Heading home 8-10 hours after birth

dmama0177 · November 2014

We will have my mother there during and for 3 weeks following the birth, so it will definitely be nice to have that extra support. I appreciate all of the responses, wonderful tips and advice! Thank you ladies! I will be sure to voice my opinion and stick up for how I am feeling. And yes, of course the 8-10 hours is granted that I have an uncomplicated birth. Since it is a freestanding birth center there is no option of intervention (pitocin, epidural) so if anything goes wrong or if I need intervention then I would be transported to a hospital and then would obviously be required to stay longer. I will definitely look into hiring a post term doula as a little extra support if I think I will need it and I have a lactation consultant that I have been in contact with as well as many BFing friends who have already offered up lots of support.

BabiesEverywhere · November 2014

We had DD at a birth center & went home about 5 hours after she was born. There weren't any complications with labor or delivery, and the midwives said all of the necessary checks for any of the common problems happen within the first 2-4 hours after birth. We were ready to go home shortly after that, but this was also partially because DD was born in the middle of the night and we just wanted to be back in the comfort of our own home instead of sleeping in an unfamiliar bed. My midwife called me to see how we were doing within 12 hours of us leaving, and then she made a house visit within 48 hours of DD being born.

amandamarie2 · November 2014

With my MW, I can leave the hospital a few hours after the birth if all is fine with LO and me and I feel comfortable leaving. The MW comes to do home visits the next day, and on days 3, 5 and one in 7-10, so if there were any problems that came up later it wouldn't be a long wait without seeing someone and of course I can always call.

MrsRem217 · November 2014

I left the hospital 24 hours after DS's uncomplicated vaginal birth. One requirement that the hospital had was that DS had to go pee and have a bowel movement before we left but that was all.

topaz7777 · November 2014

If I hadn't had an epidural I definitely could have left within 10 hours (though I doubt my hospital would have let me). I was able to walk as soon as the epidural wore off and felt fine. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Now my sister had a 4th degree tear and could barely get out of the bed, she definitely needed to stay a while. I think it really depends on your delivery but if it all goes smooth I think you'll be surprised that 10 hours is more than enough, and you'll probably be long since ready to leave. Now the bowel movement... that's the worst...

miracle4x · November 2014

I had 3 completely normal births, and I really wanted to stay in the hospital as long as possible and did for the full 2 days that my insurance covered. Especially with your first, when you don't have kids to go home to, it's great to just relax and enjoy your meals being delivered to you. I dreaded going home and having to cook and clean on no sleep! Granted, it's pretty much impossible to sleep in the hospital, but I look at the stay as a vacation from "real" life!

What is the reason you can't stay for 2 days? I would think you can if you want to.

miahbelle · November 2014

miracle4x said:
I had 3 completely normal births, and I really wanted to stay in the hospital as long as possible and did for the full 2 days that my insurance covered. Especially with your first, when you don't have kids to go home to, it's great to just relax and enjoy your meals being delivered to you. I dreaded going home and having to cook and clean on no sleep! Granted, it's pretty much impossible to sleep in the hospital, but I look at the stay as a vacation from "real" life!

What is the reason you can't stay for 2 days? I would think you can if you want to.

You cannot stay 2 days if you want to in a birth center. They are free standing and have limited room, unlike a hospital. My birth center has three regular birthing rooms and I think maybe two over-flow rooms. You can't just stay there, they need the room for other mothers. If you aren't capable of going home, you'll be transferred to a hospital. If both you and the baby are fine, then you go home. When you agree to a birth center, you agree to those terms.

kurban627 · November 2014

I stayed 3 or 4 days after my vaginal birth but I had complications. ...

miracle4x · November 2014

You cannot stay 2 days if you want to in a birth center. They are free standing and have limited room, unlike a hospital. My birth center has three regular birthing rooms and I think maybe two over-flow rooms. You can't just stay there, they need the room for other mothers. If you aren't capable of going home, you'll be transferred to a hospital. If both you and the baby are fine, then you go home. When you agree to a birth center, you agree to those terms.

