Staying at the hospital
SingleMom31
member
When I was talking with my OB earlier this week, she said that our length of stay could vary between 24 and 48 hours -- mostly depending on how we're all doing, but that the mother's preference is also taken somewhat into account.
When my SO and I were talking about it, we thought that we'd want to get home as soon as possible. (Obviously, we won't push it if she's not ready to leave, but if everyone is healthy and able to go home...) Our thoughts were that SO will be much happier not sleeping on the pull out bed in our hospital room, that I likely won't sleep much in the hospital (I don't sleep well in new places), and that since baby is rooming in with us, we'll be taking care of her either way.
Our parents all think that we're nuts though, and should stay as long as humanly possible since "it's nice to rest while someone else takes care of the baby." (Mind you, I think that they're remembering the old days where baby went off to the nursery for longer stretches.)
Am I being a naive FTM here, or are things just different now?
Re: Staying at the hospital
I don't think you have much choice, really. They won't let you leave early until you are discharged and when they choose to discharge you then you have to leave. I don't think you can say- I want to stay one more day- or anything......
I do agree that you will do a lot of the care yourself and be more comfy in your own home and get into a routine better at home
'I loved you for a thousand years and I will love you for a thousand more'
I don't think you have much say really. However, my OB mentioned that he'd like to get us out as soon as possible (considering all is good) because we don't need to be around hospital bugs if we can avoid it.
With my first, it was nice to be in the hospital 48 hours. I saw the lactation consultant for help with breastfeeding several times, got help from the nurses as well, got free hot meals, and were interrupted only a few times a day. DH also had his own bed and we had a private room, so it was NBD to stay there. It was also nice to have only a few steps to go between my bed and the bathroom. At home, it's a flight of stairs between the two.
This time, I am more confident with breastfeeding and don't think I'll want or need as much help and reassurance, and we want to get back home to DS, so as soon as my MW will discharge me, we will be leaving.
As a FTM, I'd play it by ear and see how you're feeling.
Our baby never left our side while we were in the hospital. And I don't think that's unusual anymore.
We had hoped to leave very quickly...24 hours at most. But I arrived too late for antibiotics for GBS, so they required us to stay 48 hours. We left at EXACTLY 48 hours. And it was too long (and is a big reason we're having a home birth this time). I don't see any benefit to hanging around in the hospital longer than absolutely necessary (obviously).
ETA: I'm pretty sure that the almost any hospital that will "allow" you to leave after 24 hours will also allow you to say you'd like to stay for a little longer...I think 48 hours is covered completely by most insurance companies and you could just say you would feel more comfortable with that for any myriad of reasons. I don't think any place will actually kick you out after 24 hours!
This! Since this is my first baby, knowing that someone who can answer all my questions is only a button push away - I will stay as long as I can.
Yup, this is my thinking. The hospital I'm giving birth in actually doesn't even have a central nursery so baby will be with me the whole time anyway. I would rather be in the comforts of my own home than in a hospital any time!
Me, too! Both times I needed all the help I could get with nursing. I also used the nursery at night, so the baby went while I was able to sleep - they brought the baby in to me after 3 hours to try to nurse. I plan on using the nursery again, if they let me - it was nice to have someone watching out for the baby before I had to go home!
You'll probably want to wait and see how you're feeling. With my first I was so exhausted and torn up, sore and just miserable that I stayed the full two days. I also stayed two days with my next three, mainly because it was nice to have someone bring me my meals and I could just be with the baby and not have to worry about the kids I already had at home. And, although your baby does room in you can ask that the baby be taken to the nursery if you really need some rest.
You'll know when you're ready to go home.
Kelly, Mom to Christopher Shannon 9.27.06, Catherine Quinn 2.24.09, Trey Barton lost on 12.28.09, Therese Barton lost on 6.10.10, Joseph Sullivan 7.23.11, and our latest, Victoria Maren 11.15.12
Secondary infertility success with IVF, then two losses, one at 14 weeks and one at 10 weeks, then success with IUI and then just pure, crazy luck. Expecting our fifth in May as the result of a FET.
This Cluttered Life
My insurance says 48 hours for a vaginal birth and 72 hours for a c-section...that's what it will cover without me having other medical issues. I need to call and see what is covers as far as the baby is concerned. I know he's covered automatically at first but I have to 'officially' add him within 30 days...so he should be covered if there is a need for the NICU.
We have a long commute to the hospital, and I've had issues throughout the pregnancy, so I'm betting my OB keeps me as long as she can just to be safe.
I was ready to leave, I hated it! People constantly coming in and out. A hearing test at 4:30am? Come on! The only nice thing is not having to worry about meals, other than that I was ready to go!
We ended up staying about a day and a half. DD was born at 10pm and I was set to leave at 10pm the following day, but my nurse talked me out of it because it was so late.
Anyway.
