Requesting stay after birth in public hospitals

[ladybug92]

With DC2 I left the hospital after 3hours, I developed and infection that had me back in emergency and hospital for 3 days on IV antibiotics with my newborn.
I want to make sure I at least stay over night this time round with DC3, I am extremely nervous about experiencing the pain I did with DC2 due to the infection and reliving that stress.
Do you think it's a request that I can ask, would it accommodated?
It's still a while until DC3 is here but it's already worrying me.
Thanks all.

I had a phone appointment with my heath visitor yesterday. She told me that if for any reason i wasn't ready to leave yet when they were ready to discharge me, then I can request to stay. Check with your midwife or health visitor at your next appointment, but hopefully your hospital is the same.

I was told before the birth I could stay an extra night if I wanted but I had a section.

I was also told that they can’t push you out if you don’t feel ready.

Thanks for the responses.
With DC1 I was in a way 'forced' to leave as they said someone else needed my bed. I didn't want to go but didn't say much... I am mostly likely not having a csection and I know I should 'know what to do s it's my 3rd' but the thought of being discharged early makes me very nervous. I didn't know if it was okay to feel this way or I just need to toughen up.

@MrssC92 I'll ask at my next appointment, thank you. Maybe it depends on the hospital, hopefully they can assure me I can stay.

I was sent home too early after DC1. I had preeclampsia with both pregnancies but my blood pressure wasn't controlled after the birth so I was in and out of hospital the first few days and felt awful. Second time I had a chat with the consultant and stayed in for 4 days, and was fully consulted about discharge.

With Covid, rules have changed re discharge. I’m not sure whether this impacts postnatal wards, but at the peak there was a stress on generally getting patients out of the hospital as soon as possible. So in the circumstance where you’re medically well enough to go home but want to stay overnight “just in case”, you may have your request declined if hospitals are overwhelmed again at the time of your labour.

Discuss this with your midwife / health visitor.

They might be willing to prescibe a profilactic dose of antibiotics or a prescription you only fill if you have infection symptoms.