C-Section and length of hospital stay?

[Gnomer]

I'm having a planned c-section on the 28th.
I've just been sat sorting out my hospital bag and had a horrible realisation. My brothers 1 year death anniversary is on the 30th. I had totally separated these events in my head. One day will be the happiest day of my year, then 2 days later will be the saddest day of my year.
Only packing the hospital bag, I'm preparing for a 2 day stay at least. That means I'll be in hospital on the 1 year anniversary. And that is the very, very last place i want to be.

How likely is it I'll be able to have the section on the 28th and be out by the 29th, as long as everything goes smoothly? I had a very easy recovery after my emergency section with my son. C-section 6pm on the 12th, home by 9am on the 14th.
(of course, if there are issues I wouldn't put my health or that of my daughters at risk, and would suck it up and stay in. This is only in a 'everything goes well' scenario)

I've already pushed back this c-section date as much as I can. This is the last date the consultant said he'd do, and I had to put up a fight to get it. I'm not even sure how I'd go about requesting a sooner one now its all booked in and sorted. Plus, I'd feel like an absolute sodding idiot changing my mind just over a week before it.

So, would leaving the day after be possible, or is it definitely out of the question?

 

[sbl]

My hospital has a min 3 day stay for c sections.
I'm sure other hospitals are not as stringent though.
I can understand why you would want to be home on your brother's anniversary. Perhaps you should mention it to your Dr.
good luck with your c section. Your brother will be helping you.
Xx

 

[Gnomer]

Thank you lovely.

I can't believe I didn't realise this sooner. I mentally blocked that day, and all association with my daughters birth, and just didn't even consider the stay afterwards.

My brother was put on life support 2 days before his death. Different hospital, but a hospital is really not somewhere I want to be. I am still struggling with grief, and that day will be more difficult than others. I really don't want my grief to be in the presence of new mums celebrating their new bundles of life. I'd much rather just be at home with my parents, my sister and my babies. I wouldn't want my parents visiting me in hospital on that day, but I wouldn't want to not see them either.
Gah. I really wish I'd avoided this. I'm going to have to figure out how to contact my consultant. I just feel so stupid. How did I even let this happen.

 

[emeeorevan]

I agree with pp. Talk to doc. He may work with you. I know I cried my eyes out to my doc when I was so miserable in the last few weeks with ds#2. My brother was heading over seas (to Iraq/Iran area) about 8 years ago when ds#2 was born and I just had it stuck in me head that of something happened to him I wanted the memory of seeing my only brother get to see his nephew. The doc agreed to induce me a few days earlier so that my bro would get to see him. (this was an "everything was good" scenario thank goodness and I was being induced due to baby size (9lbs @38 weeks))
I know this is different but if you would like to try for an earlier section now one can stay mad at or say no to an upset pregnant woman crying over missing her brother.
best of luck
sorry for your loss

 

[hopefulfor1st]

Usually a 5 day stay for c sections. My stepsister argued and argued to leave after 3 days and ripped stitches and ended up back in hospital leaving husband to care for new bub. I can't believe they let you leave so soon last time!

 

[Luvspnk31]

Since u mentioned a "consultant", I'm assuming you're in the UK. Here in the states, 72 hrs is the standard. You can always check yourself out AMA if need be, but I bet your dr will work with you if you talk to them.

 

[Spacey]

I'm sorry for your loss. I can understand wanting to avoid that date completely.

I was induced on a Wednesday, had an emcs that night, and was able to go home Friday afternoon. So if you can't change your date, at least if everything goes well, maybe you can talk them into letting you go home on the 30th. I don't think they would let you go home the next day though... but it wouldn't hurt to talk to them.

Wishing you the best! Good luck!!

 

[RaspberryMini]

I had an EMCS with my first pregnancy at 8.30pm on a Sunday, by 6.30pm on Monday I was sat of my sofa at home with my baby boy, not further complications and had an excellent recovery - hoping for the same this time. So it can happen!

Hope it works out for you.

 

[Xxenssial]

My hosp there is a minimum of a 4 night stay with a cd, they only get you out of bed a remove the catheter 24hrs after.

 

[Gingerspice]

People I know who have had second time c-sections (planned) have been out within days. It's often longer for emergency or if first but I would talk to the staff they might be able to be accommodatin to let you out late 29th and you go back in for any checks rather than staying

 

[QueenQueso]

I see you're in the UK, I'm in the US. I've had 2 c/s.

