Looking after baby straight after c/s?

Hello ladies

Ive been booked in for my c/s in two weeks. The ob at the time informed me that I'm last on the list for the day, which is at 4:30pm. At my antenatal appointment yesterday I asked my midwife If my husband will be able to stay with me beyond the visiting hours to help me look after (pick her up, pass her to me for feeds etc) our baby since I won't be able to move properly from the epi. She told me he can't stay beyond visiting hours (public, so shared rooms), even though my cesarean is booked so late in the day, close to when visiting ends :-( she did say however that the nurses will help me when I need it.


Has anyone else had to look after their baby through the night after a c/s? I'm not too worried about it, I know I'll manage but I'm just wondering if its difficult, so I know what to expect.

Thanx

I had no issues. I buzzed and they came knowing I couldn't get up. In the end though, we co slept ;)

Yep, what MG said. I've had 3 now and my first was at 7.30pm so I get your worry. Ususally you're a bit groggy and the first few hours will fly by. I remember not really wanting to sleep those first nights, but knowing I should try. I had an amazing new person to learn about after all :D
In my experience the nurses generally were happy to look after bub that first night and bring in for feeds but I have generally co slept after the first one. Some hospitals have very strict policies though so maybe you could ask about that?

I can't believe they won't let your husband stay! My DH was allowed to sleep at the hospital when I had my c/s, however we thought it best he go home to DS1 so I was left on my own. I couldn't get up the first night to get DS2 out of the cot, so had no choice but to buzz the nurses. A couple of times they took up to 10 minutes to come in and I had to lay there helplessley next to DS2 whilst he screamed until they came in, it was heartbreaking. From then on we co-slept. I was only in hospital for 3 nights anyway.

I insisted my husband stay. If they had told him to go they'd have had a VERY loud annoying woman on their hands. He ended up staying the whole time I was in hospital.....about a week.
He passed me little bub everytime I needed him to but I also worked out that I could park the baby cot right next to the bed and then use the bed controls to get to the right height and lift the little one out myself........no real reason for this except it was lovely to spend time with little one all by myself while hubby slept for a bit.
I would have joined in the screaming if nurses had left me with a crying baby right next to me and I'd have demanded a VERY good explaination.
It;s hard enough to establish breast feeding after a c/s without the baby getting distressed from being allowed to cry!

That sounds like a load of rubbish. If you had a vb at say, 8pm and visiting hours finished at 9pm they wouldn't turf your hubby out straight away, would they? So why would DH have to go home so soon after a CS? FWIW I had a CS in a pub hospital and specifically requested DH to stay, and he stayed with me (ie slept and everything) for the entire time I was there. They even organised for me to be in a single room. Mind you, they knew I'd had PTSD from my earlier birth, and it was pretty clear it was exacerbated by the help I didn't get in the first few days after birth, so I think that put me in a vulnerable category that potentially needed extra help.

Didn't you have an emergency CS or some other surgery last time? What happened then?

I had mine both in the morning the nurses were great overnight, but having said that he stayed til quite late, past the visiting hours so unless you are making heaps of noise (coz you totally want to party after a c/s :rolleyes: I can't see why he coudn't stay til late that night and help you a bit plus spend time with bub and you. xoxox

Mine was also late arvo and I had the nurses help me overnight - I just buzzed when I needed them.

As much as it sucks when the men can't stay, when you're in a public hospital with shared rooms I can understand it. The lady I shared with had her DH and mum with her constantly except when they were told to leave by staff - even then it was often very late. Drove me crazy!

Hi MD! After my emergency c/s with my first DH was asked to leave about an hour after we got back to our room (ds was in the nursery after he left due to some minor problems) which was just after midnight. At that stage I was in a double room yet no one was occupying the 2nd bed. Mind you, it was to be expected seeing as they kicked DH out the night earlier once visiting hours had finished...l had been induced earlier that morning and started having regular intense contractions about an hour or two after he left. I spent the entire night n labour by myself in the maternity ward, crying and vomiting with only a few check ins from the nurse. When I told one of the midwives that the pain was too much I was given two panadole :-)

Oops....I had better not start ranting and raving again hehe....

My hospital has a strict no co sleeping policy but if I find that the easiest method during that first night thats exactly what I will be doing. I'd like to think ive grown a pair since my last experience at this hospital haha ;-)

After my last c/s I was up and about less than 7 hours after with very minimal pain. I'm sure ill have a quick recovery this time too.

Had DD at 23:50 via e c section DH went home about half hour after back in room, public 3 to a room. I had no issues at all far happier being me and bub and him getting rest for morning. She slept mostly and had no issues with buzzing for help. DS was section at 4:30 ish DH went home around 8, same hospital, he could have stayed later but both tired.

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Hi there,

My DD was born via c-sect at 6pm at night. I was in a private hospital though & my DH was allowed to stay a little longer than the usual visiting hours. Having said that, I pretty much had my DD with me most of the time after her birth then the midwives took her and just bought her back in for feeds. I was up & walking around the next morning straight after they took the cathetar out and could have a shower and then look after my DD. My recovery was really quite good.

I'd buzz the midwives as much as you need. They will have you on hourly (from memory) checks (blood pressure etc...) anyway

Reeneenay :hug:. How awful - when will these hospitals realise that a little bit of compassion goes a long long way - in actual patient outcomes. Sorry to bring your past experience up - sounds very much like a long, lonely, painful night I had - I can only imagine that would be really playing on your mind. I guess, though, if the hospital is going to insist on DH leaving, then make sure you ride that buzzer and don't stop until you get the help you need. xxx

The public hospy I went to excepted partners from visiting hours. They could stay as long as they wanted.

Plan to have him stay, as late as you need. Wait until they ask him to leave. If whoever you share a room with as an issue, maybe they can help you? I totally would if I were mobile and the mum next to me wasn't.

I was in a private hospy after my first C/S and my husband stayed all week. A couple times it was questioned but we just ignored it. They provided him a bed as well. I would have been lost without him, the night Midwives werent that great, and in the end out of exhaustion I was co sleeping with my daughter. They kept telling me I would drop her. Ugh. I never did.

I agree with the others, just dont have him leave unless they ask then say he is spending the night as you need assistance. Are they going to force him out with security? I highly doubt it ;)

I had my c-section in the arvo, I was in my room around 4ish I think. DH left 2hours later as we'd been up for 3days. DD was by my side in her crib the entire night (I was up and about next morning). I also buzzed but they were so busy it did take a while to get a response. I lifted her out a couple of times and ended up leaving her on my chest. I got no sleep that night. The automatic leg compression things were enough to prevent sleep.