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I have heard that you are meant to stay at least 4 hours after giving birth so this time I am thinking that this is what I will want to do if every thing goes well and bubs and I are both doing fine, if I have him in the afternoon I will just stay the night and go home early next morning. Do many people do this? Do they try and talk you into staying or are most hospitals fine with this? Has anyone gone home early and wished they had stayed in hospital instead of coming home?
I gave birth at 6:50 am, was given the all clear to go home at 11 but didn't leave until 12pm (friends of ours who had their baby a few days before us came down from the ward to visit)
I am so glad I went home. I just wanted to sleep in my own bed.. I wanted us to settle in at home and spend those first few days as a family. :) I don't regret it at all!
I left the hospital 3 hours after one of my children were born because my son (who was one at the time) had been rushed to another hospital with febrile convulsions.
I had my last 2 in a birth centre, I left 4 hours after the first one, and 5 hours after the second. I would have gone home earlier but I had a bleed and they made me lie down for 4 hours.
With my first I left 4 hrs after giving birth..
and well when I think about it now it was a very silly thing for ME to do, it may not be for others but Im giving you my experience.
I believe if I had of stuck around for a while I would have had a bit more support and been able to establish breastfeeding better and also the next day i woke up and felt like I had been hit by a truck and I was completely freaked out by it.
with my following two children I stayed in for at least a night and rested up big time after the birth as the midwifes helped out with settling of bubs
I gave birth at 12.48am on the 10th stayed that day and night and then asked to go home on the 11th coz I wasn't getting any sleep in hossy and just wanted my family and my own bed, I had a 3rd degree tear and needed surgery after I gave birth coz there was a fair bit of internal damage but as soon as that catheter came out, zoom! I was outta there. Definitely don't regret it, I would have left sooner if I could have
I birthed where I work (as a midwife) so wanted to come home early for privacy reasons. Turned out the time I birthed I couldn't leave until 1am so I stayed that night and went home when DD was 18hrs old (by the time the paed came around etc)
That first night at home was tough as J had a temperature and all I could think about was weather she was hydrated enough or brewing an infection etc and thought I'd never forgive myself if something happened to her because I wanted to get out of there. Where I had her and work they are not supportive of early discharge. It was very frowned upon. The paeds didn't want her to go but only because she was under 24hrs although in saying this I was approved to go I didn't sign us out. I must say I was worried the whole night but by morning thing improved dramatically and everything has been going ok since. Just my experience but maybe it was a midwife thing getting scared lol
i stayed for over 3 days. they wouldnt discharge me until i had breastfeeding established. i never did get it established anyway.
I had DD2 at 3am and was home by lunchtime. I was given the all clear to leave before breakfast but we had to wait for some paperwork to arrive first. I think I was more prepared with her then I was with DD1 and felt ready to go home. Also it meant that we could start beiing a family of four sooner rather than later. DD1 was there for the birth and watched with DH, we then all went home together and I think that helped the bonding process for DD1 itms.
If we are lucky enough to have another bub I actually would prefer to do the homebirth thing or at least come home again asap.
I had DD2 at 2:34am. The I was ready to leave by 5:30am but had to wait for the pead to check bubs. I finally left around 11am. In this time I had a few visiters and when I got home was left pretty much alone. My hospital wont do early discharge though if they already have a lot of patients for the nurses to go and visit so I would mention it at your next check up so they can write it in your file. That way as soon as you let them know you are in labour they can get your name on the early discharge list.
i stayed 3 days with both of mine loved the rest and the bonding time
We only have an unstaffed birth centre in our town (midwife only there as needed), so we stay for two hours after the placenta is delivered and then go home. Then the midwife comes daily to check progress for the next 5-6 days and are available any time if you are struggling or have any worries.
So my DD was born at 6.50am and I was home at 10.30am. Not as sure I would have wanted to leave so soon after my first birth. In fact I wouldn't have been able to if I wanted because I had an epidural and they wouldn't even let me stand up for about 12 hours.
I went home when DS was 12hrs old. I was too tired to leave after 4 and DS was cosleeping and feeding and I didn't want to disturb him.
I did caseload midwifery, and my mw visited me at home every day for 4 or 5 days. I found it so much better seeing the same person and h ing consistent advice etc.
That said, it was my second bub. Not sure how I would had felt about it the first time around
I stayed in almost 6 days after emergency c/s with first bub but was itching to go by the end. This time I'm hoping for an accidental homebirth! Although a couple of days in hossy with only newborn to fuss over sounds pretty good too....
ETA: If I could have had a midwife visiting me at home every day, I think that it would have been nice to be at home sooner rather than later. I didn't have any problems with breastfeeding though, so only having someone for an hour or so a day could be problematic if milk hasn't come in or there are any feeding issues.
