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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

How soon after delivery were you allowed to leave hospital?

44 replies

Kathsunn · 19/05/2010 13:20

I'm asking this question because I'm a bit worried about being kept in over X-mas/New Year (dc3 due 26 Dec).

After my last very straight forward 2nd birth, I was kept inside 2 nights because ds2 didn't have a wee until the second night.

I don't want to be in any longer than 1 night because of 2ds at home and disrupting everyone's holiday. Any suggestions on how to get sprung early?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Daisymoosteiner · 19/05/2010 16:08

The paed doesn't need to look at the baby, he/she will be given the once-over at birth by the midwife and you can make an appointment for your GP to do the baby check.

vinauchocolat · 19/05/2010 16:08

2 hours, literally leapt up, had a shower, ate something signed a form and left I had the new baby check done by GP, not at hospital (central london)

LittleSilver · 19/05/2010 16:08

Remember there's no "allowed" about it.

MummyElk · 19/05/2010 16:10

i think the paediatric test can be done by certain midwives trained in it, so they visit you at home.... worth asking if any in your community mw team

vinauchocolat · 19/05/2010 16:11

they can't force you to stay if baby's fine and you had an uncomplicated delivery, it's your choice. I was told 'we have a bed ready for you on the postnatal ward' and came to wheel me over and I said 'er thanks but no I'm going home' and they said 'well that's fine if you're sure'

TulipsInTheSunshine · 19/05/2010 16:18

dd and ds1 were both next morning, ds1 should have been immediete discharge but they couldn't get a paed at that time of night and as it was 1am and i'd already fought tooth and nail about the vit k i coudn't be fuck argueing so stayed in.

ds2 i was discharged within hours but unfortunately ds2 had to be rushed to SCBU so i was re-admitted.... ironically my biggest fight with him was 2 days later having to cause ww2 to be re-admitted for a third night as they were rying to kick me off the ward and had no parental accom available! (we live an hour from hospital and i was bf-ing and my milk hadn't come in yet so pumping wasn't having huge success)

BettyButterknife · 19/05/2010 16:19

My DS was born at 4pm and I was told that they had to leave it 6 hours before a doctor could check him, and there wouldn't be anyone available at 10pm.

Next morning we were all set to be seen by the dr and then leave, but the doctor could hear something on DS's chest. Got a second opinion from the consultant, said there was definitely something there and we had to stay for tests. 1 day turned into 2 turned into 5 and we were eventually there for a week, as DS had pneumonia and was on antibiotics every 12 hours and obs every 4.

It was grim, I hated every minute of it and wanted to be home so badly (first time I'd ever been in hospital overnight). But obviously we were in the right place for DS to be treated.

Now pg with DS2 and am terrified of the same thing happening. How soon can I get DS2 checked over and the pair of us discharged (if everything's ok?)? Interested to see others have been 'allowed' home in less than 6 hours...

Guess the suggestion to have a GP check the baby over means it has to be the following day?

Fibilou · 19/05/2010 17:39

I have one DD (3 months). I gave birth 15 minutes after arriving in hospital and was home 5 hours later. It would have been sooner but they had to put my notes onto the computer. I had a straightforward delivery with 1 stitch and DD latched on straightaway. I did have to wait until I passed 350ml of urine before they would let me home though

Fibilou · 19/05/2010 17:40

And my GP did the paediatric check the next day

Fibilou · 19/05/2010 17:41

and i never made it to the PN ward - not that they had any beds anyway so it was lucky I just wanted to go home

nowit · 19/05/2010 17:51

I was in 2 nights with DD1 (horrible looooooonnng labour) So had a HB with DC2 which was amazing and I was due on christmas day with DC3 so decided to have her at a midwife led unit. She hung on until 31st and I arrived at 6.45am had her in the birthing pool at 7.08am and was home by 10.30 am, perfect.
Didn't want another HB as it was christmas and we had the 2 other LO's to think about, not to mention a house full of junk presents and food. Good luck

BuckBuckMcFate · 19/05/2010 17:52

Most recent was DD. I had her at 5.55am. DP stayed while I had a shower and cleaned up. He left when I moved onto the ward and I had a bit of a doze.

When I woke up I got both of us dressed, put my makeup and shoes on, packed up my bag and sat on the chair, not the bed, looking very much ready to leave.

I was very lucky that I have managed to have the same midwife over a 10 year period so she knew me and said I was an old hand at this so they told me I could go home at about 2pm.

FabIsGoingToGetFit · 19/05/2010 17:55

The hospital don't want to keep you in any longer than you need to be, it is for your or your babies own good if they keep you in longer than the usual minimum of 6 hours.

Jayfer · 19/05/2010 17:57

Had DS1 at 7am and was home by 3pm after visiting my Gran who was in the same hospital. He is my first baby and I didn't get back into bed after I had my shower as there wasn't any room. PN was full.
He was sent home after only being checked by MW. Community MW's were shocked at our rapid departure from hospital as his apgar was 2 when he was born and he wasn't breathing and I was too wobbly to walk. Community midwives visited everyday for first week and have been brilliant.

Bit of a shock for us but glad to be home!

Thediaryofanobody · 19/05/2010 18:04

My sister is the earliest I know of, her hospital had a policy that you should stay min 8 hours if you hadn't had any intervention or an epidural.
She made sure that MW knew she was leaving after 8 hours and that she wouldn't be hanging around waiting for Drs to sign forms. 8 hours on the dot she picked up niece and said good bye and they rushed a DR in to sign relevant paperwork realising she wasn't kidding.
It was quite funny to watch.

Original poster

Kathsunn · 19/05/2010 19:47

It sound like hb would be the best option, but I just can't see it going well with squeamish husband, 2ds, and house being full of present (good point Nowit).

It looks as if my only option is to whinge alot and threaten to waddle out.

It seem as though most of you have been allowed to leave without much fuss -- I guess they just liked keeping an eye on me

OP posts:

stressheaderic · 20/05/2010 19:48

God - I commend all of you who "leapt out of bed" post-birth and got going straight away.

I had DD at 6pm Sat and was spaced out and genrally in a bit of a daze (no drugs... just couldn't believe I'd done it and had my girl/major sleep deprivation), we stayed til 10pm Sun night but could have stayed another night if I'd fancied it.

My hosp was in no hurry to kick anyone out...then again, I was the only one to give birth all day (had my pick of all 12 delivery rooms) and there was only 2 of us in our 6-bed postnatal ward bay.

trellism · 20/05/2010 19:57

I was booted out of hospital about 36 hours following an emcs. They needed the bed and I had been wandering around the wards with dd in a sling, complaining to anyone who'd listen about the racket (a broken baby alarm went off constantly every 5 minutes).

I think they were as sick of me as I was of them.

MumNWLondon · 24/05/2010 11:02

Around 14 hours but could have left after 3-4 hours if I'd really pushed for it. I think thats the key - need to really push them for fast discharge. I didn't push and it took around 12 hours before everything had been done.

In response to another poster some midwifes can do newborn baby check....

re: hearing test - this wasn't done in hospital even though DS2 was born there got appointment for him to have it at 6 weeks.

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