I left off that I had just delivered K. Well this entry is all about the hospital stays which followed.
We were moved to the postpartum area around 4.30/5am. I cant tell you the exact time as I was so out of it due to the antibiotics, the epidural and general tiredness after the event. All I know is that I was told I was in the biggest room of them all!
I was still hooked up to a drip (which was giving me fluids and the oxytocin which they give after delivery), had a catheter and there was what looked like blood pressure cuffs on my legs to keep the blood circulating.
Seriously dont remember a lot about the first full day in the Postpartum room just know that I was up every couple of hours to feed K and that she slept a lot whilst I barely could due to limited movement from all the blood pressure cuffs on my legs, the drips and the catheter!
The nurses took off the catheter and the blood pressure cuffs sometime that day but I still needed help going to the restroom and with K at times. I know hubby was there too but like I say, complete blur.
What I mostly remember about the first hospital stay (there were two!) was that there was constantly people coming in to the room- the pediatrician, Ob/gyn, nurses, medical assistants (to keep monitoring my blood pressure), cleaners, people delivering meals it was just constant and I couldnt relax, I was just so intent on getting home to get to look after K in more comfortable surroundings.
I had a lot of problems with breastfeeding so had countless nurses and lactation advisors coming in to try and help me too. Seriously there were people in the room from around 6am to midday at one point or another and that also at that point happened to be the time when K was most restful.
Most of the nurses were fabulous but I did have a run in with one medical assistant and a nurse another time.
On night 2 or 3, I cant recall which K was up from 10.30-3am cluster feeding, I hadnt expected it and hadnt read up on it (I barely read anything during my pregnancy, I had no concentration for anything), then on another night from 11pm-3am she just couldnt latch- turned out my milk had come in and I was engorged, that was the night that I had a run in with a nurse and needed to get a pump to express milk so K could feed.
I literally begged to be released on the morning after the 4th night (which had been 6 nights in the hospital because I had been in for two nights for induction), I was really suffering with cabin fever! They released me on the understanding that I would go back if my blood pressure went above 160/100.
Of course, 12 hours later I was readmitted, on another floor and although K and hubby were allowed to stay K was not allowed to be left with me at any time on my own.
The first night of my second hospitalisation I was given a drug through a drip to bring my blood pressure down quickly. There was talk of being given an anti seizure medicine (I hadnt had any seizures but my blood pressure was so high that I was at risk).
The room I was in was tiny, no one said what would happen next, they left me and a few hours later when no one came back I got a little sleep, but not much due to the fact that K was waking regularly for feeds.
Hubby had to take K to her pediatrician appointment so I had to express milk for him to give using a pippette type thing (due to the fact that they had said that you shouldnt give a bottle because it would cause nipple confusion). K had gained back all the weight she had lost and an extra ounce so they said they wouldnt need to see her for another two weeks!
Second night was without anything of interest happening, but they managed to get my blood pressure to a manageable level so at midday on that day I was released from hospital to monitor it myself whilst taking the blood pressure drugs.
I didnt enjoy being in the hospital. In retrospect there was a number of things I would have done differently:
1) I would have ensured that we packed a hairbrush- for two days I went without brushing my hair and it was a mass of knots.
2) I would have ensured we had clothes for K for the whole time, as it happened she was in a nappy/diaper and a hat and swaddled for the majority of the first 4 nights.
3) I would have relaxed more and tried to enjoy the experience, there was a tv in the room but I barely watched it!
4) I would have taken more advantage of the nurses assistance, they were willing to take K for a couple of hours at a time and I only did this once (when I needed someone to feed her after expressing when I was engorged).
5) I would have read up a bit more on the first few days of breastfeeding (though now I know so if I was to have another child it wouldnt be an issue!)
6) I would have allowed visitors- I kept saying no but in reality it might have made the stay better for me.
7) I would have called and spoken to my mum rather than just using facebook and text messages.
8) I would have chosen the menu each meal rather than just eating whatever was given to me. I kept forgetting to fill in the forms.
9) I would have waited til the following day to get induced.
10) I would have gotten up more and walked more to aid healing.
11) I would have relaxed before K arrived, as in the few weeks leading up to it ensuring I got enough sleep! It truly isnt something you understand until baby arrives.
The hospital stay was certainly an experience! Love it? Not really, but it wasnt as bad as I felt it was at the time. I guess at the time I was just too out of it to really know what was going on!
