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Childbirth

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

Original poster

How long did you stay in hospital after having DC1?

101 replies

ThePinkParker · 14/06/2015 16:01

I'm due early September but I've started to think about labour and the after effects of this. I'm giving birth at St Marys in Manchester which has a midwife led unit and a hospital unit in one building on a different floor (not sure if that makes a difference) so I assume ill be in the midwife led section as I am a FTM but no problems so far!
Anyway, to cut to the chase, how long were you in hospital after giving birth & why?
I want to be in & out ASAP as I can't stand the thought of being in the postnatal ward without DP!

OP posts:
VenusVanDamme · 17/06/2015 14:46

One night for monitoring before being induced the next day and then another 3 nights due to preeclampsia. Was only discharged due to begging and the fact I'd still be at hospital for about 16 hours a day due to DS being in SCBU.

Monkeyinshoes · 17/06/2015 15:01

One night for DS1. He was born at 7.30pm. We were taken to the ward about 10.30pm. There was meconium in my waters so they needed to check his temperature every hour or two for 12 hours. Then there was lots of faffing with paperwork and checks. Seemed to take ages when I was melting in the heat of a stuffy ward during a heatwave. We went home about 5pm the next day.

With DS2 I was in hospital for a total of 7 hours, including the birth. He was born about 40mins after we arrived. Don't know if it differs in other hospitals but when DS2 was born their policy was to keep you in for a minimum of 6 hours. If after that time everything was ok and it wasn't silly o'clock in the morning, then they could discharge you.

CathFizz · 17/06/2015 15:05

With DS I spent 3 nights in the ward. Awful, just wanted to get home.
With DD I went into MLU at 2am, delivered at 3.24am and was home on sofa by 6am. Perfect! Midwife came that morning at around 10am to do all the checks etc.
If everything is fine with you and baby, get home. As PP have said post natal wards are generally understaffed and noisy places.
Hope everything goes ok for you.

Electroswing · 17/06/2015 15:06

Depends what kind of help you mean, I guess. I stayed in for two nights as I mentioned, and on night 1 DD threw up bright green at about 3am. Was a bit worried and pressed the button: 5 minutes later a midwife was there.

Green sick can mean a bowel obstruction so was kept in for another day to check all was well. I could have always checked with someone from home, but I was quite happy to be in a hospital where I had an instant response and a paediatrician visit the next day.

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 17/06/2015 15:08

Delivered 4am Monday, discharged 4pm Tuesday. I had Strep B during labour so needed to stay in for obvs.

DC2 I was offered a 6hr discharge til they remembered that Im a carrier of GBS.

MrsAukerman · 17/06/2015 15:16

Born at st Mary's and stayed 6 nights. Was seriously considering just discharging myself at one point. I had very mixed care. During labour it was good but not flawless, afterwards was at times horrendous but that's because I spent 5 nights on a 4-bed bay with snoring mums and crying babies. If it looks like you'll be in for more than a day or two ask for a private room.

Quite a lot of babies who had to stay there were on intravenous antibiotics for either 2 or 5 days.
Also bear in mind that you might get told that you can go home subject to one thing being rectified then another "problem" may get detected. Dp can be with you all day pretty much and just goes home in the evening.

samroberts2 · 19/06/2015 10:00

book a tour of the unit if you can. i will be having mine at north manchester and they have told me between 2 and 6 hours. if we have the baby during the night they dont chuck you out they have a bed for me and partner and baby but thats if everything is ok. hope that helps xx

odi1 · 19/06/2015 10:07

I stayed in 2 nights. I really wish I insisted I went home the day after she was born they moved me in the middle of the night, I got no extra help breastfeeding (my DD was a bit jaundiced and sleepy), no sleep on the ward and it was a nightmare trying to get discharged on Saturday morning despite being told I could leave straight away in the morning as a condition of me agreeing to stay an extra night.

Salene · 19/06/2015 10:12

I got out with baby 6 hours after giving birth.

Christelle2207 · 19/06/2015 10:13

2 days, 1 night after birth. However I paid extra for a private room where dh could stay with me, even though I sent him home to sleep in the end (only a mile away).
I had a 40h labour then complicated birth followed by pph- unlucky! I could barely get up before lunchtime on the 2nd day tbh.

