How long before you were sent home after having your DCs?

[GettingObsessive]

I was reading the thread yesterday about timing your birth correctly so as to avoid a MW change of shift (I do realise this is impossible, before you all start ) but I was shocked by how quickly some of the posters were ejected and sent home. Like, birth at 05:30, home by 9

Can you tell I'm expecting my first

How long were you in after giving birth?

Dd1 i stayed 24 hours, dd2 was born at 4.30am and I was home at 10am having breakfast with my eldest! Dd2 was discharged by a nurse so didnt even see a doctor! I never actually made it to post natal, going home straight from the delivery room. (I didn't want to stay though)

Personally I'd go home as soon as possible unless learning to bf. the staff are usually over worked so you'll likely get more sleep and support at home where you'll be more relaxed. I think 24 is the norm with most people I know for normal first deliveries etc

Forgot to mention before, although I was out within 4.5 hours I was told I could stay longer if I wanted and they would have happily admitted me to the ward but said it was entirely up to me. They were quite happy to organise for us to come back a couple of days later for DS's postnatal check.

With DS I stayed for just over 24 hours.

With DD1 (EMCS) I stayed for about 3 days.

With DD2 I had her at 4am and left that afternoon (so less than 12 hours).

Apart from DD1's birth, when it was medically required that is stay after the CS, it was made clear I could stay/go whenever I felt comfortable. Quite frankly, I enjoyed my stays in hospital.

DD1 was crash section, I was in nearly a week for breastfeeding support (they would have let me go after 48 hours if I had managed to get DD1 to have a proper feed by then but she was early and sleepy etc) and was very very ready to get back home by then - DD2 was born at home, much nicer all round and was soaking in my own lovely hot bath with tea and toast straight afterwards.

I'm desperate to be out asap, am putting it in my birth plan and dh has been briefed to nag on my behalf.

My mw reckons there's a 6 hour discharge providing I'm ok and the baby has fed, pee'd and pooed.

They only keep us in 1 night for a cs so it's sounding promising.

6 days with DS1. I cried on day 5 as I was so desperate to be home! But did take me a while to establish bf and I'm grateful I had time to soak in some of the midwives' wisdom.

Hoping for shorter stay this time round

5 days with DD - I was scheduled to stay 72 hours post natal due to epilepsy - I had to push for that though - they were planning to send me home after 12 hours until I pointed it out in my notes! It was a good thing I did too, after I started having seizures after 24 hours

I was chewing the arm off the paedatrician who checked over DD1 to get home. It was noisy, hot, and a curtain is not privacy. I wanted a nice bed, a proper cup of tea and my DH. DD1 was born by forceps around 4am and I went home around 7.30pm.

DD2 was born at home. So never admitted.

DS1 stayed in 3 nights to get hang of breast feeding. DS2 home after 12hours (couldn't wait to get out!)

ps. In my London hospital, no way would you have been allowed to stay in two or three nights to get the hang of breastfeeding. It was one night. That was what was on offer for a vaginal birth. I wouldn't expect that you can stay in as long as you like in a busy ward.

5 days with ds1, I was in high dependancy unit and ds had meconium in his waters, ds2 was 4 days as I had to be out on I.v antibiotics cause my blood was growing foreign cultures. Hope to be less this time

Went in around 2.30am, had DS at around 20 past 7, was ready and itching to go home by ten but didn't get to leave till half 11 because of completing paperwork.

DS1 - homebirth. DS2 and DS3 - 3 hours both times. DC4 has a cleft lip and probably palate too so we'll be in for a bit longer I think.

I had pre eclampsia both times and stayed in for 3 days, so they could make sure my blood pressure was ok; I did like the security of staying in though and having the midwives there if I needed anything.

DD1 10 days (30 years ago)
DS1 7 days (28 years ago)
DS2 7 days (26 years ago)
DS3 5 days (25 years ago)
DD2 24 hours (16 years ago)
DD3 6 hours (12 years ago)

My DS was born at 38+1 by induction. Completely uncomplicated birth. He was born at 1.30pm. They wanted to keep us overnight because 'he was premature' (even though anything above 37 is considered term..). However, DH was not allowed to stay overnight (there were no private rooms available) and I was feeling really emotionally fragile. I got in a right state emotionally at the prospect of having to spend the night there without DH, so we really pushed to be discharged. Eventually they did, but even if they hadn't I think we would've left against medical advice (as they couldn't tell us any reason why they wanted to keep us) because the emotional distress wouldn't have been worth it (and we live 5 mins from the hospital).

With DS2 I might go for a home birth, or at the birthing centre. If I feel as I did last time I will again push for going home as soon as all checks have been done (as long as there are no medical reasons to stay of course). Although having done it before (and just generally feeling more confident than before having kids in the first place) I don't think I'll feel as badly as last time if I do need to stay overnight without DH. Then again it's definitely a time of raging hormones after the birth, so I have no idea how I will feel.