We were moved to the postpartum area around 4.30/5am. I cant tell you the exact time as I was so out of it due to the antibiotics, the epidural and general tiredness after the event. All I know is that I was told I was in the biggest room of them all!
I was still hooked up to a drip (which was giving me fluids and the oxytocin which they give after delivery), had a catheter and there was what looked like blood pressure cuffs on my legs to keep the blood circulating.
Seriously dont remember a lot about the first full day in the Postpartum room just know that I was up every couple of hours to feed K and that she slept a lot whilst I barely could due to limited movement from all the blood pressure cuffs on my legs, the drips and the catheter!
The nurses took off the catheter and the blood pressure cuffs sometime that day but I still needed help going to the restroom and with K at times. I know hubby was there too but like I say, complete blur.
What I mostly remember about the first hospital stay (there were two!) was that there was constantly people coming in to the room- the pediatrician, Ob/gyn, nurses, medical assistants (to keep monitoring my blood pressure), cleaners, people delivering meals it was just constant and I couldnt relax, I was just so intent on getting home to get to look after K in more comfortable surroundings.
I had a lot of problems with breastfeeding so had countless nurses and lactation advisors coming in to try and help me too. Seriously there were people in the room from around 6am to midday at one point or another and that also at that point happened to be the time when K was most restful.
Most of the nurses were fabulous but I did have a run in with one medical assistant and a nurse another time.
On night 2 or 3, I cant recall which K was up from 10.30-3am cluster feeding, I hadnt expected it and hadnt read up on it (I barely read anything during my pregnancy, I had no concentration for anything), then on another night from 11pm-3am she just couldnt latch- turned out my milk had come in and I was engorged, that was the night that I had a run in with a nurse and needed to get a pump to express milk so K could feed.
I literally begged to be released on the morning after the 4th night (which had been 6 nights in the hospital because I had been in for two nights for induction), I was really suffering with cabin fever! They released me on the understanding that I would go back if my blood pressure went above 160/100.
Of course, 12 hours later I was readmitted, on another floor and although K and hubby were allowed to stay K was not allowed to be left with me at any time on my own.
The first night of my second hospitalisation I was given a drug through a drip to bring my blood pressure down quickly. There was talk of being given an anti seizure medicine (I hadnt had any seizures but my blood pressure was so high that I was at risk).
The room I was in was tiny, no one said what would happen next, they left me and a few hours later when no one came back I got a little sleep, but not much due to the fact that K was waking regularly for feeds.
Hubby had to take K to her pediatrician appointment so I had to express milk for him to give using a pippette type thing (due to the fact that they had said that you shouldnt give a bottle because it would cause nipple confusion). K had gained back all the weight she had lost and an extra ounce so they said they wouldnt need to see her for another two weeks!
Second night was without anything of interest happening, but they managed to get my blood pressure to a manageable level so at midday on that day I was released from hospital to monitor it myself whilst taking the blood pressure drugs.
I didnt enjoy being in the hospital. In retrospect there was a number of things I would have done differently:
1) I would have ensured that we packed a hairbrush- for two days I went without brushing my hair and it was a mass of knots.
2) I would have ensured we had clothes for K for the whole time, as it happened she was in a nappy/diaper and a hat and swaddled for the majority of the first 4 nights.
3) I would have relaxed more and tried to enjoy the experience, there was a tv in the room but I barely watched it!
4) I would have taken more advantage of the nurses assistance, they were willing to take K for a couple of hours at a time and I only did this once (when I needed someone to feed her after expressing when I was engorged).
5) I would have read up a bit more on the first few days of breastfeeding (though now I know so if I was to have another child it wouldnt be an issue!)
6) I would have allowed visitors- I kept saying no but in reality it might have made the stay better for me.
7) I would have called and spoken to my mum rather than just using facebook and text messages.
8) I would have chosen the menu each meal rather than just eating whatever was given to me. I kept forgetting to fill in the forms.
9) I would have waited til the following day to get induced.
10) I would have gotten up more and walked more to aid healing.
11) I would have relaxed before K arrived, as in the few weeks leading up to it ensuring I got enough sleep! It truly isnt something you understand until baby arrives.
The hospital stay was certainly an experience! Love it? Not really, but it wasnt as bad as I felt it was at the time. I guess at the time I was just too out of it to really know what was going on!
We were readmitted as well and I remember being very upset the night we were back in xx
ReplyDeleteQuite interesting post......Thanks for sharing....
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