So today I was lucky enough....

[blessedatlast]

To go to theatre and be present for 2 c sections and a laporoscopy It was so interesting and it was such a privilege to be present for these babies births. Anyway, I was hoping I wouldn't be traumatised and I am a bit, but only because the bubs were delivered and taken to be checked by the doc, then wrapped up before being given to Mum.. If it were me I would have wanted skin to skin ASAP... Anyway.... I started a thread a while ago about forceps being used in C sections, here So I got to have my question answered.. 1st C section bub was pulled out with HANDS and I though Yay! 2nd one though, I saw the Dr struggle a bit to get Bub out and sure enough he used forceps. It was really quick though and as soon as bub was easy to hold he did, so although not ideal, I think they must only be used if Bub is really hard to get and it's not like they bub is being held by forceps for long.. So... I'm just praying that little Button will be low and easy for Dr to grab! I still don't like the idea of cold metal being the introduction to the outside world!

[jax]

I am having a section in 4 weeks due to previa and have asked for both skin to skin and 1min delay cord clamping and have been told flat out no. Too cold in theatre and no we dont delay clamping for sections Really hoping forceps wont be used as well.

[forshelby]

They used forceps to deliver my DS during a c/s. I could hear them panicking a bit, and when they asked for forceps I wanted to scream. My sweet little boy was torn out of me in the worst way possible, and ended up with a little bruise on his cheek. I don't doubt that it was traumatic for him. I was upset by it and I knew what was going on, so I can only imagine what it was like for him to be separated from me in that manner. Poor little muffin.

[Teeki]

Wow Blessed, what an incredible experience that would have been! Granted I probably would've fainted almost immediately lol, but I'm guessing training to be a nurse you're a little more into it Also good to hear the forceps seemed to be only as required and only quick. I'll be hoping little Button is nice and low and easy to get out for you!

Jax, I'd bring it up again too if I were you. I'm going to a very small local hospital, and they're very accommodating. The midwives have told us that if a c-section is needed, they'll still try to adhere to our birth plan as much as possible - skin to skin contact immediately (as Snacks said, just with a blanket over both Mum & bub same as with a vaginal birth - I can't imagine it would be so much colder in theatre than the delivery room) and delayed cord clamping if possible. She did say the cord may need to be cut, because it may not reach over the sheet thingy to get bubs to mum

[Me+him+bub]

I am all for skin to skin, I want it too with this bub, but theatre is MUCH more colder, this is on purpose to help prevent infection and bacteria as they can't thrive in a cold climate, having said that, it wouldnt kill them to pop a blanket over the bub, and its not like its for half an hour. i wish this would be a more common practice like they have with VB births.

[Kmn]

I had a straightforward c-section. Bub came out, went to the paediatrician for a minute, and then was wrapped in a blanket and placed on my chest. I could hold him and talk to him while they stitched me up. And he just looked at DH and I as if to say "who on earth are you?".
You need to remember that having an anaesthetic also screws up Mum's ability to maintain temperature a bit, so it's probably not a great idea to rely on that to keep bub stable. And the theatres are chilly!

[Danielle_NZ]

I was told I could have immediate skin to skin in theater. Although I asked for baby to be checked over first and cleaned a little, but that was a personal choice. I brought it up once in a OB appointment but can't remember how that went but the midwives on the day said it's the norm and of course I could have the skin to skin as long as baby was ok

[Me+him+bub]

i didnt get skin to skin, i didnt even get to hold him they wrapped him up worked on him a bit, wasnt breathing well apparently, "showed" him to me as they walked past and then my DF left to be with him in special care as his sugar was a little low, and I was left there being stitched up all alone with strangers, I didn't even get a picture with him they said to me they dont allow any of that at this particular hospital, all c section bubs go straight to special care to be checked then u see them back at your room, I didnt see him again for approx 3 hours, please make sure u DEMAND to hold your bub and at least have a photo!

[jax]

i will push it more and bring it up with the midwives as i have heard of lots of people getting skin to skin.

[Snacks]

i will push it more and bring it up with the midwives as i have heard of lots of people getting skin to skin.

Surely they could place a blanket over you both as you cuddle? That's how they've done it in the birthing suites for my VBs. It's cold in there too.

