Skin on skin/ mother & baby not kept together Caesarean search - Melb

[JoyMama]

I am looking for an Obs and Hospy (both public) in Melb that will fully support me to have skin on skin contact with my baby immediately after caesarean and will not separate me from my baby from then onwards, including recovery.

Today I found out that Monash Medical Centre now do this, but I was wondering if anyone knew anywhere else (public) that does and any particular obs that are very supportive of this method. I am particularly curious about the Angliss in Ferntree Gully and Geoff McCallum if anyone can tell me?

Hope someone can help.
I dont want to go from one Obs to another asking the same questions.

[Ladylove]

My yoga instructor said that while it is not common practice still to have skin to skin after a C section, most will comply if you request it beforehand to your OB and midwives and again as a reminder while in labour.

[penesaar]

I had my son (now 4) at the Frankston public hospital. Back then they fully supported the skin on skin contact as soon as possible and encouraged breast feeding in recovery. Am about to have my next ceaser in a few weeks, again at Frankston, can let you know if you're still interested, but as it's stated in the brochure about having a caesearan from them, I'm guessing it's still encouraged.

[wysiwyg]

Birralee at Box Hill with DS we were together in recovery so only apart maybe 5 mins during transfer down the corridor, they encouraged skin to skin. This was last year, I wasn't seeing a specific OB. 2009 had daughter there did not get skin to skin due to insufficient staff (was e c sect at midnight and have to have a midwife in recovery with you for the baby as well as recovery nurse). My impression was that if you were having scheduled C section then would be daytime then enough staff.

[jayejaye]

I was at cabrini (sorry i know you asked about public,but thought my experience might help!) and they encouraged skin on skin immediately, and straight on the boob, including in recovery. Agree with wysiwyg though, if its an emerg c section, they might not have a midwife to sit with you in recovery, so the baby might have to go to the nursery until you return to the ward. I had specifically enquired about all this before my planned c section, and wouldnt have gone through with it if it wasnt that way!! Cabrini were incredibly supportive of my c section, and it helped me deal with the birth far, FAR better than my vaginal birth with DS1.

Jane.

[Muraho]

I can't help on the Melbourne side of things, as we've just moved here, but thought I might add something.

You may *not* need to have a midwife with you in order to instigate breastfeeding/ensure baby stays with you in recovery.

I used to work at RBWH (Brisbane), in theatres; and we were all being upskilled to have neonatal resus and education on baby-led attachment, so that if a midwife was unable to stay with a mum once they had given birth (generally due to being out of hours, and understaffing on ward/birth suite); bub could remain with mum, knowing that someone was available to assist should there be need.

So might be worth just asking about the policy of skin-to-skin/breastfeeding post caesarean section; and see if they require a midwife to stay; or if they've upskilled their recovery/theatre staff like we did.

[feeb]

Most hospitals now in Melbourne TRY and keep mums and baby together in theatre and recovery when an elective cs. For an emergency cs this often does not happen. Most hospitals will not leave baby in recovery without a midwife with them.

I had 1 emerg and 1 elective cs. The elective cs I did just as you wanted and DS2 was with me in theatre, he then went with DH to the recovery room and I followed 2 mins after once they transfered me onto the bed, and he was on my chest or BF all the time and transfered to ward in bed with me. That was at Freemasons.

Good luck