Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

Original poster

What's the average hospital 'staying in' time?

20 replies

HPonEverything · 12/08/2011 12:15

I was sort of hoping to be in and out within a matter of hours (isn't everyone?!) but now I'm thinking it might not be like that...

How long did you stay in for?

Also what do they do with the baby while you are staying in? Does it stay next to you on the ward in which case how does anyone get any sleep... or does it go into one of those rooms with loads of babies in like you see on the telly and in films? Or do you get your own room just for you and baby?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Sandra2011 · 12/08/2011 12:24

Even though my first baby was born 3 weeks early we got home 24 hours later.
We didn't have any problems and off we went.

My baby stayed next to me all the time. He slept most of the time.
Only woke up to be fed every 4 hours.

I had a private room with en-suite with my baby. We had to pay £100 for that but it was a one off payment so I could have stayed there longer if needed.

It was a good investment. I wouldn't like to stay in the same room with several other mothers and their crying babies.

IssyStark · 12/08/2011 12:41

I had a c-section so obviously couldn't get up immediately! Baby was born at 00.05 on Thursday and I was home by Saturday lunchtime.

Usually for c-sections they would keep you in for 3 days but I inisisted on going home a day early as all the newborn checks were done on the Thu or Fri (hearing tests etc) so there was nothing to keep us in and I wanted to be at home.

Baby was with me the whole time we were in hospital. The midwives and nurses would take your baby if you wanted a shower/needed some sleep and there was no-one else to look after baby, but generally you were in charge. My hospital had a very open policy for partners so the other half was with me from 9am until 7pm (iirc) when they kicked everyone out. All he did those first few days was feed and sleep and be looked at adoringly by his parents

You could pay for a private room but mostly people were in six bed side-wards. The old-fashioned nurseries that you see in films simply don't exist anymore in the UK. When the nurses took your baby they would take it to their office rather than any huge nursery.

Sleep was a bit of a problem if you happened to be in a ward with other restless babies but then I was feeding most of the night so it didn't really make much difference personally.

BeeMyBaby · 12/08/2011 13:54

My DD was born 2.3weeks early, as it was an uncomplicated birth we stayed in 12 hours after (just waiting for blood results as Rh-), DD stayed in the room with us at all times. We were never moved from the single labour room, I guess it wasn't busy that day.

diddygirl · 12/08/2011 13:55

I was exactly the same as Sandra2011 in that I paid for my own room. I was in there for 2 nights and loved it - sad I know! It was like being in a hotel. Next time round I hope to be in and out as don't want to be away from DD and OH.

Georgimama · 12/08/2011 13:57

Babies don't go off to nurseries anymore, they are all in with their mothers and yes it can be noisy. You can often have a 6 hour discharge straight from delivery but don't be surprised if you don't actually want to when it comes to it. I was in 48 hours with my VB and C section - they said I could go home after 24 hours with C section but I didn't feel mobile enough so stayed. I'm glad I did.

MrsPotatoHeadsStylist · 12/08/2011 14:05

I think with your first they are keen for you to stay in a night or even two, except when they are very busy and need to turf you out to get a bed.

With my first (2yrs ago) I was in for the rest of the night that I had DD1 (had her at 1am, stayed that night) and the following night, wish I hadn't now, wish I'd just gone home the first day. DD1 was in a little crib next to the bed in a ward of 6 women, all with their babies. It was very noisy and nobody got any sleep to be honest.

The second time, last year, I had DD2 at about 2pm and I was home by 10pm. It was great, it was a different hospital and they were so much better than the first, I would have stayed in happily but I didn't want DD1 to wonder where I was when she woke up the next morning. Going home meant we woke up at home and DD1 could come and curl up in bed with us to meet DD2.

In one of the hospitals you could pay for a private room, just baby and you, with an en-suite bathroom. It was any nicer than the normal wards, wasn't plush or anything, but was a single room so quieter with less coming and going. Might be worth finding out if your hospital has any and how much they cost.

EauRouge · 12/08/2011 14:10

We left about 8 hours after DD1 was born (first DC). I had a homebirth with DD2. They usually have a checklist of things they want to see before they are happy to let you go- things like is the baby feeding OK, have you both been to the loo etc. They cannot make you stay but they will tell you if they think it is best.

Sleeping arrangements vary, some may encourage bed sharing, others may have private rooms. I don't think any hospitals have those big nurseries any more.

If you haven't been on a tour of the mat unit yet then these are all things that the MWs will answer on a tour.

