Did you leave the hospital 24hrs after giving birth?

3Girls3xsTheFun · May 2011

I'm trying not to get ahead of myself here, but if I have this baby in the next 2 days I will need to be out of the hospital by Thursday morning (my 2 year old DD is having health problems and has to have an MRI on Thursday afternoon, which she will be sedated for, and if it's at all humanly possible I need to be there with her).

My insurance actually encourages you to leave 24 hrs later -- I'm assuming for financial reasons- and will send a visitng nurse to my home 3 times in the next month to check in on me & baby.

With my other 2 I stayed the regular 2 days post-delivery and I'm a little worried about leaving so soon, even though my other deliveries were super "easy" vaginals with no tearing or stitches.

I'm just wondering if this is something I should be considering, or if I need to just miss the test if that's what it comes to. Obviously, this all goes out the window if I have to have a c/s.

Thanks for any input!

lorist202 · May 2011

I don't know how I personally feel about this, but I will at least share with you a funny thing my 86-year old Grandmother told me when I was P.

For all 5 times she gave birth, she left the hospital the very next day in most cases. She had no complications. In addition, she had no insurance, and was paying monthly cash installments for the bills. Likewise, with a clean bill of health for herself and baby, she felt it prudent to leave, and did so without complication every time.

MG7 · May 2011

DS was born at 1am on Monday and we went home Tuesday morning around 10.

o2bme · May 2011

DS was born at 4:00 Monday afternoon and we were released 5:30 Tuesday afternoon.

ncbelle · May 2011

With C I did. With E, I was supposed to go home within 6 hours as it was a birth center birth. She had to be admitted to the NICU though so I was admitted in order to be with her. Physically, I would have been fine to go home hours after birth though.

I hope your daughter's test goes well.

VTbride05 · May 2011

I did.

FutureMrsCaesar · May 2011

My Dr offered for me to go home after 24hrs and I declined, in hindsight I wish I would have. To save money for one thing, but more to rest comfortably in my own bed without nurses bugging me and baby ever hour, and I sent my DH home the 2nd night to get some rest and be with DS1 but I really could have used his help that night (nurses were NO help).

If everything goes smoothly for you, I'd do it. I'd want to be with my LO having an MRI as well.

MaggieB0406 · May 2011

I didn't but I was strep b positive so they kept me longer. DD was born 12:09 am Monday morning and we left wednesday.

lyzabeth · May 2011

i did. i couldn't wait to get out of there. no complications.

lnicky · May 2011

I left the next day with my baby. The hospital just made sure that I had a calm home and help at home before I left. My husband stayed with me the whole time and we agreed that we would feel more comfortable at home. We were right! You won't feel the greatest, but it's definitely possible.

ilovejud · May 2011

Check with your hospital...I had a very easy, no complication birth and was still fighting my hospital to let me leave 2 days later... they kept telling me you can leave but your baby can't.... They said the baby has to be there 48 hours by state law.... and obviously i wasn't going to leave without my baby... so you make want to check the laws and rules first.

perplexed59 · May 2011

If I had my baby in the hospital with my MW I could leave within 3 hours of giving birth. I had my baby at home, then had a complication so I went to the hoptial and was home 2.5 hours after going to the hospital. I had to go back the next day for a rhogam shot which was before my baby was 24 hours old. I think it all depends on how you are doing.

ManiacMcGee · May 2011

Due to complications I had to stay 48 hours exactly. I felt ready to go after 24 but I wasn't allowed.

etteyam · May 2011

With DD2, I did. Both baby and I checked out okay, so they let us go. I didn't wanna be away from DD1 for another day. I had an uncomplicated vaginal birth with no tears.

Bejebus · May 2011

With my induction with DS, I stayed 2 days and would not have been physically capable of leaving after 24 hours. When I went into labor with DD at 38 weeks, she was born 2 AM Wednesday and I was checked out by 10 AM Thursday. I felt great, I didn't want to do another night alone in the hospital (I sent DH home to be with DS) and just wanted to be home with my complete family. It was SUCH a different birth that I think you have to take it by ear, but good luck.

citychicks · May 2011

I left and had DS#1 in the grocery store before 22 hours. I had DS#2 at home and we were out and about the next day.

