How long does a woman stay in hospital after giving birth

Newborn 101 – What To Expect In The Hospital After Giving Birth – Tiger Pediatrics

You have likely spent time researching, reading books, and attending classes on the process of labor. But knowing what to expect for your baby after delivery at a hospital can also help ease tension and create a smooth transition from the hospital to home. For an uncomplicated vaginal birth, you can plan to stay in the hospital for a minimum of 24 hours – however, most people stay for about two days. So what happens directly after you’ve given birth?

What Can New Moms Expect After Giving Birth?

Your new baby is here, now what happens? The first hour after giving birth is usually the most eventful, and depending on the hospital where you deliver and your personal preferences, one of two things could happen – Your baby is cleaned & assessed, or your baby is placed directly on your bare chest for you to hold.

Skin-To-Skin Contact

In the case of a healthy birth, whether vaginally or by Cesarean section, it is recommended that your baby be placed on your bare chest as soon as possible. During this time your baby will be naturally awake and alert, which makes it a great time to bond, and giving immediate skin-to-skin contact offers a variety of health benefits. These benefits include temperature regulation for your baby, less crying overall, more stable heartbeat and breathing, increased blood oxygen levels, more successful initiation of breastfeeding, decreased stress, and increased oxytocin levels (which can aid in breastfeeding and bonding).

Cleaning up and Assessing Baby

A few minutes after some skin-to-skin time with your new baby, the medical staff will take your baby to the side for an examination. The baby will be cleaned, weighed, and measured. The nurses will observe your baby’s activity, heart rate, reflexes, appearance, and breathing.

Babies are born with low levels of vitamin K, which aids in blood clotting, so they will also be given a vitamin K shot to protect them against potentially dangerous bleeding. They will receive an antibiotic ointment applied to the eyes to protect them against harmful bacteria they may have been exposed to in the birth canal. At this time we recommend your baby gets their first Hepatitis B vaccine. Your baby will also be footprinted and given identification bands.

Breastfeeding for the first time

After you and your baby are cleaned up, you’ll have a chance to breastfeed your baby for the first time, if you choose. In the first hour after birth, it is unlikely that a lactation consultant will be able to give you direct care because they usually make their rounds at specific times. However, your delivery nurses have the experience to get you situated and help the baby latch on to your breast.

Breastfeeding is a learning process for both and your baby and may, or may not, come as naturally as you hope. Make sure to talk to a lactation consultant while in the hospital or at Tiger Pediatrics. They have a lactation consultant on staff who is happy to meet with you and get their expert advice before going home.

You Did It, Mom!

After all the serious and exciting moments you will have been through, it’s important to rest. Remember that each new step is all part of the learning process, and take it easy on both your mind and your body. Allow your spouse or birth partner to spend time bonding with the baby while you take time to sleep and let your body recover. Your doctor and nurses will be there to help guide you through the process while you enjoy the sweet new baby who has just been brought into the world.

How long are you in the hospital after birth?

How long you stay in the hospital after birth varies based on many factors – including hospital rules, insurance, and your own birth experience – but the average hospital stay after birth is usually between 24 hours and four days. Your stay might be longer if there are complications, and your baby may be in the hospital longer than you if it's a preterm birth or they're in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for other reasons.

Some new parents are eager to go and spend their first days at home with their baby, while others might wish they could stay in the hospital with extra help for a bit longer. Here's what to expect, depending on your situation:

How long do you stay in the hospital after a vaginal delivery?

After an uncomplicated vaginal birth, you'll likely stay in the hospital for 24 to 48 hours. There's a lot that happens in those two days after delivery before you go home, including:

You'll need to rest and wait for any anesthesia to wear off.
Your healthcare provider will evaluate any perineal tears, check on the progress of the uterus’ return to its pre-pregnant state, make sure there isn't any excessive vaginal bleeding, and will monitor you and your baby for the first day or so to make sure that no problems develop.
You'll move from the labor and delivery unit to a new private or shared room on the hospital's postpartum floor. Some hospitals have rooms incorporating labor, delivery, recovery, and the entire postpartum stay, but the majority move new moms to the postpartum unit a couple of hours after delivery, once they're stable.
You'll have the chance to meet with a lactation consultant to help with breastfeeding.

