why. Maybe make it clear to eveyone you see that if your well enough 24 hours after birth you will be leaving .

Barring complications, just leave. The Post Natal unit is a never ending nightmare. You won't get any rest or convalescence there.

Surely you can just request the babies medical records afterwards, if need be?

And another thing HCP need to understand that their industry is a service industry

And this, along with chronic underfunding, is why our NHS will carry on dying a slow and painful death.

Unless anyfucker feels that medical help should be withdrawn unless you are a good girl and do exactly as the hcp tell you even if it's not in your best interests?

I shan't even qualify that with a reply.

The NHS is still (just about) free at point of contact. For everyone. People who do silly things and don't take medical advice still get appopriate treatemtnand that is how it should be. LaContessa had it right. Decline any treatment you like, but don't demonise the HCP's for having the gall to offer it to you.

OP, my last few replies are not aimed at you directly. I am sorry you had a bad experience.

But like I said, see how it goes next time. HCP's generally don't have the time or the inclination (with massive pressure on beds) to plot to keep you in hospital for no reason at all.

I found only weeks ago that the paperwork is what slows everything down my midwife was happy to discharge me an hour after birth and did point out I could just leave but then I would be back again hours later to pick it all up plus the baby check and hearing test. I decided to wait it out, by the time we left it was 6hours after they first said I could go if I wanted too.

As long as everything is well with you and baby I see no reason why you couldn't be discharged at the earliest opportunity.

I had an emcs with my twin 2 (twin 1 natural) and stayed in 13 days. Realistically I was fine after day 5, but glad I didn't have to do the clexane injections as the nurses did them for me. The extra time was to allow twin 1 time to sort her blood sugars and feeding plus out on a little weight. She was border line nicu weight and spent 5 days in scbu. Twin 2 spent 4 days in scbu to recover from the section and to pick up feeding.

However, those extra days did mean I was well rested and had sorted feeding routines for both babies. Plus I didn't have to worry about the toddlers (nearly 2 and nearly 4) leaping all over me in the immediate aftermath.

So I'd say don't underestimate the power of even an extra night when it comes to being ready to bring baby home and into a family with an older sibling.

I was always given my red book in hospital, apart from ds2 who was a home birth and the mw brought it out on her first visit. Waiting for the hv to bring it would probably have resulted in notes being lost or on numerous bits of paper. Which would have driven me mad.

As long as everything is well with you and baby I see no reason why you couldn't be discharged at the earliest opportunity.

I had an emcs with my twin 2 (twin 1 natural) and stayed in 13 days. Realistically I was fine after day 5, but glad I didn't have to do the clexane injections as the nurses did them for me. The extra time was to allow twin 1 time to sort her blood sugars and feeding plus out on a little weight. She was border line nicu weight and spent 5 days in scbu. Twin 2 spent 4 days in scbu to recover from the section and to pick up feeding.

However, those extra days did mean I was well rested and had sorted feeding routines for both babies. Plus I didn't have to worry about the toddlers (nearly 2 and nearly 4) leaping all over me in the immediate aftermath.

So I'd say don't underestimate the power of even an extra night when it comes to being ready to bring baby home and into a family with an older sibling.

I was always given my red book in hospital, apart from ds2 who was a home birth and the mw brought it out on her first visit. Waiting for the hv to bring it would probably have resulted in notes being lost or on numerous bits of paper. Which would have driven me mad.

As long as everything is well with you and baby I see no reason why you couldn't be discharged at the earliest opportunity.

I had an emcs with my twin 2 (twin 1 natural) and stayed in 13 days. Realistically I was fine after day 5, but glad I didn't have to do the clexane injections as the nurses did them for me. The extra time was to allow twin 1 time to sort her blood sugars and feeding plus out on a little weight. She was border line nicu weight and spent 5 days in scbu. Twin 2 spent 4 days in scbu to recover from the section and to pick up feeding.

However, those extra days did mean I was well rested and had sorted feeding routines for both babies. Plus I didn't have to worry about the toddlers (nearly 2 and nearly 4) leaping all over me in the immediate aftermath.

So I'd say don't underestimate the power of even an extra night when it comes to being ready to bring baby home and into a family with an older sibling.

I was always given my red book in hospital, apart from ds2 who was a home birth and the mw brought it out on her first visit. Waiting for the hv to bring it would probably have resulted in notes being lost or on numerous bits of paper. Which would have driven me mad.

I would definitely be happy to leave without the red book, presuming all is well and all checks on you and baby have been done. When I was on post natal the labour ward was very busy, they actually closed the birth centre, so I was aware they needed the beds. We asked to be discharged, told them we were happy for red book to be sent later or indeed for us to come back and collect it! We'd only stayed in for BF support, we'd had that, had the paed checks and hearing test, so we were just bed blocking really. But they kept us waiting a further 6 hours until we just said we were leaving, then things happened fast! But although the staff had been lovely whilst we were there, we experienced them being vindictive too when we'd asked to leave - my notes stated we'd refused BF support when in fact I'd seen the BF specialist 3 times! Such a shame as otherwise they were amazing.

I was in hospital for A DAY AND A HALF after being told that myself and my baby were medically fit for discharge.

I really, really wish I had had the sense to just leave. I did not need another day and sleepless night crammed into a noisy, overheated hospital ward with 5 other adults and 6 babies. I could have been at home getting some sodding rest and having my partner bond and help with the baby!

Ask your health visitor! I got my red book at my first home visit when I was still pregnant.

Actually if I have another child I'm fairly sure I'll discharge myself as soon as I feel able as at home I'll have other people to sort out the baby whereas in hospital you don't and I was utterly exhausted. Regarding the injections I actually finished the set at home anyway and they're very easy to use.