Silly question? What happens immediately after giving birth?

[stressheaderic]

Hpe you don't think I'm daft for asking, but I have been wondering about the period just after giving birth...
I'm 35 weeks and starting to get a little nervous now!

Presuming all is straightforward, after you've delivered the placenta and been stitched up (if applicable), what happens?

How long do you stay in the room where you gave birth? Then where do you go?
Are you left alone with your dp and baby?
What is the baby wrapped in?
Are you encouraged to feed your baby?
(Trivial one maybe) how long after that did you get in touch with family and friends?

The books don't tell you this kind of stuff!

How long do you stay in the room where you gave birth? Then where do you go?

A few hours, I had a rest and a bath and then went to the ward. With my second I went straight home from delivery suite, so was there for 5 hours.

Are you left alone with your dp and baby?

Yes, once theyve done the checks.

What is the baby wrapped in?

We were told to give them a sleepsuit, vest, nappy and hat ready before hand, then they used their own blankets.

Are you encouraged to feed your baby?

Yes

(Trivial one maybe) how long after that did you get in touch with family and friends?

Within half an hour I think.

Aw bless. It's not silly to ask these things - why would you know if you hadn't done it before??

How long do you stay in the room where you gave birth? - usually not very long. Often you get soem toast or somthing and a wash then ...

Then where do you go? - usually to the postnatal ward - noramlly a room of 4 people, if you are really lucky into your own room!

Are you left alone with your dp and baby? Yes, normally

What is the baby wrapped in? They have blankets and towels, they sometimes bath teh baby - all depends how busy they are. And they usually dress the baby for you - or your DP can do that if he wants

Are you encouraged to feed your baby?
Usually the baby starts rooting. I would recommend feeding, and skin to skin contact straight away - it helps bonding

how long after that did you get in touch with family and friends? Once we felt a bit settled DH phoned our parents, and texted everyone else. And took pics - for the email when he got home!

Take plenty of drinks and chocolate so you can chill afterwards if you are hungry - rather than sending DH off to find some food!

it varies in each hospital, and also depends how busy the dept is and whether the room is needed and if there is a bed on the ward ready for you. we got in touch with family about half an hour after the birth, while i was showering dh rang people. with dd, we stayed in the room for a couple of hours before moving up to the ward, with ds is was a quick turnaround because i had asked for a 6 hour discharge, so basically i showered and just got dressed ready to go home.

yes, we were left alone both times, baby was wrapped in a hospital blanket straight after delivery, then the midwife dressed them and wrapped them in our own blanket. with both, i was encouraged to just follow the baby's lead on feeding, give it a go if they seemed hungry.

the thing is it kind of depends on the day and time you give birth.

At min you usually get tea and toast and a cuddle/feed with the baby, then you sometimes get moved on to the post-natal ward if they need the delivery room.

If it's daylight hours your DH/P will usually be allowed to stay. If it's nightime they will often be asked to leave which can be a bit sad.

What happened when I had my first baby -

I delivered at 1am. I had an injection to deliver the placenta and had a brief cuddle with the baby, then I was stitched up which seemed to take ages.

I had another, better cuddle with the baby and then they put a nappy on him and I tried to feed skin to skin, but he wasn't interested so after half an hour or so more they put him in the clothes we'd brought and swaddled him in a hospital blanket as he was getting a bit cold.

I was offered tea and toast, and had a shower and changed my clothes while DP cuddled DS.

Then we would probably have been moved, but the labour ward was quite quiet, so DP and I were left alone with our new DS and allowed to bond for a couple of hours. I tried to feed a few more times but no luck.

At about 4 am they needed the room so I was wheeled downstairs to the antenatal ward. At that point DP was supposed to go home but they let him stay to "settle me in" - in fact what happened was he conked out on the bed with me and we all three slept!

At about 6am someone came round and said he'd have to leave as the other ladies were waking up and they didn't want to upset anyone out of visiting hours.

DP left, went home, and came back at about 10am which was when visiting hours started.

We didn't start texting until the next morning as we didn't think anyone would be awake at 1am.

