So many US/UK Differences...

[Anna1982]

what ivw notiiced from watching tv is when you go into labor in the us all the family goes for delivery, most of the time here its just the babys dad lol

 

[membas#1]

i don't know all the ins and outs of hospital regulations here in the US as this is my first, but i sure hope that i don't have to stay for 2 days! i'll sign whatever form i need to if all goes well and me and baby are healthy--we have it in our birth plan that we plan to seek early release at 6-24 hours...obviously depends what time baby is born and if all goes as planned.

 

[PeanutBean]

Sophist I can assure you I don't calorie count so it matters not what any guidelines say about eating in pregnancy!

 

[CottlestonPie]

Another one is that you US ladies get alot of pressure about weight in pregnancy. They used to weigh you regularly in the UK during pregnancy but they stopped a while ago as they decided it was too much pressure on pregnant women! So you get weighed at your booking-in appointment at 10 weeks to work out your BMI (to assess any high-risk elements to your pregnancy) and then are usually not weighed again!

I think that might be specific to district or individual midwives as I'm weighed at almost every appointment

 

[Jenniflower]

i don't know all the ins and outs of hospital regulations here in the US as this is my first, but i sure hope that i don't have to stay for 2 days! i'll sign whatever form i need to if all goes well and me and baby are healthy--we have it in our birth plan that we plan to seek early release at 6-24 hours...obviously depends what time baby is born and if all goes as planned.

Of course you can go home! Birthing in America is just more medicalized but there's no need for it to be. So many women want those two days for some reason because they think they need them. They think they need them because they've been told how difficult labouring is. I would personally rather be snuggled up in my OWN bed after giving birth.

Remember the great thing about being in America is that YOU are paying for everything so YOU have the say! Even if it means taking baby home but having to return the next day for a few tests it still means more comfort for you and your family. You'll get odd looks because the nurses and doctors there have been trained to think that Labouring is some massive medical process but I mean come on!! I had a a breast reduction done when I was 18, I was put under, cut apart, nipples detached and reattached. I had tubes coming out of my breasts to leak into little bags and yet they would not LET us stay. "Breast reductions are an outpatient job" they told my mom. REALLY?! But naturally doing what your body wants by pushing out your baby requires a 2 day stay????

[/rant]

 

[babyloulou]

Another one is that you US ladies get alot of pressure about weight in pregnancy. They used to weigh you regularly in the UK during pregnancy but they stopped a while ago as they decided it was too much pressure on pregnant women! So you get weighed at your booking-in appointment at 10 weeks to work out your BMI (to assess any high-risk elements to your pregnancy) and then are usually not weighed again!

I think that might be specific to district or individual midwives as I'm weighed at almost every appointment

Really?? I got told they weren't allowed to do that anymore at all by my birth group on here before I went for my appointment! My midwife also said the same thing she said "I'll weigh you now and work out your BMI then I dot weigh you again!"

 

[PeanutBean]

Another one is that you US ladies get alot of pressure about weight in pregnancy. They used to weigh you regularly in the UK during pregnancy but they stopped a while ago as they decided it was too much pressure on pregnant women! So you get weighed at your booking-in appointment at 10 weeks to work out your BMI (to assess any high-risk elements to your pregnancy) and then are usually not weighed again!

I think that might be specific to district or individual midwives as I'm weighed at almost every appointment

Really?? I got told they weren't allowed to do that anymore at all by my birth group on here before I went for my appointment! My midwife also said the same thing she said "I'll weigh you now and work out your BMI then I dot weigh you again!"

Cottleston are you are risk of gestational diabetes? That's the only reason I can think of for routine weighing. Maybe your MW is just old school!

 

[CottlestonPie]

I have a high bmi but my GTT came back negative so I don't think I'm at risk any more than anyone else? Weird.

 

[Tasha]

I am weighed after twenty weeks every week, a sudden weight gain can be a sign of pre-eeclampsia, so having had it in four pprevious pregnancies, they watch for it.

