How wonderful Charli'smumma that you can have a maternal assited c-section. I have had three c-sections - for medical reasons - and my last was my best birth experience. While I didn't help pull Aston out (don't think I could do it - but that's just me) he was laid skin to skin within 2 mins I reckon. He was put to my breast, still covered in vernix... and stayed there while they stitched me up, in recovery, being wheeled back to my room - me and him skin to skin with a blanket over us both - snuggled and cosy and warm and safe - it was beautiful. I still get all *****ly when I think about it. I felt like it was just me Dh and Him, and there was noone else around... which is insane really - because I was in a theatre lol... but everything else around us just faded away... One of the theatre nurse took photos and video for us - there was a midwife with us, and in recovery I was lucky enough to have a theatre nurse who was studying to be a lactation consultant!! and all of this in a public hospital.

And while I agree that babies should be birthed how they are supposed to be, for those of us who can't do it that way - for whatever reason - having a protocol that allows for the best possible circumstances for a mother and baby to bond, feed, and feel good about their birth experience is fantastic. This is something that has only happened in recent years, as my first two births were entirely different - my DD (12years ago) I was in recovery for about an hour and half, and send her father with her to get weighed etc, so that one of us was with her... I had my first cuddle about 2 hours after she was born. DS1 was an emergency c-section - and after seeing him briefly after he was born, I didn't see him again, other then holding a photo of him for ten hours, which was when I first got to breast feed him as well. The nurse who was looking after me was too busy to wheel me up to special care!

Anyway - things have changed and for the better!!