Did DH stay in the hospital overnight when you had #2?

[Anonymous]

Our DC #2 is due this spring and I am wondering if most DH's stay in the hospital overnight when #2 is born or if they go home. We have a grandparent coming to stay with DC#1 when the time comes, but I'm not sure if I should be expecting DH to stay overnight with me/us. Would it be better for DC#1 (5 years old) to have dad there when he wakes up? I guess it depends on the kid, but I'm just wondering what most people do. Did your DH stay with you in the hospital overnight or go home when #2 was born?

[Anonymous]

I'm planning on having DH go home to stay with #1. #1 is going to need a lot of attention as it is, with the new baby, why make it worse by having both mom and dad away? Besides, at least one of us should be getting some sleep. Also, with #2, I figured I've already figured out how to nurse, how to change diapers, etc., so having the extra set of hands aren't going to be as necessary.

[Anonymous]

DH stayed with me. He did go home for several hours during the day, but came back in the afternoon. DC #1 was 2yo, but happy enough to have the extra attention from his grandparents.

I really enjoyed having DH with me - both to help with the baby, but mostly for the time we were able to spend together with our new little guy.

[Anonymous]

Mine are 5 years apart also and DS was fine with not being at home. The first two nights, when I was in labor, he stayed with a neighbor, but we did see him after school. The next two nights he stayed with his cousins and had a blast. He came and saw us at the hospital the day after the baby was born. He was happy when we got home though.

I had a c-section, so I really needed DH's help in the hospital, plus it was just so nice to have time to ourselves and to get to know the baby and to adjust to the idea of having a girl! I did go home after only two nights though since we wanted to see DS.

[Anonymous]

Nope. Mine are 16 months apart so we were really dealing with two babies at the time plus I had a c-section. I had GREAT nurses who really helped me get the baby in and out of the bassinet. One even built a little nest in my bed for her so I could just keep her with me (which is frowned upon in hospitals).

[Anonymous]

DH will put DC1 to bed and head back to the hospital, our hired help will be home overnight and DH will be back in the morning before DC1 is awake.

DH will do DC1's morning routine (gymboree, naps, lunch at home) while hired help is off duty and bring DC1 to the hospital to see me in the afternoon. DH will put DC for nap, hired help will arrive then and DH will head back to the hospital to stay with me.

Hired help will feed DC1 dinner, tide up the house and DH will come back for night time routine.

Rinse and repeat for all days insurance/doctor allows me to stay Last time around they gave me an extra night. It was awesome!

[Anonymous]

nope. baby was born at almost 2am. he went home to get some sleep/check in with #1, let my parents come see me & the baby. came in around lunch and helped fight to get me moved to a private room/spent the afternoon. left that night i think in time for #1s bedtime. came back by 8am next day to get me ready to check out.

[Anonymous]

No, he stayed at home with #1, who was 22 months old.

[Anonymous]

No. He was there for the delivery and some during the day until we were discharged, but not overnight.

[Anonymous]

No, he stayed home and brought DS to visit every afternoon. DS was just under 2 yo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. He was there for the delivery and some during the day until we were discharged, but not overnight.

Same here. I really didn't need him there like I did the first time. Maybe I would have felt differently if I'd had a c/s.

[Anonymous]

Mine insisted on it. He said he was in the hospital with me for DC1 and that he wanted to be in the hospital with me for DC2. The kids are 23 months apart. DC1 spent two nights with our close friends while we were in the hospital and DC1 came and visited. I'm not sure it's so much a question of what to expect from your husband, but rather what does your husband want to do? Congrats!

[Anonymous]

DH stayed overnight, DD stayed w/grandparents. Only stayed one night.

[Anonymous]

Nope DH went home to be with our 19 month old. I felt comfortable on my own and DH was probably thankful that he didn't have to sleep on the chair in my room.

[Anonymous]

His mom came to stay with us about one week before my due date and #2 was born on his due date. DH stayed with me overnight when the baby was born, but that was it. I got out of the hospital the next day. His mom took me and the baby home while he went to get his dad at the airport with #1 in tow. I was kind of sad about all these arrangements. I felt kind of lonely at the hospital. Hospital staff assumed that I was a single mother because I was there alone and tried to make me fill out a paternity form. Definitely not the team effort that bringing #1 into the world was. But then it was over, and we were all at home together.