To want to stay longer after c section

[Nc546888]

I’ve read few posts and the general consensus is that most mums hate the post natal ward experience and can’t wait to get home.

Im going to have to have an elective with DC3 as had a category 2 EMC first time and tried for a VBAC second time and had a crash section under GA. Just a bit unlucky.

First time was covid and I got discharged within 24 hours but baby got poorly and I got a scar infection and we were back a day later for 2 more nights. I think going home after 1 day was a huge mistake.

Second time they tried to discharge me after 1 day and I begged the midwife and managed to stay 2 nights.

I don’t know if anyone will agree with me but I just think it’s awful you have to leave hospital so soon after major sugeey. My mum had a straight forward vaginal birth in the 90s and it was normal to stay a week to 10 days when you had absolutely zero complications. I know the NHS is on its knees so can’t afford people to stay in hospital an hour longer than needed.

I guess I just wanted to know if anyone had stayed 2-3 nights. I can’t go private fully but I could pay for a private room if there was one eg £100-200.
i just really valued having midwives on hand to help with feeding, to check worries (I had some huge clots), to give pain meds (needed morphine after the crash section) and easy to access showers, food brought to me (I really liked the hospital food). I’m dreading going home after 24 hours this time especially as I found the hospital bed so helpful to sit up and reach baby and feed etc. it was agony both times getting out of bed at home.

I don’t know what I’m asking other than has anyone else felt the same and have any ideas. My thoughts are private room or maybe even go to a hotel?!

I had an elective with DD2 and I got booted out after 24 hours. Seriously, they were in such a hurry they gave me the wrong discharge notes. I wouldn’t have minded another night - this is a busy SE hospital which is popular as the post natal ward is all private rooms

You absolutely can stay longer than one night! Just tell them you need to stay longer for pain management (I’m a midwife) I would never discharge someone if they wanted to stay an extra night or two after a c section! It depends where you live and what bed capacity is like though. But 2 nights is definitely not unreasonable.

I had an EMCS with first in Covid and stayed 1 night. VBAC with second last year and stayed 3 nights. I had breastfed my first but second was a v quick pushing stage and it took her 36 hours to feed from the boob, I think she just needed to realise she was born! I had to express and syringe feed first. So I said I wasn’t happy to go home until I’d had 24 hours of her feeding from the boob which they were happy to facilitate.

Your husband can help with bringing you pain medication, helping you into the shower and bringing you food no? You don't need to stay in the hospital for that?

I found it very hard to get in and out of bed.

It’s a combo of all of the things in my OP, the midwives advice, the hospital bed.

My husband can bring me food but helping in the shower etc fine but he will also be looking after a 1 year old and 3 year old every hour of the day and night as well.

You get me! 😊

I had a semi elective at 9am one morning and still had my catheter in that night which they removed next morning. No way did I feel ready to go home at that point. I don't think anyone mentioned it to me, and then the next morning I did feel ready so got all the discharge sorted out at that point. From my own experience I can't see how I could have been ready after only 24 hrs.

I stayed 3 nights after my first c-section. It should have been 2 but baby was in nicu and I kept missing the Drs rounds on the postnatal ward. The hospital wanted to discharge me on day 4 after my 2nd c-section when I was breastfeeding and the baby was in nicu after we both had sepsis. Nicu didn't have anywhere for me to stay there either. I begged to be able to stay and got another night on the postnatal ward.

At my local hospital we had to get our own food, sterilize the bottles etc as soon as we were allowed out of bed so I was keen to get home asap. I had more looking after at home and that was with 4 other dc under 8.

Oh that’s good to know about asking for morphine to take home.

Home 18 hours after a cat 1 c section sounds horrendous to me. I was barely coherent for hours after mine due the trauma of the general anaesthetic (I couldn’t remember going under or why)

No it’s okay im not expecting anyone to help with nappies I’ve got lots of experience changing nappies and didn’t have midwives do any for first or second baby so I wouldn’t expect it to be any different. I know they are busy with clinical needs not there to change nappies

Yes this happened to us. They asked us if we wanted to stay an extra night to have more time to try to establish breastfeeding and we said yes for that reason and some of the reasons you list OP like having a midwife to hand for any concerns as I was still shook up from a slightly chaotic birth. I should add that due to apparently very little demand we were allowed to stay in our private room in the birth centre with privacy, an en suite and DH allowed to stay round the clock rather than having to move up to ward. Not sure I’d be so keen to stay an extra night if I had.

I was supposed to have an elective c-section and whilst I was dreading staying in on the ward I was a bit concerned at them saying I could probably go home after one or two nights. I did see a poster about paying for their private rooms but my DC decided not to be breach in the end so I didn’t need to ask about it!

@Nc546888 I've had 3 emcs and cannot stand on my own for the first 24+ hours afterwards as I pass out. I would have loved to have been the woman next to me on the ward who was up marching around within a couple of hours, but my body really doesn't respond well.
The midwives were happy to leave me be until I felt strong enough to stand without feeling dizzy. The adjustable bed is invaluable for being able to sleep upright and for getting out of bed. I do understand where you're coming from.

I had twins by planned C Sec in Dec 2019, first night was a given and DH stayed with me, second night he also stayed and they offered to let me go home. I burst into tears and I stayed a third night on my own. Finally realised to put my bed higher than the cots, and the HCAs were wonderful.

I think it depends how busy the ward is. With my first I was in for 5 days. My blood pressure struggled to lower, but they put me on a lower dose than pre pregnancy, so I wasn't worried and didn't push it at all as I was having a brilliant time. I was offered to go home on the 4th day but they were happy for me to stay.

Second time and same hospital but they were very keen to get me out the next day. They took my catheter out but I couldn't wee so they put one back in and sent me home with it. I'd have much preferred to stay another day to see if they could have removed it successfully the next day. I assume they were just at max capacity and really needed me out. I ended up going back a lot as my blood pressure went mad and my baby dropped too much weight as we had issues feeding. I regret not trying to push back a bit.

Both planned c-sections.