SchrodingersMew · 12/08/2011 15:02

I have been wondering about this too as I have a fear of wards at night (traumatic experience as a young teenager) that they are sending me to a psychologist beforehand about but I was told the other day I could be in for up to 5 nights after being induced but I have some mobility problems so that may be why.

Generally I think if you have a straightforward birth you can go after 6 hours. You can actually discharge yourself whenever you want but the baby needs to be checked before they can go home and I have been told this can take a while.

edwinbear · 12/08/2011 15:20

A thoroughly unpleasant 5 days! It was a difficult forceps delivery with lots of damage to me and DS clearly suffered too so he didn't take well to bf. They wouldn't let us home until they were happy he was bf well. I begged for a private room but they didn't have any available so I was on a post natal ward with a poor lady whose baby was in SCBU, who then had to watch me with DS from across the room, (very insensitive I thought), and there were also two early labour beds in our ward so we had women moaning and groaning all night. What with them and DS screaming all night none of us got a wink of sleep.

Wigeon · 12/08/2011 15:28

Dd1 - born 2.15pm in 2008 and left 6 hours later. They offered me to stay overnight if I wanted but I chose to go home. Dd2 (born this year) - born 12.40pm, left 4 hours later as was feeling fine! Glad I didn't have to spend any time on a ward - both times I was in the same room I gave birth in. I didn't want or need any breast feeding advice and they didn't insist on my staying, after all the usual checks have been done.

melliebobs · 12/08/2011 17:20

Your kicked out after 4-6 hours where I intend to have mine! One of the reasons I've chosen to have it where I am

Mum2be79 · 12/08/2011 18:25

I've just found out that I may need a c section. (Chances are I may not). Am a bit concerned that they discharge you after only 24/48 hours whereas in France I've been told it's 5 days.

Elk · 12/08/2011 18:34

1st birth - discharged myself after 3 days after birth, against medical advice. I was in for 2 days in labour/induced. Local midwife said I was right to come home!

2nd birth, left 12 hours after birth, I had to wait 8 hours for post birth anti-biotics and the peadiatrician to assess dd2, midwives didn't want me to go home yet due to PROM but paed said dd was fine so i left.

grumblinalong · 13/08/2011 08:51

ds1 - 24 hours (induced)
ds2 - 8 hours
dd1 - 5 hours

With each subsequent child I felt better post birth - think its something to do with stretched muscles! MW are more confident to let you go if they know you've done it all before.

Cattleprod · 13/08/2011 09:46

Went in saturday morning, went home friday afternoon, so 6 nights! I quite enjoyed it though, lots of other new mums to talk to, all meals brought to you in bed, lots of help with breastfeeding and babycare, a fantastic crushed ice machine!!

Your baby will be in a fishtank beside your bed, unless you are planning to give birth in the 1950s!! Private rooms are available at a cost (£100 per night at our hospital) although you won't be able to get one if they are needed by someone else for a particular reason.

nunnie · 13/08/2011 09:52

48 hours both times for me, but 1st I needed a manual removal of placenta and 2nd EMCS so I am not the best person to answer in regards to uncomplicated.
I believe here with your 1st (but this was 4 years ago) if baby is born before 12pm then you can go home same day, if born after 12pm then next day but never got to put this to the test so not sure how realistic it is, I was told by another mum to be not midwife, so it was 3rd hand info.

cantpooinpeace · 13/08/2011 09:54

DD - 7 nights trying to BF
DS - 7 nights trying to BF and some antibiotics

Both natural births with G & A only felt like I was in forever just couldn't get them to discharge me!

nunnie · 13/08/2011 09:55

Sorry sent before I had finished. With both mine they were kept by my side in a ward with 3 other women.
With my 2nd there was only 2 babies in with as a couple of the babies were in special care, once the mothers had recovered (were walking and showered) from sections they were moved to private rooms understandably as it can't be nice watching other mothers care for their babies when you only have a poloroid picture to look at :(

Didn't have any major problems sleeping and if I did I would just lie and look at my little one :)

ZhenXiang · 13/08/2011 09:58

Emergency C-section for DD, but was allowed home after two days for which I was very grateful as every new baby arriving on the ward had a different cry for DD to get used to so she woke a lot!

Abcinthia · 13/08/2011 10:04

I stayed for about a day and a half (got to hospital at 7:45am on the first day then went home sometime after midday the next day). I had a natural birth with no painkillers. Had a few stitches but no other problems.

Probably could have gone sooner but they insisted I had to be shown how to wash a baby and the nurse who did that didn't come to me until after lunch.

Flip