Feeb I have had the experience of a quick check over then a baby tightly wrapped come back to me for the next to me kind of experience then back in recovery first BF skin on skin..this time i feel the need for that skin on skin experince bonding of yours ryatha...(me ancient as far as technology goes and not enough hours in the day so no facebook for me!!!, unfortunate cause I would love to have a look)
What were you wearing, did they let you go in to theater naked?? I really wanted a VBAC and the doc I was seeing was happy to let me, but forgot to tell me he was leaving??? so now I am trying to get someone else to agree to let me try, but he is reluctant and would prefer me to elective CS...if I agree to that, or if it comes to that? there is no way I want to be any further ripped off, they will jsut have to find the way for me.
No sorry I wanted to but DH was not happy to, but took lots of pictures. If you look on youtube I am sure there is plenty thought it will just take time for you to filter through them to watch good ones.
Highly unlikely if you end up in an emergency c/s that you will get immediate skin to skin. They will take her to be looked at by the paed and they full around with them and wrap them because it is cold n the theatre. Also the way you are hooked up etc it can be logistically difficult .
Depending on the types of gowns etc also if you go in an emergency situation then you might not be able to get it off readily for skin to skin.
Having said all of that, you can have a c section these days where you can actually assist in pulling th baby out and have the immediate contact.
So you choice is risk the emergency cs or plan for a mother assisted cs or plan an elective cs around the notion of having skin to skin breast crawl etc.
Good luck
My c-section was an emergency but I had a birth plan which requested all the skintoskin immediately, and as I had my own midwife with me they organised it. My hospital was pretty good in agreeing to all of it, it was a bit difficult, you'll see in the photos, but worth it.
Pam - I could probably email a couple of the main photos which show how we managed it in theatre if you want me to. PM me to let me know
I got skin to skin straight away but not for a super long time. Mine was an 'emergency' c/sect (no panic involved, just that I had been labouring and there was just no way he was in the right position to come out). They took him out and laid him on my chest (others were supporting him as I couldn't hold him securely) with a blanket loosely over both of us where I got to look at him, touch him and talk to him. They took him to check him out a minute or so later when they did actually wrap him because it was cold (I was cold too!!) but they put him back on my chest for the remainder of the time. We then went down to recovery and I took him and DH with me and once there he was unwrapped and laid on my bare chest to do the breast crawl and attempt to BF. Oh, and I don't remember if I was wearing a gown or naked going in to theatre but I know as soon as I was laid on the table I had a bare chest..... so they either untied it and pulled it down or I went completely naked.
So I think it is completely viable to have that skin to skin contact (as long as your bub doesn't need emergency treatment!) and I am sure I could have asked them to unwrap DS and put on my chest, I just wasn't thinking clearly at the time. But if that is what you want then they should comply, otherwise get your DP or support person to unwrap baby and place on your chest with the blanket over. Just make sure that they are clear on your wishes and stay strong. My m/w tried to send my ds away with DH even though I had explicitly told her that he was coming to recovery with me. They will take advantage of your vulnerable state to suit themselves if they can. I do recommend having someone there to help hold them though - that spinal block/epi could affect your strength.
I had pretty much the same experience as Feeb. And was told that it was normal for my hospital to do it, for a muber of reasons, but mainly that was as it is too cold in the theatre, and I had both arms hooked up to machines and drips, and to be honest, I dont think I would have been capable of holding my baby in theatre... I got bad shakes at one point.
I had both boys on naked on my chest within 30 min after surgery, as they prioritise c-sect in recovery and get you back to the ward asap. (My hospital only has funding for a mw in recovery three day a week...). In fact, I got up to the ward before DH and DS the first time. I also did a breast crawl with both of them. DS2 has his the minute I got my hands on him, but DS1 it took a few days for me to do it, and it still worked. I feel I got my "bonding" with both of them from this...
I suggest that talking it through with the hospital might be a good way to gauge their willingness for you to have that skin to skin in surgery. Good Luck!!!
My DD was in breech position so I had a scheduled cs.
I too was concerned about getting skin to skin asap after birth. I mentioned it to my ob and he simply said "of course!" I think it depends on the hospital and certainly whether there are risks to either you or the bub arising from complications with the cs or otherwise.
Absent those complications I see no reason why you wouldn't get your skin to skin if you made the midwife aware that you want this.
My DD was brought to me after the initial check over by the paed, clearing of fluid in nose etc (i think they may have weighed her first as well). I remember thinking are the bringing her over yet but not being worried, knowing that they were just doing what needed to be done! Surreally I laid there feeling relieved (cause I could hear her crying - god that still brings a tear to my eye!!!) and started to concentrate on the tugging sensations I felt as my ob and the assistant removed the placenta and did the suction. All of a sudden I was exhausted!
Then they brought DD over and my gown had suddenly disappeared (I can't remember that happening) and she was laid across my chest. She had a little beanie on and was wrapped in a blanket but the blanket was opened at the front so we had skin to skin.
The sheet screen was still up (it was lowered when DD was pulled out of the womb so DH and I could see her arrival - I didnt know they were going to do that so that was amazing!) but whether it was cramped or not I didnt notice. You are really only focused on one thing - your baby!
I am sure it was only a few minutes, but I really can't remember! However long it was I know I was happy with the time spent and felt that connection with her straight away.
I was very thankful for this because she was taken to ICU after the birth due to excess fluid, breathing irregularities etc but was with me again in our hospital room within two hours of being taken away.
Make your wishes known and I am sure that if it is safe for you and bub there will be no issues with you getting to hold your baby!
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