really stressed out about the recovery period...

breaheckusa

we have a scheduled c/s so my stay at the hopitol is something like 96 hours. this stresses me out right off the bat because i HATE hospitol rooms and hospitol beds and i just know iam going to be going stir crazy.

but to make the stay even more miserable and stressful i just found out that iam only allowed 2 visitors a day. i spoke to a nurse from labor and delivery today and she says it has to be the same two visitors. i cant switch them out (dh counts as a visitor) so initially i want my dh and my mama there. but what about my dad who will be a first time grandpa or my lil sister who has been a blessing this whole pregnancy.  she doesnt get to see her first neice right away? and then what about all of dh's family. his dad is a first time grandpa too. our baby is sucha blessing to this family and everyone has made arrangments to be there to welcome her the first day and now they wont even be allowed in the room there for wont see her for 4 days.

please tell me i may have misunderstood the nurses explanation of how this works...is this what your hospitols and birth centers are doing?

iam so upset. i wanted it to be a whole joyous day for both families. were all so close!

LaNegrita

i wish my hospital would tell me 2 visitors per day. that rule would so be challenged & i would hella need to see that either posted up or in writing. the only thing i have heard of is no visitors under 18yo.

and i don't like hospitals either but i enjoyed being waited on and sleeping. you'll probably end up really needing the time you spend recouping at the hospital.

Madison789

You don't have to stay the whole 96 hours if you don't want to.  They can't hold you against your will or anything!  If you feel like leaving earlier, then go ahead and leave.

Did the hospital say the 2 visitor rule is for you?  Because if so, that has nothing to do with your new LO.  Your DH can take the baby out to meet the family - or even take the baby out all together.  Even if you feel you need to be in the hospital the whole 96 hours, if your baby is healthy then s/he probably doesn't need to be and you can get the LO discharged and they can stay at home with the rest of the family while you heal.

mlf625

Unfortunately, a lot of hospitals have that rule right now.  I doubt you misunderstood, but you can always call and ask if you want to be sure.

As far as the hospital time, you might enjoy it more than you think.  I was feeling pretty good the day after my scheduled c/s, and I really loved having that quiet down time in the hospital to sleep beside the baby, be alone with DH and the baby, etc.  Having meals delivered was great, too.  I really have such great memories from those days together as a brand new family, so try to look at it that way- bonding time for the 3 of you that wouldn't happen if you had guests coming in and out (or were home and having to juggle guests with cooking, cleaning, etc.) 

gypsywitch

I noticed your DH is in uniform in your pic...is he in the military and are you having your baby at a military hospital? My husband and I are in the air force and I had my DD at a militay hospital and thier rules ARE different from civilian hospitals....by the shape of your husbands hat I'm guessing he's in the marines and their rules are much more stricter than that of the Air Force's. It doens't sound like you misunderstood the nurse at all, thats just the policy of the hospital you're delivering at and while its annoying, 4 days is not a long time and your family can see baby after that, it won't be the end of the world. I'm sorry its like that though...

misscharlotte04

I am in the same boat, and it is a bummer! We didn't find out about the new visiting policy (apparently due to H1N1) until we signed up for our childbirthing class at around 30 weeks.

We can only have 2 grandparents at a time, period. My sister who is a labor and delivery nurse who had a confirmed case of H1N1 previously cannot even come to visit me in recovery. She even called from her hospital to the one we are planning to deliver at to ask if the rules would apply to her (since technically you have a less chance of being a carrier if you have already had it.)

 The hospital staff said that are not flexible at all on this, so neither of our families (with the exceptions of my mom and dad, and his mom and dad) can come to visit.

This was a huge bummer for us as well, as we both work in law enforcement in the city that the hospital is in, and if you know law enforcement we are like one big family, and all the guys want to come and see our LO when he arrives.

 Did you ask if this is always their policy, or is it just in case of H1N1? And have you asked if you can have more than 2 visitors at a time if they have had a confirmed case of H1N1 previously, or have had the vaccinations? They might be a little more lenient in that case?...

 

mlf625

Madison789:

 Even if you feel you need to be in the hospital the whole 96 hours, if your baby is healthy then s/he probably doesn't need to be and you can get the LO discharged and they can stay at home with the rest of the family while you heal.

I would not suggest that.  At all.  Those first few days are really important for mom and baby to bond, and I think dad taking the baby home sounds like a pretty ridiculous idea.  What would she do, sit in her bed alone and cry??  Weird.

Like I said, look at the time in the hospital as bonding time for YOUR new family- the three of you.  Everyone else will get their time when you come home!

And I also wouldn't suggest checking out early.  I think the key to fast c/s recovery is to take it easy and not push yourself.  I know that really helped me to heal quickly and easily- I felt GREAT by the time we checked out on day 4. 

Babymamawithdrama

while in L&D I was restricted to 2 visitors (although they were willing to let in all grandparents) DH was the only one in the room.  But once I went over to recovery I had unlimited visitors.... there were restrictions for children under 18 due to h1n1.

From the other side (i didn't have a c-section) the recovery period is a blessing.  I gave birth at 11:19pm and unfortunately that counted as my first night (after 30 hours of labor) I would have gladly taken advantage of another day.... it was very exhausting and the extra rest was appreciated (even if I just laid in bed watching judge judy).  I would double check the visiting policy for recovery, it couldn't hurt!

kmcgrath1974

I don't remember it being all that bad actually and we stayed a full three days.  Seriously, take a deep breath and relax.  They will all get to see the baby in due time. 

breaheckusa

yes were marine corp. iam not deliverying on base. were in california. id be deliverying at pendelton and the labor and delivery there is a joke. they recently left placenta in a patient on accident. and also had a lock down becuase they couldnt find a baby that was just delivered. so i opted for out in town. so yes this is the rule for the hospitol out in town. ill probably end up staying the full 4 days in oder to heal faster and properly but ill try to convince them i need fresh air and bring her out to the waiting room or something lol. iam not sure. i just know dh isnt happy asbout this and he has a plan of attack to sneak everyone in at one point or another! hes too funny. between him and all your encouraging posts i feel semi more relaxed adn better about this!

 

thanks girls!

blissfully_caffeinated

My hospital has no limit to the number of visitors you can have (including minors) but I know that's not the norm.

I would ask them for a list of requirements that you need to meet to be discharged. You have an arbitrary number of hours that you're supposed to be in the hospital. That makes no sense. If you get a list of things you need to do (walk around for 30 minutes, go to the bathroom unassisted, be off pain meds except for percocet, or whatever) then you can work towards meeting those goals before the 96 hours and go home early.