I delivered my next baby at home (bliss!) but if I had to do it again, the one thing I would try to do differently is feed BEFORE they stitched me up. DS was a bugger to get to latch, and I strongly believe that was due to a too-long delay in trying to feed.

If I had another hospital birth I would insist on a physiological third stage and use the time to feed the baby.

HTH.

How long do you stay in the room where you gave birth?
About 10 minutes while they did their checks etc.

Then where do you go?
We were moved into another room (no wards in my hospital)

Are you left alone with your dp and baby?
Yep, i think the midwife popped in now and again just to check everything was ok, check blood pressure etc but apart from that we were left to it

What is the baby wrapped in?
We took our own clothes and blanket (which i have kept)

Are you encouraged to feed your baby?
Absolutely, i chose to Formula Feed and they made sure i had everything i needed.

(Trivial one maybe) how long after that did you get in touch with family and friends?
My mum was downstairs in the hospital cafe (DP had called the parents while i was off being stitched up) Mum was able to visit straight away, our hospital had a policy where the grandparents could visit outside of visiting hours but only for an hour or so. Probably different for every hospital, and i really wanted my Mum there.

Depends a lot on how busy things are, what time it is, etc.

With dd1 everything was sorted by just after 3.30am. They left baby, dh & I alone with tea and toast for a while. Then they ran a bath for me in the room (was a home-from-home room). They dressed dd for me and wrapped/swaddled her in their sheet/blanket type thing. Was encouraged to try to feed but dd had got a hit of pethidine (they gave it to me at the wrong time in labour) and she wasn't interested. We phoned family about 3.30am...actually mw told dh he could ring people while she stitched me (though I ended up refusing the stitching). They moved us to the postnatal ward about 6-6.30am but it would have been earlier (my blood pressure dipped and I went a bit dizzy so they observed me for a bit)

With dd2, I had an Independent mw but transferred into hospital for pain relief. That time dd2 born 3.59pm, placenta delivered about 4.40pm. Dh dressed baby in what we wanted, was encouraged to feed but dd2 wouldn't latch so IM showed me how to drip feed her. NHS mw popped in & out checking on me (had epidural), IM left about 6pm. We had lots of tea & toast. Was moved to a home-from-home room about 8pm at shift change, then had bath, newborn checks and discharged at 11.30pm . Again we phoned family pretty much right away.

Totally depends on all sorts of factors - what sort of birth it was, what hospital procedure is, how busy they are, what time of the day/night you delivered etc.

Expect to be whisked on to a ward fairly quickly in most hospitals these days, though!

Apparently the baby's instinct to feed is strongest in the first 30 mins after birth - so though you're feeling tired make a point of asking for help to get your new dc latched on asap - before the midwife disappears to leave you and dp alone.

I had a nightmare with ds1 not feeding and I wish I'd known that then. With ds2 I shoved him straight on the boob at 15 mins old and all was fine.

Oh, and i gave birth at 11pm, according to the rules my DP probably should have left as soon as me and DD were settled, but i had had a really rough labour so they let him stay as long as he wanted to (think he left about 2.30am) The midwife offered to get him a blanket so he could sleep on the chair but i sent him home, he had had a really rough day too!

"Are you encouraged to feed your baby?
Absolutely, i chose to Formula Feed and they made sure i had everything i needed."

You should check this if you plan to formula feed as many hospitals will not provide equipment for ffing now. If you want to do it you are asked to bring your own bottles/formula etc.

They do have a supply if it's needed for medical reasons though - for eg if topping up is recommended or if the baby won't feed so don't panic about unforeseen eventualities.

Thats a good point actually theyoungvisitor, when i had DD in 2008 they provided little glass bottles of formula while i was in hospital and gave me some to take home with me. I've heard that they have since stopped doing this as people weren't following the instructions from the midwife (once the bottle is open use within 2 hours and then throw away)

This is all really helpful, thanks everyone - like I say, you just don't get this kind of info from books!

Dp was a bit concerned about dressing the new baby, incase I'm, in his words 'a bit out of it'...I honestly don't think he's ever handled a newborn before, so if there's someone there to assist then that's good.

