With DD1 I went home on day 3. She was my first so I wanted to stay in hospital to get bfing sorted. Plus DH had to organise our car seat as the one we'd ordered hadn't arrived in time.
With DD2 I went home the next day. I had planned to stay as I was at risk for PND, bub needed to be watched for signs of withdrawal from my ADs as well as infection due to GBS+. There was no room on the postnatal ward so I stayed in the birth centre and then the next day they were talking about discharging me. DD2 was bfing like a champ, showing no signs of issues and the idea didn't freak me out so I was happy to go home early. Also, MIL arrived the day we went home.
I had a c/s with DS, and we had a rough start to breastfeeding, so I stayed 5 days. With DD I went through an independent birth centre - it was up to us how long we wanted to stay. DD was born at 11am, we chilled out at the birth centre (we had it to ourselves) for the day, had a few visitors and went home about 9pm that night after DS was in bed so we could just go home and sleep. It was lovely sleeping in my own bed .
For DD1 we had lots of feeding issues after a natural healthy birth and I stayed 5 nights. I needed it. Bub needed it!
For DD2 we stayed 3 nights as BF was going well and I wanted to go home to DD1 and DH.
For our next baby, I think I'll still stay 3 nights again just to ensure that BF is going well you don't get a lot of rest in hospitals though!! (staff coming in etc) but I want a home birth next!!
I stayed 4 days in a public hospital with DS 1 and DS2 and hated it towards the end. I had trouble bfeeding and had some pretty awful night staff.
Third time around, we went private and had a double room, DH stayed with me the whole time and we had lovely staff. It was lovely to have time to bond with our DD, without having the older boys bouncing off the walls. It actually felt like a mini holiday, b/c she slept so much and we got to relax and not worry about housework or cooking and my parents looked after our older two.
I guess it depends on whether you'd be sharing a room with somebody else and what type of support you have at home and where you will feel most comfortable. Also, the type of birth and whether there's any issues (I had a pretty major bleed with our first baby and was stuffed for weeks thereafter).
I also had to laugh that my health fund is pretty stingey when paying rebates on allied health, so they could fork out for the private room and make me feel like I was getting something back for my money, for a change.
I stayed 4 nights in a private hospy, and I'm so glad I did.
Had a great private room, good food and amazing midwives who helped with BF issues and baby behaviour 101. I had major anxiety (leading to PND) and couldn't sleep, so was grateful to the staff for taking DD one arvo so I could rest.
I guess it all depends on your recovery and state of mind.
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