6 hour turn around in retunda

jeni

howdy,

just wondering what people think about this, i had my hospital appointment the other day,

im due my first baby in 3 weeks, im nervous n all that but couldnt believe it when i was told this.

when i have the baby, they want me to leave the hosptial within 6 hours.
they check the normal things, like the hips etc, before i leave and then i get a visit every day at home for the next 3 or 4 days. when i asked why i was told because they are very busy.

at first i was like yeah sure that sounds great, but now im kinda freaking out, this is my first baby im gona be nervous enough as it is, feels like im having the baby on a conveyor belt

what do you think ????

Nevyn

WHAT ?

I am staggered to hear that, esp as it is your first.

undecided

I had my 2nd at 2 30 AM int the coombe and they asked me if I wanted to go home at 6am. Very surprise with it being your first tho thought all first time mothers were in for 3 days!

jdivision

jeni wrote: »

howdy,

just wondering what people think about this, i had my hospital appointment the other day,

im due my first baby in 3 weeks, im nervous n all that but couldnt believe it when i was told this.

when i have the baby, they want me to leave the hosptial within 6 hours.
they check the normal things, like the hips etc, before i leave and then i get a visit every day at home for the next 3 or 4 days. when i asked why i was told because they are very busy.

at first i was like yeah sure that sounds great, but now im kinda freaking out, this is my first baby im gona be nervous enough as it is, feels like im having the baby on a conveyor belt

what do you think ????

They do generally seem to be extremely busy - I know that's little consolation in your position. Didn't they hire rooms in Jurys Inn because they have insufficient space. They're planning to double size of hospital, presumably they just can't cater with the demand. I find that length of time extremely short though - my sis had a baby last year in Cork and was kept in for three days.

MLE

That does seem shocking, but if you dont want to go, Im sure they cant make you, they probably have numbers to make up for the early release scheme or something.

In saying that, if you did have a problem free birth which hopefully you will, you are better off being at home, as you will get better quality rest and you will be in a cleaner environment and so have a better chance of avoiding infections plus you will get more one to one care from the visiting midwife then you would get from the midwife's in the hospital.

I wanted to be on this scheme for my first but I ended up with a section so I couldnt do it.

Be assured they will only be offering you that early release if there is no problems for you and baby and if you have any issue about going home too soon, voice them and Im sure they will keep you longer. I went to the coombe and even on my 5th night on my first ( emergency section) they said that If I wanted to stay longer I could.

jdivision

Article from Irish Times on Sept 19 last. No mention of postnatal care:
A shortage of beds at a Dublin maternity hospital has forced it to arrange overnight accommodation for some of its patients at a nearby hotel.

The Rotunda hospital began the initiative this week and it involves sending "low-risk patients" to rooms in Jurys Inn on Parnell Street, which is just metres from the hospital.

Dr Michael Geary, master of the hospital, said last night it would be preferable to accommodate the patients in the main hospital building but the hospital was short of beds.

Three beds had been block-booked for patients in the hotel and just two patients have used them so far, he confirmed.

"It's a commonsense approach," he said, adding that the initiative now being piloted was safe but would be reviewed daily.

He stressed that expectant women sent to the hotel were carefully selected and were consulted in advance. The women staying in the hotel could have their partner with them, he added.

The plan has the backing of the Health Service Executive.

However, the notion of accommodating patients in a hotel has come in for criticism from patients' groups, politicians and the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO). The INO is due to meet hospital management today to discuss the development.

Janette Byrne of Patients Together, who highlighted the issue, said: "I don't find it acceptable that this is the road to take to solve the bed shortage and overcrowding in our hospitals."

She added: "No matter what way the HSE or Department of Health try to spin it, I can't accept that patients will be cared for in a hotel room rather than in a hospital bed."

Her problem, she said, was not with the Rotunda but with the HSE and other authorities for not delivering more beds for maternity hospitals, given rising birth rates. There was a 16.5 per cent increase in births at the Rotunda in the first eight months of this year compared with the same period last year. There were more than 800 births in August alone. The rate of increase is largely due to the increase in the population of the north Dublin area.

Ms Byrne said she was concerned about what would happen to a woman if her condition changed while in Jurys Inn and there were no medics on site. She said one of the first patients accommodated in Jurys Inn was from Monaghan. Dr Geary said the women could call the hospital directly from their room if they had any problem. He said the women sent to the hotel were in the early stages of pregnancy but required daily tests or daily review or perhaps required intravenous antibiotics. There was no danger of any of them going into labour.

He said this model of care was not unusual in other countries. The HSE, in a statement, said it had implemented "a number of innovative short-term initiatives to ensure that maternity care is provided in the safest setting possible".

In the Rotunda these measures included providing hotel accommodation for low-risk expectant mothers. But it was also providing the hospital with 14 additional midwives which it is hoped will allow the hospital expand from next month its early transfer home programme for women after they have given birth.

