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Pregnancy

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Original poster

First night in hospital after baby is born

35 replies

Rebekah120517 · 12/12/2017 08:45

Hi,

Pregnant with first baby and have no idea what happens in the hospital after the baby is born? Obviously this depends on how baby and I am but what is the norm that happens? Does baby stay with me?

Thanks

OP posts:

laketaupo · 12/12/2017 08:46

If no issues then baby stays with you , you do feeds /nappies etc then a head to toe check the next morning /hearing check etc and then discharge. Sometimes partners can stay overnight on the floor by your bed.
If you’ve been in theatre for delivery then you will go to a recovery ward for monitoring then to the postnatal ward.

RedBlackberries · 12/12/2017 08:49

The baby stays with you unless it's really ill. You get help with breastfeeding and you have observations but they encourage you to do most of the stuff yourself. I had a c section last time and it's surprising how much you can actually do. Just take all the pain relief they offer and ask for the strong stuff on top of that! I really liked my time i hospital after dd was born.

Notsooriginalwerther · 12/12/2017 08:51

If your labour goes ‘smoothly’ with as little complication possible then yes baby stays with you, depending on your feeding choice (breast or ff) the nurses will help you with either assisting a latch or assisting with the bottle then that’s it they leave baby with you on the ward. I had my dd at 11:37, they placed her on my chest whilst they repaired some tearing down there, weighed her and then my partner held her whilst I got cleaned up and dressed a bit, we got moved to the ward at 1:30am then dp stayed until about 2:30am, the nurses got dd latched and I fell asleep with her next to me - about 1 hour later a nurse came to me (dd had fed and fell asleep) the nurse put her into the bedside cot and then I was woken by a nurse pretty much every hour and a half for blood samples etc. I hope everything goes well and good luck!

RoseDog · 12/12/2017 08:51

When I had dd I was quite poorly/weak and when she needed fed and changed in the night the midwife offered to take her and take her, I was right beside the office bit so if I stayed awake I would have been able to see her, I was so grateful. The next 2 nights I was more able to look after her and she stayed with me all both nights.

With DS he was born at 1.30am I was up on the ward at 3.00am and was left alone but I was quite well and didn't need help and went home at lunchtime.

EveryoneTalkAboutPopMusic · 12/12/2017 08:52

Yes, provided baby doesn’t need any extra care they will be placed in a little cot by your bed. It’s on wheels so you take it with you if you go anywhere. When I had mine you made your own breakfast in the sitting room so I just took baby with me. DH didn’t stay though. With our first I sent him home for some sleep and the 2nd one didn’t arrive till 4am. By the time I was settled on the ward, it was time for breakfast

WhatHaveIFound · 12/12/2017 08:56

When i had DS I was told that as long as you gave birth before midday and everything went ok, then you'd be dischaged the same day.

They had offered me that with DD but being my first baby and her not feeding well, we opted to stay in overnight. With hindsight it might have been more relaxing at home.

Whizziwig · 12/12/2017 08:57

Depends on staffing levels. I had to stay in for 2 nights after both of mine. They were super busy both times and I hardly saw any midwives. They did all the usual baby checks but certainly no support with feeding or nappy changing. Baby stays next to you in a little plastic crib and there is a call button if you need anyone. I had a spinal block during both births, for different reasons, and couldn't reach over to get baby out of her crib without help. The post-natal ward was not exactly a peaceful place although I remember the worst bit was when DD1 screamed the place down for hours while all the other babies seemed to be sleeping. I was desperate to leave!

Whizziwig · 12/12/2017 09:00

Also, both mine were born around 8/9pm. DH was allowed to stay while I had stitches etc but wasn't allowed to come with me to the post-natal ward. Was allowed back about 7 or 8 in the morning. In my hospital, I think the visiting hours were around 7am-10pm for dads but quite limited for everyone else. This will vary by hospital though.

Oysterbabe · 12/12/2017 09:03

You get constantly disturbed by everyone else and their partners and end up in an exhausted murderous rage then weep with happiness when they say you can go home.

Hairgician · 12/12/2017 09:46

oyster that made me snort with laughter cos it's true!!😂😂😂
I had cs with ds and ended up in 5 nights. All I wanted was sleep but there was always someone checking me or ds. Drove me bonkers

CoffeeAndCupcakes85 · 12/12/2017 09:49

Exactly what Oysterbabe said 😂

Erica891 · 12/12/2017 09:51

I totally agree with Oysterbabe as well. :D

theotherendofthesockportal · 12/12/2017 10:16

100% what @Oysterbabe said. I felt like smothering the woman next to me with her pillow.

