How quickly Duchess Kate left the hospital after giving birth each time
Duchess Katewelcomed her third child on Monday, April 23, at St. Mary’s luxurious Lindo Wing, where moms are treated to fancy toiletries and post-labor afternoon tea. But the 36-year-old didn’t stick around to enjoy all the amenities. She was discharged 5:55 p.m. from the hospital, just seven hours after giving birth to her son.
Kate is known for her speedy exits. While she spent one night at St. Mary’s after delivering Prince George in 2013, she departed early the next morning. And shewas home less than 10 hours after Princess Charlotte made her debut in May 2015.
Women in the United States who have an uncomplicated vaginal delivery can expect to stay in the maternity ward for 24 to 48 hours after giving birth, per Baby Center. Similar to moms in the U.S., mothers in the United Kingdom typically stay an average of a day and a half after giving birth, The Guardian reported in 2016. But many mothers depart earlier.
See photos from baby No. 3's debut:
“Provided the woman is medically fine, has the support she needs at home and the right postnatal care plan in place, and a good community midwife service, then going home even five or six hours after birth may be absolutely fine,” Louise Silverton, the director for Midwifery at the Royal College of Midwives, told the paper. “The length of time and the care of the woman should be based on her needs.”
As previously reported, Kate, 36, “safely” delivered an 8 pound, 7 ounce, baby boy at 11:01 a.m. local time with the Duke of Cambridge by her side. They are now reunited with their children Prince George, 4, and Princess Charlotte, 2, at the family’s 22 room Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace.
The couple, who tied the knot in 2011, announced they were expecting their third bundle of joy in September 2017.
Royal baby debuts through the years:
