Did you enjoy your hospital stay?

[Kristen]

Did you have a nice room and a nice experience post-partum? or was it so miserable you couldn't wait to get home?

As I said on the other thread, mine was stinkin' awesome. The delivery center here is the most posh hospital I've ever seen. It feels warm and comfortable, not sterile and cold. The staff there has never been anything but totally awesome, and I have nothing but fond memories of my stays there.

In fact, yesterday, I was thinking about how much I always enjoy my two days there post-delivery...I don't have to do any work, I only have to take care of the baby and myself, there are lots of people taking care of ME for a change, and even my meals are brought to me. I'd have stayed in the hospital for a week if they'd have let me! :giggle

The thought of having a home-birth does not appeal to me at all...as soon as I get home, I feel like I need to do stuff, so I rest much better at the hospital. and having a few days off from the older kids helps me a lot too.

I have to say, though, I can understand if you have a cold, sterile hospital with not-so-good staff, and shared rooms, I can completely understand wanting to be at home instead. I'm just very blessed to have such a fabulous hospital where I live.

[Lori]

Mine was okay. The hospital was really great, and the staff was (in general) really nice, but I just wanted to get home. I do not sleep well unless I'm in my bed, and even after giving birth was no exception, so I just wanted to climb into my bed and have a nice, long sleep (which I'm pretty much still waiting for ;)). Plus, my parents came to visit right after Thomas was born, so I had help at home right away, and I'd rather get to rest with my family around than with nurses and doctors.

But, I'm thinking that next time, I might feel differently, and enjoy the break. I don't think I'll be in a such a rush to get home with another child and a lot of chores waiting for me.

[Christine]

It was a nice place, but I was always terribly anxious to get home and into my own surroundings.

The only thing I really enjoyed about staying there were the night nurses that would take care of the baby until she was ready to nurse. :giggle

[wendygrace]

The hospital I stayed at with ds was horrible cold. I wish I had known more about the whole hospital/birth etc before I delivered there. I learned though and the hospital with Danae was very nice and they had the most delicious chocolate cake that I could eat morning, noon and night if I had wanted to. Mmmmmm! (and oh did I!). It helped it was a small private room as well. I did stay an extra day on my midwife's recommendation as I had lost a lot of blood and I said "ok". I thought I was going to try and get out early but instead I relaxed and took my time getting better.

[Beka]

i can't complain- they bought my babies safely into the world but i was pretty happy to leave there all 4 times and british hospitals are pretty basic and the onus of care is upon you right from birth onwards (unless you are incapacitated every element of your babies care is 100% you from the second they arrive- even in the delivery room it was David left to bath Loki!) also being large communal wards they are impossible to sleep on so i was happy to be home all 4 times.

[Mary]

I adored my time there the first time. It's a really nice hospital; the rooms are like a hotel room more than anything! I loved the staff and it was great for a new, unsure mom to have them around to help. The food was even decent -- it's a small hospital so they have no cafeteria and get their meals catered in by a local company. We even sent a thank-you card to them after we went home. Madalyn had to stay in the hosp. an extra night after I was discharged and they let us stay in the room, anyway, so we wouldn't have to go get a hotel and leave her there (we live 95 miles away).

The second time I was in the same hospital but I wasn't as happy with it. I have never been able to figure out if it was entirely my perception, or whether the quality of the staff had really gone downhill or whether they left me alone more because I was a second-timer and they figured I'd let them know if I needed anything. But I felt like they ignored me quite a bit and weren't as attentive. I was glad to check out after only one night and go home. Part of that was also that I was eager to get home to Madalyn, though, too.

No hospital stay to worry about this time! ;)

[Jejune]

You know, even my good hospital experiences weren't enough to make me want to spend any more time there than I had to. For one thing, I only recently got over a severe fear of hospitals, but beyond that, since I was rooming in with the babies and breastfeeding and taking care of them, it was less restful than at home, since people were constantly coming in and waking me, or poking at me. I liked the nice nurses the second time round, but still wanted to go home. After my C-section, I was in for three days, but I got bored then. I was glad to rest, but it was just not a place I wanted to stay, even though the nurses were nice (and loved me, actually - I got a lot of compliments about what a model patient I was, which is very unlike me :giggle) I just wanted to be in my own bed with my books and stuff at home.

[Danielle]

You know, even my good hospital experiences weren't enough to make me want to spend any more time there than I had to.

That's exactly how I feel. I hated being in the hospital and I hope I never have to be in one again!

