What happens immediately after birth?

[Sjb10]

Hello,
I am being induced on Tuesday at 38 weeks due to GD. This is my first baby and obviously I am thinking about the induction process/birth/meeting baby but I don't seem to hear anything about what happens straight after birth (after the placenta is delivered and any stitches etc are done) and just wondering what to expect.
After skin to skin do they take baby away for any checks/wash him?
How long do you get stay in the delivery room after?
Are you able to shower straight after?
If its nighttime or out of visiting hours and I am transfered to the post-natal ward will my partner have to leave? (even if I have only just given birth)
Sorry so many questions and I know each hospital would be different but what were your experiences?
Right now I am so excited but I know it will turn to nerves in the next few days

I think different hospitals have different rules but....

After skin to skin time they asked if I wanted to try feeding and then after he’d fed they got him dressed and popped him in his cot. He wasn’t washed until we went home a few days later.

I’ve no idea how long we were in the delivery room for, it’s a bit of a blur, but I did shower and get dressed and they brought me a sandwich.

DH wasn’t allowed to stay once we were on the ward as it was nighttime.

Entirely depends on the birth, but with both of mine I was home after 4 hours! Baby was born, I had skin to skin/BF, had tea and toast and a shower, they did the initial checks on baby then we dressed the baby and went home.

We dressed them both, no bath/wash (just a rub down with the towel), and neither of them even made it into the cot!

With both of mine, in the same hospital, after he was born I held him for a few minutes, then they were popped in a nappy and babygro by DP and I was pretty much left to it, both times! Those few minutes feeding and holding them close all on my own was lovely (DP after long labours went to go to the toilet and get food and drink for himself). After a while both times a nurse came in to pop the baby in one of those clear plastic cots for me and help me have a sponge bath and get changed which was lovely.

I was in the labour ward on the same bed I gave birth on for, it’s hazy and hard to remember honestly, a couple to a few hours. I was then taken down to the postnatal ward in a wheelchair holding the baby.

Once there you are left too it apart from feeding checks if you are breastfeeding - I was and it was quite quick if it’s going well; they want to check your latch and make sure baby is feeding well. This was the long part for me - waiting for the discharge process to complete took a harrowingly long time in my busy hospital :( okay, it was still within 12 hours of arriving on the ward, but that meant 11pm with my first and the following late afternoon with the second. A long time as I was anxious to get home and rest - PN wards are busy, bright and full of people you don’t know. Still a lovely experience overall :)

Oh and should have said we were discharged straight from the delivery room, I didn’t go to the postnatal ward.

Both my births were inductions.

My 2nd - I gave birth at night. I stayed in my delivery room for about 3 hours afterwards and had a shower. My partner stayed and then came down to my room (got lucky and had one to myself!) and settled me in then headed home. Baby had basic checks at birth in delivery room. Doctor came to the ward and did more thorough checks later in the day. We had skin to skin straight afterwards.

My 1st - daughter wasn't straightforward. I had pre eclampsia and my placenta wouldn't deliver and needed stitches so was in delivery room being attended to for 4 hours. Not much skin to skin as I was ill and daughter needed a heated cot and I spent the night in HDU. She was returned to me during that time. Partner said goodbye as I went to the HDU ward at midnight (he was tired - lol!) and came back about 9.30 the next day.

It does vary widely but just to mention that your baby is at risk of possible blood sugar issues in the first few days after birth since you have GD. So there’s a greater chance your baby may need some extra medical care or perhaps even a short stay in special care. So please don’t get too set on exactly what you might want to happen as birth is always unpredictable and some unexpected things might need to happen.

Having said that, generally if both you and the baby are doing well, you will hold / cuddle the baby, skin to skin if you like, for a period. The newborn checks on a healthy vigorous infant don’t take very long and I was asked whether i wanted my husband to dress the baby for the first time. Generally baths are not advised right away as babies can have trouble regulating their temperature and as the vernix may have benefits for their skin.

If you can’t shower right away because of weakness or other reason, the midwife will give you a sponge bath, which I found way less undignified than I’d imagined it to be. When you move will depend on a whole host of things like demands on delivery suite, etc so that could be anything from an hour or so after birth to a longer stretch.

The baby will be weighed and have ID tags and security bracelets placed on her. Your baby should also get the vitamin K injection as part of the newborn check but it is really no big deal at all, and is over in no time.

For you, you may be asked to measure your first urine after birth if there are any concerns about potential injury to your bladder - this shocked me a little!

There are loads of variables though and in general everything will be explained to you and there are no major choices to be made, so you can just go with the flow if you like.

I find an unrealistic emphasis on many blogs/advice sites about uninterrupted skin-to-skin etc being absolutely necessary which I find unrealistic in setting expectations.

Also be prepared for any one of an enormous range of emotions. You might be exhausted and feel a bit numb. You might feel shocked or traumatized at the enormity of what has happened. You might feel detached and uninterested in the baby. Or you might feel the Hollywood moment of an instant fish of love. All are entirely normal and again, don’t feel any pressure about what you “should” feel.

