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Original poster

How long did you stay in hospital after c section?

53 replies

Chiaseedz · 05/06/2025 09:30

First one I stayed two nights but obviously keen to get home to DC1 asap this time - is 1 night realistic? How long did you stay in hospital? I know it'll depend on complications etc but trying to get an idea of possibilities.

First was also planned but due to medical issues, this one planned as don't fancy vbac.

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Dyra · 05/06/2025 20:51

Two nights. Same as my vaginal birth. I had pre-eclampsia (same as my first), and baby and I needed to be monitored. I probably would have been fine going home the next day if it had just been the C-section.

Givemethesun · 05/06/2025 21:43

One night after 4 days of labour and an EMCS. I really pushed to leave and glad I did as I felt I recovered better at home vs on my own in hospital struggling to move with awful night midwife’s. My hospital is busy and London so think they didn’t mind the extra bed

Givemethesun · 05/06/2025 21:45

Chiaseedz · 05/06/2025 12:00

For those that had 1 night, did it feel long enough (or were you rushed out)? I think 1 night would seem ok, I'll have lots of help at home, but good to hear how you coped.

You’ll get more help at home than in hospital. One night sufficient without complications

Leapfrogslight · 05/06/2025 21:53

Chiaseedz · 05/06/2025 12:00

For those that had 1 night, did it feel long enough (or were you rushed out)? I think 1 night would seem ok, I'll have lots of help at home, but good to hear how you coped.

If your hospital is anything like mine was you’re unlikely to get decent help in hospital, especially if your partner isn’t allowed to stay. Midwives took so long to respond to my buzzers that I tried to get DS out of the cot myself and opened up a stitch.

nildesparandum · 05/06/2025 22:06

It seems a lot has changed since I had mine.10 days with both, in 1969 and 1972.Both were emergencies and I was very ill after the first one.
Very little help at home so just as well.All my stitches out by then as well.

MaleficentQueen · 05/06/2025 22:09

2 nights, and I absolutely hated it.
It was too hot, too noisy, I barely got any sleep, and the food was horrendous. Couldn’t wait until I was discharged.

narcASD · 05/06/2025 22:14

One night first child
out the same day with the second
both planned sections

flowerpink · 05/06/2025 23:25

1 night, they wanted me to stay a second night but I refused. It was due to a headache from the epidural/spinal block but I couldn't face another night in there. Gave birth on the Sunday at 5am and went home 7pm the next day

guineapigsears · 05/06/2025 23:48

DS - baby at 06:56 on Tuesday and home around lunchtime on Thursday

DD - baby at 11:21 on Friday and home around 17:09 on Sunday

caringcarer · 06/06/2025 01:03

Only had one C section for 3rd dc. I stayed in hospital 2 nights and was allowed home because my Mum was going to be living with us for 2 weeks to help care for me, baby and 2 elder DC. DH took his paternity leave from week 3-4 after Mum had returned home.

mondaytosunday · 06/06/2025 02:53

i think three with first and four with second as she had to go into NICU for a few days.
if you had the baby in the morning without any complications you have a good chance of being sent home the next day.

MrsMcnulty20 · 06/06/2025 03:08

I was exactly the same. Those epidural headaches are the bloody worst.

MrsMcnulty20 · 06/06/2025 03:12

I’d say depends on the help you have at home and how good your post natal ward is. Mine was hopeless so I was desperate to leave but also was first child so my partner was ready to give us full attention. I was so glad to get home.

Nat6999 · 06/06/2025 04:16

I was in 4 nights, 2 in HDU as I had HELLP syndrome & then 2 nights on post natal ward. I might as well have gone home straight from HDU as I got no care on post natal ward.

WaltzingWaters · 06/06/2025 04:23

3 nights then I begged to be discharged as I couldn’t get any sleep there and was beyond exhausted and fed up. But that was due to complications from a very long labour and emergency section. Due my second in November and will have a planned section, really hoping it’ll be no longer than 1 night as long as hopefully free of complications.

Vera87 · 06/06/2025 04:27

2008- emergency c section at fully dilated following attempted ventouse-2 nights
2012- elective, 2 nights
id have preferred to have gone home after less then 24 hours. The ward was hot and noisy.

brunchylunchymunchies · 06/06/2025 04:35

Section on Friday, the Dr mentioned on Monday morning that I could "possibly go home today, otherwise we'd aim for Tuesday", as soon as he left the room I buzzed the midwife to ask her to start the discharge paperwork. I was very motivated to get out though!

Hummusandcrisps · 06/06/2025 05:29

8 nights but I'm in Switzerland and 5 nights is standard minimum for c sec, had extra nights as my son wasn't well. I don't know how anyone only stays 1 night, and personally think it's appalling.

SweetBaklava · 06/06/2025 06:28

DC1 - EMCS, born 9pm Sunday, home Tues afternoon… postive post-natal ward experience.

DC2 - ELCS, born 4.30pm Thurs, home Sat 7pm. Horrendous post-natal ward, poor care… if they could have booted me out the next day they would have but DC feeding was not going well (ironically this was largely due to total lack of care from staff!!). Was dressed and ready to leave 11am Sat, waited all day to be discharged because of short staffing while I was slowly falling apart. This was a different hospital to the one where I had DC1. It still upsets me years later.

If all goes to plan it’s possible to leave after one night… drink loads of water to get rid of catheter, that seemed to be their main concern on both my CS. And keep asking for strong pain relief if you need it. I had to send my DH to the GP for the good stuff when all I was offered at the hospital after DC2 was paracetamol.

JustAnInchident · 06/06/2025 06:36

Two nights with my first (end of 2021), very slight ‘issue’ with baby, I’d have been fine to go sooner and wanted to be home.
One night with my second (earlier this year). Again, wanted to be home but didn’t push to go or anything. Was readmitted 24 hours later with a baby who wouldn’t feed at all 😅 all well now.
Try nor to go into it with any set expectations op, it can all change very quickly and it’ll just add extra pressure if you’re expecting to be out in xyz time.

TheLurpackYears · 06/06/2025 06:58

2 the first, 1 the second, 12 and 9 years ago.

WarriorN · 06/06/2025 06:59

Picklesandpears · 05/06/2025 09:45

5 nights (baby related, I was fine).
1 night.

I think the policy now is 24 hours unless you need to stay longer.

same - best to get out asap as being active after major surgery is now seen as very important

WarriorN · 06/06/2025 07:03

My ELCS was lovely if such a thing can be framed as such. Baby wasn’t poorly either which made a huge difference. Had him around 1 pm and stayed one night, left the next day. A very quiet ward unlike the ‘issues’ baby ward.

it’s a lot worse now that partners can stay over. Obviously most are men. They sleep on the chair or floor and use the loos designated for the post partum women for the lochia.

I can’t imagine trying to navigate feeding wise what I had to with the first, in a full ward, with all the blokes there too.

dontcomeatme · 06/06/2025 07:12

Had section at 9am Tuesday morning, was home by 10am Wednesday.

FiggyFubbins · 10/06/2025 16:12

Had my elective section 10:30am Monday, was home Tuesday at 6pm after baby passed all her blood sugar tests (i had geststional diabetes).

I was absolutely desperate to get home, as my ward didn’t allow men to stay overnight and it was painful getting up and out of bed to tend to baby overnight. The midwives were helpful but I felt ridiculous buzzing them so much as they were stretched thin. It was so much better at home.