24-Hour Hospital Stay for Vaginal Birth?

[Anonymous]

I stayed a little over 48 after DS was born. I didn't want to come home until my mom was here from out of town bc we were still figuring out nursing and she couldn't come uniptil then. Around 48 hours, the staff started asking about my plans to gently prod me, but I felt comfortable staying that long bc I had so much well-trained help there. See how you feel, but there is no shame in staying until the baby is 48 hours old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went on the maternity tour today at INOVA Fairfax and the nurse leading the tour said that patients are discharged 24 hours after birth (of course with no complications). I asked if this was because of something new with insurance, or hospital practice, etc. and the nurse wasn't exactly clear and said something like "Well, it can be due to insurance, etc." and changed the subject to say that we would WANT to go home as soon as possible. As a second-timer, I had a baby with bad jaundice and a botched epidural, which resulted in a wicked spinal headache the first time and I am nervous that being discharged so quickly wouldn't necessarily allow these things to be deteced in time (they weren't noticed until night 2 the first time around). For those that have had kids recently, how long did you stay? Is there anything you can do to stay 48 hours like many insurance plans actually allow? Is it worth asking the OB about?

Home after 24 hours with first, eight hours for second. I couldn't imagine wanting to stay extra.

Do you still have your medal?

[Anonymous]

I had a fast unmedicated birth with DC2 and was offered the option to go home after 24 hours. I didn't want to and the doctor let us stay (not in DC metro area). To each, her own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went on the maternity tour today at INOVA Fairfax and the nurse leading the tour said that patients are discharged 24 hours after birth (of course with no complications). I asked if this was because of something new with insurance, or hospital practice, etc. and the nurse wasn't exactly clear and said something like "Well, it can be due to insurance, etc." and changed the subject to say that we would WANT to go home as soon as possible. As a second-timer, I had a baby with bad jaundice and a botched epidural, which resulted in a wicked spinal headache the first time and I am nervous that being discharged so quickly wouldn't necessarily allow these things to be deteced in time (they weren't noticed until night 2 the first time around). For those that have had kids recently, how long did you stay? Is there anything you can do to stay 48 hours like many insurance plans actually allow? Is it worth asking the OB about?

Home after 24 hours with first, eight hours for second. I couldn't imagine wanting to stay extra.

Do you still have your medal?

Eight hours? Why would you even want to go home after only eight hours? Was the labor was really long and you had been there for like 3 days already? I could not imagine driving home with an eight hour-old baby. I guess to each its own. Yeah, where do you keep the medal? You deserve it.

[Anonymous]

Rather than snark on pps, I'll attempt to answer op's question. I delivered at INOVA ffx in late April; I left after 24 hrs, but believe me, I had to really push to make it happen. I mentioned it at the get go and at every juncture brought it up again (during each test, asking the on call ped to come in quickly, pushing discharge paperwork, etc). I just wanted to be in my own bed, on my own schedule. This was my second however, with no complications. I delivered in the evening, so came home in late evening of following day (just didn't want to try to sleep another night there). With my first, we did stay 48 and were glad of it (bfing was tricky, and just in general we were happy for the support).

So OP, regardless of what the nurse told you, if you are comfortable staying 2 nights, do it! I actually had a really nice room, few interruptions, and thought the food was decent...I just wanted home, my things, and really most importantly, my older DD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had a lot more help at the hospital than I did at home, and pitched a fit when my doctor tried to discharge me after 48 hours for a c-section. OP, insurance must cover 48 hours, but sometimes they trip you up on timing. Hospitals have a discharge time, so if you stay beyond that, the hospital will charge for another night, which is how 48 hours can actually only be as little as 25 hours. Check with your insurance as to what they will cover and get pre certified if you need to.

Insurance days begin/end at midnight. Not, hospital "discharge times."

[Anonymous]

I stayed in for a little over 50 hours after my fast, unmedicated labor. It wasn't really presented as an option to stay any less. I had a checklist of things we had to get through before discharge and that took some time. Honestly, the full day in the hospital just flew by. I can't even remember what we did besides stare at our beautiful baby. It was nice to have a couple nights with nurses and lactation consultants around.

This was at VHC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went on the maternity tour today at INOVA Fairfax and the nurse leading the tour said that patients are discharged 24 hours after birth (of course with no complications). I asked if this was because of something new with insurance, or hospital practice, etc. and the nurse wasn't exactly clear and said something like "Well, it can be due to insurance, etc." and changed the subject to say that we would WANT to go home as soon as possible. As a second-timer, I had a baby with bad jaundice and a botched epidural, which resulted in a wicked spinal headache the first time and I am nervous that being discharged so quickly wouldn't necessarily allow these things to be deteced in time (they weren't noticed until night 2 the first time around). For those that have had kids recently, how long did you stay? Is there anything you can do to stay 48 hours like many insurance plans actually allow? Is it worth asking the OB about?

Home after 24 hours with first, eight hours for second. I couldn't imagine wanting to stay extra.

Do you still have your medal?

Eight hours? Why would you even want to go home after only eight hours? Was the labor was really long and you had been there for like 3 days already? I could not imagine driving home with an eight hour-old baby. I guess to each its own. Yeah, where do you keep the medal? You deserve it.

Because I had a two year old at home and I didn't want to be away from him. I wanted to jump right into the new routine. I also saw no need for staying in the hospital. Labor was 7 hours.