If you think you'd like to be discharged sooner than 24 hours after giving birth, talk to your provider about it in the final weeks of pregnancy. With early discharges, you'll need to take your baby to see a doctor within two or three days after leaving the hospital. Some pediatricians require the baby be seen in the office within 24 hours. (You'll need to see your doctor or midwife, too, but you can wait a week or so as long as you're feeling fine.)

If any complications develop during labor and birth, such as infection or excessive blood loss, you’ll probably be encouraged to stay for the full 48 hours.

Your partner will most likely be able to stay with you in the postpartum unit. Some have private rooms with bed-chairs or cots for partners to sleep in. Check with your provider about your hospital's accommodations.

How long do you stay in the hospital after a c-section?

The average hospital stay after a c-section (cesarean section) birth is two to four days. Women who experience any complications during or after delivery may need to stay longer. Similar to after a vaginal delivery, your healthcare provider will be monitoring you and your baby to make sure you're both doing well.

After a c-section, the medical staff will also make sure your baby is well enough to leave, and your provider will want to be sure you can do the following before you go home:

Walk to the bathroom unassisted
Urinate without a catheter
Eat and drink without vomiting
Pass gas

You should continue to limit your activity for several weeks or so after you get home, depending on how your body is recovering. Your medical team will provide guidance and any pain medication before you go home. The incision at your abdomen might be sore for a while longer as well.

Hospital stays after childbirth with complications

Your hospital stay after childbirth may be longer if you have any complications during labor, such as a postpartum hemorrhage, blood clots, or an adverse reaction to anesthesia. Each length of stay is different, but your healthcare provider and hospital staff will be monitoring you and your baby throughout.

Moms whose babies end up in the NICU after birth are rarely able to remain in the hospital longer than the usual postpartum stay. Unfortunately, insurance won't cover an extended stay if you can be discharged, and hospitals don't allow it.

It can be very hard to leave your baby at the hospital. Try to make the most of this time by getting rest at home, using a breast pump to regularly pump breast milk (with the same frequency as you would do if your baby was with you nursing), and visiting your baby for as many hours a day as possible.

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The first days in the hospital - articles from the specialists of the clinic "Mother and Child"

Bogomolova Marina Vadimovna

Embryologist

Clinic "Mother and Child" St. Petersburg

Immediately after childbirth

Immediately after the birth of the child is placed on the mother's stomach , then the umbilical cord is cut and the baby is applied to the mother's breast. Then the skin of the newborn is cleaned, its length and weight, head and chest circumference are measured. The doctor examines the birth canal, if necessary, sews up tears in the soft tissues of the birth canal, assesses the tone of the postpartum uterus, and helps the woman empty her bladder. But even after all these standard manipulations, the mother is not transferred to the postpartum ward, another for two to three hours, the puerperal stays in the maternity block . Why? In the first two hours after childbirth, some complications are possible, primarily uterine bleeding or an increase in blood pressure. Therefore, during these two hours, the mother lies on a stretcher or a bed in the maternity ward, since doctors and midwives are constantly there, and the operating room, in which case, is also located nearby. The child at this time is usually taken to the children's department, where he most often sleeps. And only two hours later, if everything is fine, the mother is transferred to the postpartum ward.

How does a woman feel at this time? Chills may occur, abdominal pain may occur, especially in multiparas.

What should a woman do at this time? Relax and unwind. Take shelter so as not to freeze, especially if chills appear. Place an ice pack on the uterus. If possible, ask the midwife to bring hot tea.