[Jakabella]

Both my c-sect and my VBAC were in the theatre and both times bub was pulled out and placed on my bare chest and warmed blankets put on top of us. After a good 15 mins or so they were taken and checked and weighted and wrapped. So it is possible!

[blessedatlast]

Both my c-sect and my VBAC were in the theatre and both times bub was pulled out and placed on my bare chest and warmed blankets put on top of us. After a good 15 mins or so they were taken and checked and weighted and wrapped. So it is possible!

There you go! Thats what I'll be pushing for. Did you have to ask for skin to skin or did they just do it?

Fleur - Yeah I'm hoping a planned c section will take the trauma out of it..

[jax]

I can not agree more that healthy Mum and Bub at the end is most important. I also can understand Bless that it any second away from you will be so hard.

I don't know why I am feeling so stressed about them taking my baby even for a second, maybe I need to talk it out with someone. I KNOW what is important I just can't seem to get my head around the whole thing and I feel all control has been taken from me. This is my baby and my body and nobody wants to listen. Sorry that is my sook over.

[melbel]

Skin on Skin should definitely be on the cards hun...not so sure about delayed cord claping with a c-section though......we asked with ours being a planned c-secion and were told no because they like to leave the uterus open for as short a time as possible becuase of the risk on infection. So they like to get bubs out asap, gt the placenta out give it all a good washout and then stitch up asap, the longer you are open the greater the infection risk. I have heard of one doctor in the US who would do delayed cord clamping in a c section but haven't heard of anyone here.

We were lucky though, even though we knew our bubba needed to go to special care nobody rushed us...he was checked by the paed, wrapped and placed on my chest where he stayed while they stitched me up....he was handed to hubby while they transferred me off the operating table onto the bed and then given back to me straight away in recovery...we got to have a feed in recovery and he travelled up to the ward on the gurney with me....we said bye at the SCN doors and he was taken in and given his bed but until then we hadn't been separated so I think we were very lucky in that respect.

If I had asked specifically for skin on skin Iam sure they would have accomodated that too.

[Kmn]

We knew bub was OK - he was yelling the place down!
But you could also ask that they do the checking where you can see bub - that ought to be doable in most theatres. And if at all possible talk to the paediatrician beforehand so that he/she knows where you are coming from, and can give you a running commentary on what they are doing and why.

[Ahurani]

Okay I need to say this.. this is my opinion.

Just because your baby seems healthy on the inside doesn't mean that they are going to thrive on the outside from the beginning. I think it's quite selfish of the mother to put her baby at risk for her own needs. In the end we want a healthy mother and healthy baby. For the sake of a couple of minutes checking over, no harm is done.

Would you all feel the same way if you demanded the baby be bought to you straight away for it to struggle to breathe or something, get brain damage etc. Its a decision you will have to live with for the rest of your life. And Im sure you would be the first one to sue if something like that did happen. As far as Im concerned the minute you get pregnant is the minute you put your needs last and your babies needs first.

jax: maybe you do need to talk to someone about it

[ellasmummy]

I had an elective cs, bub was pulled out with hands while they dropped the sheet so DH and I could watch, they were hurrying DH over to cut the cord, quick check over and weigh then DH carried her over to me and we had skin to skin with warm blankets over us for 15 mins or so until I asked DH to hold her cos I felt really sick and was shaky. Then as soon as I got to recovery I told DH I wanted her back and she had a 20 minute feed and stayed on my chest for an hour after that til I was being wheeled to the room DH had to push her in the cot as their policy is you're not allowed to walk the halls carrying bub. But then skin to skin as soon as we arrived up until I realised what a baby hog I was being and let DH hold her lol.

I had a crap experience first time round, but this was so beautiful and perfect, not what I thought a c section could ever be like

[Purple Penguin]

I had c-sections for both of my DD's births and they were two VERY different experiences. The first was an emergency c-section where DD1 was taken, checked over and then wrapped and brought over to me to say hello, I was quite out of it due to the meds they had me on, I had pre-eclampsia and I woke up in recovery by myself after passing out from my BP going to from high to low.

My experience with DD2 was the total opposite to the first, I was wide awake and having everything explained to me, they pulled her out, DH was able to cut the cord, they lifted her above the blue curtain so I could see her, took her to be cleaned up and checked over and then brought her back to me for skin-to-skin where she stayed while they stitched me up, took me into recovery and finally back down to the ward where we continued our cuddles. I could not have asked for a better experience.