Early discharge from hospital

[Hoonette]

I'm pg with my first and hoping to get out of hospital as soon as possible after the birth (assuming all goes well).
I've heard that with early discharge they'll let you out after 6 hours? I've also heard that the time of day makes a difference...if you give birth too late in the day, then you're not allowed to go home until the next morning?
If the baby and I are healthy, will I have to stay in? Couldn't I just go home?! Can they force me to stay?
I know I sound paranoid...I'd be really grateful to hear about other peoples' experiences. Thanks.

I had dd3 at 8.31 am and left a 4pm the same day ( only reason I didn't go earliwe was I was waiting for DP to come back and get me ( as we'd forgotten to put babyseat in car) ...

I had dd1 at 4am, and left at 12pm, but she stayed in SCBU. I only left because I lived next to the hospital.

I gave birth to DS2 at 9.41am and by 5pm was at home hoovering as people were coming round to see the baby. With DS1 I was not allowed out after 6 hours as he was born at 1.41am and they needed me to have some sleep... like you can ever get any in hospital anyway!!!!

lol 2gb... when i was there overnight with ds the nurse came into me the next morning and asked had i had any sleep and i said no she laughed and said 'i didn't think so, no-one ever does!'

I have to say that teh reason I didn't get any sleep had less to do with the activity on the ward and more to do with the hyper/adrenalin rush I was on after giving birth to my gorgeous baby...

With DS1 I really wanted to go home asap,but was told because I'd had a vontouse I might heamorage and DH would be coping with me bleeding everywhere and a new born in the middle of the night. I was also told I might not be able to breastfeed(even though we'd been doing fine so far).I was so tired,and started to cry, and was told I was obviously emotionally unsatable.I expalined I was just tired, and it was sugested I be sedated while my baby went into the nursery over night. NOT ON YOUR NELLY!

With DS2 I was told I couldn't go home until he had done a poo as he my have a blocked rectum (or whatever)and we could be rushing him back in with complications. Thankfully he pooed and we about 9 hours after he was born.

Apparently you can't leave until the midwives have completed the paper work, which can take a very long time.

Well at 2am I burst into tears said I was going home as I NEEDED SOME SLEEP they said your baby is not feeding - well I'll leave her here! They said "That's not very nice" I said I can't take it anymore I need my own bed - I had slept for about 2 hours in 48 at this point (oh and given birth!) it was packed (big boom) I just said I'm going and they sorted it out within 2 hours.

We got home 4am ish we all went to sleep for about 6 hour - oh did that feel good!

I was the other way around. I wanted to stay and they chucked me out! DD was born Friday 11.20 am and went home on the Sunday afternoon in the end. But did so reluctantly...

Hoonette, I was the same as you wanted a natural birth and wanted to get home asap, as i hate hospitals.

It didn't turn out that way, I had complications and had to saty before and after ds was born, it wasn't so bad really. I felt very taken care of everyone and also found all the breastfeding advice and bathing advice, etc, really helpful, although sometimes a little conflicting at least i had options. DS was also very very hungry on the third day (common prob) as milk is sometimes not fully flowing, and he was just sreaming and screaming for food. But non matter how long I bf for, he was still hungry, a midwive finally said at 2am lets give him a bottle you both get some sleep and all will be well in the morning. It was but i wouldn't have had a clue what to do at home.

All you can really do is go with the flow, you may feel wonderful after birth or you may not. It's pretty hard to plan for that even with later babies. Take everything to hospital that will make you comfortable earplugs, pillow, etc.

Hope that helps. Good luck

Forgot to say, i even missed hospital when i came home. 5 meals and snacks a day, clean nappies and clothes for LO, I could just relax not do any house work and rest. Not the case when i came home though.

Thanks for all your replies - I'm feeling a lot more positive now Like everything else, I'll just have to see how it goes, but at least I now feel that if I'm ready to go home, I'll be able to!

Haven't read whole thread Hoonette, so sorry if I'm repeating.

I wanted to go home asap with dd2. She was my 2nd baby, but first labour as I'd had to have an elective section with dd1 (long story). I put this in my birth plan.

After she was born they gave me the option of going straight home from the labour ward (after a shower etc.). I was tempted, but suddenly came over very shaky as I'd been up all night in labour, had thrown up and had nothing in my stomach. So in the end I went up onto the postnatal ward, tried (unsuccessfully) to sleep for a bit, and drank large quantities of Lucozade Sport to try to get my blood sugar back to normal. In the end, I went home at about 6 p.m. (after dd was born at 10 a.m.). Wish I'd gone earlier really (could have been home in time for lunch!) but just didn't feel up to putting baby in car seat and walking to the car at the time. However, was very very glad to be going home the same day.

Play it by ear, but there's no reason for you to stay in unless there are any complications. Good luck.

Hoonette - i'd wait and see how you feel once you're there before setting your heart on getting home. I went in for induction, and thought i'd be out after a couple of days. But my induction failed, and I didn't have my son until i'd been in hosp for 4 days. Then i had a c-section and wanted to stay in longer and was sent home after 2 days.

I was hopeing for the same as you, in have baby, go home. it just never can go as planned. so please be prepared to stay a little longer than planned. Then at least if you go home soon you will be pleased, but if they keep you in you won't be dissapointed.

Hope that makes sense