ELCS and home the same day?

[DogsAndGin]

Just doing some research on expedited/enhanced recovery becoming more popular after surgery.

Has anyone had experience of going home the same day as their section?

[mimosa1]

I'm afraid not, but had a section at 3pm and home next morning with no complications

[KEG05]

Enhanced recovery for ELCS is home the following day all being well

[SW1amp]

i went home 24 hours after both mine and felt that was about as quick as it could have been

but I saw some posters on a thread recently saying they had sections during the first lockdown and were sent home after 12 hours after a shot of morphine to get them through the pain of the journey

I’m all for a quick discharge and recovery after sections but there is no way I would have been able to go home that soon
Pretty sure my spinal hadn’t fully worn off by then, let alone be able to deal with the walk across a car park and getting into the car

[Fupoffyagrasshole]

Was home after emergency in 12 hours as I had no complications ! I did have to insist on being let home though they would have preferred me to stay! But it was during covid and my husband couldn’t stay and the recovery ward was hell and I just wanted to go home!

[FluffMagnet]

Next day with the one that didn't have complications. Not sure I'd want to be out the same day. 24 hours seems a bit of a rush (mind you, I really like our local maternity hospital and partners are allowed to stay in our spacious cubicle)

[BadgerFace]

Not quite but I went home the next day. I had an ELCS which actually was classified as an ‘emergency’ as I went into labour the day before my booked date. Went to hospital at midnight, got bumped for proper emergencies until 8am. DD2 was born around 8.30am. I was released at 5pm the next day but I was ready much earlier, I had to wait on nurses being available.

If I’d gone in for my ELCS as planned I think I’d have been ready to go home by the evening but a big part of that was because DD2 was a good feeder from the first feed. I had a lot of problems with DD1 and wouldn’t have bern able to go home breastfeeding within 24 hours (and I had zero clue what I was doing!)

[Notthissticky]

DS1 was born just after midday and by around 7pm I was able to transfer from my bed into an armchair. My catheter came out later that evening. DS2 was born just after 1pm and had to go to Special Care. Around midnight, the midwifes helped me into a wheelchair and took me to visit him. There was no way I was capable of walking or going home at that point; my catheter wasn't removed until the next morning. I really don't think same-day discharge is realistic after a spinal anaesthetic, they take a good while to wear off properly. Is this your first CS? If not, how long did it take you to be able to walk after the first?

Of course no one can keep you there if you want to go home but I personally would feel that the benefits of going home (ie more relaxed environment) would be somewhat outweighed by the pushback you'd get for trying to discharge yourself against medical advice. I would also definitely not recommend taking your baby home against medical advice.

[Travellingraspberry]

Not sure I'd be happy going home the same day! Had my planned CS in the morning, catheter our that evening and encouraged to walk to/from the bathroom after that. Went home early the following afternoon. Was my second dc (and cs) so felt happy enough to go home after 24 hours

[MadameDragon]

I don’t think I could have got up the same day. Afternoon of the following day, perhaps. I was in for five days with the baby and the third day was when I felt completely normal.

[MajorCarolDanvers]

First was an emergency and I wasn't fit to go home until 5 days.
Second was planned but post op complications meant I stayed in for 10 days.

Both times I was in significant pain for 3 months and not really normal until 6 months.

Not everyone bounces back in a few days. Its major surgery after all.

[DogsAndGin]

Thank you so much everyone.

Thanks @Fupoffyagrasshole and @SW1amp so interesting to hear your experiences. I had heard of ladies being sent home earlier than usual during lockdown. My friend discharged herself and went home the same day - but it was against the wishes of the drs!

[LostMySocks]

I had a quick recovery from a 2am EMCS. But still took til about 9am to be able to move my legs then catheter out about 10am and able to walk to the loo with support. But they wouldn't even consider discharging until I'd passed a significant volume of urine. Took several trips. Apparently they needed to check everything working

[Scarecrowrowboat]

Not the same day but 24 hours after. Such a relief not to have to stay more than one night.

[Hugasauras]

I was 24 hours after EMCS so hoping same again for my ELCS next month. I think same day is pushing it unless you are first thing in the morning and they discharge v late at night, but even that is unlikely I think once you factor in the recovery time from spinal plus they want you to produce a certain amount of pee before you go and that took me seven hours!

