ELCS and overnight stay

[HforHavana]

So I'm having an ELCS next week and due to gestational diabetes, I have to stay in overnight for the baby to be monitored. The visiting times of the hospital are crap, and birth partners only get 1 3hr slot a day, so either 11-2 or 4-7.

This is my first baby and I have never so much as changed a nappy and basically have no experience with babies. I am absolutely terrified of being left alone most of the day and overnight without the help of my partner. I know there will be nurses and midwives there to help, but it's not the same as your partner. I also feel sad he will miss the most part of the first 24hrs of our babies life aswell.

My anxiety is through the roof and I am a bag of nerves thinking of being alone with him and doing something wrong or not being able to cope. What if I don't change his nappy properly or give him too much or too little milk? what if he's crying and I can't get him to stop? I'd feel like such an inconvenience to the nurses and like a failure already. I feel like if my partner was there it wouldn't be too bad as I could lean on him.

Can anyone tell me any positive stories of having to stay in overnight without their partner to help me feel better please?

Do not worry! The midwives are there to help. Keep the buzzer to hand and use it when you need to.

They’ve helped many other nervous mums and will show you how to do things and help you.

You won’t want to go home!! Good luck xx

If it helps, I think most people have to stay overnight after a C-section regardless of whether the baby needs monitoring.
I wouldn't want to go home sooner, if you think about it any monitoring of you as well as your baby is good to be sure that you're both doing well before going home.

I've been told I will be in for 24 hours, partners get a 1 hour visiting slot the next day unless you are discharged by the time your slot happens (so if you get a 2pm visiting slot but get discharged at 1pm your partner would just come to collect you).

I know what you mean about feeling like an inconvenience but try to frame it as you need help to meet your baby's needs, so you're not asking on your own behalf. This is one of your first chances to advocate for your baby so try to feel empowered.
The nurses won't want your baby to be hungry or waiting too long for a nappy change. Other women on the ward may be in a similar position. You will be tired but hopefully not the kind of tiredness that I imagine comes with an EMCS after time spent in labour. So you will be awake enough to ask for help.

Hope it all goes well.

I stayed in 5 nights after the section, no visitors, and it was fine. I wasn’t allowed to leave the bed for the first 24 hours so the nurses did everything.
Babies are very quiet and sleepy at the beginning, by the time it gets a bit more difficult you already have the hang of many things. Nappies aren’t very complicated.
Looking after a baby isn’t hard because the individual tasks are hard; all the things you have to do are simple. The hard thing is doing so many of them all day long, but that hits you a bit later.

@HforHavana positives are just you and baby you've waited 10 months to meet getting to know eachother just soak it all in the time will fly and you'll soon be discharged. Enjoy the help from the midwifes especially if you are a FTM with not much experience learn as much as you can an ask plenty of questions x

I had an elective c section a month ago, and had v similar restrictions on visits from DH.
Honestly you’ll be fine. Baby sleeps a lot to start with anyway, and you soon find your feet with them. The nurses and midwives are there to help, so ask when you need it.
I had to stay two nights and I admit I was fuming at being stuck there longer but it was fine.
You’ll be grand. Best of luck!

I had a c section 7 months ago and honestly don't worry at all, you won't be aloud to move for the first 12 hours so all nappy changes get done by the nurses/midwives and anytime the baby needs fed they pass him to you. Watch them every time they do it and don't be afraid to ask them to explain how to do it, that's what they are there for. Your baby will most likely be screaming every time he gets changed but it's just because they are cold and don't like being annoyed he will stop as soon as he's all dressed and warm again. I was told to ring the buzzer any time he needs his nappy changed or a feed also if I needed anything at all. I stayed on FaceTime a lot with my partner but definitely take advantage of being able to sleep as that's what your baby will be doing most of the time. Try not to worry at all because that's all I did and it was for nothing because it couldn't have went better looking back , best of luck!

I had emcs last year and had to stay in 2 nights after. It was June so no visiting at all.
It was sad we didn’t see husband for a couple
Days but honestly being in the ward with midwives on hand was great. I could barely move or walk after my section and couldn’t lift baby out of the cot, so I needed all the help I could get - which was definitely better for having the midwives there on call!!
The time will fly in, honestly I was so engrossed with recovery and getting used to baby I didn’t really miss husband not being there. He will have plenty of time after to look after you both.

Take the time to recover - it’s major surgery - and very hard to mind a baby immediately after.

It’s also very important to make sure your bladder etc are back to working order after the surgery anaesthetic and catheter, and to make sure your wound is healing properly etc, that’s why they keep you in after a section - it’s major surgery - so don’t rush things, be safe and healthy for when you do get home.