If you are in hospital for a while, it can be very challenging to get much rest or sleep. Hospital staff will come and go, with 'drop ins' from the midwives, cleaners, catering staff, the physiotherapist, dietician, lactation consultant, community liaison midwife, and your obstetrician (if you have one). You can try placing a 'Do Not Disturb' notice on your door, (in the hope that this will be enough to avoid intrusions while you and your baby are sleeping), however, for some women, the continual disruptions from staff are enough to encourage them to take the early discharge option! Most maternity hospitals will enforce a 2 to 3 hour 'rest time' in the afternoons, with no visitors allowed. This can be helpful if your baby is sleeping, but a bit useless if they are unsettled and wanting to feed.
If you are sharing a room with other women, then you will also be dealing with their crying babies, as well as your own (although sometimes this arrangement can foster some mutual support). Or you may have many visitors, who all think they 'should' visit you while you are in hospital. The reality is that many women are overwhelmed with everyone visiting them while they are in hospital, and then feel very isolated, when virtually no one comes to see them once they are home. For women who know they will be inundated, they will often tell friends and relatives that visiting hours are restricted to 7 till 8 in the evenings. It may also help to let people know it is not absolutely necessary that they visit you while in hospital, and it may be nice to see them when you get home.
Many women are not able to rest, or sleep well, until they return home to their own environment (and bed). You may like to take your own pillow into the hospital, to help associate yourself with being home. Another option is to use a Walkman, CD man or MP3 player, to listen to music and help you to relax and fall asleep.