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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:
CloakOfNope · 29/04/2023 18:12

I woke with strong contractions at 2:10am, my waters broke while I was trying to get dressed and we left for the hospital before 3am. Took them forever to do the admission checks because there wasn't a gap between my contractions and they wanted a urine sample, which I couldn't give because of the contractions, couldn't get accurate BP reading because of the contractions, couldn't check babies heart rate because of the contractions, etc. Finally they gave up and took me to the delivery room at 5am, 10cm dilated. Baby came at 6:20am. I was showered, dressed and ready to leave by 10:30am. Home in time for lunch.

Floralnomad · 29/04/2023 18:14

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.

the 2 days I had to spend in hospital after my section ( 2nd baby ) were awful , I’d have gone berserk if I’d had to stay longer .
With my first I went in at 6am Friday , delivered at 5ish , didn’t get to the post natal ward until gone 11pm , fainted in the toilet at 3am sustaining a head injury and had to stay until Monday afternoon having a blood transfusion .

MrsHsGirl · 29/04/2023 18:14

Went in at 6pm on the Thursday and came home around midday on the Wednesday 🤦‍♀️

My top tip is to leave some extra PJs in a very very obvious place for DH to grab just in case you have to stay in longer than planned and he has to nip home for more stuff.

Despite my (very clear) instructions mine turned up at the hospital with non matching non maternity pyjamas so I spent most of my time in just my dressing gown and disposable knickers 😂

Greenfree · 29/04/2023 18:15

I was in for 9 days, what seemed to be a natural birth turned into an emergency C-section and they had to put me to sleep. I lost a lot of blood so they kept me in with DD (she was fine). They were going to give me a blood transfusion but decided against it. I went in when contractions became regular but was in labour for around 60 plus hours total, the midwife broke my water when she examined me. I'm glad they kept me in as the pain relief they gave me after was awesome! I've been told if I have anymore I'll need a planned C-section. I hope all goes well for you as I have heard women been in and out as such.

PuttingDownRoots · 29/04/2023 18:15

5 days. Baby wasn't gaining weight.
It was hell.

sabrinatheteenagewhich · 29/04/2023 18:16

Went in 11:30 at night (started around 10:30 the same night), dc was born 1:12am the next morning. Went home after drs rounds the next day. Just over 12 hours. However, mine was a very quick uncomplicated birth.

Pascha · 29/04/2023 18:16

About a day and a half. We arrived at 1am, gave birth just after 5am. Stayed for 12 hours to monitor possible meconium aspiration and we had the choice to stay in the room overnight as the birthing unit was only half full so we kept our room for the night. If it wasn't for the monitoring I think we could have been discharged by early afternoon.

Actually, being completely thrown by the whole experience, I was grateful for the extra time to acclimatise before taking him out into the big wide world.

DanceMonster · 29/04/2023 18:18

With my first I was in at 9.30am, gave birth at 3.13pm and was home by 8pm. I’d been at home in slow labour for 48 hours previously, but not established enough to go into hospital.

dementedpixie · 29/04/2023 18:19

I was induced due to going 5 days over with borderline gestational diabetes. Was in for 5 days I think as dd was jaundiced and had to have phototherapy treatment.

Nitw1t · 29/04/2023 18:19

Contractions started at 9pm
Admitted at midnight
DS born 2am
Home 6am

Didn't even make it onto the ward. I was bottle feeding, so that speeded discharge up I think.

Leftoverssandwich · 29/04/2023 18:19

I had a home birth so no personal experience but my local hospital tries to discharge directly from the delivery room if a birth has been straightforward, so lots of mothers there will have been out very soon after giving birth.

SylvanianFrenemies · 29/04/2023 18:19

11 days... 3 days for induction and labour, 7/8 days because of forceps injuries to DD, and Strep A.

I was institutionalized by the end! Though it was nice to have someone else doing all the cooking etc.

DanceMonster · 29/04/2023 18:20

I’ve had 3 babies and never actually made it to the postnatal ward (discharged within 6 hours from the delivery room each time) for which I am extremely grateful after hearing awful stories from my friends about the noise/lack of sleep in the postnatal wards.

SunnySaturdayMorning · 29/04/2023 18:20

One EMCS and one ELCS, both discharged at 24 hours.