At my hospital, I went home after 1 1/2 days and 2 days. One pp said they only let them get up after 24 hours, I was up after about 2 hours, and walking the hallway at about 12 hours, they want to get you back up and using your legs to prevent blood clots. If your hospitals are more like that, then I think you'd have a good chance of getting out in the evening on the 29th or maybe first thing in the morning on the 30th. The rule at my hospital was you wouldn't be released until after you have had a BM after a C/S, and no matter if they were vaginal or c/s, babies aren't discharged until they are 24 hours old.

 

[DocMcStuffins]

After my elective c section with my second I went in on the Tuesday and had her at 11.53am, I went home at 12pm on the Wednesday the next day so was pretty much 24 hours.

The midwives said they like you to stay for 2 nights but as I was happy, in no pain and breastfeeding well they were happy to discharge me.

I had to keep on at them to get my paperwork done to let me go but it worked. It's possible that as long as everything is ok and you're comfortable then they may let you home the next day.

X

 

[DocMcStuffins]

Also if it's not painful for you then ask them to remove the catheter and assist you in walking ASAP. They will likely want to remove your catheter sooner rather than later anyway, mine was out within about 3 hours of the surgery and I was able to get up and have a shuffle about.

They'll have you take a jug with you to the toilet so they can measure your fluid output but as long as they're happy with that then they're likely to let you go. Some hospitals like you to have a bowel movement too before they let you go. It can feel like it just won't happen but they will give you something to help you go if you feel you need it.

Being up and about as much as is comfortable will definitely help you though.

Good luck, I hope your doctor is understanding and you can be at home for the 30th. It's definitely worth being honest with them, in my experience they really will try to accommodate you wherever possible.

X

 

[sbl]

My hosp there is a minimum of a 4 night stay with a cd, they only get you out of bed a remove the catheter 24hrs after.

24 hours? That's totally unnecessary. The sooner your up and about the better with a c section.
I was up and out of bed 8 hours later.

 

[MummyToAmberx]

All different time scales in UK ive seen women out in 24hrs, 2 days and 4 days.

 

[BeautifulD]

When I had Archie I was shocked at how short my stay was. I had him at 1:56pm on the Tuesday and I was home by 2pm on the Thursday.

Personally there's no way I could have been home the very next day.I felt I was sent home too soon as it was x

 

[sethsmummy]

YES you can get home the next day as long as everything is fine. My friend was sent home the day after an EMCS. I had my section on Tuesday morning... was up on my feet later that day although i had to keep the cathater in as my urine output wasnt great (i hadnt drunk much though so they should have expected that!). Wednesday morning (6am) i made midwife take the cathater out and was in the shower by half past... felt like a new woman and i so could have happily gone home that day! My scar was healing great and my pain was under control. I needed no help that day and even picked up my 3 year old without pain. By 7am thursday morning i had my taxi home booked and was packed, dressed and ready to go! I got out at 10am. So even if you cant get out on the 24 hour mark hun you can push to be discharged early morning so your not in the hospital all day hun. And if you explain to them they should be even more understanding.

Id def have a word with your consultant though to see if they can maybe push it forward although if its like my hospital theres only 2 days they actually do planned sections xx

 

[Gnomer]

Thank you ladies! You've made me feel much better, knowing it is possible.

I'm in the UK, and with my son by the Tuesday night (24 hours after) I was up and about and eager to get home. No issues with healing once I got home either.

I've been trying to get in touch with my consultant all morning. I don't have a number for my midwife though, or the consultant, only the triage at the two local hospitals (one where my consultant is based, one where I'll be having the section) and they say they can't help. So I'm at a loss.

I think I may just go in on the 28th and hope for the best. I don't want to bring my little lady into the world any sooner than it really needs to be, even though I'm in all kinds of pain at the moment haha.
Even if I can get out in the morning of the 30th, atleast I'll be able to avoid my parents having to go in a hospital or not seeing us at all. And hopefully I can hold myself together so I don't look like a complete nutjob on the ward haha.

 

[SillyMoo1983]

My first c section (emergency) I was in for 4 nights due to feeding problems and a low birth weight baby. Second baby (planned c section) we were in for 3 nights due to urates in babys wee. But I have 2 friends who were both home the day after their sections, so it really depends on how mum and baby are doing. The average I thinj is 2 nights.

 

[minties]

It would depend for me on the level of help I had at home. My second section was more of a painful recovery than the first.

I thought about going home 48 hours after I had Sophie but realised I wasn't feeling up to it but was OK the following day.

I had both sections on Wednesday afternoons around 2pm and both times I got up at 8am the next day for a shower etc.