[NoNameIdeas]

I had an emergency section in 2020, baby delivered at 5pm and we came home at 4pm the next day

[SW1amp]

At the hospital I had mine, the criteria for fast track discharge was:
normal BMI before pregnancy
normal blood pressure during pregnancy
no other complications or risk factors

if you fulfilled those, they promised to get a women’s physio to you within 12 hours of delivery to get you up and about, and then offer for you to be home after 24 hours

I’m not sure what they say if you don’t fulfil those conditions though

like I said, I’m all up for a quick recovery, and was driving after 2 weeks and running after 6 weeks but same day feels too soon

[Fupoffyagrasshole]

the doctor told me he thought I’d benefit from another night there and I burst into tears - I spent all that time alone with my baby ringing a bell all through the night and nobody coming and my husband couldn’t be with us. I’d imagine if he’d been there I wouldn’t have been as desperate to get out maybe 🤔

now I count it up it was actually 18 hours (12 hours alone when they threw husband out!)

at home all I had to do was lie on the sofa watch tv and feed the baby - my husband did all the nappies, gave me all the pain killers and fed me - I felt so much better once I got out.

[Fupoffyagrasshole]

Sorry I don’t mean to scare you 🙈 I’m sure my experience was just particularly bad due to lockdown and being alone!!

[Changechangychange]

My spinal hadn’t worn off by then (had it at 11am, was definitely still working at 11pm). I’d have been fine gonna home the following morning though (DS wasn’t, so we ended up staying in for 5 days, but I was up and about and could definitely have gone).

[TheCraicDealer]

There’s too many factors that mean that same day discharge isn’t something that can happen for many women.

• To allow for your spinal block to wear off properly before discharge you’d really need to be taken to surgery very early on in the day- always a chance you’d get bumped for an emergency or two which scuppers that entirely.
• You’re banking on both you and baby being 100% and showing no signs of infection post delivery. With even minor signs you’re not going anywhere.
• You have to pass a certain amount of wee successfully post catheter removal before they’ll let you go, and it takes a while to get to the removal stage (see point 1).
• You have to wait for someone to actually be available to review and clear you for discharge which, depending on how busy they are, can be easier said than done.
• You’d be forgoing any BF advice you might otherwise be offered if you stay in the extra 12-24 hours.

As a rough comparison I had keyhole surgery in September with the removal of an ectopic pregnancy and my tube. Had the op at 7pm and wasn’t discharged until 2pm the following day. I was very motivated to get home (and vocal about it!), and knew the score re. catheter removal, mobilisation and urine etc. and what I needed to do to get out of there as quickly as possible from my previous c section- still took 19hrs. A section is a whole other ball game and I wouldn’t recommend pushing for <24hrs discharge. I have zero regrets about my section and if I’m fortunate enough to have another baby it’ll be an ELCS for me, but it’s still major abdominal surgery.

[CanYouHearMeAtTheBack]

I was discharged the following day but only about 19 hours after elcs. This was in 2018. I was happy about this as I was one of the fortunate ones up and walking after 6 hours with no pain, and knew I'd get more rest/sleep at home. I think its good to have the option to leave sooner but it should be an option, not the expectation. Lots of women are not as fortunate as I was with quick recoveries, and of course if any issues with breastfeeding or baby it's much safer to err on the side of caution.

[urrrgh46]

My hospital wouldn't discharge me for 24hrs due to the baby having her baby check and their rule of not discharging for 24hrs after a c section. I wasn't in any different state after 12 hrs than I was after 24 tbh I'm not sure with all the checks etc they could have got me out any sooner.

[theruffles]

My first DC was born by EMCS (middle of the night) and I stayed in 2 days. Second DC was born by ELCS during the 3rd lockdown. I went in at 7am but there were a few emergencies ahead of me so I didn't have him until 4pm. I went home the next day around 5pm which felt very quick to me but the hospital didn't want people staying in longer than necessary at the time.

[K2012]

I never knew being discharged on the same day was a thing. The registrar who booked my ELCS said I should expect to be in for 3-4 days (so I’ve actually packed clothes for 4 days) but then my community midwife said if everything’s fine you go home the day after and that’s also what it says in the leaflet I received from the hospital.

Don’t think I would be ready to go home on the same day.