Length of time in hospital after c-section?

[FannyPriceless]

That's it really. How long did you stay in after a c-section? Was it your choice to stay that long or did they make you? What is the earliest anyone has gone home?

I know in theory curtains shouldn't make a huge difference in sound (though two layers of thick dark curtains do insulate significantly), but my ward was positively morgue-quiet - maybe I just happened to be in with a batch of extra-sleepy babies and very experienced mums (I wouldn't know - I didn't get the chance to see or meet them).

dilys I'm jealous! If I could have something like that, and still be able to see out the window, turn off the lights, and have a loo right next to me, I'll be happy!

I'm just remembering my last stay in hospital (non-maternity)

Bed to my right
Bed to my left
Bed opposite "So how are your genital warts?"

i recently had an elcs and spent one night at the hosp. i told them the eve of the cs that i wanted to leave the following day and they were fine with it. for me, it's far more peaceful at home (even with 2 other dc's) and i did less than in hosp as dh was there to wait on me! in hosp they were so busy i struggled by myself to do things.

(also, i didn't have to sign to myself out)

I didn't know you got midwife home visits for as long as you needed them. I'd have gone much earlier if I'd known that.

36 hours. thhey sent me home with a raging infection in my scar which was starting to open back up.

they sent me home with NO painkillers either....I was in agony!

Me - 4 days, Barnsley, hospital policy, moved to private room when one became available.
Friend - 12 hours, Leeds, demand for bed space.

1st section - 48hrs
2nd section - 48 hrs
3rd section - 36 hours

Had DS (my first) by emcs 11am Tues out 5pm Thurs. Would have been 10am but they lost his notes. They asked if anyone wanted to leave because the ward was full. I volunteered but in hindsight I wish I hadn't. I thought we were feeding fine but a poor latch wasn't noticed and I had to stop at 3 weeks due to mastitis and nipples which were so badly cracked it took 3 months for them to heal, then I got an abscess which had to be aspirated, my wound was leaking fluid and continued to for 4 weeks.

It's not a race to get home. You'll never get another chance to have so much help on tap. And no one explains that your baby will be as tired as you for the first couple of days which lulls you into thinking you've got an easy baby and you'll cope.

Wish I'd stayed at least one more day and been more selfish about asking for help (not my strong point). Might have meant breastfeeding was more successful and I wouldn't have had to have over 50mls of pus drained from my boob 2 months after stopping.

mummysgoingmad (Ican relate to your name today!) NO PAINKILLERS you poor thing

They mucked up my pain killers post op and I went without for too long as they said I wasn't due any and then they made me walk to the shower - when the pharmacist came round she pointed out the one off dose I was supposed to have had!! But I went home stocked up. You must have been in agony

I had ds at 12.47 on wednesdy and was home by 5pm friday. The post natal ward was hell on earth. I had to sign myself out though, they wanted me in 2 more days.

"You'll never get a chance to have so much help on tap" -- what help would that be? The staff where I was were generally nice, but there weren't enough of them to be much help, and there certainly wasn't anyone who knew much about breastfeeding around.

"You'll never get a chance to have so much help on tap" - Help?? I took off my own dressings while I showered, I changed the mats on my bed, I went to get my babies formula (milk did not come in for 1 week as DD was 4 weeks early). Not sure what 'help' you are referring to??

I wanted nothing more than to get home to my quiet house, nice comfortable bed, own bath, decent food, DH, etc.

Well excuse me for giving birth in a hospital which employed staff to help me in the immediate aftermath of it. Excuse me again for assuming that all hospitals are operated in the same way.

The OP asked for opinions and I gave mine based on my experience. Sorry if I upset anyone with my good fortune.

I'll retire from the "my hospital was the worst ever" competition as obviously I should never have entered.

8 days . I was supposed to go home after 6 days, I think it was a bit longer as I had a complicated labour that resulted in emergency section. But ds1 was jaundice and on the day I supposed to go home they ended up putting him under he light for 2 days.

My hospital was very nice, actually. I had no real complaints (other than standard over-medicalisation of birth grumble, and it's probably the best local hospital in that respect) and chose to have my second child there too. There just weren't huge amounts of help on tap. For real help being at home with DH at my beck and call was far more useful.

You're blatantly not upsetting anyone by having had a good experience (see your and raise you another ) but it is unrealistic to expect all UK hospitals to measure up to those standards -- that's why the media are full of stories about understaffed and under-resourced maternity services.

I don't think I said I had huge amounts of help just that help is there if you do need it. That's what the buzzer by the beds for. (I assume all hospitals have these.)

On the contrary, my 2nd night there were 2 midwives for a packed ward of 30ish mothers. This was my main reason for going home sooner than I was totally happy with. Didn't mean I could take my buzzer home with me , and

bed's

Where I work its policy to recommend to stay in 2 days but if woman is desperate to go home after 24 hours then we will discharge on medical advice. A woman can self discharge against medical advice at any time and the earliest I've known that happen is 2 hours after section!

Ah yes, the good old buzzer.

Shaz in agony, baby crying, can barely move to pick him up, still having BF problems. 15 minutes later a desk clerk appears. "You'll have to wait, they're on shift change". 30 minutes after that someone eventually turns up. Yep, help is available but be prepared to wait. And don't forget to tell your baby to wait too.

I stayed 3 night both times. I didn't feel rushed out, but it was awful being in hospital (first time since appendix as a child) Both were EMCS at 3/4am, first was under GA.

I would have gone home earlier but I didn't feel well enough - especially 2nd time, going home to bouncy toddler with newborn and scar, ouch.

Last time I also went home with no painkillers because they wouldn't give me the ones I wanted but I knew my GP would prescribe them for me!

They absolutely can't make you stay in if you want to leave, you can sign yourself out at anytime. If you were being discharged or leaving of your own accord they would remove any drips/cannula etc as they can't really let you walk out with it still in.

You would really need to have had the catheter out and done a good wee on your own though, make sure it's all working.

2 Nights with ds and 5(count them) with dd Both time emergencies and dd had complications.

I went home to get help after having my first DD. DS was born in York Hospital and they were fabulous but I had an overwhelming urge to get home, back to DD I think.

DD2 was born in Stoke Mandeville which was ok but I was on a very busy very noisy 6 bedded ward and it was made very clear that they expected me to go home - so I did.