Have you had high blood pressure CollestonPie?

 

[CottlestonPie]

Nope, my blood pressure has always been spot on. Oh well. I have a stand-in midwife next time as my usual is on holiday so maybe I'll get away with it next week!

 

[PeanutBean]

I would hate to be weighed! I don't have scales at home and the only time I've known my weight in about 5 years has been at my two booking in appointments. Fortunately they always write it in kgs so I don't actually know what it means without converting it!

 

[ImABeeMummy]

haha this thread has made me wonder lol
I have been getting all my medical advice from watching rachel on ''friends'' give birth.
And of course thats NY, and in the UK we dont have private rooms, and i didnt realise the baby stayed with you all the time, so im really looking forward to that!!

 

[Chantibug]

I had to share a room with another new mom my first time around. I hated it. I had my son sent to the nursery so I could sleep for 4 solid hours as it was late when he was born. Well the lady next to me decided to keep her baby in the room and it did not sleep at ALL in 4 hours and her family was there the entire time talking! And when I got up to get dressed to go get my baby, one of the little kids from her side popped his head over and stared. OMG.
Second time around, I had a private room and kept my baby in all the time with me and it was much better. I dont care if my own kid wakes me up, lol, but not someone else's!
This time it will be a private room again and since i am BFing for the first time she will definitely be by my side all the time.

Our labor and delivery rooms here (at least where i deliver) are all private as well.. I've seen many women in one room on TV shows and that would freak me out.

Note - Today I asked my OB when he will do a sweep. He look confused. Instead of clarifying "stripping my membranes" I made a gesture with my index and middle finger as if to "sweep". Awkward. He got it though. LOL.

 

[special_kala]

I had to share a room with another new mom my first time around. I hated it. I had my son sent to the nursery so I could sleep for 4 solid hours as it was late when he was born. Well the lady next to me decided to keep her baby in the room and it did not sleep at ALL in 4 hours and her family was there the entire time talking! And when I got up to get dressed to go get my baby, one of the little kids from her side popped his head over and stared. OMG.
Second time around, I had a private room and kept my baby in all the time with me and it was much better. I dont care if my own kid wakes me up, lol, but not someone else's!
This time it will be a private room again and since i am BFing for the first time she will definitely be by my side all the time.

Our labor and delivery rooms here (at least where i deliver) are all private as well.. I've seen many women in one room on TV shows and that would freak me out.

Note - Today I asked my OB when he will do a sweep. He look confused. Instead of clarifying "stripping my membranes" I made a gesture with my index and middle finger as if to "sweep". Awkward. He got it though. LOL.

In the UK labour and delivery rooms are definitely private

 

[PeanutBean]

Oh yes we do have private labour rooms! It's the postnatal wards that are shared, four to a ward at my hospital and everyone has their baby with them so there's always one crying or a mum struggling to feed or whatever. It's awful! There are some private rooms available though, it depends on the birth. Those rooms tend to go to mums who've had very traumatic deliveries. I was even in one when I was asked to go in a few weeks ago. The first was totally private then I was moved and the second had a shared bathroom (didn't quite figure out how that worked!). I imagine the number of private rooms varies by hospital.

 

[MrsLo]

Oh my goodness it must be bliss to not be weighed everytime!!!
I dread it so much. That is the first thing I have to do every appointment, step on the scale. The nurse used to say my weight out loud and I finally told her to please stop I didn't want my husband to hear that I officially weigh more than he does now :/

 

[MrsLo]

Random question: Do your husbands/parteners go with you to your appointments?

 

[babyloulou]

Yes mine goes to them all x

 

[PeanutBean]

Mine came to both scans but mw appointments are always when bs is at work and fathers don't have the right to miss work for antenatal in the uk. He came to the antenatal evening classes we attended last preg. I think he might've been able to come to one MW appointment last preg...

 

[CottlestonPie]

Df has been to 4 of the 6 scans I've had I think... But can't get holiday time for midwife appointments.