So maybe the law is that US hospitals have to allow you to stay 48 hours and not kick you out, not that they are required to hold you there for 48.
According to The Bump, it looks like the obstetrical association recommends a 24-48 hour stay for vaginal birth.
That's what it is. They allow you to stay up to 48, but will discharge you after 24 if everything is okay with you & baby. I always left after 24. I much rather recover at home. It was so hard to get some good rest with nurses coming in back to back.
I think the law might be an insurance thing. I am in California and most insurances will cover up to 48 hours for vaginal delivery and 96 for c section. I was given the option with my daughter to go home earlier, but they do all the L&D discharges between 10 - noon and I really wasn't ready to go. By 7pm I would have loved to be discharged.
Friends that have Kaiser for insurance were kicked out after 24ish hours. If the baby was born over night, they would get to stay that night and then one more.
They always say the less amount of time you stay in the hospital, the better, though.
If that's the law, why do I feel like I've heard of many women going home before 48 hours?
I live in Canada and was allowed to leave the hospital after three hours. I left after 4 though. So it's possible some of those women you heard about were actually Canadians.
ETA: I had a midwife though, who did in home visits post-partum
I'm scared that I'll get the epidural too early and it'll wear off before I start pushing. I know labor and last for days.. But can't they just give me more or something? Or better yet put me to sleep and wake me up when he's out?
I'm scared that I'll get the epidural too early and it'll wear off before I start pushing. I know labor and last for days.. But can't they just give me more or something? Or better yet put me to sleep and wake me up when he's out?
An epidural is the catheter they place in your spine. They give continuous pain medication through it, not just a 1 time shot. They will adjust it to more or less medication depending on what works for you. Some MDs prefer the epidural to be decreased if you are not pushing effectively during active labor though. Every situation is different.
How long do they generally require you to stay in the hospital for a normal vaginal birth, assuming baby is healthy and there were no complications? I'm the first in my close family to have a baby in 10 years and even then they had a c section so the recovery for that is different and my 19 year old brother is the next youngest so no one in my family can give me an answer they're sure of lol.
24 hours if you aren't GBS+ or other complications.
8 lbs isn't bad. It's all about the position of the baby. Let me go find an infographic. Brb.
I agree. I had a 8 lb 14 oz all natural with no tears. I had him out in 10 mins. My SIL just had a 10 lb baby no meds and no tearing. She is a small person as well.
So maybe the law is that US hospitals have to allow you to stay 48 hours and not kick you out, not that they are required to hold you there for 48.
According to The Bump, it looks like the obstetrical association recommends a 24-48 hour stay for vaginal birth.
That's what it is. They allow you to stay up to 48, but will discharge you after 24 if everything is okay with you & baby. I always left after 24. I much rather recover at home. It was so hard to get some good rest with nurses coming in back to back.
This. You can stay 48 hours, but most will send you home after 24. With DD, I had a c-section. She was born at 1 am on Thursday. I went home on Friday afternoon. That was all I could take. I would have gone home sooner if they would have let me. It's hard to rest with the nurses checking on you all the time, all night long.
Knottie16288692 said:
For those who have had an epidural, does it hurt? I'm a wimp when it comes to pain, so I know I'll be getting one but the thought of that huge needle going into my spine scares me!
***QUOTE BOX*** @Knottie16288692, it looks like I might be in the minority of those who have responded here, but the epidural did hurt for me. Even though it was in between fairly painful contractions, the epidural was by far more painful than I envisioned. The best part though: it doesn't stay painful. In fact, it's quick and then you have less pain!!
For those of you who have had babies before, do you think you're more nervous about labor this time around (because you know what's coming) or less nervous this time around (because you know more of what to expect)?
Way, way, way less!
This is my third and I know it's going to hurt, but I also know it won't last forever. (With my first I was sure I was going to be in labor for the rest of my life.). I also know what to expect post partum which is another big relief. Of course, every birth is different, but I'm feeling pretty good about this one.
***QUOTE BOX FAIL***
@eat111315, were your first two L&D plus recovery experiences very different? or similar?
For those of you who have had babies before, do you think you're more nervous about labor this time around (because you know what's coming) or less nervous this time around (because you know more of what to expect)?
@jennylynn103, I'm much less nervous. I know what is to come, and I am mentally preparing for it. It isn't easy, but it is totally doable. I feel prepared to do it even better this time around! I will be ready to face the elements that I can control and deal with the elements that I can't control.
When I had my son, I had a c-section and was in the hospital 4 days, including the day he was born. DS was born on Friday afternoon and we went home Monday afternoon. I was told I had to stay 4 days, and I could've stayed longer, though I don't know my insurance would cover it. I was ready to go home after 2.5 days.
@intheversa I also have scoliosis and had harrington rods and my spine fused at 12. I'm also dealing with horrid sciatic nerve pain and lower back issues to the extent that my ob has me in physical therapy once a week. Do you have harrington rods?
My OB is concerned I might not be able to get an epidural due to the rods and fusion and evidently the lack of ability for my ribs to flex means my little one has stretched all my abdominal muscles to the point the therapists are concerned I might not be strong enough to push when the time comes.
I do not sorry. They never treated mine other than some physical therapy and chiropractic treatment. Mine isn't curved enough to warrent surgery, they said. Sorry you're going through all that though.
