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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

How long were you in hospital for as a FTM?

144 replies

marleyandme · 29/04/2023 17:48

Just that really, interested to know how long you were in hospital for e.g. What time of day was it when you went, had you laboured at home for a while before going in, how long did it take before you delivered and then how long before they let you out?

I know it varies massively and there's no way to know but I think my DH seems to feel it's going to be a quick pop in and be out again within 12 hrs. He's very concerned about not being able to shower to wash his hair each day 😂😂 priorities right?!

OP posts:
VanessaShanessaJenkins99 · 29/04/2023 17:50

How longs a piece of string! I went in on the Tuesday to be induced - had my baby on the thursday morning - he had an infection so we stayed in until the Monday
There is absolutely no way of predicting what may or may not happen xx

PinkPlantCase · 29/04/2023 17:50

Sorry not the point of the thread but I had a home birth!

Zero time in hospital 😁 Midwives stayed for about 4 hours after birth
and one popped back the next day to do some more checks.

gwenneh · 29/04/2023 17:51

I was in for three and a half days. I went into labour naturally at about 6 am, went into the hospital at 9 to discover I was in active labour, which then proceeded to stall and I had an emergency c-section later that night.

Out of my friends, even the one who was the fastest was in longer than 12 hours!

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 29/04/2023 17:51

I had strep b so was kept in both times for 2x nights. However had I not had that, second baby I'd have been home within 4-6 hours. It was only when the strep result came back they kept me in.

SarahLHs · 29/04/2023 17:52

Water broke at 1am Friday morning. Had a quick checkup at hospital and then went home until 7pm when contractions were close together. DD was born at 10:50 that night and we were released 3 days later on Monday. In my case I probably would have been released on the Saturday but I was having problems feeding and then she had jaundice.

AuntMarch · 29/04/2023 17:52

Woke up with light contractions around 5am on the Wednesday, went in at lunch time because my waters were leaking. He arrived at about twenty past midnight.

Had to stay in five days because he needed antibiotics twice a day through IV... I was so annoyed as we lived close enough I could have just gone in for them but they wouldn't allow it so the doctors could monitor him.... Never saw one til day 4! I myself would have been fine to go home after some sleep that morning though.

Random102 · 29/04/2023 17:52

I started with twinges at 2am, went to the hospital at 5am, gave birth at 11am and was back home eating my dinner at 4:30pm.

Hoppinggreen · 29/04/2023 17:52

Because I had pre eclampsia and then surgical removal of the placenta I had to stay overnight but I understand our local Maternity unit has a minimum of a 6 hour stay after giving birth. With my 2nd I was at home 6 1/2 hours after birth AND I had an Epidural

Maraudingmarauders · 29/04/2023 17:53

marleyandme · 29/04/2023 17:48

Just that really, interested to know how long you were in hospital for e.g. What time of day was it when you went, had you laboured at home for a while before going in, how long did it take before you delivered and then how long before they let you out?

I know it varies massively and there's no way to know but I think my DH seems to feel it's going to be a quick pop in and be out again within 12 hrs. He's very concerned about not being able to shower to wash his hair each day 😂😂 priorities right?!

Most hospitals won't allow men over night once you've had baby and moved onto the ward so you.can reassure him once baby is here he will get a break to wash his hair no matter how long you are in 😉

snowgirl1 · 29/04/2023 17:53

Gave birth around 7am after being in labour overnight. I had to stay in overnight after giving birth. Finally got discharged late afternoon the day after the birth.

Caspianberg · 29/04/2023 17:54

Pretty quick. Labour started around 8am. Ds born 4pm. Dh had to go home that evening so pretty much was exactly 12 hrs for dh as he was home by 9pm ish.
Tbh baby and I could have easily gone home then also, but not uk so 3-7day stay is standard ( we escaped day 2 )

Roselilly36 · 29/04/2023 17:54

DS1 born at lunchtime came home 10am the next morning.

skywalkersweetie · 29/04/2023 17:54

I went on Sunday night due to pre-term labour and dilated cervix, was pumped full of steroids and antibiotics the following week and went into the final active labour Thursday night, delivered by emergency C-section Friday morning :) then stayed for 3 days myself on the ward and discharged whilst baby in NICU for 8 weeks

IfYouDontAsk · 29/04/2023 17:55

About 48 hours. First 24 hours was labour and then emergency c section and then left about 24 hours after the birth

Danikm151 · 29/04/2023 17:55

Induction so went in on the Saturday at 6pm. Gave birth monday at 4:25am
Didn’t get to go home till 9pm the Wednesday as baby had feeding issues ( we were told at 11am we were being discharged but it didn’t happen until I complained that I’d been waiting 9 hours to leave.