[Anonymous]

Your time starts as soon as baby is delivered. 2 nights after that if vaginal. Then they ask you to leave by 10 ish in the am.
So if you deliver before midnight you just have one day.
Innova fairfax is worse than other area hospitals both in interruptions and wanting you out since its so busy. I was a nurse.

[Anonymous]

I delivered at 7am on a Friday and went home on Sunday around 5pm. I was a vbac so I'm not sure if the 2nd night had anything to do with that or if that's just what GUH does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I stayed longer with my second than with my first precisely because the first had jaundice that wasn't detected until after we left. You don't get a medal for leaving earlier.

Exactly! My first had jaundice and we had to be readmitted the day after we were discharged, it was miserable.
I stayed an extra night with my second because she had slightly higher billirubin levels than normal. In the end she did need photo treatment but if she had we wouldn't have had to leave the maternity ward.

This time around if there are signs of jaundice, I'm going to ask to stay the extra night. If there is no indication of jaundice, I would like to get out of there ASAP.

[Anonymous]

Not sure where all these PPs are having their babies but my hospital stay at GW was quite good. Unfortunately I was in the hospital for 6 days because I was in labor for 3 days and then had a c-section, but I was so thankful that I could send the baby to the nursery at night so I could get some sleep between feelings.

Never the less, I'm sure if you talk to your OB, he will arrange for you to stay longer if that is your preference. If not, I would probably rethink your doc and hospital.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went on the maternity tour today at INOVA Fairfax and the nurse leading the tour said that patients are discharged 24 hours after birth (of course with no complications). I asked if this was because of something new with insurance, or hospital practice, etc. and the nurse wasn't exactly clear and said something like "Well, it can be due to insurance, etc." and changed the subject to say that we would WANT to go home as soon as possible. As a second-timer, I had a baby with bad jaundice and a botched epidural, which resulted in a wicked spinal headache the first time and I am nervous that being discharged so quickly wouldn't necessarily allow these things to be deteced in time (they weren't noticed until night 2 the first time around). For those that have had kids recently, how long did you stay? Is there anything you can do to stay 48 hours like many insurance plans actually allow? Is it worth asking the OB about?

Home after 24 hours with first, eight hours for second. I couldn't imagine wanting to stay extra.

Do you still have your medal?

Eight hours? Why would you even want to go home after only eight hours? Was the labor was really long and you had been there for like 3 days already? I could not imagine driving home with an eight hour-old baby. I guess to each its own. Yeah, where do you keep the medal? You deserve it.

Because I had a two year old at home and I didn't want to be away from him. I wanted to jump right into the new routine. I also saw no need for staying in the hospital. Labor was 7 hours.

I just wanted to let you know, I wasn't being snarky. Eight hours just seems so fast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I stayed longer with my second than with my first precisely because the first had jaundice that wasn't detected until after we left. You don't get a medal for leaving earlier.

Um? No, but you DO get some sleep, which many of us have explained is the reason we want to leave the hospital. There are different views on treating jaundice. Especially mild jaundice, btw. Do you know how rude and obnoxious you sound telling us about getting medals? I've had three now, fourth on the way, and I do have never gotten a medal for anything. Turns out nobody actually wants a medal. You just want to think you know more about why we do things than we do, I guess. Odious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went on the maternity tour today at INOVA Fairfax and the nurse leading the tour said that patients are discharged 24 hours after birth (of course with no complications). I asked if this was because of something new with insurance, or hospital practice, etc. and the nurse wasn't exactly clear and said something like "Well, it can be due to insurance, etc." and changed the subject to say that we would WANT to go home as soon as possible. As a second-timer, I had a baby with bad jaundice and a botched epidural, which resulted in a wicked spinal headache the first time and I am nervous that being discharged so quickly wouldn't necessarily allow these things to be deteced in time (they weren't noticed until night 2 the first time around). For those that have had kids recently, how long did you stay? Is there anything you can do to stay 48 hours like many insurance plans actually allow? Is it worth asking the OB about?

Home after 24 hours with first, eight hours for second. I couldn't imagine wanting to stay extra.

Do you still have your medal?

To the "medal" poster, what's wrong with you?

Not PP, but you realize that after a birth center birth, which ACOG has called a very safe method / place of delivery, mom is discharged on average four hours after the birth? It's not about getting a medal, it is about putting mom in a more comfortable and familiar environment, reducing chances to catch super bugs, and keeping families together. I have older children and don't want to be away from them, and my husband does not want to be away from the new baby in order to go home and care for older children. Our older children are eager to have mom home. I'm part of a family, and don't want to be separated from them, in a place where i don't sleep well, if at all, in order to satisfy somebody else's feelings about how long a woman "should" stay in the hospital.

Also, OT, but for those who do want to leave early, you can refuse the tests, but some of them you must get (required by law, for example PKU nearly everywhere and hearing test in most states) within the first week or so. We refuse the PKU because the test they take in the hospital is nearly always invalid and must be repeated in ped's office. This happened with our first (had the PKU test taken at 20 hours, it was not valid because of that timing, so had to be repeated. Pediatrician said even many / most 48 hour PKU tests must be repeated). So we've declined them and had it done by our own pediatrician. This means you can usually check baby out much earlier.