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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

How long were you in hospital after the birth?

49 replies

catholicatheist · 31/10/2010 17:28

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.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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DeadlyPoisonPassionBerry · 31/10/2010 18:10

If you are lucky enough to have a nice hospital as Show of bloody stumps says.

SHRIIIEEEKPoolingBearBlood · 31/10/2010 18:10

until 2pm the next day in both cases
DS born at 5.30 pm, DD born half an hour before midnight

TheUnmentioned · 31/10/2010 18:13

Ds was born on the Saturday at just after midnight, we went home on the monday afternoon.

Dd was born the Friday night at 8pm, I would have been due to go home at 2am (6 hour rule) but I lost a lot of blood and then she was jaundice so I went home the Sunday early afternoon - that was way, way, way too long for comfort!

cat64 · 31/10/2010 18:13

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CarGirl · 31/10/2010 18:15

I self discharged against medical advice with dc2 (I did offer to leave her behind and come back once I'd had some sleep but they declined ) the following 2 6 hours - it was in my birth plan that I wasn't going on the postnatal ward I hated it that much.

Original poster

catholicatheist · 31/10/2010 18:24

cat64 how come they kept you in then? Was it just a matter of choice?

OP posts:

maninthemooncup · 31/10/2010 18:31

It depends on the hospital as well as the delivery and how you and baby are - had EMCS in huge busy teaching hospital and went home 24 hours later (I could have stayed another night but it was SO busy I couldn't wait to get out), friend had same in smaller district general and stayed 4 nights but could have stayed longer if she'd liked!

I must be weird as I was delighted to have visitors in hospital and at home, but then I went to the supermarket the day after I got home :o

Purplebuns · 31/10/2010 18:32

I was in for 3 days, my choice and I am so glad I did, I had some issues when my milk came in and they really helped me. I could have stayed longer if I had wanted to as well. (This was a lovely Midwife led unit though):)

cat64 · 31/10/2010 18:37

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SE13Mummy · 31/10/2010 18:40

I don't think there is a usual time! Talk to your midwives/hospital maternity ward to find out their standard advice then tell family etc. that DH will ring when baby arrives and will let them know then/later that day when they will be able to visit.

DD1 was born at 2.30am and I went home at teatime that day. DD2 was born at 2am but I had rather extensive surgery afterwards so needed to be kept in then DD2 had to have phototherapy for 24 hours. We were in for 2 nghts after she was born.

With DD2 my DH waited until 8am to let grandparents know that she'd arrived and then told one set they could visit for 30 minutes at one time and the other set that they could come for 30 minutes at a specific time slightly later. We scheduled them to come in the final stages of visiting hours so they couldn't stay on even if they'd been inclined to! Various friends looked after DD1 and made a fuss of her/brought her to visit me and DD2 so she didn't have to share us with grandparents.

I think DH's parents struggled with having such a limited time but my feeling was very much, "it's lovely that you want to see DD2 but I'll have just given birth so what I say goes; you're welcome to come and visit properly a couple of weeks after she's born but if you visit in hospital it will be for 30 minutes tops". They coped!

Original poster

catholicatheist · 31/10/2010 18:42

Thanks cat64..I think as I live in a big city I will be getting thrown out as it serves a huge number of women who all choose to have their babies there. I know years ago a few days was standard (my mother cant believe how quickly they are showing you the door)..suppose its all about money and freeing up beds. If your a first timer they should let you stay longer if you want to IMO.

OP posts:

Antidote · 31/10/2010 18:43

DS born by EMCS at 0330 on friday.
I had a few hours on HDU, then went to post natal ward.
Stayed Friday night, and was discharged Sat pm (6pm)

PILs came for 'quick' hospital visit on Sat and ended up staying for hours and being a pair of complete heroes helping get us all home.

Be firm about the visitors. I was mad as a badger and whipping my boobs out all over the shop.

My entire family visited the following day but luckily my very pregnant sister took one look at me & took everyone back to her's for lunch!

Visitors in hospital are much easier.

Bumpsadaisie · 31/10/2010 18:47

Had DD 10am on a Tuesday, went home lunchtime Weds.

Had epidural, forceps and catheter, so that makes it a bit longer stay than if you don't have those things. They like to keep you in for a while after the catheter comes out, to make sure you are weeing properly (otherwise something nasty can happen - urinary tract infections, I guess).

It was pretty quick though, considering.

NoahAndTheWhale · 31/10/2010 19:03

DS was born very early Saturday morning and we left hospital on Monday afternoon. Tbh I was surprised I was let out that quickly given the problems with delivery (mostly mine) and also finding I was positive for group B Strep but u had been in for a week by then due to suspected preclampsia.

With DD I had her lunchtime Tuesday and went home on Wednesday afternoon. Was told I could go home on Tuesday but quite wanted to have a night with just DD and me.

