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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Can I discharge myself after giving birth?

16 replies

Fedupduck22 · 22/09/2025 22:10

Can the hospital stop me from leaving? Long story short. I gave birth on Thursday and was due to be discharged on Friday but they found that baby girl is a bit Jaundice. She has had 5x 12 hour rounds of phototherapy where her levels go down but go back up a bit during the 12 hour rebound (where she is off the phototherapy). They have tested her blood group and for infection and there is nothing sinister. She is breastfed and has bruising from forceps so it seems like it could be a wait it out and she will improve kind of deal.

My problem is that my husband’s paternity leave ends tomorrow and we have 2 other kids at home that I need to be available for.

I have expressed my full cooperation to go in and out of hospital for additional phototherapy /testing as needed but they said they can make no promises and will address the issue after the next round in 12 hours.

So to the question. Can they stop me from discharging myself and my baby? I understand the medical need and want to cooperate with them but I also have 2 other children I need to care for. I’m really quite stressed about it as I’m not a particularly confrontational person.

Sorry that wasn’t as short as I’d hoped!

OP posts:

Rainbows41 · 22/09/2025 22:30

You cannot discharge the baby. You have just given birth. Your husband needs to extend his time off to help with his family. How long has he had off?

aWeeCornishPastie · 22/09/2025 22:31

I think you can do this OP

Justlikethattherearefive · 22/09/2025 22:39

Not sure about discharging yourself but I had a similar situation with my youngest having phototherapy. They tried to discharge her without rebound testing and they insisted she could be treated at home with a billy pad/cocoon so there was no need to be in hospital. Might be worth asking if that's an option for you? Also remember that if your baby spends 7 full days in neonatal care, both parents are entitled to additional leave (appreciate you're not quite there yet but worth keeping in mind). Wishing you both a speedy recovery, it's such a difficult time having a baby in hospital and children at home. Agree with PP that the simplest option might be for your husband to take more time off until you make it home.

WhatMe123 · 22/09/2025 22:54

You can't take the baby no and if you do they will inform safe guarding.

WhatMe123 · 22/09/2025 22:55

Surely your partner
Should be able to get carers leave now he is caring for the children?

LoftyRobin · 22/09/2025 22:57

You could discharge yourself and visit baby. I would not recommend that you take this baby home right now.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 22/09/2025 22:59

You can discharge yourself and visit the baby. Discharging your newborn against medical advice would be the wrong thing to do.

Sparky888 · 22/09/2025 23:03

Your partner should be able to take more leave from his work, to look after his children - or he can stay in the hospital to care for his baby. The children at home, and the baby in the hospital, are not solely your responsibility.

if the newborn needs to be in hospital, a parent should be with them.sorry it feels like its all on you.

BarkItOff · 22/09/2025 23:06

Fedupduck22 · 22/09/2025 22:10

My problem is that my husband’s paternity leave ends tomorrow and we have 2 other kids at home that I need to be available for.

Sorry that wasn’t as short as I’d hoped!

You can discharge yourself but they can stop you from discharging baby if they are undergoing essential medical care.

anotheruser124 · 22/09/2025 23:09

Your Husband could talk to work about using parental leave to look after your other children.

Bastilee · 22/09/2025 23:34

They absolutely can and will stop you from leaving with your baby. You can discharge yourself and come back in as a visitor to see her but you’d be very likely to have a social service referral if you tried to take your baby home whilst she’s being treated for jaundice. It can cause brain damage

scaredfriend · 23/09/2025 08:40

You can’t take the baby when they’re undergoing treatment, although you could discharge yourself. Why is your husband returning to work so soon? He’s entitled to at least 1 week and up to 2 weeks. The baby is only 5 days old.
in addition, he should be able to request parental / emergency leave to care for his children whilst their mother and sister are in hospital. Or if the other children are not his, he could sit with his baby in hospital and you go home to your children.
Speak to the hospital staff about your predicament- they may be able to offer a solution.

idlieforyou · 23/09/2025 09:35

Your title is misleading. You are asking if you can discharge the baby, which you should not do. Your newborn is in the best and safest place right now.

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 23/09/2025 09:40

Your husband needs to take annual leave or parental leave

bigwhitedog · 23/09/2025 09:43

Does your husband work somewhere reasonable where he can have a discussion about annual leave/parental leave/dependants leave. If all else fails can he get a sick line from GP? most GPs are happy to write 'stress at home' on a cert.

ConflictofInterest · 23/09/2025 09:46

No I don't think so, I was in a similar situation where I wanted to go home but they said baby had jaundice and couldn't leave, I couldn't discharge my baby so it wouldn't help as you could discharge yourself but still would have to stay with your baby 24/7. We were kept in just over a week in the end and it felt very difficult to leave, they very much insisted and kept starting more treatment that I had no say in and extended our stay. Your DH will have to take some sort of leave such as parental leave or dependent leave or something.

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