[yummymommy]

I was in hospital from fri-tues with Rylan and besides from the bitchy nurse I had I enjoyed it. I was in a different hospital with Liam and I had great nurses, except that she forgot to come back to bring me a snack and help me get Liam to nurse at 230am when we finally got into our room, but Liam was a pro nurser anyways so that was fine. I was out of there by 130 the next afternoon but I did enjoy my stay :)

[Val]

Just wanted to go home!
Cailin- we were having terrible bf'ing problems and it was a holiday so all the LC's were out and I just wanted to go home and figure it out myself. The staff was terrible, the food was awful, but the room was really nice. I stayed my one night and asked to leave even though they wanted us to stay.

Brayden- The staff (minus one night nurse that I loved) and the hospital policy were INSANE. There's a long story to this, but they were basically setting us up for failure. Again, I stayed my one madatory night and then left (not without hearing a lecture from the nurse from he!! about leaving too early) The bed was SO uncomfortable, I couldn't even eat most of the food. The only good thing was the brownies on the snack cart LOL

[Shana]

I loved being in the hospital when Rachel and Kara were born... just like you Kristen, they were BEAUTIFUL rooms, wood floors, gorgeous cabinetry, beautiful private bathrooms... jacuzzi tubs (not that I used them LOL) and so on.

When Kara was born -- even the FOOD was great !!! I actually got 3 nights when she was born and loved every single second :D

[malcontent]

The hospital was nice enough, but I hated staying there. Nurses came to my room in the middle of the night for blood pressure and temperature checks. I had trouble nursing and just about every staff member in the hospital handled my engorged breasts. I hated staying in bed. I also wasn't allowed any real painkillers after my vaginal birth. The nurses made a huge to-do about giving me one ibuprofen. They had to bring a computer into the room and register the pill.

It was better to go home to a big bathtub, decent food, and privacy. I was very glad to get out of there.

[Kristi]

The one with Dylan was so so. The people were nice enough I guess but they seemed a little cold and in a hurry it was a huge Naval hospital and it was pretty busy at the time I had him. There was one nurse at night who came in and took him so I could sleep for a bit even though the babies roomed in with the mothers. He was pretty nice. There were quite a few other nurses then that I was not fond of though. But the room was nice and it was a private room. The food stunk but I had my dad bring me something every afternoon when he left work (the hospital was by where he works). :giggle There was one nurse who came in who really bugged me always telling me he was not waking up often enough to eat and saying his name wrong and calling him her even though i corrected her every time. (I know not a big deal now but it bugged me then)


I loved the Naval hospital I had Caleb and Izzy at. It was alot smaller the nurses were much more friendly and accomdating. I felt like they were actually listening when I talked to them. And it was even better the second time around when I had Isabella. We had private rooms and the visting hrs are all day so the kids were able to come and spend the day with me there and the nurses brought them all kinds of treats. And there was a dvd player and tv in the room and nice big tub. The rooms were pretty nice and did not seem like a hospital room at all except of course for the bed I was in. :giggle The staff there was just great. It was a much smaller place though.

There was one male nurse in particular when I had Izzy who was great. (and not to bad to look at ;) ) he came in and talked to me about his girlfriend and he brought me extra blankets and pillows and changed her when he came in so I wouldn't have to get up to do it (after a Csection)

When I had Caleb they did act like it was a huge deal to bring an extra blanket in. :rolleyes


Personally I always enjoy that time when it is just me and baby at night. Getting adjusted to each other. :)

[Jo]

Hospitals can be nice and cozy but they are some darn dirty places!:makesick I HATE being in one. I also hate all the darn rules. If I had just been brave enough to do a homebirth, I could have avoided them all together. With Mira and Rai, I stayed 24 hours on the nose. With Laura, I couldn't even make it that long. I left when she was 19 hours old. The kicker-I still stayed long enough to catch a cold from one the nurses.

[Tamika]

Mine sucked.
I had a hospital birth with Kaylyn and the room I delivered in was...okay - private, own shower (altho the birthing ball kept plugging the drain and I had to lift off it to let the water out....kinda distracting..) anyway - my room afterwards was a typical cold/sterile hospital room. I had a semi-private and was lucky enough to be along, but the bed was awful, the pillows were awful, the bathroom was tiny, it was cold/drafty. I hated how I couldn't snuggle properly with Kaylyn, how there wasn't room for the pillows I needed to bf her, how there were other babies crying - JUST when I got her to sleep, how the night nurse came in and complained that SHE was crying too much on the 2nd night......

I hated it.

I LOVED being at home with the boys. My midwife was awesome about cleaning up the house after the births, my parents were here so there was someone to help with the other kids and cook while Rob looked after me and the baby. Yah, awesome.