Best wishes!

After delivering the placenta, I had skin to skin with baby until I needed stitching. Then baby went to DH for more skin to skin.

After stitching, DH dressed baby then he showered me (probably the most loving experience of my life) while midwives checked the baby over and put her in a cot. Then we were left in our baby bubble in the birthing room, with tea and toast for a few hours, with a midwife coming to offer advice on feeding and latch.

Then we moved to the postnatal ward, it was daytime so DH stayed. Someone came and did a hearing check of DD and then (whilst DH was off buying lunch) a bounty lady came and asked to take pics of my baby to sell me and to take my details so I could get a free bag of stuff (they sell your info). You can say no to the bounty lady, I did quite firmly, and she left me alone.

Good luck OP, it's so nerve wracking thinking about it beforehand but when you're in the moment it works out.

If you have a c-section you will be moved into a side room outside the operating theatre and observed for a couple of hours before going to the general ward. There will be a hcp with you pretty exclusively for all of that time, observing how much blood you are passing and your sats and generally giving you a hand (because of course you can't sit up). Once you get to the post-natal ward you will need a friend or relative with you for as long as visiting hours allow. You won't be able to shower until the 2nd or 3rd day.

My experience was in a MLU inside a large general hospital. You labour, give birth, and then stay in the same (private) room which is pretty lucky in the UK.

First of all, I'd recommend you get the injection for 3rd stage. I didn't, had no pain relief 1st/2nd stages (no time, not out of some misplaced sense of pride). I was really surprised by how much 3rd stage hurts! It took a good 45min for placenta to come too - you have contractions the entire time, I was howling as no longer in the zone so couldn't cope with the pain, whilst I just wanted to focus on my lovely new baby.

Anyway, once placenta was delivered (I was holding DD throughout 3rd stage) they whisked me off into another room to get stitched up - had a rather nasty 2nd degree tear. DP and my friend stayed with the baby and got her dressed etc. Stitches took a while, I needed a fair few - they sedate your nether regions first using local anaesthetic and I was offered g&a. Midwife did the stitching and got another midwife to check it was all good at the end.

Then got rolled back (in bed obviously) to room, some quick cuddles with DD then MW suggested to have a shower (ensuite bathroom), DP helped me whilst friend stayed with DD - I think it was definitely helpful having 2 birthing partners.

After that I got tucked into bed. We ended up staying overnight as we were struggling with BFIng. Also I never got my toast and ended up with (disgusting) meals chosen by previous occupier of the room. But I was on cloud 9 feeling very proud of myself and not in much pain at that point thanks to a suppository they'd given me after stitches.

During the night (DP was not allowed to stay) a MW came in to try bfing again a couple of times. And in the morning paediatrician came to do standard checks. Then were told we could go home.

Oh and if you are being induced, there is a chance that you will be doing a lot of boring hanging around on the ward at the start, so you’ll have plenty of time to ask the staff any questions about their usual policies/routines after the delivery.

Also I never saw any bounty lady, I gave birth at Watford general. Don't think they allow them in, they did give me the bag though.

Depends on the time and what sort of birth you had. I was paralysed from the epidural and lying flat on my back being sewn up so I got no skin to skin. They took the baby aside, cleaned him and wrapped him up, then handed him to DH. As soon as they were finished with me they wheeled me to a ward so the delivery room was free for the next person. I couldn’t have a shower because it was the middle of the night and I was immobilised from the epidural. There was no food available at that time of night either, DH had to fetch me a chocolate bar and coffee from the vending machine. My hospital permitted DH to stay in my cubicle and sleep on a chair but not all hospitals allow that.

The biggest shock was just being left with the baby once we reached the ward. Nobody checked that we had even put clothes on him or that he was doing ok. I didn’t attempt to breastfeed because I was exhausted and didn’t know I was supposed to try already, or how to do it. Nobody offered me any food or even a drink. It was terrifying.

AHH and the 2nd night after your baby is born is hell on earth, which is normal so my MW friend tells me. Baby has fully woken up, your milk hasn't come in yet, etc. DD cried (screamed) the entire night, I cried, I was exhausted, in pain (nipples and stitches), I regretted having a baby, etc. But the only way is up and it did improve.

After DS, I held him and they left me and DH for a bit then came and did some baby checks. We put him in a babygro and fed him. I had a shower and we were moved to the private room we had paid for because I had to stay overnight. DH could stay with us. I had a sleep and DH went to M and S and got us a picnic meal. Home the next morning.

With DD we were straight into the delivery room and sent home from there 4 hours after she was born.

Neither of them were bathed until they were at home.

After skin to skin, stitches etc, the midwife came with me so I could have a wee and stood the other side of the door to make sure I was ok - they do this because it can sting after you've had stitches and they want to make sure you're ok before you attempt it at home. Jug of lukewarm water poured slowly down there while you wee can help if it does sting.

