C-section, who went home the next day?

[Teri7489]

After last delivery I am booked in for a section next Friday (yay!) but don't want to stay in hospital too long. Reason being I have terrible anxiety and panic attacks with anything to do with the hospital due to being poorly over the past few years. Plus my daughter has terrible separation anxiety being away from me which only makes me worse. I asked the mw today how long I will have to stay to which she said it was up to me as I have a toddler but I could go home the next afternoon if my section is done in the morning. Would that be silly? Anyone done it and regretted it or did it work out better being in your own comfortable environment ? Xxx

 

[love.peace]

For me going home the next day would be way too soon but I guess it depends on how you feel. I'm worried about leaving my youngest as he'll only be 23 months when this baby comes and is very attached however I must stay in to recover and get some rest as I know as soon as I'm home he'll be jumping all over me. I was in hospital for 5 days last time and was on morphine for the first 3 days. I plan on staying for at least 5 days this time. I hope you recover quicker though. Hugs

 

[spunky84]

I was in for a little over 48 hours. The next day would've been way too soon for me. The catheter wasn't removed until afternoon the following day, and then I had to be able to get up and move around.

I won't say don't do it, especially if your midwife said it's ok, but do remember that a c section is major abdominal surgery.

Personally, I would take it as it comes and not make a decision beforehand. If you're feeling comfortable with going home and it's okayed, then do what's best for you, but also consider staying if you feel that you need to (medically).

Some people recovery easily and quickly from a c section while some take longer. I consider my recovery to be middle of the road.

Everyone heals and recovers differently and at different rates. You may find that you bounce back very quickly.

If you need to stay for medical reasons, can you talk to your midwife about things that could help make it a better experience for you?

Ultimately, if your midwife sure it's ok, so what's best for you.

 

[minties]

I recovered very quickly both times (1 emergency and 1 planned) but no way I could've gone home the next day either time.

The only way I could consider that even being a remote possibility would be if had someone to act as my nurse at home, letting me stay in bed as much as possible, looking after the eldest LO and having had very good pain relief prescribed.

I cringe at the thought of the drive home being the next day! Ouch! I was still on morphine on day 2 after Thomas. It is very major surgery. I went home on day 4 with both kids.

 

[m0mmyCool]

I was discharged after 2 nights. Had my c-section on a late Tuesday afternoon and was discharged by Thursday morning.

Ps. Can't wait to be in the 3rd trimester. Envying all of you.

 

[Metroland]

I've had 2 previous planned c sections. After the first I stayed in hospital for 48 hours which was great as a first time mum as it gave me some time to ask advice and establish breastfeeding. However, with the second one, I had the option to go home the very next day (pretty much exactly 24 hours after the birth) and I took it. It worked out really well for me as it was great to get home and back to my toddler. I didn't find it affected my recovery adversely at all. In fact I had a much faster recovery second time.

I would recommend waiting to see how you feel after the birth before making a decision one way or the other. If you decide to go home that quickly make sure you have some help arranged with your daughter for the first few weeks afterwards. You will need someone else to be on hand for lifting and carrying and in the first few days you will definitely need to rest when the baby is sleeping.

See if you can arrange for the midwife to call the following day as well. I can't remember if this is standard practice or not, but it gave me peace of mind to know I would have a home visit the following day.

Also make it a priority to keep on top of your pain medication so you never miss a dose. I religiously took regular doses of paracetamol and ibuprofen for the first week or so and I didn't experience much pain at all.

Try and get out of the house for a gentle walk each day. Even if it's just a few steps at first. It makes such a big difference to recovery to be mobile as soon as possible. I didn't do this first time around and I felt so frail for the first few weeks. Second time I made myself do it and I felt fairly normal within days. My husband had to keep reminding me to take it easy!

I'm booked in for a third c section in October and I would like to come home after 24 hours again if I can, as it's more comfortable at home and it's less disruptive to the rest of the family. However, I'll pack enough for a longer stay just in case and if I'm worried about anything I won't rush to leave hospital.

 

[hanni]

I had my csection at 2pm and went home the next day at 8pm.
The ward was so busy and noisy and there wasn't much help through the night and my partner couldn't stay. I said I'd have more help at home, which was true. For me it was better to be at home.