Tea and toast seems to be a recurring theme, no objections there

I hadn't thought about whether it's day or night, and visiting hours of course...so thanks for enlightening me. More stories welcome!

does your hospital offer any classes? They tend to go through the basics there and give you a rough idea what to expect.

Ooh yes!
Never has tea and toast tasted so good/been so welcome!

I was in the delivery room a couple of hours with husband & baby & then moved to ward.
I guess that time depends on if they need the room or not.

It was 9pm by then but husband stayed a little longer on ward-watching baby whilst I showered.

Just my experience

How long do you stay in the room where you gave birth? Then where do you go?
1st time - stayed in that room overnight, discharged the next day. 2nd time they were busier so moved to PN ward after my shower.

Are you left alone with your dp and baby?
Yes! Definitely. MW wanders in and out but once the placenta delivered, nothing else really to do. Might juist be a local thing but there's no emphasis on werighing and checking immediately afterwards too (was fr my 1st) think it even waited until the next day

What is the baby wrapped in?
Towel I think, or blanket.

Are you encouraged to feed your baby?
With DS, yes, eventually. With DD I just put her to my breast as they were delivering the placenta as I was more in control.

(Trivial one maybe) how long after that did you get in touch with family and friends?
DH called parents, his brother and texted his cousin about half an hour after the birth - 1st time he had to go and get the bags anyway as we'd come into hospital as I was 9cm dilated. 2nd time I was feeding. Other family got texted later for the 1st and next morning for DD (born just before midnight)
Cousin wouldn't usually be texted at midnight but his wife was in labour too - they ended up having their little girl 13 hours later

oo stealth - I delivered 13 hours later than my cousin! Are we related?

errrr
don't think so
although what a coincidence!
It was really lovely, we'd agreed to let each other know when things were happening, so I texted her at about 10pm. Apparently it all started for her about an hour after my text. We were due on the same day as well!

theyoungvisiter - we've been to one class about labour itself and pain relief, there are 2 more so we might find out, I think one of them is a tour of the maternity unit so they might tell us then what tends to happen.

stealth - it's lovely that DHs cousin had a baby so close to yours, second cousin to yours woudn't that be? DPs brother's wife is due a week after me, so we are all interested to find out who goes first! It's just a shame they live in USA so the two cousins won't be close, but at least they will have a little connection.

We stayed in the labour suite for about an hour I think, during which time dh & I were given tea & toast (was 6am). That was the best tea & toast I've ever tasted and I ate dh's as well .

If I had my time again I would have asked for help to get ds latched on straight away. As it was, I was pretty shellshocked (in a good way) and didn't think about it until just before I was being taken down to the ward and a midwife asked if I'd tried to feed him yet. Immediate skin to skin is the best start if possible I think. Ds was dressed in a nappy, vest and blanket. Our vest, the hospital's blanket.

After a while, I was taken to have a bath and dh held ds until I got back. Then we went down to the postnatal ward and dh did his phoning/texting and popped across to my work (was in the same hospital!) to let them know, so that must have been around 9am by then.

At 11am dh went home for a sleep and ds got his first visitors - my two work colleagues who sneaked in for a quick cuddle on their coffee break.

We live really close to the hospital so dh popped back and forward for the three days I was in. Visiting for everyone else was the usual afternoon & evening slots.

Congrats on the pregnancy, stressheaderic. I'm 36 weeks at the mo and hoping to have this one at home, but here's my hospital experience with DD; hope it helps:

How long do you stay in the room where you gave birth?
A couple of hours, I think. DD born at 8:30pm, got to the ward at 11pm.

Then where do you go?
Ward.

Are you left alone with your dp and baby?
Yes, after they'd stitched me and weighed/dressed DD and I'd showered, they brought me toast and tea and left us to it for a while.

What is the baby wrapped in?
Initially a hospital towel/sheet, then dressed.

Are you encouraged to feed your baby? Yes, the midwives helped me latch DD on straight after our post-birth cuddle.

(Trivial one maybe) how long after that did you get in touch with family and friends? DH rang round about an hour after DD arrived.

Good luck with the birth.

