How long were you in hospital after the birth?

[catholicatheist]

Hi just wondering as we live away from our parents and extended families and we are trying to work out the logistics of who can come when. What is the usual time for a first baby if no complications or if you have an epidural, choose to breast feed etc etc?

Thanks ladies.

I was only in for few hours DS's birth was the early hours so was out that afternoon. Although I do think it depends were you live and what time you give birth. As the doctor has to see you before you go.

Too long!

I had an epidural and forceps delivery - ds born 1am on a Friday morning, moved to the post-natal ward about 6am. They thought we might have an infection so kept us both in for antibiotics, then ds was jaundiced and needed some phototherapy. We finally got released Monday evening.

I got taken into hospital (home birth) and was in for three nights as I lost a lot of blood and they thought DS had a chest infection (he didn't).

So you never now - you could end up being in longer than you think or out in no time!

I wouldn't plan for any visitors for the first 2-3 days. If you want to BF, visitors will get in the way (they'll want to hold it all the time) as your baby and you will may need time and space to get established.

We had visitors after about 2 weeks with only close family coming beforehand.

Hospitals seem to differ on their policy for dicharging mums after childbirth.
If you speak to your midwife, she will tell you what the various usual timescales are for your hospital...

I had a three night stay for a section, followed by an overnight stay for 1st VBAC, 6 hour stay for 2nd VBAC and 2 hour stay for 3rd VBAC. All VBACs were uncomplicated with gas and air for pain relief. Expecting DC5 any minute and am hoping for a 2 hour discharge again....

Igglybuff I would love to be able to keep them all away (apart from my mother) for two weeks but our families wont be having any of it.. It wouldnt be so bad if we lived close by as they could just 'pop' in but as it is we are 200 miles away. I am dreading the whole thing!

4 1/2 hours. First baby, quick delivery, no complications.

You really have to be firm about visitors, establishing breastfeeding takes some effort, can be painful, and involves having you boobs out a lot.

I had just close family visit in the hospital during visiting hours, so only staying an hour at a time. No visitors at home til ds was a week old.

It's partly up to you as well.

I had a fairly straightfoward labour/birth, but I lost a lot of blood and was on a drip and iron tablets afterwards.

I was transferred to the ward at 6am, and they wanted my to stay for one night. I ended up staying for 3 as I wanted to make sure I was confident breastfeeding, and just give myself time to come to terms with the baby. Actually I sometimes wish I'd stayed for another couple of days. I think I would have if I'd got a private room.

At least you don't have to kick the visitors out when it's been too long - the midwives do that for you

Sorry, just to add breastfeeding on departure after immediate s2s. It would have been quicker but they had to input my pregnancy notes as they were all handwritten. I had a very quick, 6 hour, labour (delivered about 5 minutes after being admitted to labour ward). I never went to the post natal ward.

The time was spent having small tear stitched, having a bath and rehumanising, waiting for toast that never arrived and taking 10 million photos. Baby was born at 6:47 and we were home by 11.30

With DS1 I gave birth 8am Saturday and went home Sunday morning. Mainly stayed that long to get BF established and recover from epidural/episiotomy.

With DS2 I gave birth 4am and home lunchtime the same day :)

And I wasn't seen by a doctor to be discharged, I just had to go to the GP within 24 hours of the birth.

Both sets of parents were round by 2pm, I was so elated and on such a high that I really didn't care. Also I only had a 6 hour labour so I wasn't actually that tired; I think that this thread shows everyone has different experiences and that your best policy is to plan nothing !

I was in for 2 nights - I had a straight forward birth (1st baby) but I couldn't produce a wee for them afterwards so they catheterised me and I wasn't allowed out until the catheter was taken out and I had done 2 wees! By then it was the late afternoon on the second day and I was quite tired so agreed to stay a second night. They also wanted to observe me breastfeeding I think.

So, I stayed 2 but really could have stayed 1 if I'd have been desperate to leave!

DD: 10 hours - Induced, ventouse delivery, epidural and some concerns about whether I could pass water. Had to pee a litre before I was 'released' (sorry if TMI).

DS: 2 hours. Midwife-led unit. Water birth, no complications.

Both times we stipulated no visitors at home for a week. Not even doting grandparents.

Both born at midnight. About 8 hours each- would have been 4 if born in day but hospital had 8 hour rule at night.

12hrs post emergency section.

But I had visitors sitting on the driveway when I got home. I couldn't cope. Locked myself in the bathroom and sobbed and sobbed while dh made small talk. The next day people arrived and stayed for 9hrs, expected lunch and dinner, cups of tea etc. I was a bloody mess. You have to have the courage to say no if you need to. Or have somebody who will say it for you.

Wow, it's amazing you can go home 2 hrs after birth.

I live in France and when I gave birth to DD last year they kept me 4 nights. There weren't any complications, it's just quite standard.

showofbloodystumps..I can imagine being in that exact situation.

winnybella..I would prefer that and get everyone up to the hospital for visiting and then we can have some time to ourselves when we get home. Do they at least ensure breastfeeding is well established?

You might be fine but please God, if you aren't you need to tell them to get lost. I was bleeding through my clothes with the lochia, had very engorged breasts, dd was sleepy and wouldn't latch properly so I needed to do skin to skin. I was anxious, tearful and desperate to be alone with dh and dd. I regret that I didn't have the guts to tell them to sod off.

after DC1 (normal delivery, no epidural) I stayed for 2 days. I felt completely tired and exhausted after the delivery - no way I would have gone home after 4-5 hours as some others.also, struggled with breastfeeding initially a bit so getting some extra help from the MWs was great.

I was discharged 12hrs post em cs as they needed the bed. They had neither the time nor staff to help with bfing. And visiting hours are v strict. Mostly partners only (and only for a while in the evenings) and in our hospital a couple of hours in the afternoon where other people could come but no children and only 2 people at a time.

You may find it easier at home than on a busy, hot, noisy postnatal ward with filthy showers.

But equally you may have a lovely hospital or mlu nearby.

I had an emcs on the Thursday morning and went home on Sunday morning. I was given NO help with BF, well my dsis had an attempt. In fact when I pressed to buzzer in the middle of the night as I could do nothing with a screaming dd, they gave her formula and brought her back asleep. I was so grateful/knackered, I gave up at that point.

I wouldn't have wanted to go home much earlier than I did- 2 nights seemed about right to me. It certainly takes it out of you! I was so shocked when I tried to stand up for the first time!

My experience was that they were keen for me to stay as long as it took to get breastfeeding established - OP, you can use this as an excuse to stay longer and have all the visitors while you're in hospital!