What happens at the hospital (after the birth)?

[laetitia85]

I have never given birth or been hospitalised before so I have no idea what's it's like being in hospital. In my notes it says that the minimum stay for me will be 6 hours if it all goes well. that sounds so little!

After the birth/stitching/placenta delivery etc...

Are you taken from the delivery suite to a room or a ward straight away?

Do you have to shower? What are the showers like? did you have to share or did you have your own?

Do you get changed into normal clothes? or do you wear one of those hospital gowns?

Are you left on your own or do you get shown how to do things? like wash the baby, change nappis etc...

Do they bring you food?

Sorry if these sound like stupid questions but I honestly don't know.

 

[mary70]

hi hun after you have baby they will wash you down and put your nightware on then transfer you to a ward, there you will be offered some food and anything you need to know , they offered me the shower or bath a few hours later and a nurse helped as i had a c setion, it was just a shower on the ward, then i put on my day cloths but thats just my experience

 

[trixipaws]

i dont kno what happens in hospital as i gave birth at my house, but before the midwives would leave they made me have a shower and they helped me breast-feed millie. i think they left less than 2 hours after the birth

 

[kellie80]

In my experiance I've had a shower straight after the birth and put on what ever clothes you want. Then when your ready they take you to the ward where you are usually just left to get on with it. You get your food brought over but if I needed anything for the baby, bottles, water ect I had to go and get it myself.

 

[Nic'n'Keeley]

I had an epidural..so after about 30mins of just family time..i was put into a clean nightie then about 45 mintues later i was taken to the ward.

I didn't have a bath til the next day as my legs were still numb and none of the midwives would help me

I was never shown how to do anything.. i wasn't even shown how to breast feed properly

My ex brought me some food in as i was offered nothing til the next morning when i got toast.

I found my hospital really bad.. i gave birth at 1.38pm after 37hrs in labour and no one helped me at all

 

[elaine22]

After I was stitched up they left us in the delivery room for a while to bond with baby. The MW showed me how to breastfeed and then ran me a bath. I dressed in my own nightie after my bath, then returned to delivery room. After a while they took me to the ward and gave me some paracetamol and water then left me for the night (offered no food except a slice of cold toast)
The next morning at 8am I was told that breakfast had been put out (right down the other end of the ward) and I'd have to fetch it myself. They didn't offer to take baby for a little while so I could sleep or anything and I didn't feel I could ask.
I wasn't shown how to do anything - although I missed out on antenatal classes due to moving areas so don't know if you're shown how to in classes?
Needless to say I asked to be discharged asap!

 

[laetitia85]

my wish is to be discharged ASAP as well, but 6 hours seems a bit little. i lived in belgium for 10 years and when you have a baby they keep youi at the hospital for about a week, but they treat you like royalty. making sure that you're ok and able to cope with everything.

thank God i'll have my mum and MIL to help once i get home.

i also missed out on antenatal classes (apart from one breastfeeding workshop which was quite useful) due to moving to another area.

 

[elaine22]

Yeah Mum's are very useful!

I would have liked to go home after 6 hours (postnatal wards are quite noisy at night and not very restful) but I gave birth at 6.30pm so it was just easier to stay overnight. Next time around, I think I may opt for a home birth if all is healthy.

 

[Sammystar]

blimey, reading this makes me so grateful I gave birth in Switzerland!

Here I was completely 'molly-coddled'! They keep you in for a standard five days, seven days for a section.

With my first baby it was fantastic, I got so much support. With subsequent babies I felt much more confident and wanted to leave the hospital earlier. With Sam I practically had to break out after two days! They really didn't want me to come home!

 

[hotluck]

These places sound horrible. I hope with mine being a new hospital that they won't have old attitudes there and will treat me decent otherwise if I decide to have another baby, I'll have it at home!

 

[enn]

if your delivering natural; birth. listen to them and wait for contractions only push when contractions and try not to push when there aint no contractions. lol i pushed when there weren't no contractions then i got a degree tear

 

[laura-82]

Good god this all sounds awful

Are you allowed to take a hairdryer with you? coz my fringe has a mind of its own when I get hot & sweaty

 

[Lou]

God people on here love telling you all the bad stuff sometimes!!!!!!

You're gonna frighten the poor woman!