I plan on staying the 48 hours. Our hospital doesn't have a nursery and baby girl will be with us the whole time but I like the idea of being able to ask for help, assistance, guidance, ect when I need it. I'm also one to keep going and not stop so I personally feel I will start to better/faster if I'm not at home up doing laundry or something stupid.
It's really up to you. I completely agree with whoever said "I'm not sick. I don't need to be in a hospital if everything's ok" hospitals are for sick people and birth/ pregnancy is not an illness. But I also figure I'm already there I may as well hang out lol
We've even thought of having a home birth but its the convienence that's winning out for us and the fact that we found a very natural hospital to give birth in.
DD#1 December '12
DD#2 New Year's Baby '15
Married 07/09
With DD, we left the hospital as soon as possible. We ended up staying longer than 24 hours due to some paperwork issues for the birth certificate. But, my OB and DD's pedi actually came by before 24 hours and ok'd us to go home. My hospital at the time didn't even have a nursery in which I could have sent DD to if I even wanted. We intend to do the same this time around.
My advice is play it by ear. You may just decide that you want stay longer and maybe you will want to get out of there as soon as possible!
DS was born at almost 11pm one night, so we stayed that night and the following night, then left on the "technical" third day by 10am. We were there for like, 36 hours, and it felt like it was long enough because of the way the nights fell, I think.
DS was with us almost the whole time, and I took care of him while he was in the room. So, I figured it was a waste to do that at the hospital when I could be at home and in a much more comfortable bed! lol
lol agree with the poster that said you always have a choice...
i'm planning on going with what my doctor reccomends however. With DD1 i was induced with her Sunday night, Tuesday night she was born (c/sect) and we were discharged Friday late morning/afternoon. They gave me the option to stay an additional night if i felt i needed it, but honestly at that point i was ready to be home. DD stayed in our room anyway, and by that point i was feeling closer to myself where i wanted to be in more familiar surroundings.
we'll see what happens this time, but i plan to take into consideration what my doctor thinks is best for both me and baby.
I guess I'm in the minority here. I've heard a lot about people wanting to get home and get comfortable, but sometimes things with newborns manifest 24-48 hours after birth.
This is a non-issue for me as I'm having a repeat c-section, but I guess I put my trust in the doctors/hospital staff to discharge both of us when they deem we're ready.
This is actually not true at all.
Until your child has been cleared to leave the hospital by a pediatrician, the hospital can (and will) contact social services (CPS) and get an order to keep your child at the hospital until the pediatrician CAN approve the baby to go home. This is often 24 hours at a minimum for a hospital (and in my case was 48 hours because of the GBS stuff).
This is a big reason we're having a home birth. I'm not ready to spend two nights in a row away from my 15 month old son (he has yet to spend one night away from me, as it is) just before springing a new sibling on him. And while I could sign MYSELF out of the hospital AMA (against medical advice), the baby would not be allowed to leave with me until the pediatrician deems it okay. Don't even get me started on how messed up it is that I can legally be trusted to give birth in my own home, but not to make such a medical decision for him.......I could go on and on. But just know that no, you do not have the option to leave willy-nilly when you feel ready WITH your baby.
This was me also. I preferred DS was in the nursery being monitored while I slept. They would wake me for feedings. I also had BFing issues and needed the LCs help all the time. I had to stay three days instead of two due to urinary issues. You cannot predict whats going to happen so don't get upset if they don't discharge you ASAP.
BFP#2 ~ 8/2/11, EDD 4/11/12, D&C 9/12/11 at 9w5d
BFP#3 ~ 4/15/12, EDD 12/21/12 ~ DD born 12/22/12
You're right, your parents ARE remembering what it "used" to be like. My hospital stay with DS1 was not the slightest bit relaxing or restful. DS spent the entire time in my room, except when he was having tests etc done. Throughout our stay it was constant interruptions to check on me or the baby or both of us, even throughout the middle of the night. We wanted to go home so badly after the first day, but the hospital and pediatrician "strongly urged" us to stay until the PPK metabolic test was done, and the hospital didn't get around to it until day 2 anyway, so we checked out at the normal 2-day mark (for a vaginal delivery). I was so happy to be home, it was so much more relaxing than the hospital!
SO if you think you want to go home sooner than later, start voicing your desires as soon as possible and stay on the hospital to everything they need to do to discharge you.
PS. Somewhat comical moment My dad kept talking about the nursery, so I sent him the link that my hospital put together for their family birthing center, including the part about rooming in. His response: "Well that just sucks you need sleep!" I laughed. Definitely a generational difference since that was a huge pro for us. :
I was going to say this as well. My SIL is a pedi at a hospital and a family was talking about leaving a few hours after the baby was born. My SIL told the staff that if they tried to leave with the baby then to call security. It's true that you can leave when you want, but your baby might not be coming with you.