Blueberrycrisp · 29/04/2023 17:56

I was in for just over 3 hours. I was in labour for 1 hour at home then realised very quickly that my baby was essentially ready to come out so there was a mad dash to hospital and I had a babe in arms within 45 mins of being there. I asked how quickly I could go home, they said I had to wait for 2 hours while my son was checked etc. and then I went home. I was glad to go as I absolutely hate hospitals. My subsequent two births were very similar (but neither were quite as quick as my eldest!) However, it's worth baring in mind that I am in a very small percentage of women (4% or something like that) whose labours are under 4 hours. Most are 12+ hours I believe.

PartnersInCrime · 29/04/2023 17:57

A 26hr labour but not all of that in hospital. Finally delivered at nearly 1AM so stayed that night and the next.

WeightoftheWorld · 29/04/2023 17:58

Went in around 10.30pm at night. DC born around 9.30am following morning. Moved to ward around midday and was then discharged home around midday the following day. I had an instrumental delivery and mental health problems though, otherwise I'm sure I'd have been encouraged to leave a few hours after the birth instead.

Garman · 29/04/2023 17:58

Well how long you are in hospital won’t affect his hair, he can go home and wash it 🙄

On my first I was admitted at my 36 week appointment due to pre eclampsia, one week into the planned 3 week stay they had to do an emergency C-section, and I was in for a further 7 days after that due to high blood pressure and very poor care by the staff and consultant. Baby was in Special Care for 5 days. My husband visited every day for a couple of hours, he was in the hospital from 9am to 5pm the day baby was born but dc1 was in SCBU and I was in HDU so there wasn’t much point in him being there for either of us.

Hardbackwriter · 29/04/2023 17:58

Arrived at hospital at 8.30pm, was stuck in triage ward being alternatively ignored and assured I clearly wasn't in active labour until around 9.45 when I was examined, it was discovered I very much was, and I was transferred to labour ward. DS1 born at 10.18pm. I was discharged after breakfast the next day, probably around 9ish am? I wouldn't describe all aspects of it as ideal but I did like spending so little time in hospital and not going to postnatal ward! DS2 was even less hospital time - arrived at hospital at midnight, he was born at 1.23am and we were home by 10am.

regenerista · 29/04/2023 17:58

Even if you were in a few days, was he planning to camp out next to you?

Iguanainanigloo · 29/04/2023 17:59

I was in for a week with my first after a 3 day labour, emergency c section, needing blood transfusion and then baby needed intravenous antibiotics. You really cannot predict these things! I had a textbook "perfect pregnancy" then it went to shit 😂

slowquickstep · 29/04/2023 18:08

4 days before 2 were born and had to stay 7 days after each was born. We were many miles from the hospital so had to go on early and stay late just in case. I have to say a week in hospital with just the baby is bliss. I think they need to bring the weeks stay back.

PotteringAlonggotkickedoutandhadtoreregister · 29/04/2023 18:09

Why does you being in hospital mean he can’t wash his hair?! He’s not in hospital!

The3rdWatermelon · 29/04/2023 18:11

I started contractions on Monday, finally had them regularly enough to go in on Tuesday night, finally had the baby at 10.30 pm on Wednesday, forceps delivery. Not allowed home until I had a wee successfully, by Friday they gave up and sent me home with catheter still in place. Back into hospital after the weekend to have it removed at long last. I had complications with mastitis, difficulty breastfeeding, and a few other issues, and was in hospital 5 times in the first 5 weeks.

It was rough but I was well looked after. DH barely had chance to shower between visits and trying to shop for all the things we needed in hospital and ferrying mums in and out to make sure I had company, never mind wash his hair every day!