Fine Gael's health spokesman Brian Hayes said the fact that patients had to stay in hotel rooms rather than a hospital was a sign that the Government's incompetent handling of the health services was beginning to endanger patients.

"We have heard reassurances from the Taoiseach in the last day about the strength of the Irish economy.

"In the context of that strength it is absolutely disgraceful to hear of pregnant women being forced into hotel rooms because of bed shortages in the Rotunda," he said

TequilaMockingBird

I would agree with MLE, as long as everything is okay, you are better off at home. Sleep when baby sleeps, not being disturbed when the nurses are running round getting everything pretty for the consultants visit!

I (we) were chucked out the next day and not a hope of a home visit.

Try to have everything ready at home, for coming home. (I came home to people trying to get a new bed through the bedroom door. Knackered with a new baby and not a clue what to do with her. Chaos!)

But my baby is the BUSINESS!!!

embee

That sounds like the domino scheme and Early Transfer Home service, OP.

You don't need to stay in hospital if everything goes smoothly. There is this idea in Ireland that you absolutely have to stay in hospital for 3 days or so post-delivery, but that isn't the case at all. If you stay in hospital, you've to eat when you're told, have constant interruptions of doctors, midwives, visitors in and out of the ward etc. You'll find it way more relaxing to be at home, even if it is your first.

Nevyn

I certainly was glad to be home after 24hrs in hospital with my second esp as I had been in for 3 days with my first but I still find that 6hours to be awful short.

tallaght01

So, when does the baby check get done?

It's good prctise to not do the routine newborn paediatrician check until the baby is at least 24 hours old, as it can take that long for heart murmurs to be heard.

When I was the SHO doing the baby checks, some women wanted to go home early. But we always insisted they came back to us the following day so we could listen to the baby's heart, and feel their pulses.

Are all the bbaies getting 6 hour checks done now?? :eek:

deisemum

This was routine when I had my older boy 12 years ago in London with 2nd and subsequent babies. First timers usually stayed in for one night depending what side of midnight baby was born

The big difference was that you get very good support from the community midwives. They visit you at home for the first 10 days but if you're having problems they'll visit up until baby is 28 days old.

If you have a normal delivery without problems then I think you're better off at home. You wont have other babies waking you up when you've just settled your baby. With the amount of infections such as MRSA etc I'd be afraid of what I could end up catching in hospital.

angeldelight

Were I to be having a baby any time soon I would appreciate being given that opportunity to be honest. I've read only good things about early release schemes and if they have any doubts about the health of the baby or you or there's complications during delivery you won't be sent home so early. If it's not right for you however, say something

tallaght01

angeldelight wrote: »

Were I to be having a baby any time soon I would appreciate being given that opportunity to be honest. I've read only good things about early release schemes and if they have any doubts about the health of the baby or you or there's complications during delivery you won't be sent home so early. If it's not right for you however, say something

I agree that, in most cases, mum and baby will coe to no harm if it's a normal delivery.

But I still wonder if anyone checks the baby's heart after 24 hours.

Only a few months ago I was checking a baby at his delivery. I pronounced him as being fit and well, but he'd need a 24 hour heart check.

At about 20 hours of age I was called to see him. Massive heart murmur and a very blue baby. Needed heart surgery very quickly and admission to intensive care.

His heart sounded 100% normal early on. It's not common, but I've seen it a few times. I wouldn't want my baby sent home without a 24 hour heart check.

flynnc8

yeah it definitly sounds like the domino scheme, it is only available in certain areas. However i took full advantage of the scheme, I was delighted to get home after a long labour.

Before being discharged from the Rotunda, My Daughter was given BCG injections and had her hips examined. I was shown how to bath baby and do different excerises for myself.

I received a visit from my midwife each day for a week, where i could ask questions about anything worrying me. My daughters weight and measurements wore taking a couple of times during this period of time.
After about 5 weeks my midwife called again to check babies reflexes and again check weight and measurements..

I found the scheme very useful and it made the transistion into motherhood alot easier. I would certainly recommend the domonios scheme to anyone due a baby.

In regards to 24hr heart checks. I was told to bring my daughter to my GP within a week of birth to have her heart checked. I dont know if this is a bad thing, but thats what I was told to do.

Lizzykins

I think it's barbaric to ask people to go home 6 hours after a delivery. I was in 5 days on my first, 4 on the second, 5 on the third and 3 days on my last baby. I needed those days! On my last child I had a bleed the night after she was delivered and it frightened me a bit. If I had been at home my hubbie would have been frantic. However being in the hospital meant I was well looked after. I was in a private hospital so I guess that makes a a difference!

Khannie

5 days seems a bit long to me. Also, 6 hours seems very short to me.

