The birth centre here actually discharges you after 4 hours, so 24 hours for a birth centre is actually quite good.

I have stayed in for 3 nights with my first baby, but with my second, I discharged myself from hospital within a few hours. I could have stayed longer, but I hated the hospital, hated when the lady next to me had 24 visitors at once that kept rattling a rattle at the baby and going into 'my space' and just hate maternity hospitals in general, plus my son wasn't even 2 then and needed me at home.

However, I went home and did things which was really dumb when I look back. I was cooking tea and ironing for 2 hours that night. That was because I didn't have any family support, nor did my husband at the time lift a finger and there was simply no one else to run the house or feed people so I had no choice. This kind of put my body into shock as I had no time to sleep or recover and I became very ill and got a PP infection 6 weeks later and needed a curette, as well as having 8 bouts of mastitis.

I'm pretty sure if you want to stay for longer , that the birth centre will transfer you to a ward in your local hospital..is that an option for you do you think? Many places think 24 hours is adequate for a second+ time mum without complications which is why they must have this policy, but they should have options in place also. Your body does seem to recover more quickly from the second birth, but if you must go home in 24 hours, make sure that you rest up at home for a good few days afterward.

I'm pretty sure you should have options there if you aren't coping, if bubs isn't well or isn't feeding or you are unwell. I'd ring up and ask them about it, what they do if you need longer.