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Early Discharge from the Hospital
If you gave birth in a birth center, you and your baby will usually be discharged within 12 hours after birth. The keys to successful early discharge are comprehensive prenatal education (so you are well prepared to take care of yourself and your newborn); home follow-up (usually by a registered nurse) between 48 and 72 hours after the birth; help at home with meals, laundry, and other chores; and telephone access to a health care provider 24 hours a day. If you have your baby in a hospital, you'll be offered the opportunity to stay for about two days after the baby is born. Know your options ahead of time. Only you will know what feels right for you. You can make your decision after the baby is born and you have had a chance to discuss with your health care provider whether you are ready for early discharge. Or you can plan on it in advance and see how you feel once you've given birth. Most recent page update: 9/9/2010
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Childbirth Connection is a national not-for-profit organization founded in 1918 as Maternity Center Association. Our mission is to improve the quality and value of maternity care through consumer engagement and health system transformation. Childbirth Connection promotes safe, effective and satisfying evidence-based maternity care and is a voice for the needs and interests of childbearing families. |
News and Features
Listening to MothersSM III is the third national
survey exploring women’s experiences in pregnancy and childbirth.
Commissioned by Childbirth Connection, conducted by Harris Interactive, and
funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the survey polled 2,400 women who gave
birth in U.S. hospitals from 2011 to 2012. Results show that medically
intensive experiences are typical, and evidence-based practices are
underutilized. Childbearing women need better support and knowledge to
navigate their maternity care.
Access the full report and supplementary materials  New Report: Maternity Care and Liability Go to report and supporting materials New Report: The Cost of Having a Baby in the United States Go to report and supporting materials New Cesarean Resources: Go to Best Evidence Report Go to web pages and booklet for women 
For 95 years, Childbirth Connection has been dedicated to improving the
quality and value of maternity care for all women and their families. Learn
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Childbirth Connection works to ensure that all women and babies get the best
possible maternity care. We have the collective vision and we know how to get
there, but we can't do it alone. Join the transformation
today.
The Transforming
Maternity Care website focuses on maternity care
system improvements designed to engage diverse stakeholders in quality
improvement efforts. The site offers full access to the landmark reports 2020 Vision and
Blueprint for
Action, features a Blog, and other
resources such as an Action Center, a
database of
quality improvement projects, an interactive data
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