DelurkingAJ · 29/04/2023 18:21

Went in with contractions at 8am, allowed onto labour ward about noon. DS1 didn’t arrive until 4am (they were prepping me for a crash section when the Dr managed to drag DS1 out). TBF the hospital staff were pleasantly surprised when DS1 didn’t require any intervention and I made it onto my feet for a bath (bliss!). I managed to get discharged about 4pm that afternoon…because we were living at a boarding school with a medical centre on site otherwise they would have asked me to stay overnight as a first time mother.

PercyJ · 29/04/2023 18:21

Went in at 8.30pm, baby born at 11.45pm and was home by 7am the next day!

ThePoint678 · 29/04/2023 18:25

1st - Went in Monday morning, had baby Tuesday morning via c sec, discharged Monday morning.
2nd - Went in Wednesday afternoon, had baby via c sec Wednesday afternoon, left Monday morning.

icelollycraving · 29/04/2023 18:27

I went in on Friday around 6pm to be induced. Contractions started Saturday afternoon. Had emcs Sunday afternoon. Ds didn’t want to come out, too bloody comfy. Discharged Weds. was back in on the Saturday for a week after my cs site stitches opened and infected 🤢

Snickers94 · 29/04/2023 18:31

Monday to Thursday due to being induced - baby was born on Wednesday and we left on Thursday

Bananabreakfast123 · 29/04/2023 18:31

Waters broke at about 7pm on the Monday and contractions started shortly after. Went to maternity assessment to be checked over and they sent me home about 10pm despite contractions being about a minute long and just a couple of minutes apart. Lasted about an hour at home before heading back and straight to the labour suite. Laboured until early Tuesday morning before being sent for an emergency section and baby arrived about 11am. Was due to be discharged on the Wednesday but baby needed some extra care. We ended up in hospital for a week before being discharged the following Tuesday.

SquigglePigs · 29/04/2023 18:31

I had a planned section so went in at 6.30am on Tuesday. DD was born at 10.20am. They were planning to discharge me Wednesday afternoon but my bladder wouldn't get with the program after the epidural so I had to be re-catheterised for another 24hrs so ended up in til late Friday morning.

ditalini · 29/04/2023 18:34

Ds1 was induced so I was admitted on the Thursday evening and he was born Friday morning.

I ended up not getting home until Sunday afternoon which was tortuous. No reason, possibly because they weren't desperate for beds and there weren't enough staff in to do the various checks and discharge procedures over the weekend.

Ds2 was born after speedy labour on a Sunday morning and I got home on Monday morning. I was hoping for same day discharge, but again hardly any staff around.

YorkshireTeaCup · 29/04/2023 18:36

Went to hospital at 9am ish after waters breaking before contractions started. Admitted due to BP and DD born at 12pm the next day. She developed Group B Strep sepsis and was in NICU for 2 weeks. I then had a 5 day stay as an inpatient (i was given a private room on the postnatal ward so as not to be around mums who were able to keep their babies with them) as i developed a severe UTI (probably from either the GBS or the catheter i had during labour - or maybe both!) And then i was able to stay in a parents room next to the NICU for all the nights DD was an inpatient except one.

@marleyandme if you havent had a GBS test, please get one! Cheap and easy and potentially saves yourself a whole load of worry.

Unlike other pps, dads were allowed to stay overnight at our hospital. After the first night, my DH went home overnight, showered, changed etc and came back to split his time between me and DD (mostly DD whilst i couldn't be there).

MudLady · 29/04/2023 18:39

Almost 4 days. I went into labour on Sunday morning, went into hospital around midnight Sunday night, left on Thursday evening. I'd been having very uncomfortable BH contractions every 2 hours for 3 weeks (which I think may have been slow labour, & which had triggered a water infection). I'd been getting random BH since about 7 months but the ones that started just past 8 months were suddenly much worse.

imnotsickbutimnotwell · 29/04/2023 18:43

I was 2 weeks overdue. Waters broke at midnight went in for 2am….gas and air for ages then was put on a drip for dehydration then had an epidural which didn’t work properly then at 4.30pm the next day baby was stuck, so EMCS and blood transfusions for me and had to stay in for 4 nights.

Second baby planned c section due to prior complications and it being breech. Slight complications that time so stated in 1 night. They wanted me to stay another night as well but I wanted to go home.