Australian women and newborn babies are being discharged within hours of giving birth as hospitals try to free up beds.
There are grave concerns that mothers and babies are being sent home too early.
HEAR FIRST HAND FROM THE MUMS SENT HOME EARLY:
Brisbane’s B105 spoke to mothers this morning with one caller Melanie outlining the trauma she experienced from being discharged too early.
“My fiancé died last year and they (the hospital) were aware of all of this, yet they still sent me home after three days.”
“I had an emergency caesarean, it was my first baby.”
Although some new mothers are happy to go home, others like Mel said they would benefit from more time in hospital to ask questions, get useful advice on breastfeeding and how to bond with their baby.
“The wards were on strike as well so the only way I could go and see my baby in ICU because he was 6 weeks early was if I tried to get up and walk down there myself,” Melanie said.
“I had really bad PPD (Psychological Pregnancy Denial).”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that healthy women and newborns should spend at least 24 hours in hospital after an uncomplicated vaginal birth.
Yet more than one in 10 Australian women are being discharged within the first 24-hour period.
Professor Jane Fisher, the Director of Global and Women’s Health at Monash University, is concerned women are being hastily discharged whilst still experiencing pain and bleeding.
“Women are going home to situations in which they have neither practical support, nor immediate emotional support while they’re learning to care for a baby,” she said.
“They feel traumatised and shocked.”
Stav, Abby and Matt are on Brisbane’s B105 weekdays from 6am-9am or tune in anytime on the LiSTNR app!