Christelle2207 · 19/06/2015 10:18

Btw don't go until you are happy with bf if you plan to bf- midwives at the hospital were busy but broadly helpful in this respect and very hands on. With dc2 I left after a few hours as I convinced MWs I knew what I was doing, turns out I didn't!

Micah · 19/06/2015 10:56

Christelle the m/w I had were useless with regards to bf. Generally uninformed, and so busy. Their response to any question or difficulty was to offer to get formula.

I was far better at home with access to a telephone and the Internet, and found a good hv who reassured me everything was fine. Ime there are far more resources available from home than on a hospital ward.

whatsoever · 23/06/2015 00:28

Hi OP,

I gave birth to DC1 at St Mary's in 2012. I laboured mainly in the MLU but ended up being transferred to the CLU due to complications & gave birth in theatre. We stayed in a week in total. 1 night in a private room on the CLU (I assume because it was the middle of the night so least disruption to other patients). Then all ready to leave after 24 hrs but DC wasn't feeding properly so transferred up to MLU for another night for help getting him feeding. Then they suspected an infection in DC so we were transferred back to CLU as they can't administer IV antibiotics on the MLU & had 5 long nights back down there.

However, if he'd fed immediately & no suspected infection, we'd have been out in 24 hours despite theatre birth & a haemorrhage for me!

BackforGood · 23/06/2015 00:32

6 days with dc1.
I know they are keener to push you out quicker these days though Sad

shiteforbrains · 23/06/2015 00:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

whatsoever · 23/06/2015 00:38

PS St Mary's are very pro-breastfeeding so all the stories of being offered a bottle are quite alien to me. I had various MWs & infant feeding coordinators syringing colostrum from me, helping cup feed DS some formula when he was too sleepy to latch on & propping me up in bed with hot compresses on my hideously engorged boobs to get BFing going for me & DS.

I hated staying in for a week so all the reasons people have mentioned and more (blood spattered communal showers anyone? Shock ) but it was invaluable for BFing. Especially as I ended up with infected stitches so would have been too poorly to attend BFing support groups in the Outside World.

Igottastartthinkingbee · 23/06/2015 01:03

2 weeks. DS was premature and I was pretty ill afterwrds.

ChickenMe · 25/06/2015 05:42

Nine days.

Waters broke pre-term and after delivery DD was jaundiced and couldn't latch on. She had to have the light and a feeding programme. I never expected any of this but in the main it was a positive experience. The staff were very helpful with helping me establish breastfeeding and wouldn't discharge us until I had.
I actually preferred being on the ward - I found it comforting to be around other people and the staff were always around. OH was there 10-8 every day. Some OHs stayed but we have a cat
Going home was a massive culture shock as I had become institutionalised. Once I was thru the first night at home it was ok tho.

slightlyconfused85 · 26/06/2015 10:37

2 nights. First because waters broke more than 24 hours before dd was born so they wanted to monitor for infection. Second night because I needed help establishing Breast feeding

chiruri · 26/06/2015 10:51

9 hours in a MWU (7 hours after having DD). I definitely didn't feel 'kicked out'. On the contrary I was desperate to get home! Would have left immediately after my stitches if I could.
Best of luck OP.

juneau · 26/06/2015 10:54

I was in for 48 hours because I had group b strep and DS1 and I needed to be kept under observation, but it helped to have BF-ing help and I did get to rest (private room).

Pumpeedo · 26/06/2015 10:59

Depends if you're breast or bottle feeding. They like to check baby is latching on properly before they set you free. Think it also depends on demand for beds too tho.

CheeseEMouse · 26/06/2015 11:04

With my daughter, 3 nights because she was small and was on some tests to do with blood sugars.

With my son, 12 hours all in.

MissesandMuddles · 26/06/2015 11:10

2 nights after an emergency c-section.

I've never enjoyed my stay in hospital after giving birth. Considering paying for a private room this time (elcs in 2 weeks) so that I'm not kept awake by others and it'll be easier when dc1 & 2 visit but wonder if I'll feel isolated and regret missing the opportunity to meet others. I made two really good friends in hospital with dc1, although one fizzled out. With dc2 everyone else kept their curtains closed!

HappyUncleMump · 26/06/2015 11:32

6 hours. Was a little shell-shocked at such a short amount of time (and being in charge of a newborn baby!) but felt fortunate there was no medical reason for baby or me to stay any longer.