I think there are pros and cons for this, just like every situation I guess and you can only do what works for you at the time. Good luck!
When I had Moo I planned to go home as soon as possible, so after 4 hours. My hospital is quite supportive of early discharge. I was in a particular program where you have your own midwife, she visited me at home everyday for almost 2 weeks.
But in the end I lost a lot of blood & they weren't comfortable with sending me home. I had him at 5pm so I would've been leaving at 9pm at the earliest basically on our own for the night. I left the next afternoon. It would've been earlier in the day but discharge took forever!
With this one, again I plan to come home asap. I'd much rather sleep in my own bed, use my beautiful shower & eat my home cooked food that will be in my freezer :D But I guess I'll have to go with the flow on the day!
DD2 was born at 5.10 am and I would have been happy to have left there and then. We had to wait for the paed to check her over, and he didn't get around to us until 11am. So, after that we were packed and ready to go, but by the time the hospital got itself sorted with paperwork etc it was about 2pm by the time I left. I just wanted to be home where it was quiet, I was in my own bed and where DD1 was. My primary reason for leaving so quickly was because DD1 was only 12 months old, but I'm really glad I did and had absolutely no regrets. The hospital (private) was happy enough for me to go (although surprised), and my OB was very supportive - he agreed that I wasn't sick, my baby was perfectly healthy so home was the best place to be.
I stayed 2 nights in hossy and would have loved to stay more...lol...was enjoying not having to do anything and just resting and reading magazines,....but that's just me. :)
I self discharged 24hrs after an emergency c/s. I just wanted to go home so badly. But I did have the support of DH who is a dr and my MIL who is an RN as well as being a nurse myself so I felt safe. I just got them to give me a script for a strong painkiller so I wouldn't be in any distress and need to go back. The dr who d/c me was quite nice to me about it saying his wife did the same after a c/s but the middies were *****es about it questioning me wanting a script for painkillers. But I was up and running around everywhere after a few days and I think in parr I felt better not being a patient in the hospital I worked in.
i stayed in hospital for 4 days after mr c was born, VB with episiotimy. mainly due to trouble establishing feeding and my milk not coming in properly. i loved staying there especially having someone to watch mr c while i had a nice hot long shower. i think i woulda wanted to leave sooner but DF was able to stay with me so was nice to have a babymoon with help!
I personally think it depends on the birthing experience, BFing, baby and mum (not necessarily in that order!) - any or all of those combinations could cause a rethink on time stayed in hospital after birth.
I had uncomplicated, straight-forward births and had quick recoveries - but DS1 took quite some time to attach properly and I struggled with BFing in those initial days. However DS2 attached beautifully from the minute he was born and we didn't look back. I was in hospital 3 days with DS1 and less than 36 hours with DS2. Such different experiences. I was tempted to leave early with DS2, but after my BFing experience with DS1 I just wanted to make sure we "got it right" if that makes sense. The length of my stays were right for me.
I say good luck to anyone who leaves hospital early - sometimes home is the right place. I guess the only reason hospital staff would suggest you stay is if they felt there was an issue with BFing or similar. Not sure though.
For my two cents worth, I'd say plan for a short hospital stay if that's your intention, but keep an open mind "in case" you change your mind. Good luck!
I got this with my first. I ended up roaming the hallways bored completely witless, because the baby spent basically all day and night asleep and there are only so many 3 year old magazines you can read in the lounge. Wish I knew it wasn't a prison and I could have gone home earlier.:
Stayed overnight with #2 (we didn't live local) and for 15 hours with #3, both of whom were very much NOT asleep (yay for no lingering drugs).
For my three full termers I was on the early discharge program...so left the hospital 6 hrs after birth and for week or two a midwife visits you at home.
They were all uncomplicated, natural, drug free VB's.
My 4th bub I was discharged 8 hrs after birth but only because he had to be moved to a bigger hospital because he was sick and I went with him...I was a border at the new hospital.
6 days with #6 because she was prem and they let me stay until she was ready to come home.
#6 and 7 I was in for 3 days after emergency c-sections (had to leave without my babies :( )
For two of my births I left within two hours. I got up had a shower had something to eat and hi ho see ya later.
That was in NZ though where I had my own midwife for pregnancy and for six weeks after birth. So I knew I could call on her at anytime if I needed and she would come. As it was she called in on her way home from the hospital later that night just to check we were all settled.
With my my two born here however we have had some complications during labour so although I wanted to go home from the delivery suite I wasnt allowed to. I left fairly early the next day though.
If you feel good and confident with loads of support then there is no reason you cant go home soon after.
There is nothing like been home in your own bed with your brand new baby :clap: