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!

I think it all depends on where you are and how busy they are. My hospital was super busy so after DS1 was delivered at 3am I was stitched up and then tried to feed him for a bit unsuccessfully. The midwife dressed him in the clothes we'd taken and wrapped him in a hospital blanket and DH had a cuddle whilst I had tea and toast and a bath. Then we went to the ward around 5am. Baby and I fell asleep in bed and DH fell asleep in a chair but went home about 6am. After breakfast at 8am I had to ask where the toilets and showers were because they were so busy trying to discharge ladies and free up beds, nobody had checked on me! DH came back at 11am (having called family) and made a bit of a fuss so I finally got some help breastfeeding. Family came to visit around 3pm.

People usually suggest taking magazines which I guess would be handy if you're waiting around before baby arrives but afterwards you'll probably just want to sleep a lot or gaze at your new arrival!

I have a DS and a DD and birth experiences were different for each. Same hospital but more straightforward birth with DD.

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

With DS I lost rather a lot of blood and although I think I held DS straight after he was born, after about 20 min I was taken off to theatre so I could be sewn up. I was unusual in that I had an epidural after the birth. After a couple of hours of that I came back to the delivery suite. DS was born at 2:50am and I think I was transported to the postnatal ward about 8am.

with DD I cuddled her and then had a shower (in bathroom off the delivery suite). Probably was in there for about an hour after she was born I think. Then went to the postnatal ward.

Are you left alone with your dp and baby?

DH was left alone with DS but it was quite unusual.

Can't actually remember about DD but should think we were left alone.

What is the baby wrapped in?

DS got a hospital nappy and blanket as we had left his clothes in another part of the hospital (I had been in hospital a few days before his birth due to high blood pressure and in the excitement of actually having a baby we forgot to take his bag down with us )

DD was wrapped in something when she was born - no idea what - and then we dressed her in her own clothes (remembered them for second child)

Are you encouraged to feed your baby?

There is a picture of very new DS and most of my breast so I assume I was encouraged

Can't remember about DD but I probably just got on with it I should think.

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

I think DH phoned people once I was safely on the postnatal ward so maybe about 8:30. He rightly thought no one would appreciate hearing in the middle of the night.

With DD he probably called them at a similar stage, but as she was born at 1:30pm it was probably around 3pm.

Hope the next few weeks go quickly for you