What happens at the hospital (after the birth)?

[Redshoes]

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.

I was put on high dependancy unit first, alone, I couldn't feel much apart from one arm and my face as was prepped for a c-section.
Then wheeled onto a ward where I was left to 'fend for myself', no food was offered and I couldn't sit up and was given a rope to use as there's a 'no lifting' policy in hospitals nowadays.
Hours later when I could just stand up I was marched to get a shower, scary but loved every minute of it, and finally got changed into clean clothes, never once wore a hospital gown, don't think you have to anywhere these days.
MW's are around, you could ask for help/assistance if needed, personally I kept to myself, the mother in me kicked in and everything seemed to happen quite naturally, but they are there for advice on cleaning, nappies, breast feeding etc They obsessed a bit where I was about breast feeding, they expect a 'routine' before you leave!!! lol Like you could establish that so quickly
I absolutely hated being in hospital personally, but I cannot fault the staff, even if they were somewhat overbearing and insensitive at times.
I think had I had family around us we'd have faired better during my 8 day stay, Isaac developed high level jaundice and had to be incubated

You can always have a visit and look around your local maternity ward, as far as I'm aware?? Give the hospital a ring and ask about pre-visits, if you haven't done so already, and very best wishes

 

[Lola's Mummy]

After I had given birth we was left in the delivery suite for about 90 mins to have some family time, there was a bath and shower in the room so I got showered there but there was bathrooms on the ward.

After I had a shower I just put my normal clothes on then I was taken up to the ward. The midwifes on the ward came and said hello and showed me where everything was then helped to breastfeed, change the first nappy etc but there is a buzzer thingy if you need then while there not there

Don't worry you'll be fine and you’ll feel a lot better when you get home and a midwife should come to visit you at home for about 7/10 days if you have any problems I was also given a telephone number that I could use for up to 28 days after the birth

 

[suzy100]

the midwife ran me a lovely bubble bath and left me and OH in the bathroom. he helped me to dress into my pjs and we were given a private room as maisy was in an incubator. i was brought some bottles etc and was left to it but they did come in regularly to check on us.
we had to stay till 5pm next day as we had to wait for maisys temperature to go up and stay regular.
food was served in a small room just off the main ward but OH brought me McDonalds instead.