your experiences: caesars at the RWH?

[peanutter]

Hi there

I'm preparing for a c-section soon, at the RWH in melb.

I'm trying to find out what will and won't be possible - and I'm interested in others' experiences from this specific hospital ...

Were you able to:-

1. have skin to skin contact (any at all) in the first few minutes?
2. have delayed (again - at all?) cord clamping?
3. breastfeed in the first half hour or so?
4. the father being able to cut the cord?
5. watch the surgery (ie: did you have a choice about whether the screen was up? or a monitor, so you could watch your baby being "born"?)
6. have your baby with you in recovery (so you weren't separated)?

If you were separated, did your DH/DP go with the baby, or stay with you? how did you decide? I can't bear the thought of being alone at that time, but also don't like the idea of my baby being alone with strangers ... and I don't want anyone else there with me either, though ...

Also, how many nights were you in for, for a SECOND baby?

And was your c-section on the day it was booked in for?

And did you have an epi or a spinal block?

TIA!

[TeniBear]

I can't answer the first questions, but the women I shared a room with both had c/s and had their bubs with them. The first was already there when I got there, so I don't know if she was separated from her baby for long, but the second seemed to have come in very soon after her surgery, and had the baby with her when she came in...

[HotI]

i had a look at the rwh at their fact sheets, but there is no specific one for caesareans .

The Women’s Health Information Centre can also give you information and talk with you about your concerns. Telephone (03) 8345 3045 or visit the WHIC on the ground floor near the front entrance to the Women’s.

you might be able to get info on hospital policy here.

Epidural information - Fact Sheets
Spinal anaesthetic for caesarean section - Fact Sheets

[peanutter]

thanks, ladies.

from my preliminary discussions, I haven't been able to get much clarity, because some things will depend on who the ob is on the day ... I'm waiting to find out who the midwife will be, because s/he *might* be able to give me some more clarity, but I don't know when that will be ...

so I'd love to hear some personal experiences, to get an idea of what happens in real life, while I wait ...

thanks

[Miss E]

Maybe give the maternity ward there a call and ask them your questions. I had a host of similar questions and called my hospital (all be it a different one) and the midwife was able to answer all of my questions.

The one thing I have found though is often the hospital policies are different for scheduled and emergency CS's. Often they will have certain days where they do the scheduled ones and as such schedule a midwife to sit with you in recovery so that you can take bubs in there with you. But if you have an emergency CS there is no one available so it isn't an option. They should also have a policy on skin to skin etc.

HTH

[Nai]

My friend had hers there and I can answer a couple of questions

- Her DH went with the baby after she was born
- Her c/s was on the day it was scheduled, she was first up but got bumped for one emergency
- She stayed in for 4 nights with baby #2
- She had an epi

[Charlotte91]

1.have skin to skin contact (any at all) in the first few minutes? N/A.
2.have delayed (again - at all?) cord clamping? N/A
3.breastfeed in the first half hour or so? N/A
4.the father being able to cut the cord? Yes, they cut it 'long' and DH was able to trim it. They asked him if he wanted to, as we didn't think of it. Knowing DD was sick, we didn't even really expect to see her for more than a few seconds. But we got quite a few minutes with her
5.watch the surgery (ie: did you have a choice about whether the screen was up? or a monitor, so you could watch your baby being "born"?) I asked to have the screen lowered, but they wouldn't let me. I guess because they weren't sure if DD would die instantly, or if I'd get freaked out by how much intestine was out. I'm very disappointed I couldn't watch. It may be different as you're having a healthy bub.
6.have your baby with you in recovery (so you weren't separated)? N/A

If you were separated, did your DH/DP go with the baby, or stay with you? how did you decide? I can't bear the thought of being alone at that time, but also don't like the idea of my baby being alone with strangers ... and I don't want anyone else there with me either, though ... DH went to SCN to be with DD to be stablised and prepare to be taken to the Children's. I was alone and emotional, but my anaesthetist talked constantly (he was awesome) and stayed with me til recovery. And I had a m/w who was with me the whole time and came to see me later on that day to help me hand express for the first time.
Also, how many nights were you in for, for a SECOND baby? N/A
And was your c-section on the day it was booked in for? Yes, but it had to be early Friday morning (originally 8.15am, but a few drama's at the Children's so it was pushed back to 10.30) so that there were 2 paed's available and so DD could have the same surgeon to look after her Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday. That was really important for this kind of defect.
And did you have an epi or a spinal block? Spinal. Painless, easy and it wore off sooner than I thought it would. No dramas.

[OceanPrincess]

I'll ask a friend of mine, she had a sort of emergency (lol) c-sec at RWH last Jan.

[indie24]

I had an emergency c/s at the RWH in 2008. I held DD after she was born for a few minutes but it wasn't skin to skin. DD went off with DH while I went to recovery but I had a few complications.
During the procedure the screen was up and DH didn't cut the cord but we didn't ask about that as DH is majorly squimish about blood.

[ferrals5]

I Had a c section due to placenta previa not at the RWH but thought id share what happened with me.

I had skin to skin about 5 minutes after bub was born while they were sewing me up and after they made sure bub was fine.

Dad cut the cord shorter after surgeons handed bub to nurses.

They clamped the cord straight away im pretty sure because risk of bleeding with major surgery we had to have cord blood frozen and sent for genetic testing so it was clamped and cut straight away.

Dad went with baby never left her side while i went to re covery for 1 hour dad got to see her 1st needles and then he dressed her ect until i got back to the room.

We couldnt watch the surgery cause of the risk with bleeding and the had to pull my uterus out to sew it up so im glad i didnt see that.

No baby didnt go to recovery went with dad back to the ward.