Oh right...duh. Didn't realize it was that different I guess! Sorry. Not my best thinking day.

kurban627 · November 2014

miahbelle said:

miracle4x said:
I had 3 completely normal births, and I really wanted to stay in the hospital as long as possible and did for the full 2 days that my insurance covered. Especially with your first, when you don't have kids to go home to, it's great to just relax and enjoy your meals being delivered to you. I dreaded going home and having to cook and clean on no sleep! Granted, it's pretty much impossible to sleep in the hospital, but I look at the stay as a vacation from "real" life!

What is the reason you can't stay for 2 days? I would think you can if you want to.
You cannot stay 2 days if you want to in a birth center. They are free standing and have limited room, unlike a hospital. My birth center has three regular birthing rooms and I think maybe two over-flow rooms. You can't just stay there, they need the room for other mothers. If you aren't capable of going home, you'll be transferred to a hospital. If both you and the baby are fine, then you go home. When you agree to a birth center, you agree to those terms.

Not all birth centers are the same. The one at my hospital is free standing and is the hospitals only birthing area. It is a birthing center with private rooms, large tubs, etc. However they will not kick you out after a certain time. You can stay as long as you need to based on your health. I hemorrhaged and had to stay longer than 2 days. Check with your individual center on the policy.

JaneShops · November 2014

This thread got me thinking, what's medical ideal in regards to postnatal hospital stay

Found a legit article, more about the baby than the mom. But might be good to know, & bring it up to your Birthing center/ hospital

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3336902/
Hospital discharge at any time ≤ 48 hours significantly increases the risk for readmission as well as the risk for readmission due to hyperbilirubinemia. Planning and implementing a structured program for follow up of infants who are discharged ≤ 48 hours are vital in order to decrease the risk for readmission, morbidity and neonatal mortality.

miahbelle · November 2014

kurban627 said:

miahbelle said:

miracle4x said:
I had 3 completely normal births, and I really wanted to stay in the hospital as long as possible and did for the full 2 days that my insurance covered. Especially with your first, when you don't have kids to go home to, it's great to just relax and enjoy your meals being delivered to you. I dreaded going home and having to cook and clean on no sleep! Granted, it's pretty much impossible to sleep in the hospital, but I look at the stay as a vacation from "real" life!

What is the reason you can't stay for 2 days? I would think you can if you want to.
You cannot stay 2 days if you want to in a birth center. They are free standing and have limited room, unlike a hospital. My birth center has three regular birthing rooms and I think maybe two over-flow rooms. You can't just stay there, they need the room for other mothers. If you aren't capable of going home, you'll be transferred to a hospital. If both you and the baby are fine, then you go home. When you agree to a birth center, you agree to those terms.
Not all birth centers are the same. The one at my hospital is free standing and is the hospitals only birthing area. It is a birthing center with private rooms, large tubs, etc. However they will not kick you out after a certain time. You can stay as long as you need to based on your health. I hemorrhaged and had to stay longer than 2 days. Check with your individual center on the policy.

But yours is a hospital affiliated birth center (if I'm reading your comment right) so they have hospital policies. In a birth center that is apart from the hospital then you wouldn't even be there if you hemorrhaged.
For example, my birth center isn't on the hospital grounds at all, it isn't affiliated with any hospital. If you have a problem they have a doctor they work with (as law requires) and if there is a medical problem, you are transferred to the nearest hospital.

kurban627 · November 2014

@miahbelle‌ it is hospital affiliated. It's actually the only birth center near by me and the hospital that built it is actually building another center (still in the hospital parking lot, but father away) that will only be natural, unmedicated births and will also offer water births. The policies at that center will probably be in line with your birthing center.

MamaLZ · November 2014

I had my first birth at a free standing birth center. My son was born at 5:30am and I went home 5 hours later at 10:30am. They had time to do stitches for me, baby procedures, help me start breastfeeding, make sure I could pee before leaving. My midwives talked about the benefits of getting home right away for my husband, baby and I all being able to take advantage of the big sleep baby has following birth. I wish we'd been better about that as we came home to eager family, so wasn't restful for me, but I was so glad to be home! Although having to stay overnight and get vitals every 4 hours in a hospital was a big part of why I chose NOT to birth at one. The only thing that might have been nice as someone suggested is to have a breastfeeding consultant to call or that can come by several hours after arriving home in case additional help is needed.

nomesy · November 2014

Here it's 4-6 hrs ... Yeah I'm shitting myself ..

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