1st day after birth0009 postnatal midwife . She will tell you about the arrangement of the department (where the shower, toilet, dining room are), about the daily routine (the time for visiting doctors, eating) and will help the young mother, if necessary, to empty the bladder using a catheter. If a woman lies together with the baby, then immediately after the transfer to the postpartum ward, the child will be brought to her. The midwife will help the mother to properly attach the baby to the breast and start breastfeeding. Then nurse will come and show you how to swaddle your baby and explain how to take care of him. Do not be afraid that after childbirth there will not be enough strength for the child: most newborns sleep most of the day and wake up only for feeding. In addition, in the maternity hospital, the child is usually washed and dressed by nurses, so that the woman will have enough time to relax. If there is no joint stay of mother and child in the maternity hospital, then every three hours they will bring him to the ward for feeding, and then take him back to the children's department. Over time, the woman herself will pick up and carry the child.

How does a woman feel at this time? On the first day after giving birth, women feel differently. Some experience an incredible elation (this is due to the release of endorphins into the blood - the hormones of pleasure), while others, on the contrary, feel very tired. Some want to call all their friends and announce the birth of a child, they are inspired, full of energy and ready to take care of the baby on their own. Other mothers want to be alone and come to their senses, they still do not have the strength to constantly be with the child.

What should a woman do at this time? In any case, immediately after childbirth, as after any heavy load, you need to restore strength: first eat, and then go to bed or just relax. By the way, the following situation is possible: the birth occurred in the evening or at night, and dinner time has already expired; therefore, in order not to starve, you need to bring something light for a snack (cookies, bread rolls) with you to the hospital in advance.

6 hours after birth, the mother can usually get out of bed.

In general, if the childbirth went without complications, then you should start getting up as early as possible, first with the help of a midwife, and then on your own.

This helps to improve blood circulation, normalize the functioning of the urinary system and intestines, and accelerate healing processes. In addition, very soon the baby will require more attention.

Important point: After childbirth, the tone of the bladder decreases, so the urge to urinate may be absent or it may become painful and frequent. However, you should go to the toilet at least four times a day. Urination can be caused reflexively by opening a tap with water, this helps many people a lot. In the absence of the desired effect, urine is removed by a catheter. Most often there is no stool on the first day after birth.

Next days

Every day, the mother will be examined by an obstetrician-gynecologist : he will evaluate the contraction of the uterus, the condition of the sutures and the amount of discharge, see if colostrum is secreted. The midwife will regularly measure the temperature, pulse, blood pressure and treat the external stitches with disinfectant solutions several times a day. Also, every day the baby will be watched by a pediatrician, after which he will tell his mother about the condition of the child. After a normal birth, a woman, as a rule, is discharged on the 3rd-4th day (after a caesarean section - on the 5th-6th).

How does a woman feel at this time?

After childbirth, a woman may experience pain in the abdomen due to uterine contractions, as well as slight muscle pain in different parts of the body. On the face and on the whites of the eyes, a “rash” may appear - pinpoint hemorrhages that appear due to the fact that small capillaries burst during attempts from tension. Blood pressure can be lowered, so dizziness is possible (to avoid it, you should get up smoothly, without sudden movements). There may be pain in the perineum, even if there were no tears and its incision (pain appears because the perineum was severely stretched during childbirth). If the perineum is sutured, then it will not be possible to sit for at least the first two weeks. Sometimes after childbirth, varicose veins appear in the anus (hemorrhoids), which means discomfort in this place.

What should a woman do at this time? Mom needs to continue to rest and gain strength. And you should also follow the rules of personal hygiene: often change postpartum pads, do air baths for seams (if any), take a shower daily, wash yourself every time after a bowel movement. Well, the most important thing is to establish breastfeeding and learn how to take care of the baby in practice.

Time in the maternity hospital flies very quickly. Try to spend it usefully - restore your strength and acquire useful skills: at home, all this will be very useful to you!