BigBaboonBum · 12/12/2017 10:26

The worst part of it is waiting for the doctor to come do the check, it seems to take forever. I hate being in hospital after birth but it made me feel much less stressed last time by just accepting it... accepting the snoring, the partners, the annoying families that seem to invite everybody including their long lost cousins to the hospital to have a really good shout about the journey there, the midwives who come and check on you every hour to make notes, the fact they keep opening the curtain to your cubicle despite closing it every time they do it. Ah, the fun.

It’s best to laugh otherwise it’ll drive you crazy!

BigBaboonBum · 12/12/2017 10:28

And the woman across from me was the loudest snorer I’ve heard in my entire life! We are friends to this day I’m surprised I didn’t smother her in her sleep either tbh, I’m glad I didn’t now.

user9217 · 12/12/2017 10:30

Some of these have really made me chuckle. I had DS at 10:30pm but had a couple of complications, and both of us ended up on antibiotics so stayed in 3 nights. I was put in a room with 3 other women, all of which apart from me had a c section so we're immobile and/or in extreme amounts of pain I was the only one not crying/screaming with pain! Wasn't exactly restful with a newborn but I did sympathise with them

wineandcheeseplease · 12/12/2017 10:33

I went home after 5 hours. No complications. Birth waa 9.52am and home by 3.30pm

BrutusMcDogface · 12/12/2017 10:37

I hated staying in one night when I had dd1. Second time I had a private room which was better, and third time I was discharged from the delivery suite after a few hours!!

aurorie11 · 12/12/2017 10:39

You may not stay in, I got discharged at midnight from the Labour Ward with my first

GetOffTheTableMabel · 12/12/2017 10:42

Also they will send a nervous medical student to ask you whether you have considered your contraception choices. You will laugh in their face.

FutureFairyCrayon · 12/12/2017 10:45

Exactly what Oysterbabe said. Also be prepared for being discharged to take all fricking day.

Minxmumma · 12/12/2017 11:06

I was an emergency c section but was in exactly 24hours from the time she was delivered to getting in the car!!

We were lucky and given a side room. Not that we slept much with endless checks and blood tests etc but DH stayed and it was ok.

My twins I stayed 4 days but they were premature so it was to be sure they were feeding etc. 1 day in a main ward (total nightmare!) 3 days in a side room.

Be prepared for the paperwork to take forever!!

ohlittlepea · 12/12/2017 11:08

I had a side room so thank fully avoided some of the noise. I delivered at 18.30 then was helped to skin to skin and feed then a hcsw helped me wash and I was on the ward from 22.30. My husband was allowed to stsy in a reclining chair but i sent him home to sleep as hed been awake all night the night before and I wanted one of us to be rested. The midwives were very busy and I think I saw them once or teoce overnight to empty my catheter n check me. My baby woke w
once an hour to feed so ot wasnt very restful...but it was magic in its own way. I had an epidural but was able to lift her from.the side cot to my bed to feed.and back with relative ease.

Mandraki · 12/12/2017 11:36

I stayed for a week after my baby was born but I reckon it’s about the same. Baby stays with you at all times, sleeps in a little cot on wheels next to your bed. The night she was born we were kept in the delivery room over night as we were both ill and as i was hooked up to machines the midwives changed her and passed her to me for feeds. They are there to help but do like you to do as much as possible yourself. Once on postnatal ward I was in a room on my own (though think I’d have been in a ward if I’d have just been staying one night), baby in a little cot which I took everywhere with me, for a shower, to make and eat breakfast in the day room, for a walk up and down the corridor when I got stir crazy. Midwives come and give you meds’ morning and evening (accept any pain killers they want to give you, even if you’re ok, ibruprofen for general fanny swelling) and take temp/blood pressure every 4 hours or so (maybe less if you’re ok). Baby will have a hearing test and a full check over. Midwives also come and feel your belly, check your bits and any stitches etc, ask how you’re feeling and offer help with breastfeeding if you want it. Midwives also took baby off me for a couple of hours a couple of nights as I was ill and exhausted after a bad birth, and crying (I was a joy haha!), so they may be able to do that if they aren’t busy, they said they love a cuddle. When it’s time to go home you get given loads of info on breastfeeding, contraception etc and any meds you need (iron, pain killers etc).

Hospital was not a pleasant experience for me as I was in so long, but I imagine if you have a fairly ordinary straight forward birth and are just in for one night, it’s not bad at all. Nice to be looked after a bit before you go home! Hope all goes well for you

Mandraki · 12/12/2017 11:37

Also, husband was allowed to stay but I sent him home so he could sleep as I needed him to be a functioning adult while I wasn’t functioning. There are no beds for partners though, so he would have had to sleep in a chair.

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