AIBU to ask how soon you went home after a C-section?

[babyjellyfish]

Posting for traffic.

How soon did you go home after your C-section? Would you have preferred to go home sooner or stay for longer, and why?

Interested to hear from people who had both ELCS and EMCS.

Thanks.

Elcs - was home after 24 hours.

My first labor was awful (vaginal delivery). I lost so much blood I had to get transfusions and was in the icu. Ds was fine thankfully. I finally got home after 5 days and that was telling them to discharge me.

BABY 1 - EMCS - stayed in for 2 nights. Then they made me go home as had no beds for those waiting. I understood this but was very unhappy as baby was in neonatal extremely poorly. I cried the whole time. Mind you I cried all night in hospital the first night as I wasn't with baby and my husband wasn't allowed to stay with me. Very emotional time.

BABY 2 - ELCS - stayed for 1 night, demanded to be let home next day. Instant regret wish I'd have stayed with the good painkillers for another night 🤣

First emcs ended up in for 11 days but that was due to baby not me. Second emcs I wasn't remotely up for staying any long than I had to in the ninth circle of hell otherwise known as "the postnatal ward". Discharged myself 20 hours post op.

Can't understand why anyone would stay longer than minimally necessary on a post natal ward. They're grim. 🙊

Emcs at 4pm on the Tuesday, they came round the next morning and wanted me out if only they'd have had a doctor to sign off dc! Ended up leaving Friday morning.

My last and 3rd section, baby was born at 9:30pm.

At 9:30 am they brought the discharge papers and the nurse for the baby check and hearing test.

I thought they were joking. 12 fucking hours!

I was home in bed by 11am.

It was August 2020 though. So covid meant they were kicking everyone out asap. It’s a shame as it as so lovely and quiet on the ward without visitors and I’d filled in the lunch card - I bloody love crap hospital food.

First two sections I was in for two nights.

EMCS- 2 nights after but I'd already been in for 3 by the time DC was born (failed induction.)

I couldn't wait to get home. It was during covid so DH could only visit for 2 hours each day which was very hard.

Yes, I gave birth there 18 months ago so I'm very familiar with it and I speak French, I just want to arm myself with the knowledge to negotiate a speedier exit this time if I'm feeling up to it! Definitely agree about French doctors having a low opinion of the NHS. I think both systems have pros and cons, and I'm hoping that second time round I'll be able to make the most of the pros of the French system and get round some of the things I don't agree with!

I was in for 8 nights due to transverse baby, ELCS (at the last minute) and he was born with a chest infection and jaundiced.

I had a private room the whole time. It was fine, a bed that moved up and down, private bathroom and fantastic maternity team.

I would never, ever go onto a ward unless I had no choice.

DS - 14 years ago - a week, as he refused to feed (emcs)

DD - 11 years ago - 5 days, as I needed further surgery (crash section under GA).

26 hours . Emergency . It was a hellhole and I needed my own front room .

EMCS - a week because baby was on IV antibiotics for group B strep.

ELCS - four days.

ELCS - 1 night, section at 10am, home the next day about 4pm. Would have been home sooner but had to wait hours and hours for them to bring the paracetomol I'd been prescribed before I could go (!) If I'd have known it was just paracetomol I'd have gone sooner. Was up and about by about 7am. If I'd have been able to have a private room I'd have stayed longer as I very much missed the adjustable bed. My NCT friend was in it already though.

ELCS 8 weeks ago - baby born at 3.30pm Wednesday and I was home mid afternoon on the Friday.

I didn't mind being in hospital, I had good care and was moved to a private room for the 2nd night

Just one night. Had my c section at 11:21am and I was home by 2-3pm the following day. I did beg and plead to go home even though I was in agony because it was middle of summer, roasting & I needed some sleep. (Obviously had confirmation baby was good to go first and had all the checks etc)

ELCS in 2006 , stayed 3 nights, ELCS in 2007 stayed 4 nights.

As much as the NHS likely try to get rid of people to free up space, there is evidence that as long as you're well, being up and about quickly does speed up recovery, so you could use that argument?

Anecdotally, after csection 2, having DC1 to run about after meant that within a week I was so recovered I was able to spend half a day walking around a zoo, whereas, in the same time period with csection 1, I was barely able to walk to the end of the road 🤣

(Obviously also with the caveat of section 1 being a crash section after an exhausting 3-day labour whereas section 2 was an ELCS!)

The first I was in for 48 hours the second I was discharged after 14 hours but ended up waiting around another 4 hours for meds!
I don't like hospitals so the quicker the better and I felt fine

EMC, went home the next day feeling spritely (full of drugs). Was back in hospital 10 days later with an infection.

Emergency c-section with my twins and it was 4 nights later. I'd already been in for 3 days being induced.
Apparently it was to do with breastfeeding. The boys were becoming jaundiced as I wasn't producing milk but the nurses were reluctant to let me formula feed. Once I said enough was enough, I was discharged. They said I was fit enough to go home the night before. Wish they'd have told me that then!

EMCS, a week after

What's a crash? car crash?

Elective - one night in hospital and home the next evening. I pushed to come home and then regretted it as my other half passed out once we got home as he was ‘so exhausted’ and left me to look after our screaming newborn. I had to return to the hospital the next day for the decent painkillers as they sent me home empty handed. It was all a bit shit tbh

Emergency here. She was born at 20:17 and I was at home by 5pm the next day. It was a pretty stupid thing to do but I couldn’t sleep and the noise/lights and a 5-day labour were doing me in, so I had a shower, got dressed and stood at the end of the bed with her in her car seat…would not recommend.

They only sent me home with ibuprofen, paracetamol and anti-coagulant jabs

EMCS - 7 nights
elcs - 3 nights

maternity nurse 2 weeks at home both times.