 

[Dark_Star]

It's normal here to be checked out the following day as long as there are no complications, and baby and mother are doing okay.

I also have anxiety and feel that I get worse in hospital. Between the terrible uncomfortable beds, constant beeps and checks, and all the strangers coming and going I would much rather go home early unless a major issue came up.

 

[ClaireJ23]

DD2 was born at 11.42pm and 12 hrs later they wanted to send me home.

 

[Teri7489]

Thanks for all the replies ladies (keep them coming)

I've packed my bags based on staying in for 2/3 nights just in case. I'll wait to see how I feel at the time and will decide then, just wondered what others have done. I'll have my husband at home to look after our toddler and my sister has taken the week off to come stay with us to help out when husband isn't here xxx

 

[Sophiasmom]

I had my c/s Wednesday and went home Friday. DD visited me Thursday. I was able to get up and walk and get my catheter out Wednesday afternoon, but leaving before I did would have been too soon.

 

[tigerlilly]

Had section at 10 am on a thursday and was home by 5.20 pm the next day and that wasn't soon enough!

 

[minties]

I definitely needed help establishing breastfeeding both times, so think that influences my thoughts about staying longer. It took me a good 48 hours to be able to latch Sophie myself.

 

[HayleyJJ]

I know at my hospital min 2 night stay

I had a planned section on weds was allowed home yesterday

You won't be in any state day 1 after surgery to move let alone go home I'm day 3 and only just feeling more like me

 

[lozzy21]

Butting in but the idea of being in hospital for a rest made me lol. At home the only reason I would need to move would be to pee. My husband would wait on me and bring me everything I asked. At my local hospital dads are only allowed in between 10am-8pm and once your catheters out your expected to do everything yourself. Meals are served in the day room which you have to get yourself and then take your tray back. Rest my backside lol add to that the fact your in a ward with 4 other women and babies so if you baby is sleeping the chances are some one else's baby will be crying.

 

[apreslaube]

I'm a FTM so obviously no expirience with this. But the hospital I'm delivering at keeps you 2 nights for vaginal and 3 nights for c section.

 

[Bug222]

rules just changed here from a previous 72 hour stay post section to possible d/c from 36 hours onward. Im having my second c-section on Thursday so we will see how I feel and how feeding is going. Not much point staying for pain control here as after day #1 all you are given is regular tylenol and advil lol.

 

[littlesteph]

it usually depends on the amount of blood you lose.
with my 1st I was very close to needing a transfusing and went home 2 days after the section.
my second I lost about 250ml they said it was the lease amount of blood lose they had seen in a while I went home the next afternoon.

 

[lisa1980]

I have had an emergency c section and then a planned one. I went home the next day after both of them.

After the emergency section I stayed one night on the noisiest, busiest ward where I got no sleep or rest whatsoever so the next day I decided I needed to get home so I could at least get some help from my DH and some rest. I went home in the evening of the second day.

After the planned one I felt fine, was up and about in the afternoon (DS1 came to visit) and the catheter came out in the evening. The next morning I was itching to leave and get back to DS1 and my DH (and my own bed!). I left around lunchtime, so around 26 hours stay. I don't regret it at all; it was right for me and I have very happy memories of both experiences.

It really depends on how you recover after the surgery. Dont push yourself to leave before you're ready, but hopefully you'll be lucky like me

 

[minties]

Butting in but the idea of being in hospital for a rest made me lol. At home the only reason I would need to move would be to pee. My husband would wait on me and bring me everything I asked. At my local hospital dads are only allowed in between 10am-8pm and once your catheters out your expected to do everything yourself. Meals are served in the day room which you have to get yourself and then take your tray back. Rest my backside lol add to that the fact your in a ward with 4 other women and babies so if you baby is sleeping the chances are some one else's baby will be crying.

Sharing a room would suck! You get your own room in New Zealand if you have a c-section, not exactly sure why.

Hospital wasn't restful at night for me but it was during the day. I had to drive myself and Thomas home and get right back into normal life so it was hard going home for me.