|
27 Oct 10 - 02:59 AM (#3016476) Subject: BS: Giving Birth & Returning Home Same Day From: Lizzie Cornish 1 Well, there are new plans afoot down here in Devon for some hospitals to bring in the idea of new Mums no longer being allowed to stay overnight in hospital. I presume this is to save money. When I had my daughter, I stayed for 3 days. The hospital supplied the milk, Cow & Gate in little bottles, they also provided nappies and even salt for the bath, which was recommended at the time. Nearly 8 years later, I had my son. I had to bring in all milk, all nappies, all everything, as the hospital provided nothing. I stayed 2 nights. BUT...if I had not stayed overnight in hospital my son would probably have died. He was born in the morning, around 10am and everything seemed to be fine. Last thing at night, just as the nurses were coming to say goodnight and do their final check on us all, the midwife came up to me and asked if all was well. I said that yes, everything was fine... Then she looked at my son. He was blue. She picked him up and ran to the nursery with him, calling for me to follow her. I have terrible vision, really, really bad..and without my contact lenses I can see very little, certainly no facial details...I had taken my contact lenses out, as I was getting ready to go to sleep, and therefore I hadn't noticed what was happening to Josh. It turned out that he had fluid on his chest, from the birth, because, in another cost cutting exercise the hospital no longer provided pipettes for midwives to remove fluid from new born babies lungs when they are newly born. Josh nearly died that night. She told me that in 25 years she'd never ever ran anywhere, on any ward, as nurses are told not to...but she knew he was minutes away from something terrible happening...He had made no noises, otherwise I'd have heard him, because my ears take over from my eyes when my lenses come out... The next night she took him to the nursery again, he'd ended up staying all night the previous night...and he gave them great cause for concern once again. The second night he did exactly the same thing, but this time she was ready for him... Finally, all the fluid had been removed and I was allowed home... For the next six months Josh slept beside me in his cradle, and my hand was on his chest all night long, to ensure that I could feel him breathing...This was in the days before they had machines to do that...I barely slept...but strangely I wasn't tired...I guess a maternal panic button got turned on... If I'd gone home that same day, I'd not have my beautiful six foot tall, 16 year old son with me now...and I shudder at the thought of other Mum's who may go through other problems that won't be picked up on, should this idiotic idea come into place. Apart from anything else, you're shattered when you've just had a baby..and going home, going ANYWHERE is the last thing on your mind... I sincerely hope this stupid idea gets thrown out. |
|
27 Oct 10 - 03:49 AM (#3016489) Subject: RE: BS: Giving Birth & Returning Home Same Day From: Sandra in Sydney me, too. You were very lucky, Lizzie I had no idea what the situation is like here so I searched for 'going to hospital to have a baby' & found a list, which also includes nappies, & "If you have a straightforward birth, you may be discharged from hospital on the same day" sandra |
|
27 Oct 10 - 04:59 AM (#3016522) Subject: RE: BS: Giving Birth & Returning Home Same Day From: gnu Shocking. I wonder how much money they will save in the first lawsuit. |
|
27 Oct 10 - 05:06 AM (#3016525) Subject: RE: BS: Giving Birth & Returning Home Same Day From: Wolfhound person I couldn't wait to get out of hospital....it was the most degrading experience of my life bar one. Norwich General ran a system near 40 years ago to come out the same day. I never wanted to be there but I had to be. I was lucky though, my two were healthy. If they start doing it to poorly ones, that's not right. Paws |
|
27 Oct 10 - 11:00 AM (#3016786) Subject: RE: BS: Giving Birth & Returning Home Same Day From: GUEST,Patsy When my first son Neil was born at Southmead Bristol he was just over two weeks over due then it was discovered that he was distressed and when he was born after 20 hours he had a convulsion and had to be sedated and taken to the intensive care. He had a 50/50 chance. Now he is older we suspect that his birth most probably have contributed to his autism. There is no way he could have been sent home even 6 days would have been too soon for him. On the otherhand I could have been sent home after 4 days with my other son and that was considered a short confinement then but had the option of an extra day or two which I did. Some mums want to get out of hospital as soon as possible but I think the same day is a bit too soon. Apart from the health side which is important for mums and their babies it is a good idea to have peace of mind for a while and stay away from worries, family problems and bills at home. |
