Personalised C Section experience?

[puppies]

Has anyone done up a birth plan for their CS so that they could personalise it etc?
I was thinking of asking my OB if we could have the following occur if possible during the birth of our son.

- play soothing music in background (so you don't just hear any noises of medical instruments etc).
- Have baby delivered onto your chest for skin to skin contact.
- Baby stays with you in recovery.
- Baby has all his checks done in the same room as you while you are being stitched up.
- DH gets to hold baby after checked out while mum is being stitched up.

Just curious how many people have tried and got a personalised CS or have not been successful and why?

[Beach Mama]

You could add that DH cuts the cord if he wants to as well, my DH cut both with Izzy and James. Not sure if you are breastfeeding but you can ask to feed in recovery too if you like. Obviously it all depends on bub and you being healthy but you should be able to have pretty much all of that happen and its great to approach them prior to your c/s. In most hospitals as long as it is not too busy and the midwife can stay with you in recovery you should be able to do all of the above. Good luck with it I know there are a few c/s birth plans floating around here - hopefully someone can help out!

[puppies]

Thanks Tan,
We are having bumps cord blood harvested so DH wont be able to cut the cord. The Obs will have to do that and collect the cord blood. Plus DH is very weak when it comes to anything gooey, I know he would try but he would probably to shy cause he is likely to pass out or throw up!

[Rouge]

Yep I did. Even though I had a VBAC I had specific birth intentions for a C/S should I have needed it. Will find for you and post.

[AnyDream]

Yep I got all of the things on your list in my elective CS in a public hospital.

The things on my birthplant were - immediate skin to skin contact, attempt to BF in theatre if poss and definitely in recovery, baby stays with me in recovery, baby has all checks done where I am, etc. The hospital were happy to comply but in the end having baby with me in recovery depended on the theatre midwife choosing to come up and stay a while longer with me than she was "supposed" to.

I think in my case, my birth plan was very direct (< 1 page) and only had the things that were most crucially important to me. That made a difference because the staff were happy to read it. I also asked that DH NOT be shown my innards and they were happy to respect that by keeping the screen up and bringing baby to me the moment she was out and breathing. That was my line in the sand for retaining my sense of dignity which was so horribly not respected during my first VB.

[Salsa]

I also asked that DH NOT be shown my innards and they were happy to respect that by keeping the screen up and bringing baby to me the moment she was out and breathing. That was my line in the sand for retaining my sense of dignity which was so horribly not respected during my first VB.

oh yea, thats a good point. my dh gets icked out real easy anyhow, but he now has this permanant memory of my insides
He says he saw more of me than he ever wanted - but he is ok with it....
But because of that experience for him, if I were c.sectioned again I might request some sort of way for him to not see all that again. Its even made me question how much I want him to see if I deliver vaginally, and we are currently discussing that between us.

[Aimz]

A few years ago our friends drew up a birth plan for their caesarean and it included one thing which I found really lovely - if you're up for it.

She requested that she be allowed to "lift the baby out" with the OB's assistance. He positioned the baby so the head and the arms were out and he guided her hands so she could lift her daughter out and pull her onto her chest.

I thought it made it incredibly personal and a memorable experience for her.

[Salsa]

Sounds good, and we had most of those things happen for us even though we didnt have a birthplan.
However, be aware that many c.section babies come out shocked and with breathing problems, so your bub may be taken to be sorted out before you get to have him placed with you.