Then I had a shower which was amazing. Clean clothes then tea and toast.

During all this DS was wrapped up In a nappy and hospital blankets and put in one of those clear plastic cots, DH stayed in the room with him.

Then we went down to the ward, wheelchair in the lift with me holding DS. We popped him in a vest down on the ward, it was summer and warm in there so didn't bother with anything else, just a light blanket. The new grandparents could visit (it was about 7pm), then everyone went home. DH came back the next day to take us both home. I guess all of that will be completely dependent on the timings, your delivery etc. I doubt they'll send your DH home in the middle of the night, he might have to sleep on one of those awful green hospital chairs though!

Good luck. I'm pregnant with DC2 and getting all fuzzy thinking about that first night.

Oh yes and they didn't wash him, I was really surprised! He was gorgeous but after the journey he'd just been through he was understandably a bit gloopy!

Oh god we didn’t bath DS for five days! We were in hospital for two days and weren’t offered bathing facilities. And for the next three days we didn’t dare wash him because nobody had said if you were allowed or if you had to wait. In the end we just decided to wash him but still had no idea if we were supposed to!

I don’t think DD2 got bathed for about 10 days!

We were told not to bathe DD until umbilical stump had fallen off, and to definitely not get the stump wet with wipes etc. She was about a week old I think when she had her first bath.

They're obviously all very different! I had a planned c section and was in the shower the same day!

Right after however I was hooked up to a machine to give me fluids as I'd lost a lot during the op, during which we had some food. Honestly I can't remember anything else ...

I had a forceps delivery so after being stitched up I was taken to recovery where we had skin to skin , breast fed and got baby dressed , I was still bed bound after having a spinal block and as it was about 2am so my husband stayed with me . We were then taken down to the ward with the other new mums and left to try and get some sleep and to cuddle our new baby .

I was induced with my first at 37w. One thing to be aware of is that although they may admit you for induction on a certain day, they might not start the process straight away. I was admitted on the Monday and due to how busy it was/lack of midwives/people coming in to hosp in labour already, I didn't get induced until the Friday. The wait was agonising! I gave birth in around 12 hours, it took about 1hr to stitch me up and I had skin to skin with him the whole time. We spent about 3 hours in the delivery room, my husband was there & parents joined us too. We then went up to the ward. DH had to leave at the end of visiting hours at 8pm. I'd had an epidural, catheter etc so had to stay in for the night. It was tough on the ward and noisy, and we got very little sleep!

I'm currently 36+5 and due to be induced again in the next couple of weeks. I have got GD this time (diet controlled) and have been told that we'll have to stay for a minimum of 24hrs after delivery so they can check both of our blood sugars regularly and make sure baby is ok. This may be the same for you - perhaps worth asking your consultant? Good luck! x

Baby was put on my chest and we had a cuddle. Unlike previous the placenta came out very quickly and with no pain at all. I had no pain relief in labour either.
I got a few stitches and then I went for a shower.
My baby had to have 3 blood sugar check over quite a few hrs as I had gd so you'll probably end up on a ward. Discharging always takes ages as well.

I had what is ‘on paper’ a very traumatic birth with DS1 - I was induced due to SPG and therefore ‘in labour’ for something like 72 hours ( I didn’t feel any pain for most of it and had an epidural for the last 12)

DS was born at 07:25 in the morning and was given to me straight away for skin on skin, at this point I had a huge, huge bleed, it was gushing out of me and all over the floor. MW very calmly asked if she could take DS to check him and as I knew no different so let her and was calm, DH was looking kind of green but I just thought it was becoming a father!

Alarms were sounding as I watched MW and DH dress DS and I remember vaguely wondering who they were for

Then literally everyone in the world ran into my room and they pumped me full of meds and tried to sew me up while literally punching me in the stomach to try to induce a last contraction which would help staunch the bleeding. I don’t know how long this all took but it didn’t feel long and all the while DH held DS right by me and I just loooked at him.

Eventually they got it under control and the minute they did the MW said to DH to give DS back to me. My parents came in and had a cuddle and we were left for about 10 minutes.

I then was told that I needed to go to ICU as I had lost over 4 litres of blood (they were amazed I was still conscious - women are powerful!) that point was the only point I was worried at as I didn’t want to leave DS however he came with me and I went and got my blood transfusions and my other family were allowed to come and see me one at a time. I eventually got moved to a private room upstairs and was obviously heavily monitored but me and DS had loads of time alone.

I’m not saying this to scare you, quite the opposite, my feeling was that obviously I was the priority as could easily have died, whereas DS1 was a 9 pound monster who was clearly healthy, but at every possible opportunity they gave me my baby and let me be a mum. And that was lovely

For DS2 they put me in a special delivery room, had my blood type in the fridge, had canulars in ready in case anything went wrong again and he pretty much fell out in 4 hours with no problem at all!