If you have a straightforward vaginal birth in a public hospital or birthing centre, you'll probably go home within 24 hours. A midwife might visit you at home. If you have your baby in a private hospital, you might be able to stay longer, if you want to. Ask your hospital what to expect for your length of stay.
If you're both doing well, you'll usually be ready to go home somewhere between 6 and 24 hours after birth. You may need to stay a bit longer if: you've had an emergency caesarean section. you or your baby need extra care.
Typically, women who gave birth vaginally with no complications are released from the hospital two days after delivery. Mothers who gave birth by cesarean section with no complications are released from the hospital three to four days post-delivery.
On average, hospital stays range from 24-48 hours for women who have had a vaginal birth to three or four days for women who have had caesarean section operations. When you go home from hospital after a long stay, you might be offered postnatal care and support at home from the midwives.
It is going to need time to recover. Your postpartum recovery won't be just a few days. Fully recovering from pregnancy and childbirth can take months. While many women feel mostly recovered by 6-8 weeks, it may take longer than this to feel like yourself again.
Prepare for the 5-5-5 rule: 5 days in the bed, 5 days on the bed, 5 days near the bed. This gives you a solid two weeks of focused intentional rest. It also helps to get your priorities in order when it comes to those eager visitors. They will get to see the baby, but they don't get to make the rules.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends women take at least six weeks off work following childbirth.
If you have a caesarean section with a regional anaesthetic, you can have one named birth partner present. A named birth partner is welcome to stay overnight in our maternity postnatal wards to provide emotional and practical support, for both the birthing person and baby.
During active labor, your cervix will dilate from 6 centimeters (cm) to 10 cm. Your contractions will become stronger, closer together and regular. Your legs might cramp, and you might feel nauseated. You might feel your water break — if it hasn't already — and experience increasing pressure in your back.
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.
Avoid stairs and lifting until your doctor says these activities are OK. Don't take a bath or go swimming until the doctor says it's OK. Don't drive until your doctor says it's OK. Also wait until you can make sudden movements and wear a safety belt properly without discomfort.
Physically speaking, a woman can have intercourse when the integrity of the perineum has returned and lochial discharge ceases. This may be complete within two to four weeks postpartum, but varies between individual women. Many women do not desire sexual activity at this time, to allow proper healing to occur.
Some people describe the feeling as being like intense period cramps, others say it feels like a tightening or pounding feeling in your uterus or across your belly, others describe the feeling as being like very intense muscle cramps, while still other people describe contractions as being like the sort of wrenching ...
If you delivered vaginally, you may drive when you feel comfortable and have stopped taking pain medications. If you had a cesarean section, wait at least two weeks before driving. Sitz baths (warm, shallow baths), regular baths, and showers are safe after vaginal delivery and can help with discomfort.
The mother may not want visitors when she is not looking or feeling her best, as may be the case after childbirth. The mother may desire privacy as she tries to establish breastfeeding. The parents may not want an audience as they get used to handling and changing their newborn.
How Long It Will Last: For many people giving birth for the first time, active labor typically lasts 4 to 8 hours.
In the very early stages of labour, your cervix softens and becomes quite thin. This can go on for hours; days even. During this early stage you may feel nothing at all for some time. Eventually, you might feel some pain and discomfort but there is no pattern and the contractions are irregular.
First-born babies are less likely to arrive on time – they're either too early or too late, studies have found. A normal pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. After 42 weeks, the pregnancy is considered to be post term.
While you are awake, you can hold your baby in your bed or in the chair. While you are sleeping, your baby will need to be put in the crib next to your bed. Another alert adult caregiver, such as your partner, may hold the baby while you sleep.
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.
For a routine, uncomplicated vaginal birth, the average hospital stay is between 24 and 48 hours. People who give birth without anesthesia often feel ready to go home sooner, but are encouraged to stay for monitoring of any issues that could arise for parent or baby.
This postpartum time is physically demanding but is also a precious window for bonding and offering the new baby a gentle glowing welcome into the world. The primary purposes of the 40 day seclusion are to provide the sensitive newborn physical protection and to allow the mother complete rest and recuperation.
Most obstetricians would recommend a woman to wait for 6-12 weeks before resuming work after childbirth as this is the time required to recover physically and mentally from the pregnancy journey.
By law you need to take at least 2 weeks off work after having your baby (4 weeks if you work in a factory) even if you aren't entitled to maternity leave.
The original babymoon is postpartum. It used to widely mean a 'laying in' period of home rest AFTER childbirth. A calming period where mothers heal and where parents take the time to bond with their new arrival alone.