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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

maternity ward after birth ru left with baby

27 replies

gsmit · 22/04/2013 20:42

I know this may sound daft but after the birth when they take u onto the ward what happens when visiting is over and DH had left. What if i need the toilet etc. Do you leave baby unattended on ward in crib or do u call a nurse. If i have a c section and cant lift baby ? also this is my first dc and i am a total baby virgin. Will they show me how to wind him etc

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soupmaker · 22/04/2013 20:45

Yes, you pretty much get left to it. Go to the loo while baby sleeping in crib or put them down and go. The midwifes will be there to assist, but you will need to ask for help. If you are lucky they will be kind, gentle and lovely or you'll be looked at as if you are stupid and barked at.

lurcherlover · 22/04/2013 20:48

Maternity wards are locked and no-one gets in without being buzzed in. Don't worry, no-one will steal your baby. The mws will help you - they'll show you how to bath baby etc if you need them to. Don't worry.

simonthedog · 22/04/2013 20:50

Where i was they had specially safety cots with an alarm. The cot had a key and if you took the key out the alarm would sound if the baby was taken out of the cot. This helps if you were to pop to the loo for a minute, but you are pretty much left to get on with it. You'll be fine though.

Chubfuddler · 22/04/2013 20:51

At the hospital where I had each of my babies they were in bassinet things on wheels - if you left your bay you wheeled the baby with you. Second baby was a c section, I had a catheter in for 18 hours so that solved the wee problem for a bit. They picked up the baby and put her down again for me after feeds until catheter was out but then they were (quite rightly) keen for me to mobilise, so I was ( gingerly) able to pick her up myself.

SevenReasonsToSmile · 22/04/2013 20:52

Mine has a locked nursery near the MW station where you can put baby in their crib in there if you want a shower etc during visiting hours. Doors are locked when not visiting hours though so its fine to leave baby alone then.

Thurlow · 22/04/2013 20:58

Ours had the special cribs you can lock, though I'm not sure anyone used that. The nurses weren't helpful but the other mums were. Your DP/DH or family can be with you most of the day so you can shower then. The other mums were really helpful, actually. I was in for five days as was the mum next to me, we used to watch each other's babies if we wanted to shower or something. At a day or so old babies tend to just sleep sleep sleep so you're generally fine to leave them for a few minutes if you want to.

I don't think they'll automatically show you how to do things but there are all sorts of nurses, midwives and health professionals on the ward so you can ask someone to help you with anything.

TravelinColour · 22/04/2013 21:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

beckie90 · 22/04/2013 21:20

Yes they pretty much leave you to it, they did however take care of ds1 the day I had him and night and next morning as I was in hdu and wasn't aloud to move so they took care of him for that period. After that i looked after him while I was in. Ds2 I was fine so I was just left to it :) x

laurajane89 · 23/04/2013 09:30

Sorry to ask a question on your thread but i am also going to be a first time mom, but do they give you bottles and formula on the ward because i dont plan on breastfeeding?

Shybairns · 23/04/2013 09:34

Yes they have ready made bottles of formula on the wards. You can ring for it when you need it.

laurajane89 · 23/04/2013 09:36

Okay thankyou

SevenReasonsToSmile · 23/04/2013 09:54

My hospital will provide formula if you don't have any but they do expect you to get your own to use when you can. I had to send DH to tesco down the road to bring me some in.

ilovepowerhoop · 23/04/2013 10:01

it will depend on the hospital as to whether they will provide formula so I would check with them first

Signet2012 · 23/04/2013 10:07

You need to buzz them for help.
I had a emcs and didn't realise you could ask them for help so I was getting baby out and in myself and was in tears behind a closed curtain when bf wasn't going as planned.

Midwives were lovely when they popped in to check but it never occurred to me I could use the call thing! So don't struggle!

cupcake78 · 23/04/2013 10:50

Its not a silly question! I think it's one of the most common questions new mums have. I did it a few ways. Sometimes dh or visitors where there so I made the most of it. Sometimes baby came with me in his crib (on wheels). If it was night and he was quiet ( yes I know, didn't happen that often) I would leave him and go for a quick wee/pad change.

