This will depend on your and your baby’s wellbeing:
- If you and your baby are well and there is no medical reason to stay i.e. caesarean section, you can go home directly from the labour ward (usually within 3-6 hours of birth) or you can choose to stay for slightly longer on the postnatal ward, 8-12 hours.
- If there is a medical reason to stay in hospital you will be supported to go home as soon as it is safe to do so.
To help give feeding a head start we recommend that you express and store colostrum from 36 weeks.