How long for hospital stay?

[LuluHB]

This baby is due 4 days before my DD's 1st birthday and I'm starting to worry about being away from her when I give birth. The hospital where I'm going has an "early release" system where you can go home quickly after giving birth and they send midwives to check on you and bubs for a few days. Sounds great because I can be home with my DD, instead of her getting confused with seeing me for a few hours a day, but then me disappearing again. The down side is that obviously I'm back home having to do everything for myself, and look after two babies, very very quickly after giving birth.

I'm leaning towards the early release but would really love some advice on this one.

[DoubleK]

i was told as long as everything is fine with you and bub, you can go home 24 hours after giving birth? maybe each hospital has certain rules, im not sure.

i had krystal on a tuesday night, and i was asked on the wednesday night if id like to go home tomorrow night, i said id rather stay untill friday, as i was still trying to catch up on sleep, and i actually didnt mind the hospital stay!

is there anyone that could come and help you when you come home? like mum or sister or in laws? or partner having time off work?

and also, i went untill 42 weeks pg.. you may still be home by your dd's birthday!!

[visitor1]

With DD1 i left after 48 hours..thats when the hosp kicks u out.

DD2 i left less then 24 hours later!

My hosp u can leave after 6 hours of the birth.

I left early as all i had was hubby and dd1...and both needed me. Stayin in hosp done nothign for me..i couldnt sleep, enjoy my baby or see my DD1...

I had a MW visit for 2 days after i got home..and then 1 week later.

Id leave early versus stayin in!

[StrawberryMumma]

Hey Lulu!

I think an early release sounds great if you and bubs are feeling well..I didn't go home early with DD because I liked staying at a private hossy (like a hotel hehehe), but for the next bubba I think it would be a real help to go home early-ish when you already have another little one at home.

Definitely worth finding out all the details I think..then see how you are feeling at the time..

All the best

[smiles4u]

I met a 1st time Mum last Sept, she was about 20 and she only stayed in the public hospital for one night !! She gave birth about 24hrs before. I think she chose to come home early more so because she couldn't stand having to share a room with a stranger/s ... Who, could blame her !

I was a private patient in the same public hospital, I gave birth just before midday on the Sat and they wanted to send me home on the Mon morn (which would have meant I would have only been into stay for two night). I was entitled to stay 4nights as a private patient and this was my 1st bub at 40. I did hear a midwife mention they needed my bed as the maternity ward was full. That was such a reminder I was in a public hospital. I went public as I had heard this hospital had better facilities for newborn than the private hospital across the road.

I felt I needed to stay in purely because I have no experience in having a baby (breastfeeding,etc..) and I had no other help at home other my unexperienced new-daddy partner !!

... And strangely, I enjoyed my stay ... even without sleep as my own private room was opposite to the noisy kitchen in the hospital.

If, I had another bub I would stay for at least 2 or three nights. But if, I had to share a room with a stranger/s I reckon I would if I could check myself out after the first or probably more second night.

More so for safety reasons as I clearly remember my 1st night in hospital when my daughter started gagging (they can still bring up gunk after the birth) and at least I had the midwives at hand.

I truely think your daughter will be fine as long as someone brings her in each day to visit you

[Mother Goose]

My advice would be to wait and see how you're feeling after the birth before deciding when you want to go home. Hopefully you will have a quick birth and recovery.
Check with your hospital for any perks associated with going home early (other than the visiting midwife). I was a private patient and if I elected to leave early, I was able to go to a 5 star motel for 2 nights OR receive a certain number of cooked meals for DH and I OR nappies.
If you're concerned about coping when you get home, can you enlist the help of family or friends? You wrote that you're concerned about your DD becoming confused with only seeing a little of you, can you get family or friends to bring her in a couple of times during the day?

HTH and good luck with the birth!

MG

[Snacks]

I agree with MG - maybe wait and see how you feel.
I didn't think I would, but we ended up going home on early discharge too (and I had a room to myself!). This was because it felt right at the time - I only had limited time with DH before he had to go back to work, so I wanted our time to be together at home. Having said that, this was our first baby, so I can't comment on having to go home to another littlie
Anyhoo, I'd still say wait and see - you might make plans now but find you feel completely different when the time actually comes, KWIM?

[Jayney]

With both my girls I was only in Hospital for 24 hours. I felt good. I'd wait and see how you feel. I had my mom stay with me the first few days both times and I wouldn't want to be on my own with a new 1st baby straight away.