My SIL had a straightforward birth with her DD about 2pm and went home by about 8pm I think

cat64 · 31/10/2010 19:05

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Igglybuff · 31/10/2010 19:07

catholic I was worried that I wouldn't be able to stop my family. But I didn't give them a choice - I told them when they could visit. The reason being that my friend couldn't get BF going as she had too many visitors and her DS would only feed if he and she were naked!

I'm glad I was strict as I took four weeks to recover - couldn't walk more than a few metres for three weeks. Despite claiming they will help, visitors are tiring. You put on a brave face, have to make a small effort, they won't make your tea and they hog the baby when all you want to do is cuddle and stare at it!!

AliGrylls · 31/10/2010 19:07

3 days. Emergency c-section. You can't plan these things.

PavlovtheWitchesCat · 31/10/2010 19:20

with dd, 8 days due to low birth weight even though she was fine. It was magical actually as we had visitors who only stayed a short while, DH could stay as long as he wanted for the most part, then I got to spend some lovely time just me and DD. I was given lots of bf support, a chance to recover from birth, good food and generally very well looked after. So, by the time I came home, many of those desperate to see baby had already done so, and therefore the influx was not so bad, i felt calm and able to manage guests/not worry about messing up latching etc in front of people/had a clue what I was doing.

with ds, straightforward 4 hour birth, overnight due to a technicality and them messing up/administrative issues blah blah. should have been within a few hours as no reason to be in (born at 11am). Guests within a couple of hours as DH was desperate to show his son off. A bit overwhelming as I slept badly in the hospital and wanted to nap!

So given DS, I would say plan for needing one night in at least, then if out earlier, you get some time t yourselves before the family start invading.

And if you have visitors - insist they make the tea!

gingercat12 · 31/10/2010 19:22

I asked our hospital and the average here is 6 hours. I was in for 3 nights due to complications, and they (the midwives, not the doctors) were on te verge of throwing me out.

lillibet1 · 31/10/2010 19:35

Haven't read all the posts but if you have a normal health pregnancy and birth you do not need to stay in in fact you can sign your self and baby out as soon as you want. you do not have to wait for a doctor to see you although you may choose to.

KristinaM · 31/10/2010 19:43

had baby at midnight, went home 2pm next day
epidural, forceps

had baby at 5pm, went home 7pm next day
cs

i woudl also advise against lots of visitors, unless they will make themselves useful and do shopping, housework and ironing

the first few days home are not a lot of fun. you will probably have stitches soemwhere or other, maybe on painkillers and will be paranoid worrying about pooing. if you have stitches down below you will have to pee in the shower and wash yourslef every time you change your pad, which may be every hour.

that's not adding in bf, which takes up a vast amount of time

if you are happy to do all this with your FIL sitting on the sofa beside you asking for another cuppa, then good luck to you

tiokiko · 31/10/2010 21:15

DD born 8.30am and we had to stay in overnight despite me being desperate to go home.

We 'had' to stay in as there was a tiny bit of meconium when waters broke so protocol was 24hrs with regular observation/monitoring.

Fine but once on the ward there was no checking of either of us until they woke me at 3am to check BP and then a paed checked DD at 11am the next day.

She was absolutely fine, 10 APGAR so all OK. Think it was just because of the regulations/being on the safe side. If I was in the same situation again, after a proper check post-birth I would want to get straight home.

In theory you weren't allowed to leave until BF established but in reality there was no proper support as MWs massively over-stretched and prioritising looking after post-CS mothers etc so I was just left on my own. Did find it hard but wanted to get home and try to sort things there.

Having said that, I am a real home lover and really really wanted to be in my own bed with DD, DH and my mum and dad around. Loads of people prefer to be in hosp though and like the reassurance of being there.

Barbeasty · 01/11/2010 08:09

I stayed on the postnatal ward for just under 12 hours, until the spinal block wore off and the catheter was removed. But then I transferred to the MLU and stayed 5 days.

It's quite common here for people booked to deliver at the MLU to return if they end up delivering at the hospital. And it justly has the reputation for people wanting to stay!

greedyguts · 03/11/2010 13:41

Just remember that getting out doesn't depend solely on your recovery - it depends how your little one is too.

I was induced on Fri night. DS1 born Saturday morning and ended up in SCBU. No blood test results until Monday because it was the weekend(!) and then they realised he had rhesus disease and was severely jaundiced. He needed 7 days treatment under UV lights so we finally got out the following Monday - 10 days!

Actually I didn't mind it that much. Got loads of help with breastfeeding, didn't have to worry about visitors turning up at all times and had no housework to do. Bonus! Also, my DH brought me in home cooked lovelies so I didn't have to eat the hospital muck every day.

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