How long were you in hospital after c section?

[firsttimemomma2021]

Due my 1st baby this winter. Looking to have an elective c section for personal reasons.

I am aware it is a much harder process and not easy, recovery will be hard. I am lucky to be supported by an amazing partner and close family.

I have heard they can ask you to go home if everything goes to plan 24 hours after the operation.

I know I’ll see how I feel when I’ve had it but I wondered could I ask to stay another night or two if I didn’t feel ready? So for example I was still in a lot of pain and not very mobile?

By the sounds of how recovery is, I feel a few days in hospital would be good. This would also keep away visitors for a bit (DH very keen to have people meet the baby ASAP, I’m however hoping hospital restrictions remain so I can use it as an excuse not to have the whole family visit me!!!!)

When you had a c section (elective or emergency) how long were you in hospital for? Did you ask to leave earlier/stay longer and do they go with your wishes?

Not sure if allowed to stay as long as one wants. I was discharged at 11pm at night as they needed the bed after my C section!

After my EMCS I woke up to find I had a morphine pump. When that was removed I was just offered paracetamol, having been rather dismissive about “just” paracetamol, I found taking the maximum amount each day really helped.

You can certainly ask to stay longer if you don’t feel you can manage the pain at home or if there’s a medical reason - or if feeding isn’t established and you feel you need more support with that.

You might know this already but they usually try to get you to manage with just paracetamol and ibuprofen from the start. But you can ask for something stronger if you need it. You might not, but you will be provisionally signed off for stronger drugs if necessary (they might not tell you that though!).

I had an EMCS and an ELCS. I was in two nights after the EMCS (baby born Tue AM, out Thu early evening). No major issues with pain. Huge issues with feeding which weren’t identified and we ended up back in.

I was discharged in just under 24 hours after the ELCS and in hindsight I maybe should have stayed another night as the pain on day 2 was horrendous and I really struggled (as in, struggled at home, in bed, not doing more than ten steps to the loo). They did offer me the chance to stay in a second night for support but I was keen to get home.

I have friends who’ve asked to stay a second night for feeding support and that has been OK as long as they have the beds.

DS, emcs 13 years ago - 7 nights. I could have gone home after 4, but ds was not well so they kept us in. (Quick and easy recovery, was walking several miles after 2 weeks, driving at 4 weeks, seimmibg at 6, running 5k at 12).

DD, crash section under GA 10 years ago, - 5 nights, as I needed further surgery, then recovery from that. (Dreadful recovery, couldn’t stand up straight fir 9 weeks, couldn’t drive for 3 months).

I was in one night after an elective. I was mobile 4 hours after the op and emptying my own catheter. Honestly, I couldn't get out quick enough as I'd had a shit 2 night stay previously with a vaginal birth with made me bed bound. I know I was lucky to recover so quickly and I think you recover quicker at home with your home comforts!

2 elective caesareans after dc1 was born vaginally. Dc2, born 9.30am, stayed in 2 nights and was home at lunchtime of day 3. Dc3, born at 11.30am, we were home by 4.30pm the next day.

I stayed 3 nights with my first c-section. Would have been 2 but I was visiting ds in nicu when they came round to discharge me on day 2. I was in for 8 nights with my 2nd c-section. They tried to make me go home on day 4 I think it was but I had ds in scbu who was only in there for feeding problems because I was struggling to get down to scbu every time he needed feeding. In the end the nicu nurses took pity on us and spent the next night wheeling him in his cot to the postnatal ward whenever he cried to be fed. After that they agreed with me that the only feeding problem we had was geography so they took his feeding tube out and he joined me on the postnatal ward. Then he got jaundice so we had to spend another few days on the postnatal ward with him under the lights.

@firsttimemomma2021 I had emc last June in middle of pandemic I was discharged after 24 hours but I was pestering for this. Had my catheter out and in the shower about 10 hours after the OP they won't want you in any longer than necessary especially if covid related things ramp up again

Our hospital tried to get you out the same day. My advice (that I followed having read others experiences is to walk and move as much as possible once the numbness has worn off.