Birth/whilst in hospital

Just afew questions, I realise this will differ from hospital to hospital, and depending on whether you have an epidural etc but just wondered
-How quickly can you walk can you walk about after you give birth?
-Do you feel too weak to walk straight after?
-If you want a shower the day after, will the midwives keep an eye on baby, or are you expected to wait until partner comes in, or take the baby into the bathroom?
-How do you wee when in labour? Can you still get up, or do you just not need to wee ( keeping in mind I've heard you wee for england in the last bit as baby sits on your bladder?).

Thanks in advance (again!)

I think it depends. I had a c-section with Naj so had to have a catheter but I was up and walking by 4:30pm (Naj was born at 10:56 am) much to the shock of the midwife who wanted to get a wheelchair for me. They kept an eye on Naj while I went for a quick shower (same day) but as he was asleep he didn't really require much keeping an eye on. I think it all depends, some are happy to help out but others are too busy. When I had Naj it was pretty quiet (or so I was told) compared to some days.

Thanks Evie for that x

mad267 wrote:Just afew questions, I realise this will differ from hospital to hospital, and depending on whether you have an epidural etc but just wondered
-How quickly can you walk can you walk about after you give birth?
-Do you feel too weak to walk straight after?
-If you want a shower the day after, will the midwives keep an eye on baby, or are you expected to wait until partner comes in, or take the baby into the bathroom?
-How do you wee when in labour? Can you still get up, or do you just not need to wee ( keeping in mind I've heard you wee for england in the last bit as baby sits on your bladder?).

Thanks in advance (again!)

TBH I don't remember weeing, but I wasn't in labour for that long.
After my stitches I had a cuddle with baby then before being moved to the ward I got to have a shower, and I walked there, showered alone, got dressed, cleaned up and walked back, so pretty much quite mobile straight away but I didn't have an epidural and obviously was pretty stiff and bending was difficult. I didn't have a shower the next day as I was supposed to leave early (But ended up staying most of the day!) however I wouldn't have left Seph with the midwives if I'd have wanted a shower, I would have waited for H2B to come in.

One peice of advice I'd give, which may be irrelivant to people who don't care about these things, sorry if TMI.
If they offer a bath or shower after labour have bath not shower, even if the thought of laying in the water sounds horrible (With blood etc) I would strip to your underwear, step into the bath, then take underwear off. Also have your clean knickers and pad ready for after bath, and again I would put them on whilst standing in the bath, you can dry yourself still before putting them on. I had a shower, and was not ready with under wear and was unprepared for the amount of blood there was. once I was dressed I was painfully on my hand and knees with my antiseptic wipes cleaning the blood, I know someone else would do it, but I didn't want to leave it in that state obviously. It was very painful. (And obviously told them it needed to be cleaned properly)

Gosh Sally, that is something I would definatley never have thought of - so thank you. I dont think my mind is thinking past 7 July at the moment. I did wonder about the weeing situation though as I tend to go a lot anyway before I was pregnant. There is so much to think about!!!

Don't want to alarm you, it wasn't like the floor was covered and I needed mop and bucket or anything, it just didn't occur to me that it would go on the floor etc.

I think I'd rather know so I'm prepared so thanks for that.

I had a shower about 2 hours after birth this time but it was sooner with Shaylah, the blood can be affronting as it is heavy just after delivery. I was encouraged to go the toilet a lot during labour and had to walk to the end of the ward for it till the last stages when I was wired up I got a bedpan on a chair. I walked to the shower but was weak and hurting a bit as my stomach muscles and back muscles were weakened. That was the worst part I found that my back muscles were weak and I couldn't walk upright as it hurt. When i had Cerys I was in hospital for a week and the shower was linked onto my room so I would wander for a shower or I'd put her in the womb room with a MW.

Cheers, as I said its useful to get in my head what I'm in for, I'm like Donna, and wee'd loads pre-pregnant,and I can't imagine going for too long without needing to wee especially when I'm pushiing xxx

Good point Sally! I didn't really have any bleeding that I noticed straight away but because I had a c-section I was unable to walk for a few hours and was horrified at the amount of blood that was on my sheets, me and even the pillow. I didn't want a bath though and was in the shower a good while scrubbing away. That was half the reason I insisted on walking to the shower, wanted to get cleaned up. This time I am prepared and have packed loads of maternity towels, sanitary towels and disposbale knickers...not going to get caught out this time!!

eviejones wrote:This time I am prepared and have packed loads of maternity towels, sanitary towels and disposbale knickers...not going to get caught out this time!!

I did have my shower very soon after having Seph, And it wasn't about the things I brought to protect my sheets etc but literal bleeding from the vagina (To use the right words but still sound vulga! It does make the difference between C section and natural though)

Another tip is to make sure you have plenty of towels, I used the night time always towels which were perfect for me but I ran out and OH had to get me some, and he got regular always, I had to stick two together!!! Was awful!!!!!

Mad 267, I'm gonna get really annoying, but when you push I know in theory it sounds like you should wanna wee, but that's the time you need to poo, cos baby is so close to the space where poo comes out, I think they press on the same area and that's why many women poo while pregnant. My assumption would be your bladder was pressed smaller and as baby comes down you bladder gets more room so no reason to wee.... just a guess no scientific reason behind this - ask your midwife she'll have an answer...

I knew it wouldn't come out like that, its all to do with different parts of the nervous system-the same way as we don't wee and poo at orgasm, but it was the physical how to do it-I could easily wee every hour or so at the mometn,a dn the thought of not doing so worries me incase i get uncomfortable. I suppose if they think theres a problem they'll stick a catheter in! Thanks again x

[I did have my shower very soon after having Seph, And it wasn't about the things I brought to protect my sheets etc but literal bleeding from the vagina (To use the right words but still sound vulga! It does make the difference between C section and natural though)

Another tip is to make sure you have plenty of towels, I used the night time always towels which were perfect for me but I ran out and OH had to get me some, and he got regular always, I had to stick two together!!! Was awful!!!!!

I think the reason I didn't notice how much I was bleeding from below was due to the fact that for a few hours I couldn't feel a thing due to the spinal so althoug it was literal bleeding like that, I just couldn't feel it. Luckily, this will be hubby's 4th kid so if I do run out he knows what to look for if I have to send him out for some towels. Like you I used always night time which were great. In all honesty, I'm more concerened about the bleeding afterwards than the actual birth itself, at least when the birth is over it's done, don't know when the bleeding will stop but then again, I've yet to experience labour which I am (probably very foolishly) looking forward to!!!