Can they actually stop me

[Rosebel]

I've been in hospital with pregnancy problems since last Sunday. Had the baby on Wednesday and every day they say I can go home tomorrow but still can't.
They are waiting for a Covid result which might be tomorrow but probably not. This is for the baby not me.
The doctor said they can't let me go but I'm sick of being in hospital. Every day is a reason why I can't go home. Can they actually stop me leaving with my baby?

@keffie12

You could end up with a visit from the child protection services and children's social services. I wouldn't take the risk. That info is not an opinion. It's a fact.

If a Dr/nurse decides to report the situation you could end up with aggravation you don't need.

Believe me I wouldn't take that risk. Once the children's social services become involved in this country it is very hard to get rid of him

Nah this won't happen I promise

Put your feet up while you can op. I would have loved to have even had one night in hospital but couldn't with any of mine (all 3) due to lack of beds. I really could have done with the help/guidance after my first was born but we had to figure it all out ourselves.

@BeamerTown
2012, 2013 and 2018 so 8, 7 and almost 2 years ago!

Just stick it out for the results our Covid test results took over 7days luckily both my husband and I did not have the virus .Yes postnatal wards are not the best coming from a retired midwife but the health of your baby is the most important

I am so glad you followed your instinct and went home. My boys are older now but I will never forget the advice my GP - obviously a woman - gave me when they were babies. You know your child. If you are absolutely sure there is something wrong STAND YOUR GROUND. Make a fuss, be a pain. Doctors aren’t infallible. They are often young, inexperienced and exhausted. And they don’t know your kid. It has never actually saved any of my boys lives, but it might save yours.

Why do people not RTFT before commenting? They are both home safe and well....YESTERDAY!! Congratulations @Rosebel Hope you and your family are settled now. I’m due my induction on Sunday and dreading the thought of this happening. Glad you and your LO are home safe and happy

My sympathy. This is absolutely apalling and outrageous. They have no right to detain either you or your baby. They need to get a court order, unless there is an urgent and immediate danger to your child. Even then, they are very limited in what they can do without your full and informed consent.
It sounds like someone has got their wires crossed. Most doctors (really nearly all) believe in absolutely minimum stay in hospital, as the eveidence is overwhelmingly that every day in hospital adds greatly to your risks of thrombosis, let alone hospital aquired infections. But the Covid panic has seriously deranged some people in hospitals: good practice, common sense and any repect for patients rights have gone out of the window.
Make them do the paper work, kick up as much fuss as you can and make your wishes absolutely clear, over and over, until they produce a court order. Get someone in your family to contact Liberty or The Patients Association (Helpline - 0800 345 7115)

@Summetbaby2020 it's quite simple really. People are answering the op's original question.

@Miisty

Just stick it out for the results our Covid test results took over 7days luckily both my husband and I did not have the virus .Yes postnatal wards are not the best coming from a retired midwife but the health of your baby is the most important

What health difference does it make to the baby where they wait for the test result? Other than home will be cleaner and their mother less stressed.

Enjoy this time with your baby and your family. And congratulations 😁xx

I’m glad you’re back home, both postnatally and for other reasons I was messed around for days and in tears cos I wanted to be home so I feel your pain and that was all pre covid. Can’t believe some of the replies talking about SS and police, jeez anyone would think you was posting about breaking from prison or doing a bank robbery lol. I was only kept in cos I had stitches with both and they both had jaundice, I was just constantly waiting for the doctor to come round and they never did so I discharged myself with my son and went back for his hearing test a week later x

Technically you can discharge yourself but it might will trigger a referral to social services so you may have to defend your reasoning. I 100000% get this - something similar happened to me at DD1's birth i did actually discharge myself at 3am (we sort of they did actually agree in the end to discharge me but i would have gone through with just leaving if they hadn't relented) It was an awful experience. i genuinely felt like i was being held hostage and they kept moving the goal posts about discharging us. I was originally kept in as had a pretty significant hemorrhage following a botched induction (it was because they realised that they messed up that part so badly it was then like they were over cautious about everything else that came after) so probably the 1st 2 days I did need to be there for my recovery but then DD came down with jaundice - very common and not particularly bad but enough that they wanted to do some light therapy then test her level 12hrs later. Her levels fluctuated a bit but every time they said right we test again in 12hrs then as long as its stable/decreased you can go. 12hrs would go by and they would test and say exactly the same thing!! this went on for 4 further days!! the thing is if i hadn't been ill after the hemorrhage etc and had gone home straight away the jaundice would have been treated at home and monitored by the HV. Treatment for the levels she was at wouldn't have required re-admission. there is a balance between following the expert advice and doing what is right for you and your family. Really hope the results come back soon for you.

@starlight13 but the question was answered several times over by several professionals and she’s home safe and sound 2 days ago. I can understand if OP and her DC were still stuck there but they are home. But each to their own 🤷🏼‍♀️

You'll be referred to social services and the police might even show up with SS at your door. It will hopefully only be a few more days and you'll be home don't worry. Congratulations!

@LittleMissMe99

You'll be referred to social services and the police might even show up with SS at your door. It will hopefully only be a few more days and you'll be home don't worry. Congratulations!

I really, really wish people would stop with this nonsense. Where on earth do you get this from?

What rubbish about SS. If you read the full thread you’ll see there are many, many posters who have got bored of sitting in hospital waiting for their paperwork to get to the top of the list. It’s really not uncommon and isn’t usually a cause for concern. For ordinary families the most that might happen is you get a phone call from your HV checking everything is okay.

@LittleMissMe99

You'll be referred to social services and the police might even show up with SS at your door. It will hopefully only be a few more days and you'll be home don't worry. Congratulations!

Absolute bollocks. Sincerely, a social worker

Shame the thread has been overrun with liars stating their posts as fact. Where do you get off trying to shit up a mother with a newborn? Liars.
(I know the cheque's been cancelled).

@starlight13 It is very simple to note the thread has (at the time you posted) 280+ posts, so logically had been running for awhile. It is very easy to just click on the last pages and see if OP has replied if she has been released yet or not. Even if I can't be arsed reading a long thread, I check for the OP's last post/reply before I reply.

We got the test results which were negative so all good and a bit of a relief. So far no one from SS or anyone like that has been in touch. Maybe it was a risk to come home but would have been annoyed to be in hospital for almost a week for no reason.

@Rosebel You don't need to feel guilty about leaving. Even if you get a SS phone call like I did, they'll understand. I'd do the same again. Unless you've had days of getting your hopes up only to be disappointed then you probably won't get how upsetting it is.

They can contact social services though if you discharge yourself with what could be a poorly baby against medical advice. The social services can stop you from taking the baby home!

I'm glad the test was negative, op and that you and your baby are at home. You won't hear from the SS :-).

You can leave, I signed my newborn out of hospital against medical advice (she was perfectly healthy) we went home and got on with bonding

@Craftylittlething

You can leave, I signed my newborn out of hospital against medical advice (she was perfectly healthy) we went home and got on with bonding

Omg don't you think the thread is resolved after several days and several hundred posts?? She went home 3 days ago!