Hellobee Boards

An hour?

@pmrlady: I think it's different for everyone. If everything had gone perfectly to plan I would've accepted visitors after maybe an hour or so. But as it turned out, DS had a collapsed lung and was taken immediately. My blood pressure skyrocketed and I was a stroke risk plus 100+ stitches from a giant episiotomy.
None of that was planned or expected. It took a few days before anyone could see us.

Our hopital's policy is that no one (not even non-essential medical staff) is allowed into your private recovery room for at least 1 hour after birth.

I had a c-section and they gave me LO immediately for skin-to-skin, and I honestly don't know how long it took to finish everything up. Once they took me, LO and DH together to our recovery room, the "family only hour" started. My parents were at the hospital and in the waiting room the entire time. We had the nurse liaison tell them that we were all fine and healthy and then they saw us after that first hour together.

An LC did come by within that first "family hour" and got LO to latch and do some feeding.

@pmrlady: have you checked the visitors rule at your hospital? Some are not allowing visitors due to flu season

I was able to try and breast feed right after birth after DD was cleaned up and while I was stitched up/ cleaned up. My experience was They automatically keep you in the labor room for atleast an hour to make sure you are ok and your bleeding is normal. I was allowed up to 4 people in the delivery room but just had DH. I had DD at 3 am so I think this would have been the only time to let others see here before being moved to the mother baby unit where that have visiting hours. But again I had to specify only 4 people allowed in. Definitely check with you hospital.

It took about 30 mins to get stitched and all cleaned up, get baby weighed, etc. then we did some skin to skin for about 30 mins. I let my in laws in pretty soon after that since the hospital messed up my dinner and the food was awful so they brought me food! They stayed about 15-20 mins and then we nursed for the first time. I had to wait until my epi to wear off to get up and go to the bathroom before o was transferred to my postpartum room.

I would definitely try breastfeeding before allowing visitors. Our hospital's policy was an hour of skin-to-skin after delivery (I think this is common). So I had an hour alone with just LO and DH during which I breastfed LO for the first time. After that they took LO to the nursery to get cleaned up. DH went with her and my parents went too and were able to see LO then.

I thought I would want at least a few hours after delivery before I had any visitors but my parents came to the room after about 1 hour. I tore a little bit so I had to get stitches but I felt really good after delivery and had my husband call my parents to say they could come up to the hospital. They only stayed about 20 minutes so it was perfect because then I got moved to the postpartum room and had lots of bonding time with DD.

@pmrlady: The sooner, the better. That being said, my daughter was taken straight to the nicu, and I didn't even get to try breastfeeding until 12 hours later. She didn't successfully nurse until day 5 of life. We nursed exclusively, and until 28 months - so don't fret terribly if that initial moment isn't absolutely perfect.

There is a lot going on right after birth! Assuming a healthy delivery you will have the baby placed on you immediately. Then you will deliver the placenta which can take a few minutes. I barely noticed it either time, but for some women it takes some effort. If you need stitches you will get them then. The nurse will change the pads under you because they will be pretty wet and bloody. They will also massage your stomach (that's a kind word for push really hard on) to help your uterus contract. You'll have your blood pressure and temp and stuff checked too.

Meanwhile you will have your BABY! Not all women experience a post birth high (which is fine and normal), but it is common. For me it was really intense and I just wanted to stare at and kiss my baby.

Neither were good nursers right after birth (inverted nipples with my first, second was a preemie). With my first it took about two hours to get a latch. With my second he couldn't at all so I had to hand pump and feed him colostrum several times in the first couple of hours. He also for taken off of me and put in a warmer for a bit and then returned.

At some point in all that (I have trouble remembering when because it was pretty quick for me) they do newborn tests and vaccines is you are giving them. They don't take long, although my second had low blood sugar so he had to do a few extra plus the hand pumping and time in the warmer.

And then besides being ridiculously happy, I was also absolutely starving and really in need of a shower. I probably took one about two hours after each birth. I do remember my in laws walking in on me when I was hand pumping after my first though!

So basically a lot happens and in cane take a good hour or two before you are all cleaned up, your baby is stable, and breastfeeding has happened. And remember it's most important for YOU (and your SO) to hold that baby right after birth. Not anyone else!

We didn't have any hospital visitors, since my parents live across the country and DH's are halfway around the world, and I didn't really want friends coming to the hospital. But if people had been there, I'd have wanted about 2 hours before seeing anyone (though my hospital had the same policy as Adira's, so nobody could have come for 4.5 hours after the birth anyway). My hospital let you snuggle and bond up to 2 hours before they did weight, first bath, etc and the time just flew by...we used every minute of it and were surprised when the nurse came in to say it was time!

I would say an hour minimum. Our families were driving in and didn't come in for 4 after after she was born and that was totally perfect for us!