REMINDER

Things to do at the maternity hospital

Have a good rest: sleep all your free time and eat well.
Get complete information about your child's condition: so ask your pediatrician all your questions.
Establish contact with the child: therefore, spend as much time with the baby as possible, ideally being with him all the time. Take the baby in your arms, unfold the diapers, carefully examine the baby without clothes.
Learn how to take care of your baby: so ask your baby nurse to show you how to wash your baby, change clothes, swaddle, change diapers, clean ears and nose, cut nails.
Establish breastfeeding: To do this, feed your baby on demand. Ask the midwife to show you how to properly hold the baby at the breast, how to give and take away the breast.

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to the doctor - Bogomolova Marina Vadimovna

Clinic "Mother and Child" St. Petersburg

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The first days after childbirth

Pregnancy and Childbirth is a serious burden for the body of any mother. After childbirth, significant changes occur in the body, but it must be said that restructuring cannot occur instantly. A woman will feel some changes right away, but quite significant changes will occur for several more weeks. What should change?

First days after childbirth (postnatal ward)

In the first days after childbirth, there may be hemorrhages in the eyes - red eyes, on the face - numerous bluish dots, similar to moles that appear during the second

childbirth. If a woman pushes incorrectly (holds her breath, screams, pushes "in the face") or has features of the vascular wall, during attempts there is an increase in pressure in the vessels of the head, which can lead to rupture of blood vessels in and around the eyes . What to do with such red eyes?

Cold tea compresses on the eyes (for 10 minutes) applied several times a day will have a calming effect and speed up recovery, which will occur in a maximum of 6-10 days. In about a week, the hemorrhages on the face will also pass.

Cramping pains in the abdomen that worsen during breastfeeding associated with normal postpartum uterine contractions, which should shrink and return to pre-pregnancy size. Painful contractions of the uterus are more typical for repeated births and for twins. In primiparous women, such pains may not be present and uterine contraction is painless. Painful contractions may be more noticeable when breastfeeding, as suckling releases the hormone oxytocin, which stimulates uterine contractions.

After childbirth, in addition to reducing the size of the uterus, the mucous membrane of the uterus - the endometrium - should be restored. Therefore, immediately after childbirth, lochia appear from the genital tract - the discharge of the remnants of blood, mucus and tissues from the uterus. In the first three days after childbirth, they are usually bloody and as plentiful (and sometimes more plentiful) as during menstruation. Increased discharge when standing up and other movements is a normal process.

Muscle pain in different parts of the body can also disturb a woman in the first days after childbirth. These pains are associated with the physical stress that a woman experiences during childbirth. These pains go away on their own within a few days.

Pain in the perineum and discomfort associated with it - and this feeling is also normal, because it is unrealistic to expect that a 3-3.5 kg child will pass through the perineum without any consequences. Even if you avoided tears during childbirth and did not have an episiotomy (an incision in the perineum), this area was still stretched and squeezed. The pain will go away in a few days.

In the case of an episiotomy, pain may increase, especially when laughing, coughing, sneezing, defecation. Like any wound, it does not heal immediately - it usually takes 5 to 7 days. At this time, the woman is forbidden to sit so that the seams do not come apart. At the same time, they are allowed to sit on the toilet, to perform regular sexual hygiene (after each visit to the toilet, it is necessary to wash the perineum with warm water, you can do it without soap, you should take a shower 2 times a day). While you are in the hospital, your midwife and doctor will examine your stitches for inflammation or other signs of infection. The stitches are usually removed on the 5th day.

In the first time after childbirth, only colostrum is excreted from the breast - a thick yellowish liquid, and milk appears on the 2-3rd day. By the 3rd day, the mammary glands often acquire hypersensitivity, sometimes bursting pain is felt in the chest , a feeling of compaction of the mammary glands may appear. With significant breast engorgement, it is necessary to limit the amount of fluid consumed (but not less than 1 liter per day), increase the frequency and duration of feeding the baby. To prevent nipple cracks and when they appear, you will need BEPANTEN, DEXPANTHENOL, SOLCOSERYL ointment.