It is true that you are pretty much left to your own devices but in hindsight it doesn't do you or baby any harm. I think it is because you have been through something which feels major to you (which don't get me wrong it is major) but to the midwives birth and babies are a daily occurence therefore they don't feel they have to be flapping around you fussing all the time. I think the level of care you get directly after you give birth depends on what time you give birth. I went to the ward in the early hours of the morning so I had to be mega quiet and my OH had to go home. I had an alarm next to my bed that I could call a midwife with if I needed help and they would come as soon as possible depending on what my problem was. The food I got was ok, you get a menu in the mornings and pick what you want for the days meals and the baby is in a crib on wheels so you can take them with you while you shower, or get a drink, or use the phone or just stretch your legs. You can wear you're own clothes. Personally I think its better not to lay around in your pj's but get dressed in comfy clothes and it makes you feel more with it and not all slouchy. Get family and friends to bring you some sandwiches, snacks, drinks etc incase the food is a bit crappy and then just enjoy being with baby and you'll be home before you know it.

Thats when the fun begins....when you have no alarm to call for midwife

You'll be fine. Its what you make it and if it is a bit rubbish you've always got other mums there to chat to and complain. I met some really nice girls when I had Isaac. You won't feel lonely. I was in for 3 days if I remember rightly and I had an assisted delivery, episiotemy (sp)? and stitches. You have to stay a bit longer if you have a c-section I believe.

Lou

 

[laetitia85]

God people on here love telling you all the bad stuff sometimes!!!!!!

You're gonna frighten the poor woman!

It is true that you are pretty much left to your own devices but in hindsight it doesn't do you or baby any harm. I think it is because you have been through something which feels major to you (which don't get me wrong it is major) but to the midwives birth and babies are a daily occurence therefore they don't feel they have to be flapping around you fussing all the time. I think the level of care you get directly after you give birth depends on what time you give birth. I went to the ward in the early hours of the morning so I had to be mega quiet and my OH had to go home. I had an alarm next to my bed that I could call a midwife with if I needed help and they would come as soon as possible depending on what my problem was. The food I got was ok, you get a menu in the mornings and pick what you want for the days meals and the baby is in a crib on wheels so you can take them with you while you shower, or get a drink, or use the phone or just stretch your legs. You can wear you're own clothes. Personally I think its better not to lay around in your pj's but get dressed in comfy clothes and it makes you feel more with it and not all slouchy. Get family and friends to bring you some sandwiches, snacks, drinks etc incase the food is a bit crappy and then just enjoy being with baby and you'll be home before you know it.

Thats when the fun begins....when you have no alarm to call for midwife

You'll be fine. Its what you make it and if it is a bit rubbish you've always got other mums there to chat to and complain. I met some really nice girls when I had Isaac. You won't feel lonely. I was in for 3 days if I remember rightly and I had an assisted delivery, episiotemy (sp)? and stitches. You have to stay a bit longer if you have a c-section I believe.

Lou

Thanks lou,thanks ladies...
To be honest I'm not TOO worried because I know I will be ok, and baby will be just fine too. I just want the midwives to be available in case i do have a problem. with regards to breastfeeding like i said i attended a workshop, so i don't think the midwives will be teaching anything i don't already know, although having the baby there and having to do it for real and not with a doll is slightly different! and with teh rest - changing nappies, bathing etc... i already know how to do that too.
so i'm sure i'll be fine.

 

[Alfiesmummy]

i gave birth and stayed in the same room when i had alfie.
I went into the hospital to be induced and it was a room with an en suite they did my induction, then they left and i watched tv and walked around had a bath, had a tiny sleep cause of the pain, they administered all my pain relief in there and i gave birth in there, they cleaned the bed off (i had an epidural so couldnt walk) i had Alfie at 3.04pm everyone left around 7pm and i had a bath, watched tv, we stayed in overnight, they pretty much left me to it unless i needed them and rang the buzzer but they also came in every so often to check on me, around 9pm i had visitors and they left at 10pm, and alfie atayed with me all night. I loved it it was so special i was settled and comfortable (as much as i could be after giving birth) in the morning i got up had a bath dried and straightened my hair and waited to be picked up, i went home around midday after being signed off and the peodeotrician coming round and the hearing lady and the bounty photographer and that was it on our way.
I loved the hospital i had him in!

