leaving hosp 24hours after birth

Ive just been told by my midwife that as im giving birth in a birth centre, they will discharge me 24 hours after birth.
im really upset about this.
last time i was in for 48 hours and i think in retrospect that was way too early.
i dont have any other options other than to go to this hospital.
she admitted that it was a cost cutting exercise. they will visit me every week for six weeks but i dont think 1 hour visits is enough.
i want to have my meals bought to me, have my baby next to me and the bathroom two steps away, and 24 hour medical assistance on hand for at least 2-3 days.
i know birth is a natural process, and not about being sick, etc etc, blah blah, but its still bloody traumatic and last time i had MAJOR after birth pains, MAJOR feeding issues, and baby didnt put on weight and i was still booted out.
this time i will have a 3 year old at home as well!!
what is it with our health system that they cant take care of mothers for one or two extra days.
in my view its crap.
if you want to leave, thats a different story, but if you feel like you need the support, why dont they give it and save on all the money picking up the pieces later when mothers go to pieces cos they never really got to rest.
it sucks, and there is nothing i can really do about it as far as i can see. yes, i could probably fight to stay in, but who wants to fight 24 hours after birth??

yeah that does suck! Personally I escape ASAP but no-one should have to leave while they still don't feel ready to cope and need that extra support.
Can you ask for a transfer to the hospital after you give birth so that you get a longer stay?
Who are your support team in labour? I understand that you don't want to fight for a longer stay after giving birth so maybe your partner or any other support person you enlist could fight on your behalf.

Yup, they throw you out way too early, but given the state of our hospitals that's better - I eat about three times as much as the hospital gave me (pre-pregnancy, that is!), and if you're BFing when dinner is available to collect then you don't get a meal, as they're not brought to your bed. When I was re-admitted the horrid midwife was on at mealtimes and "forgot" to tell me the dinner trolley was around every day. Birth centres areusually better - 5 day stay "usual", self-discharge when you are ready, meals when you want and a patient fridge.

But this isn't about me: I think most people are happy to leave early as hospitals are dire, the hub of infections and the care is poor. I know I didn't even want to go to the ward after my recovery and I couldn't move my legs at the time!

I know what you mean - I was happy to be home but it would have been nice to stay there for just a little longer. I ended up leaving 27 hours after S's birth. I would have left earlier but for the STUPID STUPID paed (sorry, I should probably do a birth debrief on that since I'm still feeling a little anger about it!!).

I had such a great experience there, and it was such a nice environment that it would have been nice to just have a couple of days, maybe 48 or even three days there, just to relax and get used to breastfeeding and everything. I honestly think that the haemorrhage (sp?) I had one week after the birth was related to coming home so early and just not taking it easy enough.

Is there any way you can get some help at all when you first get home? At the birth centre I went to, if you were having pain/feeding issues they would transfer you to the hospital so that they could keep an eye on you... not ideal I know but perhaps it's another option? I hope works out for you . Sending you great birthing vibes!

ttcno2, I think the reason you are being told you will have to leave so early is because you are at a birth centre? Last time I was private and was in for 4 days - it nearly drove me crazy - but I know of a GF who was public and was in for 3 days and she said that was more than enough. I know everyone has different expereiences after birth but I think the aim of a birth centre is to be as close to a home birth as possible, therefore with that model of care it is logical you are sent home within 24 hours IMO. I am going to a birth centre this time for that very reason - I am going to put into place back ups to make sure I am not over stretched when I get home for sure but I am looking forward to being home again with my TWO BUBS! Maybe if you are really concerned about the prospect you could have your bub at a regular hospital, where the discharge rules aren't so strict:dunno:

i am hoping to go to a birth centre and this is my first baby they send u home on early discharge after 24 hours too but the difference is it is attatched to a hopital so if u don't want to go home you go to the hospital side of things... maybe if u are worried or having trouble you could get admited to the hospital afterwards, not that u probably want that... i know what u mean with the birth centre being a nice environment that u dnt want to leave perhaps if you can afford it you can look into a private birth centre? think u can stay there longer? not sure sorry

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.

thanks for all the comments.
the birth centre is attached to a hospital, and you can be discharged to the hospital but the hospitals policy is 48 hours after birth anyway, so it means i would move 24 hours later and then have to go home 24 hours later again anyway.
oh well, i guess ill just see how it goes, but its interesting that many peoples experience even on here is that going home early in retrospect was a bad move for their health. obviously not true for everyone, but at least for some.
i will be priming up my dh to "fight" for me to stay for an extra few hours if necessary, dachlostar.

i agree with roryrory that you've chosen a birth centre because of their philosophies about birth bein natural, generally they only have a couple of rooms so if your their for 2-3 days others cant use the facilities.

i didnt expect to stay in the birth centre for more than a few hours but i did expect to be transferred to the hospital and stay there for a few days - thats what i did last time, but apparently they dont do this anymore

mmm dissapointing when you dont get what you had before! which hospital is it?

I know the hospital I am going to has a birth centre attached to it, and my girlfriend gave birth there and was home 4 hours post birth, but she wasn't left alone. We have early discharge program which will come visit you in your home.

I was in for 5 days with DS1 and 2 days with DD2. I used the early discharge program with my second bub, as I hated the fact once I settled her...another bub would start crying. Plus I wasn't overly comfortable with my roomies. The good thing was I had my mother in law at home and hubby, I also had the Midwife visit daily up until Day 7.

What a shame they don't offer a follow up service like that.

Unfortunately, public hospitals have limited funding and beds to provide adequate care for the demand that is placed upon them. But I guess that is one of the downsides of free public health care in Australia.

I understand the need to feel confident with b/feeding and newborn care before being thrown out to fend for yourself. Birth can be very traumatic - its such a huge transition in everyones life. It's especially hard if you don't have a good supportive family or support system.

Its a shame there isn't more support for mothers with breast feeding and the other emotional changes that having a baby creates - especially for first time mothers.

TTCNo2, You'll probably be surprised how naturally things come with your second baby. You might even find more rest and comfort by being at home rather than bedbound (especially if your sharing a room with 3 or more other women and their babies).

All the best.

TTCno2,
I would suggest asking to see the consultant who supervises the birth centre and asking him/her to authorise you for a few days' stay in hospital. There IS a consultant assigned to the birth centre...and they HAVE to see you if you request it. Do this at one of your antenatal visits. (At or after the birth may be too late. Much better to have things organised in advance.) If you ask at an antenatal visit, if the consultant is seeing patients that day then he may be able to see you for a few minutes. Otherwise you can ask to see him at your next visit. Don't let anyone put you off with a registrar. Quite often you'll find that consultants will be very sympathetic to requests like that, because when they were training it was part of standard care for birthing mothers.
Here the midwives will visit you daily at home for the first week, but you're right, it's not the same as being tucked up with your baby, staff on hand to take care of you. Best of luck!