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Tell MadeForMums: what happens once your baby is born & you're home from hospital? Ask a GP too!

DanielleMFMDanielleMFM admin
edited Apr 22, 2020 11:02AM in Site questions & suggestions

Hi everyone,
If you've recently given birth, during the Coronavirus pandemic, we would love to ask you some questions about what happens once your baby’s born and you’ve left hospital. 

Please can you tell us, did you receive any visits from midwives or health visitors? What happens about weighing your baby? Or if you need feeding advice, for breast or bottle? Maybe you need wound care? We'd love to know about your experiences, once you've got home, and what's been put in place, to help new mums. 

Also, if there anything you would like us to ask our resident GP, Dr Philippa Kaye any questions, please ask them here. 

Thank you. 

Replies

  • I had my baby on 9th April and was in hospital for a few days due to complications. There were plenty of breastfeeding consultant midwives available during this time and a hearing test was done. 

    On day 5 i was out of hospital and had the heel prick test and weight done at a local clinic. My DH was able to carry baby inside where a midwife took her as i had a c-section. They also checked my stomach.

    On day 10 i received a phone call to discharge me from midwife care and on day 11 another call to arrange a phone call with a health visitor. The baby will be in their care until she turns 5 years old. 

    I was told that weigh in clinics are on hold for the time being but if there's any concern about weight they would arrange for scales to be brought to your house. 

    Hope this helps xx
  • I had my baby on the 5th April. I was classed as high risk due to having an emergency section with my previous baby, however I had an uncomplicated pregnancy. 

     I started having irregular contractions about a week before I gave birth. Sometimes they became regular and quite intense (normally at night) and sometimes you only coming every hour or so. I found this very tiring but sleeping during the day when I could really helped. On the 4th evening I felt as tho the contractions had ramped abit and went to get checked out. Arriving at labour ward lol the midwives were wearing gloves, masks and aprons however they looked you in the eye when they spoke to you, were very friendly and encouraging. I didn’t find it scary at all and to be honest, didn’t really notice as I was concentrating on breathing. When examined the midwife was unable to feel how dilated I was as baby was very low, she called a more senior midwife who said she thought I was around 5cm and membranes were bulging, my cervix is just in an odd place. I was hooked up to continuous monitoring to monitor my uterus as the risk of birth after cesarean is rupture. However I found the straps really annoying and opted for a clip on baby’s head. This was something I really hadn’t wanted, but as soon as those straps were off me I was able to get up and move around without loosing trace, I was much more comfortable. I had gas and air and a half dose of pethidine, I asked for an epidural but never got it as the ward was too busy. I progressed to 10cm in about 5 hours and began pushing around 3:30 in the morning. I was completely and utterly unprepared for the pushing feeling, I had never had it with my first and I underestimated it’s power. I didn’t feel in control and began to panic, saying I couldn’t do it. My midwife and husband tried to calm me down but I was quite scared by it all. I pushed (probably not very effectively due to fear) for half an hour before my midwife asked if I would like help, which I think I just sobbed out a “yes please”. I had forceps and an episiotomy. As soon as baby was out and the pushing urge stopped I calmed right down. I had wonderful skin to skin and put Toby straight on the boob. Then my husband had some skin to skin while they stitched up the cut. 
    After about half an hour they took me to the postnatal ward. My husband was the only person allowed to be with me during labour and was to be my only allowed visitor on the ward after and this was only from 8am to 8pm. I was feeling pretty good so told him to go home, see our other son and sleep. I spent the day on my own having snuggles, snoozing and bonding with our new baby and it was wonderful. The midwives, healthcare assistants and doctors all wore ppe but it was honestly fine, it wasn’t scary or intimidating. We were discharged 12 hours after Toby was born. 
    Overall, I am very happy. Giving birth right now is odd, but not scary and you aren’t treated any differently. We are still in lockdown so there are a lot of family member who have not met our new addition, but we are safe and days are slow which allow me to focus on both my children and doesn’t put any pressure on us to be anywhere at certain times or to make sure the house is in order all the time. 
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