D.C. Area Babies
If you had a planned c-section...?
How close to your due date did they schedule it? My first was a c/s at 32 weeks, and this time it is my choice. I'm totally up in the air about it.
Also, if you delivered at Shady Grove or Holy Cross, did the baby room-in with you the entire 4-5 days you were recovering? It seems like it would be difficult to recover well with a baby to look after, especially if you are high-as-a-kite on pain meds.
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Re: If you had a planned c-section...?
I had it 8 days before my due date, one of the reasons is b/c I really wanted a particular Dr to deliver. (my 1st was an emergency c-s 4 days past due).
I did not deliver at either of those hospitals but w/ both c-s I asked and was allowed to go home after 2 days and I did room-in. I was lucky and healed well and fast and was off Percoset before I left the hospital. For #2 I also had this pump, they attach it to your c-s so that the meds go straight there and don't get into the breast milk, I don't remember the name but ask your OB, if you say "pump," she'll know what you mean.
I delivered DD#1 at Holy Cross. It was an unplanned c-section. I went into the hospital on Thursday night, had her at 8am on Friday, and left on Monday morning so I guess I was there 3.5 days. The baby did room-in but there was a nursery that we could put her in anytime. I put her in the nursery for a few hours at night.
The room was pretty spacious and there was a fold-out couch for DH to sleep on. So, he was there the whole time and was able to take care of her during the day along with some limited help me. For me, it wasn't the drugs that were an issue as much as just not being able to get out of bed for the first 24 hours.
With LO#2, I'll have a scheduled c-section since I'm not eligible for VBAC. My doctor said that assuming there are no complications, they usually schedule it between 38 and 40 weeks.
We scheduled mine at 39 weeks. My doc said he liked to schedule between 39 and 40 for repeats and for our dates and to get my doc it was either 39 or 40 on the dot.
We were at Shady Grove the second time around and they took Molly the first night after my C-section because DH didn't stay. I had her 24/7 except when they took her to weigh her after that. After having my first C-section at Mont General where they take the baby whenever you ask and bring her back for bf'ing, I was not happy about that. They told me the nursery hours were something like 11PM to 6AM and they only take the first night after a C-section. Maybe it was my nurses but they acted like I couldn't just send her to the nursery when I was alone and wanted to try and sleep and recover. I could call in a nurse for help but that was about it. It was difficult because DH was often home with Maggie and family. I know rooming in is really big for people to do now but I felt like it was more a cost issue - like they didn't want to pay enough nurses to be in the nursery all the time.
my c/s wasn't planned, so i can only answer the second part of your question.
not sure if the hospitals you listed have policies concerning rooming in, but i delivered at INOVA alexandria and kept my baby with me the whole 4 days we were there. i didn't find it hard at all, but i also had a lot of help. my husband stayed each night. family and friends visited during the day. i kept the baby in the bed with me when i was alone and at night to facilitate nursing and bonding, since i didn't want to risk lifting his weight. i didn't have any trouble with being on pain meds. they didn't make me feel different, just better (they were narcotics for pain only, not altering drugs).
since you've already had a c/s, do you feel you could care for the baby in those first few days? a term baby mostly sleeps those first few days anyway and really only wake to nurse.
personally, i think the first few days are essential to establishing bond and routine, which is why i wanted to keep the baby with me.