During the first day after childbirth, there may be difficulties with urination . Some women do not have the urge to urinate; others feel the need but cannot empty their bladder. Despite all the difficulties, it is necessary that the bladder be emptied in the first 6-8 hours after childbirth. This is done so that the enlarged bladder does not interfere with the normal contraction of the uterus after childbirth. As a last resort, if you still cannot empty your bladder within 4 hours after giving birth, a woman may have a catheter placed. After giving birth, you need, regardless of desire, to urinate every 4 hours. Bladder function returns to normal after 3-7 days.

The causes of problems with stool can be several factors, both physical and psychological. Getting your bowels back on track is rarely easy or quick, and takes a few days.

Include more fiber in your daily diet: fermented milk products, beets, high-fiber fruits, dried fruits. This will soften the stool, but make sure that there are no allergens among vegetables and fruits: remember that before the arrival of milk and the establishment of lactation, you should not drink a lot of liquid. Try to move more if your condition allows. And don't worry about your stitches coming apart - they won't. Since a woman is often given a cleansing enema before childbirth, there is usually no stool in the first 2-3 days.

You must not get out of bed on your own for 6 hours immediately after delivery (only in the presence and with the help of a midwife), as there may be dizziness .

After childbirth the abdomen looks distended and somewhat saggy and does not immediately return to its original shape, as the muscles and skin need time to contract. In order to quickly return to its former shape, you can use breathing exercises (traditional gymnastics can be performed only 6-8 weeks after childbirth). Breathing exercises are breathing with the stomach: while inhaling, inflate the stomach, while straining the muscles of the perineum, while exhaling, blow it off. Repeat 10-20 times, 4-5 times a day.

After a caesarean section: on the first day after the operation, it is only allowed to drink water up to 2-3 liters per day. But already on the second day, the mother is transferred to the postpartum department, where she immediately begins to lead an active lifestyle - she gets up and walks, feeds her baby, unsweetened bread, broth without meat are allowed. From the third day, after a cleansing enema, it is allowed to take boiled food (porridge, boiled meat, sour-milk products, cottage cheese, tea without sugar), butter cookies, buns, fresh fruits and vegetables are prohibited.

First week after birth

Continued vaginal discharge : within 1-2 weeks after birth the discharge gradually becomes watery pink, then brown and finally yellowish white. During this period, you should use sanitary pads (and not tampons: they can provoke inflammatory diseases of the uterus and appendages). Allocations may stop after two weeks, and may continue up to the 6-8th. If after the first week there is a profuse bloody discharge, or discharge with an unpleasant odor, or a fever, you should consult a doctor. In this case, hospitalization and possibly curettage of the uterus may be necessary. You should also see a doctor if brownish or yellowish lochia persists for more than 6 weeks, as this may be the result of an infection, especially if accompanied by fever or pain, and tenderness in the abdomen.

The suture area of  after episiotomy must be kept dry and clean. You can wash the external genitalia and perineum with a decoction of chamomile, calendula, eucalyptus. For the first 2 months after childbirth, get out of bed carefully, first turning on your side, bypassing a sitting position (this will reduce pressure on the muscles of the perineum), and feed the baby lying on your side or half-sitting; you can't lift weights.

The birth of a child is a very significant event for a woman, not only physically, but also psychologically. Firstly, childbirth itself exhausts the mother, and secondly, hormone production changes during and after childbirth. Therefore, it is natural that at this time comes period of mental instability .

The most typical feeling in the first days after childbirth is elation, but in the following days, and sometimes weeks, some women become sad, despondent, withdrawn and lethargic. It is worth noting that these are the usual postpartum emotions associated with the normalization of hormonal levels. In this situation, close people (spouse, parents) should come to your aid to help you cope with negative emotions.