Here's my experience to add into the mix. It was a very quiet time on a midwife-led part of a normal hospital (I thihk I was the only woman there). DD born at 2:15pm.

Presuming all is straightforward, after you've delivered the placenta and been stitched up (if applicable), what happens?

The midwife did a few standard checks on DD, then basically left me and DH in the room I'd given birth in. I think after about an hour she suggested I try feeding DD, and DD immediately latched on, so she left. But I think she would have stayed if I'd needed any help.

How long do you stay in the room where you gave birth? Then where do you go?

I stayed there for about 7 hours - didn't get moved to the post-natal ward as they didn't need the room I was in. Then I went home!

Are you left alone with your dp and baby?
Yes - it was really nice! But the midwives were just down the corridor if we needed them. DH stayed the whole time. Not sure what the official policy was on visiting hours.

What is the baby wrapped in?
Can't really remember - a towel?? Your DH shouldn't worry about dressing the baby - I'm sure he'll be fine! And someone will help him if not!

Are you encouraged to feed your baby?
Yes - midwife suggested I tried when DD was about an hour old.

(Trivial one maybe) how long after that did you get in touch with family and friends?

Er, think it was about 2 hours after DD was born - we quite enjoyed being the only people who knew she'd been born! DH was able to call them from the room we were all in, which was very nice.

Do go on a tour of the hospital you are planning on going to - they usually organise regular tours for groups of pregnant women and their partners - they won't mind if you ask all these kind of questions and any other "silly" questions which occur to you.

Hmmm this is assuming it all goes to plan. After DS's birth (em C section) I had a major haemmorhage. So didn't hold baby, he was handed to my stricken hubby instead, no skin to skin, no early feed for DS and no tea and toast for anyone, bubs was even left undressed until the next day. No snuggling bonding time and definitely noone up to texting. They then sent my hubby away home as it was 2am and I spent the night in high dependency. I dread to think how cold and alone my wee one must have felt as he lay in a cot by my bed, alongside me well out of it and covered in tubes and monitors.
Lesson learned: you can't plan everything out in advance, or expect x, y and z to happen, sometimes the unexpected does instead.

My first DD was born at 3am. After I had got out of the pool to deliver the placenta on the bed I was encouraged to feed. She was wrapped in a towel but open a bit for more skin to skin contact while she fed.

The midwives bought tea and toast (absolute heaven!) and took a few pictures and then left us alone. After an hour or so I was sent for a shower while the midwives dressed baby - I made H come with me as I felt very shaky on my feet. Make sure you have a labour bag with 1 nappy, vest, sleepsuit and hat for the baby so they are easy to get to.

While I got into PJ's H sent texts to parents - not everyone else at it was the middle of the night. I was transferred to ward at about 4.30am and was so tired that H went straight home after half an hour for some sleep - no point in us all being knackered the next day! He came back mid morning and I went home about 2pm

With DD 2 - also born in the pool at 2.15pm. We got out for placenta delivery again. She was also encouraged to latch on straight away - even before placenta is delivered as it helps. She fed for about 20 mins while they went to get tea and toast (again it was the best tea and toast in the world!) This was at 2.30pm

We were left alone in the room for about 2 hours as the unit was quiet. So H and I made some calls from the delivery room. Then sent for a shower again while the midwives dressed baby. Once I was in Pj's I transferred to the ward. H stayed longer this time as it was daytime and I was the only one in the ward. He went home about 6pm and came back in the morning and i went home just after lunch.

My only experience is with Ninewells in Dundee. It's all a bit of a haze but what I remember is being taken from labour suite (ie a standard delivery room) to theatre for assisted delivery. After baby was born she was checked over and then given to hubby who held her beside me whilst I was stitched up. We were then wheeled on the bed from theatre to labour ward, a small ward just beside all the labour suites, where hubby was given help putting on her nappy and dressing her in a sleepsuit. She was then given to me to feed. I was brought tea and toast there. Also got a bedbath. I think I was there for about 4 hours, and then transferred up to postnatal ward, again wheeled on the bed, this time with baby in my arms and all my luggage on my feet! Don't take a big winter coat in with you, the blooming thing is just a nuisance!