[Je$$_84]

HI all... well with my first i went to 44 weeks... after only having a 4 hour labour things were ok with myself bar the swollen "kankles" hehe... The wouldnt let me leave till my BP and and akles were back to normal but i rested the whole first day (so many people there just layed in bed... I was there just overall bout 40 hours... I didn the early release programe at my hospital.. the midwife came to my house for 3 days after then 3 days later (just to check up but not required) it was great to get home and get started... my DP was home so i had help he was great with all the duties i couldnt do...

This time i havnt decided how long i'll stay but with a DS a home i may leave early again aswell.. DP will be taking holidays so i'll have help... DS is 3 so he should be a great little helper....(well i'm hoping anyways) also my DP and DS havent spent more then a night without me... and DP hasnt really spent more then half a day and night alone with DS... due to him working alot not cos he cant... so i'll be anxious to get back home and get started getting both children into a routine and got things started...

Good luck

[LuluHB]

Thanks everyone. I'm lucky in that DH works from home, so will be around anyway. I'm hopeless at asking for (or allowing) help from friends/family but I think that's something I'm just going to have to get over!!

I'm not too worried about missing my DD's 1st birthday. If I have to I'll have it in the hospital - there is no way she's missing out on her first party!! That's provided this little one doesn't decide to share her sister's birthday of course. DH will bring Iz to the hospital with him each day (or however long we stay) for visiting, so I'll get to spend lots of time with her (private room, private hospital), but I'm just worried she'll be confused by having me come and go, so to speak. I still can't get my head around to thinking I will have another baby to think of, not just DD, so I guess until that realisation hits me by way of a little bundle being put into my arms I'll struggle with making this decision for anyone's good other than my DD's - makes all your suggestions of leaving the decision until it has to be made very good ones!!

[*Ali*]

I just had my second a couple of weeks ago and was on the early release program. I ended up being in Hospital just over 30 hours (1 night), and that 1 night away from my 18 month old DD was the worst ever. DH had bought her to visit and when he took her home she screamed - and continued to scream for about 20 mins in the car going home, and I just sat on my hossy bed and cried my eyes out (Not trying to scare you here by the way), so I couldnt wait to get home the next day.
I say if you feel well enough then certainly go with the early release, but like the others have said, it is not something you can predict, you will just have to wait and see how you feel at the time.

[leebee81]

I've been told that if there are no complications I can leave within 6 hours. Obviously it depends on the time of day too, if I have bubs at 10pm I'm not about to pack up at leave at 4am. But I'd prefer not to stay long as I'd rather be at home. I sleep badly away from home and if I'm only getting limited sleep I'd prefer it to be in my own bed.

I'm going through Group Midwife Practice and have my own midwife who will come and visit 5 times in the first 10 days regardless of how long I stay which I think will be more useful to me than hanging around the hospital.

[BeautifulMadness]

Well i had a c section and i left after 3 days cause it was driving me bonkers staying in that room was like a prision....i felt better in my own surroundings

[mrsr]

I left hospital 30 hours after Jack's birth...I was too keen to get home and not have to keep leaving him in the room to go to the toilet down the hall!

[gorgeous_lea]

I asked my midwife recently how long women are allowed to stay after the birth, she said they usually leave after 2 midnights. Never heard it said like that before lol I enjoyed my stay in hospital the last time, as i had 3 young ones at home and it was like a holiday for me lol But everyone is different, like others have said, just wait and see when the baby arrives and how you feel on the day.

Good Luck

[s361768]

"Early Release Program" That sounds like something they offer a prisoner in jail

After my first I went home the next evening, after my CS with my second I discharged myself against medical advice (minor internal bleed) the next day, because of a CS they put me through and then had the audacity to say I didn't need, I really wasn't psychologically up to staying any longer.

With my third I went, birthed and discharged 4 hours later. Midwifes came and visited for heal pric test and to check his general health, he had jaundice after his oral vitamin k, so I took him to the GP, midwifes told me to breast feed him heaps and put him out in the sunlight. So no major dramas, and I was happy to be home with my boys and in my bed.

Oh yeah, his umbilical cord got quite yucky (summer baby) and had to go to get the clamp removed by GP a few days after he was born. But I still think that if mummy and baby are happy and healthy then being home as opposed to in a busy hospital enviroment is much more comforting.