How long did you stay after baby?

[Bec123451995]

I’m due my 2nd in a few weeks & wondering how long did they keep you in before discharging you? & if they would discharge you from labour ward or do you have to go to postnatal ward?

With the current restrictions I know it may be different for each trust etc. But just generally, did they allow you to go if no complications etc after like 4 hours or so? Thank you xx

This was over 20 years ago, but I went home 8 hours after my first, and 5 hours after my second. I felt great and couldn't wait to get out of there.

I haven't had a baby during covid times so not sure if it is different now.

For DC1, there was more than 24 hours between my waters breaking and the baby being born. As that's associated with a higher risk of infection, I had to stay in for 24 hours after the birth even though baby and I were both healthy.

DC2 and DC3 were straightforward births so there was nothing particular keeping us in but we had to wait for paperwork etc to be completed. If they're busy that can take a while.

Good luck OP!

My sister was kicked out a few hours after with her second. I was hoping for the same but had a bleed so had to stay a night.

With dd1- 5 days that was 28 years ago.
With dd2 - 6 hrs that was 5 years ago.
Good luck @Bec123451995

i had my baby in may and they seemed to want us out as soon as possible. i had a straight forward birth and baby was fine so i was discharged eight hours after birth. with how long paperwork seems to take i wouldn’t hold out much hope for four hours though.

Oh and I had a baby in November so mid lock down. The care was the same as when I had my first years ago.

Gave birth at 5.30am, discharged at 4pm same day, but was ready to go by 11am. Had to wait forever for the pharmacy delivery.

18 years ago - 4 days
10 years ago - 8 hours
5 years ago - already at home

I had a baby a few months ago - born 4am, discharged by noon (could have been earlier but we were waiting for someone to do the newborn check).

It was my third, however I had a very similar experience with my first in “normal” times.

Good luck!

Thank you everyone for your responses!

I’m just trying to be hopeful haha & see whether it would be possible to go home after a few hours whether that’s 4 or 10 hours, if i don’t have to stay in overnight that would be great! With my first I had to stay for 3 nights due to little one not being able to regulate his own temperature & wasn’t latching on properly either. Probably will be a long wait for paperwork due to this ‘baby boom’ I keep getting told by my midwife🙈 xx

I've had a baby recently, they kept me in over night because baby was born in distress so had to do obs through the night.

You don't have to stay at all if you don't want to. You're perfectly free to discharge yourself.
Check out the AIMS and birthrights page for more information so you can be informed if that's a decision you want to make and good luck with your second!
I'm due in a few weeks too with #2 but have opted for a home birth

It's interesting to see that around 20 years ago you had several days in hospital. My mum had a week in each time with straightforward births.

I had a terrible first birth and was discharged 24 hours later. 3 days later I was back in hospital with infected stitches having been in discomfort for a day. If I had been in longer in hospital it would have been much better.

My more straightforward 2nd birth I was discharged 16 hours later and it would have been earlier if a) I hadn't given birth on a Saturday evening and b) if there had been someone around on a Sunday morning to sign my discharge off.

So neither discharge timings were anything to do with me and / or my babies comfort and everything to do with hospital admin and budgets.

12 hours after my first nhs, 24 my second because it was a lovely private room with a jacuzzi (private insurance overseas)

Had my baby last August. She was born at 3am and I went home at 5pm the same day. I'd had an epidural and needed some monitoring. I think the midwives would have had me stay another night but I felt good, baby was fine and just wanted to get home and get settled.

19 years ago, DS1 born at lunchtime, went home the follow lunchtime
Nearly 18 years ago DS2, born earlier hours of the morning, I was told I could go straight home in a couple of hours from the delivery suite.

With my second, it was a very straightforward birth and I was discharged from the labour ward within about 4 hours.

This was a few months before covid, I'd imagine it would be even more likely to happen now.

First child 13yrs ago was kept in for 2 days to establish breastfeeding.

2nd 8yrs ago, gave birth at 8.40pm was home by midnight.

Baby born in June 2020. Born at 6:45pm, discharged 10am as soon as newborn checks were all done.

DD 2019 was admitted on the Wed as dehydrated she was born by EMCS on the Fri morning, escaped on the Sun afternoon. After that experience this time around I'm hoping that I'll have a VBAC and be out in a few hours or if I have another CS as soon as I can mobilise I want out.

5 days post birth as we both got sepsis because of them leaving me 2.5 days with my waters gone as they were that short staffed.
I told them at 2am on that last day that if no one had started my discharge paperwork that morning that I would be walking out, as DS IV antibiotics were done I wanted to go asap and it took about 5 hours to get the paperwork (which was full of mistakes anyway) and prescriptions done.

Had her at 6.47, left 3 hours later. It would have been quicker if I’d have been able to wee 300ml! 😂

I had baby December.

I was told the aim was

Natural discharge from labour ward six hours.

Section theatre to post natal ward 48 hours

Anyone feeling they wanted to stay longer would of course be allowed to.

3 days after my first, 3 hours after my second.