For showers I'd wait till after a big feed and he was settled, would tell other mums I was going to bathroom and to knock if baby was crying.

There were two mums on my ward who'd had c sections and two who hadn't, we used to help the c section mums with getting baby etc if we could. You will find your own way. Good luck

Thurlow · 23/04/2013 10:56

If you are planning on ff then it would be a good idea to take some of your own in. I ended up ff from the start and they did give me the pre-made bottles, but that was only for a day or two and then they expected someone to bring me in cartons and bottles - not that they'd let the baby starve if I didn't though! I think if you are definitely planning on it then it is only fair to bring in a few cartons. Our ward had a little side room with a fridge and sterilizer buckets in so you could prepare your own feeds.

oscarwilde · 23/04/2013 10:58

The London hospital I was in (NHS) does not provide formula or bottles unless it's an emergency. If you don't plan on bfing, you will be expected to provide this in all likelihood.
Re help and assistance, time permitting the midwives and nurses will help as much as possible but they are often overstretched. If you don't ask, you don't get though so speak up if you are secretly stressing about something.
Bear in mind that you won't do things like bath the baby until the cord falls off. Top and tail only. I used a little disposable kidney dish and some cotton wool while in hospital. Certainly don't bring bowls with you
So it is just feeding and changing. If you have a CS, then ring for help until your cathether is out, then you will be expected to get on with it. Just make sure you ring for more drugs if it gets painful and you will be fine. Don't leave hospital without decent pain relief!

domesticslattern · 23/04/2013 11:02

Laurajane it varies from hospital to hospital. Mine does not supply it. Check with your mw.

pooka · 23/04/2013 11:05

Our hospital also does not supply formula unless there is an emergency.

Nor nappies! Though with ds1 they did give us one when he was first born. Grudgingly.

laurajane89 · 23/04/2013 11:08

Okay thankyou i wil ask my midwife next week

sheeplikessleep · 23/04/2013 11:23

I think a lot of it is so dependent upon the type of birth you have and the hospital you're in.

In our local hospital, they have different post natal wards for c-section and 'normal' deliveries.

I was on 'normal' ward, but had had an epidural with DS1, so did need to ring the bell once or twice to help. But to be honest, both of mine have pretty much slept for 12 hours after the first awake bit straight after birth.

I left both DSs if popping for a wee, but did have showers whilst DH was there during the daytime.

YBR · 23/04/2013 13:20

I was in for 8 days with DD, this is what I did when she wasn't sunbathing in an incubator.
I left DD for quick trips to the loo, however, there was a large roomed loo if I had wanted to take her with me (wheeled fish-bowl cots). At breakfast I took her with me and parked her just outside the kitchen - queues for the toaster could take quite a while if you got it wrong!
I much prefer baths to showers so I had a bath after the (early) evening meal before visiting time finished. I needed a little assistance with it (canula to keep dry) so DH and DD and I all went!

Note that they will tell you to sleep when your baby does then come and disturb you constantly to clean the ward/make the bed/offer pain killers/take your blood pressure/meal time etc.

FoofFighter · 23/04/2013 16:33

oscarwilde ??? - you can bath your baby complete with cord stump there, the MW show you how to bathe a baby if ask them for one!

OP bear in mind if all is well with you and baby a lot of hospitals encourge you to bugger off home asap. You might only be in for a minimum of 6 or so hours. Not everyone stays in.

TheFalconsmistress · 23/04/2013 17:23

I would just be prepared for them maybe to not be so nice to you. I had to request a certain midwife did not deal with me this time as she made me feel so horrid after a very traumatic birth with my first that i discharged myself early. Most of them are lovely but i have came across more than one who is rude.

redandyellowandpinkandgreen · 23/04/2013 21:22

TravelinColour they did the same to me!

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