We were at home 24 odd hours after the last one. My wife was delighted to get out. We had gone semi-private and she wanted the comfort and quiet of her own bed. I was delighted to have baby and mum home.

jeni

thanks flynnc8 - i didnt realise theyed still show me the bathing n all that,
maybe it would be better to go home earlier, ill wait and see how i am on the day

deisemum

The day after my older boy was born the midwife demonstrated how to bath him. I'll never forget the trauma of it. He was purple from screaming in protest, I was crying and out in a cold sweat. I was due to be discharged later that day but they noticed that he was jaundiced so we had to stay in for a few days until his bilirubin levels dropped.

The afternoon I was discharged I had to bath him with assistance from the midwife. I was terrified. He was so wriggly, screamed etc. I waited until my mum arrived before I gave him his first bath at home and he was fine, no screaming.

marti101

i hd my baby in the rotunda 2 wks ago and i was on thedomino scheme what happened was that i got a fever in labour they put me and the baby on antibiotics and kept me in .i had baby sat nite and they werent going to let me home on tues as baby wasnt bf very well but as omebody said you get a better routine at home than in hospital and the midwives that come and see you have more time for you because they are visiting u in ur home.anyway if you dont feel comfortable going home in 6 hrs just say it to them they will let you stay.i have to say i couldnt thank them enough as they really looked after me and thbaby very well.

puretonemusic

We had our baby in the rotunda and we went private, they didn't want to let us go obviously....i think it was nearly E700 a night!! :)

But i have to say the care we got from the rotunda was second to none. We had a full time nurse with us all the time helping us out. We were in for 3 days i think as the little guy was over a month early and was kept in ICU.

But as everyone else has said if your not ok with going early you can request to stay but this boils down to the issue of bed availability... there may not be enough space.

As for being nervouse about bringing the baby home. You could be in hospital for a month and still not feel ready but thats normal. I always remember the drive home... now that was nerve wrecking!!!

oh... GOODLUCK!

Sleepy

OP, were you Public / Private / Semi-private?

Oryx

I dont think its a fair thing to do to first time mothers. On my first I had a tough long labour, for 2 days afterwards everything hurt, from my arms to my jaws (from clenching on the gas I suppose!) If theyd tried to send me home in 6 hours, I think I would have wept. I just wasnt able. I'm sure they wouldn't have sent someone in my circumstances home, but still Id be afraid that women would feel pressurised into leaving when they dont feel ready. That few days also gives you time to actually rest after the labour, if it was hard, and the staff can monitor your feeding, washing and handling of the baby, and make sure youre happy. I know they say you will get home visits, but what use is that at 3am on your first night with baby, who is purple from crying and you dont know what to do?

On my second, I felt like an old hand, and had no bother, so couldnt wait to get home. So it really should be the mothers decision, not a forced one.

Redpunto

The biggest thing that would worry me is that they say you will get home visits but what happens if the nurses are so overloaded that they cant come and visit you. Ask who will give your baby the BCG and do the heel prick tests. These are usually done when you are in hospital (well the BCG definately).

I would say for your first 6 hours is not enough time. Even on my second i was in for 2 days. DOnt get me wrong, i couldnt wait to get out but when youre at home there are tons of other stuff to do deal with. When youre in the hospital all you have to think about it the baby and they restrict your visitors so you wont have to deal with the door bell ringing every 5 mins.

bored and tired

6 hours is barbaric on your first,

i was in for 5 days in total on first, 2 days in labour and 3 days with baby. i was so exhausted i couldnt stand without support for a day, my legs kept going to jelly, my poor mam had to bring me into shower as i just wasnt able. nurses were very good in the eirnville in cork, couldnt falt them at all.

But my sister was in and out of CUH in 2 days with her first, she had wanted to leave that day but my mother talked her out of it. Mind you she must have the hips for it as once she woke up she was in labour for a ridiculous 3 hours on her first, She went so fast that the epidural at 5 had not taken effect when she hit 9. LOL whats going to happen on baby number 2, at least im assured i will make it to the hospital in time!!:D

flynnc8

nurses on the domino scheme do the heel prick test on the very first visit to your home, which is of course the day after you leave the hospital..

In regards to the midwives having to many appointments and not being able to visit, i'm sure that would be impossible.. most likely they only take on a limited number of mother and babies..

as well as that they only work in a small durastiction meaning that most of the mothers would live in very close proximity...

jeni

well i had my lil girl on 13th march everything went well i had no drugs so i was perfect for the 6 hour turn around, but i missed it by half an hour,
they only let a certain amount go home ever day with the domino clinic
so i had to wait untill the next day, but i have to say after all my worries it was perfect
the nurse showed me how to bathe her before we left
i got a visit the next day at home and they check babs and weighed her n all
then another the next day, and another visit on 2 days later, they done the heel prick test, check reflexes etc, made sure i was ok, answered any questions or worries i had, and i honestly wouldnt have done it any other way.

i would honestly recomend it to any one having a baby,