[Mary]

Ooh, you're making me even more anxious to do it than I already am, Tamika! I can't wait! :D I got my birth kit this week and went through it and it finally hit me we're really doing this HERE. :giggle I am so looking forward to it.

[Tamika]

Mary, I really hope you have as great of a time as I did (great being a funny word to use there, but you know what I mean! ;))

Honestly - sinking into my own bed after pushing out those watermelons was the absolute best feeling in the entire world.

I think the other best feeling was knowing that our ENTIRE family was together right from the very start. I never ever thought of that until it was a reality. Gosh, I could go on and on! LOL

[Jo]

Good luck Mary! I am so envious of you! I wish my body would listen and dilate but every time I try without meds my body seems to freak!LOL I am beginning to think it is all in my head at this point. I am so looking forward to hearing your birth story so I can live vicariously!

[Jurgita]

Yes it was very nice and I actually enjoyed it, but I did want to come home and go to my own bed and eat my own food LOL

[Erika]

I'm jealous too Mary LOL I would give anything to have a homebirth.

My hospital stay was marred by the fact that Sasha was in the NICU. The actual hospital ward I was staying on was fine though. Except for the night staff who were quite frankly bitches, except fot 1 lovely midwife. But Melanie, a day midwife, was by far the most fabulous and lovely nurse I was lucky to have looking after me. She was the only one who actually cared and asked how I was doing as once Sasha was up in NICU I was pretty much ignored.

But I honestly amn't a fan of hospitals so prefer to not be there or to leave as soon as possible. The actual birth however was great and the midwives were fabulous. Next time, if everything is ok with the baba, I'll be leaving as soon afterwards as they let me.

[ColleenC]

My hospital stays were great. I had heard horror stories about the hospital I gave birth at, but thankfully the nurses were awesome.

The first time I had a semi private and a crack addict giving up her baby for a roomie so that wasn't fun. But with Cris I wanted a private and that was wonderful. Nurses left me alone the second time, which is what I wanted since I had done it all just 2 years before LOL

[AdinaVerbena]

The short answer is no.

The first time, I was so tired from a long labor and didn't appreciate the nurses coming in at all hours of the night to annoy me get my vitals. I didn't realize I could tell them to stop that. Also, I was in a tiny room (apparently it had at one point been a supply room or something...they liked to call it a private room) with a hideous painting on the wall. Apparently someone fancied herself some sort of amateur Georgia O'Keefe and painted a ghastly huge magnolia or something on the wall, accented by grapey purple background. It made me want to vomit every time I saw it. And I'm crotchety when I don't get to sleep in my own bed, so I couldn't wait to get home. Also, they gave Gabriel formula once in the nursery when I had specifically told them not to. That really pissed me off.

The second time I was recovering from a c-section, so I was sore and tired and just wanted to take my babies and go home. None of that was the hospital's fault, but I didn't like it anyway.

[Desirae]

The hospital I had the boys at was wonderful. The Mat floor had just been redone when I was pregnant with Aidan, the nurses for the most part were great and the food was super yummy! I was very ready to be home though in my own surrounds... I wouldn't mind taking the people home to pamper me though. LOL
It makes me a little nervous about needing to find a Dr and hospital down here actually. I loved everything back home!

[giffy]

I did enjoy my hospital stays - all 3 times. The children were all born at the same hospital, and I cannot speak highly enough of it. The staff were fantastic, and the hospital has a baby-centric philosophy. The baby rooms in (unless there's a problem), and I always felt I had lots of time to bond with each baby. I also had lots of help if I needed it, for things like bathing (myself or the baby - I had 2 c-sections and a VBAC). My husband was able to stay the night when I had my second son (I had a family suite - with double bed and so forth).

My daughter was born just before Christmas, and the hospital carol singers roamed the corridors in the evenings. It was beautiful!

[Maleah]

4 of my kiddos were born in a small hospital that my mom worked in. It was nice that I knew some of the people working there and mom was handy for the first birth. Its just a basic hospital. The nurses were fine and everything.

Isaiah was born in a nice private hospital in Houston. The delievery room was huge, the bed was actually comfy and they were wonderful about pain management. I could have labored in the huge garden tub (with jets!) if I had wanted to.

The nursing staff was awesome. My nurse was really busy with another woman who was having a heck of a hard time so I never asked for anything. Then I got a massive gallstone attack and hit my nurse button. I was in so much pain I couldn't talk through the intercom and when I didn't answer she ran down the hall to me. They had a small pharmacy bank at the nursing station so we didn't have to wait forever for pain meds.

The food was really good too! They would call at each meal and give you different options then send it up. Security for the babies was top notch too. They had little baby LoJack bracelets on their ankles.