|
27 Oct 10 - 11:07 AM (#3016792) Subject: RE: BS: Giving Birth & Returning Home Same Day From: olddude Same with the States, they just push people out of the hospitals to same money and our insurance companies keep saying they will only pay for 1 day or 2 days etc depending on the reason for admitting someone. My buddie Garry's mom just had a stroke ,,, yesterday !! They are sending her home Today !! now I know there isn't much they do for a stroke but 1 day !! How does that work ... thankfully she will be ok they think but she thinks it is 1994 !!!... so what is that all about ... nothing makes sense |
|
27 Oct 10 - 11:24 AM (#3016804) Subject: RE: BS: Giving Birth & Returning Home Same Day From: Becca72 This won't be a popular view, but I'd like to point out that just because the new mother is sent home it doesn't mean the baby will be, especially if the child has problems. |
|
27 Oct 10 - 01:24 PM (#3016945) Subject: RE: BS: Giving Birth & Returning Home Same Day From: Jim Dixon In the US, common practice has been for the newborn to stay in a special ward, under constant surveillance by nurses, for as long as he needs to stay in the hospital. The newborn would be brought to the mother's room for short periods, for nursing, for "bonding time," to show off to visiting relatives, etc. No way would the infant be left in the mother's room while the mother slept. My son was thought to have a respiratory infection, so he was kept for a week to complete a course of intravenous antibiotics. My wife & I were encouraged to spend as much time as we wanted with him. My wife, once she no longer needed care, moved into a room in the hospital that was set aside for parents of hospitalized children. I think we had to pay for this room out of pocket, but the cost was comparable to staying in a motel. Consequently, I don't know what the "normal" stay is. Anyway, this was 23 years ago. |
|
27 Oct 10 - 11:32 PM (#3017416) Subject: RE: BS: Giving Birth & Returning Home Same Day From: katlaughing I was in for a few days with my first born, my son and he was a preemie. As soon as he gained a little, the doctor let us go home, but I think it was only partly because he knew my mom and other family members would be available. My second child, first daughter was so easy to have, come the day she was predicted around 9a...I went home the next morning, with her, after spending the night talking with my room-mate, a hairdresser. We had so much fun! The third and last one, second daughter, came early and, I kept telling them she wouldn't wait. I was in the labour room, the doc came running around the corner just as she was born and I almost bled out. She was about 3.5 lbs, they had delayed her birth by two weeks to give her lungs a chance to develop more. They spent that night making sure I would not check out...I had been *floating* around watching them work over my body when I went into shock. Anyway, I think we stayed 2-3 days, then he released us, again, because family was nearby, I was an EMT, and an experienced mom by then. I used to feel sorry for the moms who belonged to religions which supported having lots of children. Often we'd try to keep them an extra day or two as it was the only rest they ever got. One woman's uterus was so worn out, when she gave birth at 7 months her uterus fell out with the baby. Seems to me this is just another way of society saying it cares about women and children, but really *showing* it does not by such dis-honouring. |
|
28 Oct 10 - 08:16 AM (#3017622) Subject: RE: BS: Giving Birth & Returning Home Same Day From: GUEST,Patsy I can understand why a mum would want to get home, to get to know her baby in her own surroundings and to get a routine together at home. The regimental 6am wake up alone makes you feel like that sometimes. The other aspect of being in hospital if you are lucky to be in a smallish ward you get to meet other mums. There is nothing like sharing a joke about what has just happened to you somehow it makes things a bit more bearable!? |
|
28 Oct 10 - 02:57 PM (#3017925) Subject: RE: BS: Giving Birth & Returning Home Same Day From: Rapparee Mah very own great-great granny done went and give birth and then got back to the plowin'. By the time great-great grandaddy come home she had a big dinner ready fer him, too -- she had done killed a chicken and dug some taters after she finished the front forty acres behind that ol' mule, and they went dancin' that night, too. Yeah, I've heard all the stories like the above. I've also visited the cemeteries and seen the mothers' graves and those of the babies.... |