24-Hour Hospital Stay for Vaginal Birth?

[Anonymous]

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?

[Anonymous]

so you had complications and would have stayed.

i agree with the nurse. get home as quickly as possible.

[Anonymous]

Agree with PP. You did have complications last time. Botched epidural = complications. They would wait around to see if you had any side effects. Call your insurance company and find out what the cover. If they cover non complicated stays, then talk to your OB about wanting to stay for 2 days.

I stayed 2.5 days because it was my first and I was really nervous about taking home a newborn. For my second, I'll leave as soon as I'm able to!

[Anonymous]

Legally, insurance carriers must pay for at least 2 days for uncomplicated vaginal births.

Historically, women were discharged within hours and hospitals got bonuses from insurances for that. As you can imagine, complications with mother and baby arose too often and the rules were changed.

You can opt to leave after 24 hours but the standard remains a 2 day stay.

[Anonymous]

Homebirth equals no hospital stay.

Birth center birth means 3-4 hours birth center stay.

Hospital birth should hopefully mean get home ASAP after the baby is born.

No rest in the hospital. No privacy. Constant interruptions. Super bugs that can kill you.

Go home. Go rest. Go be cozy in your own bed, with your own delicious food.

Enjoy!

[Anonymous]

I feel like DC area hospitals must be really terrible reading some of these threads. I gave birth to my first in another state. Got plenty of rest, had barely any interruptions, the food was really good, and all the rooms were private rooms. AGH maybe I should tell DH we aren't moving back to DC until after we have a second baby.

[Anonymous]

For my second I had an unmedicated (not by choice) very speedy and uncomplicated birth. I was out of the hospital just over hours later - and I was ready to go. I was at sibley and it was technically "2 days" - I gave birth right before midnight so that was day 1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Homebirth equals no hospital stay.

Birth center birth means 3-4 hours birth center stay.

Hospital birth should hopefully mean get home ASAP after the baby is born.

No rest in the hospital. No privacy. Constant interruptions. Super bugs that can kill you.

Go home. Go rest. Go be cozy in your own bed, with your own delicious food.

Enjoy!

While I agree with you 100 percent, this is not at all what OP is asking for; she's stayed in a hospital before so knows what she is getting into.

OP, insurance must cover 48 hour stays. Hospital tour personnel are notorious for giving out incorrect information when they conduct these tours. She probably changed the subject when you asked questions because she didn't have any idea what she was talking about. Ask your OB if your concerns remain.

Now, as for me, my deal is that I want to get home about 6 hours after giving birth. Was forced to stay about 30 hours after my first (including two brutal, sleepless overnights) and have changed providers so I do not have to endure that again. So, I hear what PP is saying. But, remember that OP is not asking about all that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like DC area hospitals must be really terrible reading some of these threads. I gave birth to my first in another state. Got plenty of rest, had barely any interruptions, the food was really good, and all the rooms were private rooms. AGH maybe I should tell DH we aren't moving back to DC until after we have a second baby.

No worries, the PP's generalizations are by no means universal. I had a great experience with my hospital birth. Very restful, nurses and other staff were respectful and responsive, food was good and delivered promptly, private room...part of me did not want to go home.

[Anonymous]

I left 24 hours after my repeat c-section -- hospital stays are no fun. But talk to your doc if you want to stay longer.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

I would try to get confirmation of that from someone else. I just delivered at Inova fairfax 2 weeks ago and I had the option of staying 2 nights with a vaginal delivery. I had no complications and was ready/begging to leave so we were out 36 hours later. The nurses weren't pushing me out at all. In fact I had to really push them to get us discharged quickly.

I don't think it would have been possible to be out at 24 hours with all the different screenings & tests newborns need. That's the main reason we were held up from leaving sooner.

[Anonymous]

I had all three of my kids at Iniva Fairfax, and after each one I left after 24 hours. This was primarily by choice. My births were uncomplicated and natural/unmedicated. If there were complications, I certainly would have stayed. I suggest calling insurance to see what their coverage is for (a) an uncomplicated vaginal delivery and (b) c-section (unplanned). They may not be able to give you an idea of coverage for 'vaginal with complications' b/c it may depend on what exactly the complication was. I would also have a chat with your OB about how they would handle it this time around given your first experience. They ultimately can say discharge/not discharge you.

Our preference was to leave as soon as we could after 24 hours. We hung around long enough to get the tests 24 hours after birth (metabolic tests, hearing, etc) frankly, that was so we didn't have to take the baby out for these tests as an outpatient with other kids at home or coming along. We always start the conversation early (or, as soon as we get into recovery), and "as long as I am media ok and the baby is medialy on we would like to go home as soon as we can tomorrow". Then I stay on them to see of the lab has been called (for the 24 hour tests).

Jaundice requiring treatment should warrant another night's stay.

Say calm, and good luck! I'm hoping for a ln uncomplicated delivery this time around.

Oh, and my hospital stays were restful. I had very few interruptions until closer to the 24 hour mark. They now have something called serenity hours or something where no one can bother you during those times and staff won't come unless you call for them.

[Anonymous]

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.