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

Original poster

How long was hospital stay after epidural?

28 replies

cervixissues · 03/02/2021 12:40

I'm hoping to be out of hospital after birth as soon as possible! Of course depending on how straight forward the birth is and baby being all well etc.

I have quite an open idea of how I'd like birth to go and open to progressing through to an epidural if I feel I want it.

With covid going on and partners not able to be around as much/at all postnatally, I would like to go home asap! I've been told they try to discharge by 6 hours post birth, but wanted to know if you have had an epidural, how long did it take before you were ready and allowed to go home? (Putting aside time taken to get discharge papers ready).

OP posts:
MsSquiz · 03/02/2021 12:47

I had an epidural around 2pm on the 17th and it was regularly topped up until I gave birth at 2am on the 18th
I stayed in hospital the following night and went home in the afternoon of the 19th but that was more to do with my blood pressure.

I didn't have a catheter to be removed (they used a balloon catheter during labour) and I was up, walking unaided in the afternoon of the 18th

Chelyanne · 03/02/2021 12:50

It was 24hrs after mine with our eldest. I was able to walk within an hour of them stopping top ups, was abit wobly mind.

englishmummyinwales · 03/02/2021 13:01

Two different experiences for me.
DS1- epidural topped up, 9 hours from initial injection until birth. Catheter inserted and kept in for another 12 hours afterwards. I went home about 44 hours after birth but this was partly because they wanted to keep an eye on my blood.

DS2- epidural administered, gave birth two hours later. No catheter. Walked to the toilet an hour afterwards. Went home after 14 hours but only because he was born at 10pm and they hadn’t got paperwork sorted until midday.

So there’s no hard and fast answer, it will depend on your experience. Best of luck!

ConkerBonkers · 03/02/2021 13:27

Around three days because they were understaffed and kept forgetting us when it came to check ups etc. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best imo

MotherHaryy · 03/02/2021 13:33

Mine was 2 days, but only because I had an infection! Otherwise it was only 6 hours, as I had asked loads as I also just wanted to go home 😊

Heyha · 03/02/2021 13:35

I think I'd have been discharged 12-18 hours after my epidural if I were only in because of that (stayed 36 hours due to antibiotics for both of us). Had DD at 11pm, catheter out 6am and got my legs back about 9am. Had to do two urine samples and bladder scans. So actually it was just as much the catheter as the epidural! This was ore covid though and the ward wasn't busy so they weren't in a big rush

ArchbishopOfBanterbury · 03/02/2021 13:39

12 hours between injection and discharge, 10 hours after birth. Baby and I were both healthy without any complications.

wasthataburp · 03/02/2021 13:44

C section and out within 24 hours both times

starsinyourpies · 03/02/2021 14:07

First birth (other complications) 3 nights. Second I could have gone home same day.

seepingweeping · 03/02/2021 15:02

6 days but both my kids were in nicu. Usually 24 hours unless there are complications.

BeesAnkles · 03/02/2021 15:07

48 hours.

PoppyBean · 03/02/2021 15:15

I had a C section with epidural at 1.30pm on a Friday. At 8am the next morning they said I could go home just had to wait for the discharge paperwork.. I left the hospital at 7.30pm!!

Sometimes it boils down to time and them getting round to discharging you which is often last on their priority list as they are so busy.. particularity with covid and people not having partners to help them it takes up so much of their time just offering support to women struggling.

KylieKangaroo · 03/02/2021 15:25

2 days for me but not due to the epidural due to blood loss!

river12 · 03/02/2021 17:01

I gave birth late afternoon so missed the cut off for discharge checks etc for that day, so had to stay overnight. The epidural didn’t delay anything, I was up and walking a couple of hours after the birth.

FTEngineerM · 03/02/2021 17:03

Depends on how much monitoring you and new baby need.

Higher likelihood of intervention with epi, I had forceps and they wanted to do 12 hours of monitoring to check my DC was ok. I ended up discharging myself because they were taking an age the next day. DC had a massive black eye and a really wonky head so I was happy for the extra obs tbh.

The answer.. depends on what actually happens during the birth.

intheshallows · 03/02/2021 17:11

6 days purely because of the epidural. I was one of those '1in 100' people whose epidural went badly, badly wrong. Completely bed bound, unable to sit up for most of those ) days and had to have two quite nasty procedures done in operating theatres to try to fix what had happened. An epidural is not a good idea if you want to be out as soon as possible!

Hoppinggreen · 03/02/2021 17:12

6 hours!
Yes that’s right not a typo.

yarrow89 · 03/02/2021 18:30

Check with your hospital about partners because my local hospital has said I can have my partner with me after birth as long as it's within visiting hours and as long as it's the same person the whole/each time. They are also allowed to go in and out if you need them to pick something up from home.

butterflycatcher · 03/02/2021 18:33

I was told 12 hours, unfortunately that was the middle of the night so I had to wait until the morning before I could be discharged. They need to remove catheter and you need to produce two big wees before they let you leave - you have to show them evidence.

BurningBenches · 03/02/2021 18:38

DC1 7 days. But the epidural wasn't a factor.

Dc2 6 hrs.
Dc4 6hrs.
Dc3 I had no pain relief but ended up staying over because she was born later in the day and so we would have been being discharged around 2am. Left as soon as possible the next morning though!!

cautiouscovidity · 03/02/2021 18:46

Baby born at 9:30am. I still couldn't feel my legs well enough to get out of bed at teatime. I had a shower the next morning so the feeling must've come back during the night.

MaryShelley1818 · 03/02/2021 19:25

I gave birth on Monday morning (4.35am) and went home after tea.
This was after an epidural and also had to have blood sugars checked for me and baby due to gestational diabetes.

happytoday73 · 03/02/2021 19:30

Gave birth early morning, released next afternoon. Was more to do with first time mum, long labour and getting baby checked than epidural.... Epidural definitely clear by time out of delivery suite

pinguwings · 03/02/2021 19:39

3 hours- epidural was sited and given. DD was born 20 minutes later. I had a shower, a wee and was ready to go.

EllieRosesMammy · 03/02/2021 20:21

It's usually atleast an overnight stay if you have an epidural. I had one at around 1am, baby was born at 9:45am and then we went home at 1pm the following day :) I was dying to get out though because my DD was born on the 23rd of December so I wanted to be home for christmas 🤣