To think an overnight stay in hospital after childbirth is standard?

[MaisyN]

I had a planned c-section at 1pm, was walking around by 9pm, and discharged the following day at 5pm.

Friend thinks this is unusually quick, even for a straightforward birth.

YABU it’s weirdly fast
YANBU it’s pretty normal

C-section about 4pm, discharged 1:30 the next day (and they'd been promising from 11am, but it took them a while to get to me)

TBH, I didn't want to stay there any longer at all, I just wanted to get home.

I have had 4 C Sections (medical reasons) and I remember with my firstborn (1991) I had to stay in for 6 days.
2nd (1993) 4 days
3rd (2000) 3 days
4th (2003) 3 days

Perhaps it is the done thing now ? No idea but I think its quite a short time to be in hospital after a C Section .

Twice I’ve had c sections and been in for less than 24 hours. I think it’s normal to get people out as soon as possible and safe.

Considering a c section is a major operation, I think mum needs at least 5 days to get over it and have some rest!

After a c-section? 😱
I still couldn’t feel my legs after 4 hours.

When they keep you in after keyhole abdominal surgery for at least 5 days (afaik) I think it's awful that they want get rid of women and baby asap. It's a shit practice. You don't get this anywhere else, crertainly not in supposedly developed countries.

4 births, including 2 c-sections and discharged after 24hrs for each of them. I was feeling horrific after the EMCS with DS2, but I was told they needed the bed. My mum was horrified, she'd had 2 CS in the 1970s and stayed in a week/10 days.

Minr were born 2005, 2007, 20013 & 2014

The 4th was a semi-elective CS and they were actually keen to keep me longer. It was really quiet; DS4 was the only baby delivered there on that day, and only one other the morning after (I went home in the early evening) which I think influenced them suggesting I stay another night

I had to be moved around in a wheel chair for around six hours after one of my c sections because my legs didn’t have full sensation. I don’t believe anyone who says they were went home within four and a half hours.

Never had a c-section so can't comment but mine were 36h with DC1. Was meant to be 24h as there was meconium in my waters when baby arrived but as they came at 1am we didn't get discharged until 3pm the next day. I was begging them to let us leave as soon as we'd done our 24h but they said there was no-one to discharge us overnight and then it just took forever the next day! We were on a "pop up ward" as it was so stupidly busy and it seemed a horrible cycle of them needing the space but having no-one available to discharge us.

DC2 arrived at 6:45am and I was home by 2pm.

DC3 was a planned induction (I had GD) but they were born with an undiagnosed condition and ended up in neonatal for 15 days. As a patient, I was discharged from the hospital about 18h after I had the baby but obviously I was there whilst baby was in NICU.

I’ve never had a c-section but I understand it to be major abdominal surgery and I think women should receive the same after care as a man who has had major abdominal surgery and I don’t think a one night stay would cut it.

I had complicated pregnancies including a late loss which meant long stays. My most recent pregnancy I had a c section around 11am and was discharged the following morning. Couldn’t wait to leave. Post natal wards are hot, noisy and crowded. They need the space

Good pun!

Planned c section at 5pm. Was home by 6pm the next day! Second baby so confidence is a big factor but I can’t imagine why anyone would want to stay in a post natal ward any longer than they absolutely had to, they are they exact opposite of restful

I was home within 16 hours with DC1 and 12 hours for second (both vaginally births with no complications). They need you to clear out to make space for the next one, especially in a busy hospital.

Sorry, I mean 16 and 12 hours in total from arriving in labour. First time i left 12 hours after birth and second time was 7 hours after birth.

I thought with a C section you're usually in for 72 hours (2 overnights). For my 2 vaginal births it was "48 hours" - in reality, being discharged the day after the birth.

i’ve had 2 emergency c sections:

1 was early evening, I then stayed that night and the night after. the second night was more for feeding I think

1 was early hours of the morning, I went home after 1 night in hospital - which worked out at around 36 hours after birth. I also haemorrhaged during this one and I was still home quickly!

So I’d say standard for a c section!

If everyone is fit and healthy, I'd be out of the hospital ASAP.

DS was a surprise home birth (paramedic delivery). We spent 30 mins in the hospital!

It's normal these days I think but when I had a C-Section 17 years ago it was a minimum of 3 days in hospital.

Theres no rest be had on a hot, noisy and busy postnatal ward.

I was home next day for all three babies. One emcs and two electives. Wouldn’t have wanted to stay a minute longer. Recovered quickly and easily with all three an no issues with feeding. Got much more rest at home than in the dreadful post-natal ward.

I had a planned c-section and was out of hospital within 24hrs (8 years ago). I was better at home with my DH to help rather than having to rely on midwives with multiple patients/babies to look after.

This. What would you stay if medically you don’t need to?

I was much better at home, peace, dh to help, my own shower.

as for “help with breastfeeding” don’t make me laugh. If anything if I’d stayed longer I’d have ended up with formula as seriously every time anyone saw me breastfeeding they offered to get me formula. Any questions or issues, try some formula, that’ll sort it.

much better at home with a HV and LLL/other bf support groups who knew what they were on about and had time to help.

That’s pretty standard from what I understand- not had a c section myself though. However, your friend isn’t wrong to believe it’s too early to be discharged after major abdominal surgery. Women are expected to be far
more resilient than men would be if they’d had exactly the same surgery. But then if men could give birth they’d have probably found a way to make childbirth happen with no pain, mess or discomfort afterwards 🙃

3/4 days is standard here in Germany. I enjoyed my hospital stay!