 

[lozzi]

Crikey, you lot sounded like you had a really bad time of it!!!!!!!!





Latetia... do not worry!



When i was in, i had a e-section.


So when i came back from matty ward, midwifes offered to dress Ellouise for me, but nanna fought them off


When all the relatives left and i was transfered to post natal a nurse came and introduced ehrself, talked to me about everything, and said if i needed anything that i should just Buzz them.

Dont be proud... If your stuck or need help or advice, BUZZ them Tahts what they are paid for.

Most of the time the midwifery nursing assistants are there to help you. So dont be worrying...


They were very obliging. I even cheekily asked if they would put my VCH stud back in and they did



The morning after they came round and bedbathed me as i couldnt walk. But that afternoon they came round and offered to help me have a shower if i wanted to.

 

[Emmylou]

After the birth & being stitched etc, I was given a bed bath as I'd had an epidural, then offered brekkie. After about an hour in the del room together I was wheeled over to the ward where I was left to my own devices, but the midwife kept checking in to see if everything was ok, and they were great with making sure we were happy & Libby was feeding well etc. I was shattered, as had had a bad nights sleep Fri PM, was in labour from 6.30pm on Sat evening, all through the night, Libby was born at 6.37am Sunday Am, but I was too scared to sleep in case anything happened whilst I slept.....the woman in the next bed making a heap of noise didn't help either. But if I needed anything I only had to call them.
They showed me how to change a nappy, give her a bath & made sure bf'ing was established before they would let me leave.
I thought they were great!!

EDIT: Forgot to say, i was dressed straght away after the bed bath in my own comfy PJ's, the shower room in the ward was a lockable toilet/ shower room, which you had to share with others, but had to yourself whilst you were in there......just let the MW know when you are popping in for a shower, and they will keep an ear out for if baby starts crying/ wakes up etc whilst you're in there

 

[Rosieroo]

After I had DD they stitched me up and we had lots of bonding time whilst the MW went off and filled out her notes. It was really nice as the lights were dim and it was just DH and I getting to know her. Then she came back and said I needed to have a shower, so I had one in the shower room attached to the delivery suite (came over really faint though whilst in there). When I was all clean and in clean clothes I was taken downstairs in a wheelchair to a private room (my MW arranged for me to stay in one with DH as I was very anxious about him going home), with it's own toilet and shower. DH slept in a chair next to my bed. I was transferred down at about 5am after giving birth at 2.02am. The paediatrician came round at 8am (before this I'd had some toast and also chosen my lunch and tea off a menu), did Ella's checks and then we left about an hour afterwards (no lunch or tea needed!).
I wasn't shown how to breastfeed properly, which is one major complaint. I didn't ask to be shown how to look after the baby as I knew we'd muddle through fine
With DS I had a homebirth and the MW left a couple hours after he was born.

 

[Gemma & Jake]

After I had given birth I couldn't get up because i'd had an epidural so a nurse came in and helped me wash and change. We were then trasferred to a ward at about midnight and left until the morning (Jake slept through the first night anyway). I'm not sure if all hospitals are the same but we had to leave our baby's in the ward and go to the day room for our meals but they did bring hot drinks around to the bed during the day. I was in the hospital for 6 days and was left to get on with things myself really. We were shown how to bath Jake before we went home though and they made sure that he was breastfeeding properly before we were discharged. The only bad thing I will say is that I would have liked a bit more support with the expressing and breastfeeding side of things.

 

[neeko_1]

after i had nay,

i had to be stitched and check to make sure i was not bleeding inside, then after it took year getting up as i was so sore and a bit high off the gas an air. i had a shower with the help from my hubby as i was toooooooo sore to walk and clean my self, i had a shower in the delivery suite which was opposite my delivery room. i had my own shower there left me to it and got me a towell, you might want to take to as you might be in hospital for a day or two.

i got changed into my own pj's you can wear a hospital grown as you might be bleeding a lot and you might want to change, ask for one.

for baby changing i never got shown on all of those, but when a baby is born a mother is born, so your in sinks we'll kick in.lol but again ask for help if you need it.


food they bring and well in my hospital they do expect for breakfast you have to get that your self... i don't even know why, but when you miss it you miss it
Do they bring you food?

and they are not silly questions