But everyone is different. I have friends that came home and didn't leave their beds for a week (except to pee) or more.

BeetleLinz1125 · May 2011

Hospital policy kept me there for 48 hours after delivery. Imreally glad I stayed that long.

Bocciulo · May 2011

I did. Before DD was born my MW said that pending no complications with me or the baby we could leave the hospital the next day.

tokenhoser · May 2011

I left after about 24 hours. I would have left sooner if I could, but I needed a 24 hour course of antibiotics.

I hated the hospital. If I can get out faster next time, I'll do it in a heartbeat. The upside of staying a day was they could do LO's blood tests, but they'll come to my house and take his samples if I skip out faster. No insurance considerations because I'm in Canada.

3Girls3xsTheFun · May 2011

Thanks for all of the replies! I'm glad to know that I can leave if I want/need to.

I can't imagine not being there for DD2, but I'm sure this is just the first of many times I'll be put in a situation where I need to "choose" 1 over the other 2. Sad

Tubby46 · May 2011

No, my daughter was born at 11:40 PM on a Wednesday, and we did not leave until Friday morning. I think this was mainly because the pediatrician comes around to check in the mornings, so we had to wait for him to check her again Friday morning before she was discharged. Good luck with everything. Hopefully you will make it to your daughter's MRI. And I hope she is ok.

MaybeBaby2 · May 2011

I delivered Baby Boy at 11:08 am and was home by 3pm the next day. No complications, tearing or stitches.

chinadoll531 · May 2011

Well, I had really hoped to go home, but ended up staying for three days. DD was born at 12:37am on Tuesday. I was discharged at 5pm Thursday, but stayed overnight again because DD had to be under the Billi lights and I needed to BF. Even if DD would have been able to go home, I was so tired and weak from blood loss and exhaustion that I couldn't even walk her to the nursery until Thursday afternoon. DH or the nurses had to take her before that.

I would plan to miss it that way if you can't make it you and your DD will already be prepared for that. And if you do get to go home in time it will be a good suprise for the both of you!

Britwilde · May 2011

I had to stay longer cause I gave birth in my car and got seriously dehydrated. With me breasteeding, I just could not keep enough fluids in me for them to say I was safe to go home. If you and baby have no complications you should be able to leave 24 hrs after birth.

Bluescarf · May 2011

I left the next day, a little over 24 hours but not by much. I had a second degree tear but felt completely fine. I was walking around and felt normal, and the nurses were driving me crazy. Stick out tongue

on_the_move · May 2011

DS was born around 3:30pm and we went home around 6pm the next day. DD was also born around 3:30pm and we went home about 5:00pm. Make sure everyone knows your wishes to go home early. We had one nurse who was really helpful about making sure the lab tech came up to check DD billirubin levels ASAP.

etude de la vie · May 2011

I left in under 24 hours!

I had DS at 2 am and checked out at 6PM that same day! I asked my OB in the morning and he said yes but to make sure I was cautious with the stitches and all (I tore). He said as the baby is okay he was fine with it. The ped looked over DS and said he was perfect and completely understood how quickly I wanted to go home to be with DD so gave us the release.

My ped had us bring DS back to his office the next day for another look and everything was perfect. My DD has major separation anxiety and food issues from long term GERD so I wanted to be back with her as soon as possible.

Just communicate to your OB and your pediatrician and have them communicate with each other.

katrina_pharmd · May 2011

Let me preface this by saying that my experience is not the norm at all. C-sections usually stay in hospital for 5 days.

I had DS at 1:30am on Friday and left at before noon on Saturday. I had an emergency c/s after an 18 hour failed induction. I had no real pain after the epidural wore off, and did not even require Tylenol. I had an emergency appendectomy at 15 weeks pregnant, and that was much worse than the c/s. My OB was fine with me leaving; perhaps b/c I work at the hospital and have clinical experience and knew if/when to come back if there were problems.

CBonBoard · May 2011

They recommended that I stay two days. However LO and I both had clean bills of health, and I asked to be discharged. She was born at 4pm on Wed and we were home and settled by 6pm Thurs.

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