How afraid of back labor should I be? I am pretty comfortable with the idea of doing a natural birth, but with my lower back problems, back labor is really scaring me.
Do you have a midwife or doula? They can show you some comfort measures and birthing positions that help with back labour. Essentially--from what I remember--labouring on all fours helps a lot, since it drops the baby away from your tailbone/spine. I didn't have any back labour, but I still felt that position made me feel most comfortable.
I do not have a midwife or doula sorry. I am taking L&D classes and we have talked about laboring on all fours as well as the birthing ball. I'm still looking into positions. Thanks for the advice though.
So maybe the law is that US hospitals have to allow you to stay 48 hours and not kick you out, not that they are required to hold you there for 48.
According to The Bump, it looks like the obstetrical association recommends a 24-48 hour stay for vaginal birth.
That's what it is. They allow you to stay up to 48, but will discharge you after 24 if everything is okay with you & baby. I always left after 24. I much rather recover at home. It was so hard to get some good rest with nurses coming in back to back.
I think this is true in PA. With my son they never offered me to go home before the second day was up. With my daughter they asked and I declined. She was gagging from the mucus a lot and I was severely anemic and just going to the bathroom exhausted me. I wanted/needed more time with nurses around
Do any of you STM or TTM deem lamaze/a child birth class as necessary? I'm a FTM and I've had several people tell me that everything you learn goes out the window when you're in labor. I want to know whether or not to invest in it. My husband and I are definitely doing CPR/First Aid and caring for a newborn but we're on the fence about the child birth classes.
There is a fabulous post about a week ago that had a poll on this! Check it out, I found it super helpful.
How long do they generally require you to stay in the hospital for a normal vaginal birth, assuming baby is healthy and there were no complications? I'm the first in my close family to have a baby in 10 years and even then they had a c section so the recovery for that is different and my 19 year old brother is the next youngest so no one in my family can give me an answer they're sure of lol.
@sjembry93 48 hours after you give birth. It's the law in the U.S.
@SweetnSassy23 sorry but no. If you are referring to the Newborns and Mothers Health Protection Act of 1996, that's not what it says. Hospitals are not prisons and this is not North Korea. You can request discharge papers (or just simply leave the hospital) whenever you damn well please. The Protection Act as mentioned above is simply a law that requires health insurance to cover any woman for at LEAST 48 hours after a vaginal birth (96 for a cesarean).
Another big baby question !
So at my last appointment baby was measuring a week ahead and dr said she would be about 8 lbs . Not huge but still seems big to my vagina . No GD or anything eat pretty healthy but indulge in sweets when I want.
Will a more restricted diet ( healthy food wise not cutting calories or anything) change the size of my baby? Like if I stopped eating sweets do you think it would change how big she gets?
@Aldermanbaby You would be surprised at what your body can do! As far as doctors "measuring" how big your baby is (I'm assuming they did an ultrasound), i would take it with a grain of salt. Using ultrasound to determine how much your baby weighs is highly inaccurate and akin to flipping a coin (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16964298)
@LiveNLove44 they were pretty similar. My daughter took about 5 hours longer, but I think it's typical for first labors to be longer than subsequent ones (I hope??). The only other big difference was with my daughter my contractions never got closer than 4 min apart so they gave me pitocin while I was pushing so we weren't there all night. Both kids I pushed for about an hour each. Dd was 6lbs 9 oz and ds was 8lbs 2 oz.
@eat111315, my OB said that, too! At one of my first appointments, she said, "Don't worry. This time around will be much quicker." I hope she means I won't be in labor for 54 hours. She also mentioned that there are parts of our bodies that don't entirely go back to their original position, so the labor and delivery changes for a second (or third or fourth) baby don't take as long for our body to make. I just keep reminding myself of that as I mentally prepare for L&D!!
@eat111315, my OB said that, too! At one of my first appointments, she said, "Don't worry. This time around will be much quicker." I hope she means I won't be in labor for 54 hours. She also mentioned that there are parts of our bodies that don't entirely go back to their original position, so the labor and delivery changes for a second (or third or fourth) baby don't take as long for our body to make. I just keep reminding myself of that as I mentally prepare for L&D!!
Re: Flame free birth questions
Friends that have Kaiser for insurance were kicked out after 24ish hours. If the baby was born over night, they would get to stay that night and then one more.
They always say the less amount of time you stay in the hospital, the better, though.
***QUOTE BOX***
@Knottie16288692, it looks like I might be in the minority of those who have responded here, but the epidural did hurt for me. Even though it was in between fairly painful contractions, the epidural was by far more painful than I envisioned. The best part though: it doesn't stay painful. In fact, it's quick and then you have less pain!!
Thank you for sharing!!! I am more excited than ever!!!
There is a fabulous post about a week ago that had a poll on this! Check it out, I found it super helpful.
@Aldermanbaby You would be surprised at what your body can do! As far as doctors "measuring" how big your baby is (I'm assuming they did an ultrasound), i would take it with a grain of salt. Using ultrasound to determine how much your baby weighs is highly inaccurate and akin to flipping a coin (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16964298)
The only other big difference was with my daughter my contractions never got closer than 4 min apart so they gave me pitocin while I was pushing so we weren't there all night. Both kids I pushed for about an hour each. Dd was 6lbs 9 oz and ds was 8lbs 2 oz.