C-Section - How long are bubs & mum seperated?

Hi all

Just after your experiences and thoughts on the seperation of mum and bubs after a c-section. From what I understand, you get skin-to-skin contact immediately following the birth, but bubs & dad then leave whist mum is in recovery (approx 45 mins?)

Whilst I am quite keen for DP and bubs to have some bonding time , I'm a little concerned that the eager grandparents and relatives will get to spend time with bubs prior to me :(

Can any of you suggest ways of getting around this? My initial thought was to not tell people of the date and time of our c-section, but then again, hubby wants to to the whole "It's a ......." announcement at the hospital :doh:

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

I think it depends on the hospital. I had DH and the kids in recovery with me - with DH holding bub. The only reason I wasn't holding either of them when they were in recovery is because I didn't trust myself not to drop them cos I could barely feel my hands!

Hi,

I wasn't seperated at all from DS. Both he and DP came with me into recovery. I didn't get skin to skin until recovery but that's where we had our first breastfeed and it was less than an hour after his birth (I had complications too and they still didn't seperate us). It possibly depends on your hospital's policy but I'd check with your doc about whether you will be seperated at all. Really REALLY push hard with your doc to keep bubs with you. There should be no reason to seperate you. That time immediately after birth is really important for bubs to get to know your smell etc and to have that first feed. It really should be a special and private time with just you and DH in recovery.

ETA: If you have to be seperated, would your DH go along with telling relatives to turn up at a slightly later time, so that he doesn't make the announcement until after you're reunited with bubs?

I had a quick cuddle of bubs and then he went off with DH while I spent 20 minutes in recovery. Definitely check hospital policy.

I had Jazz at about 5.15pm, had a little bit, maybe ten minutes, in theatre with her, and then Jazz went with Shel, and I didn't get back into the ward from recovery until just after 7pm. So for us, it was almost 2 hours.

BUT if your c/s is scheduled, you should be able to find out and hopefully arrange for you, your DP and bub to be in recovery with you.

DD & I weren't seperated at all, except that DH carried her from the theatre to our room while they wheeled me on the bed - I was quite spacey and wanted to vomit so I couldn't have held DD anyway....

As it was I keep telling DH to give her away! "Show her to Mum, give her to my sister!" He held onto DD for dear life and no-one was getting her!! The midwife kept saying, "no, no, you have to breastfeed her now" and I kept saying "give her to mum!" No idea why.....:dunno: prolly the DRUGS!!:doh:

One of mine was cs, and was not separated from me.
The other was not cs, but I was told that if he was I would be in recovery for a few hrs without him!! (I think it was that moment I decided I was vbacing - no matter what!)
This was 2 different hospitals, so I guess each one has its own policies and then depends on the day whats happening and whos on etc.

Im not sure what to suggest to your DH, but let him know your anxious about it and ask him for his suggestions of what might work for you all?
We kept our cs time and day a secret... Im not sure of how doing the big annoucement at the hospital works in reality. I dont know anyone who has done it that way.

DS had a wet lung so he was taken to a humidicrib - didn't see him for a few hours.

With DD i had her in recovery and was bfing her. Mum had her in her arms whilst they stitched me up and checked out DD, then i had her. I guess i was separated for about 30mins if that.

GL.

DD was born about 3:15pm and I was taken to my room and saw DH and bub about 5pm. My spinal block was perhaps too effective and it took a long time for me to regain feeling. I was asleep most of the time and apparently snoring, so it didn't bother me.

DH bathed DD with the help of a midwife. They took photos and it looked like DH had a wonderful time.

The hospital I was at has a general policy of no babies in recovery as there is only one recovery room and there is the possibility of sharing with a woman who has just lost a baby.

Also, there is an unofficial policy that the midwives have: no calls to family until mum is back from recovery and has seen her baby. I would be very unhappy if I didn't get at least the second cuddle after DH. No way I would have family waiting around for DH to duck out and announce the birth. They were all there soon after the birth, but the first hour or so we had together was too precious to share.

Anyway, talk to someone from the hospital about what usually happens. It varies quite a bit.

DD was born at 8:08pm and i got to see her about 10:30pm. I did see her straight after the birth tho. Just for a few minutes. It took a while for me to regain feeling and it took ages for them to glue me all back up. All the grandparents were there when i came back from recovery, but none of them held her. Matt told them no one is to hold her until i get to hold her and give her, her first feed.

Holly - can I ask what hospital you were at?

I will be at Monash Medical Centre in Clayton - so if anyone knows their policy, that would be great!

i was at North East Health in Wangaratta Victoria

I was in the Shepp hospital and I had my emerg C sect at 4.46am and I held Bella straight away and then DH was with her while they weighted her but then straight back to me and I was with her while I was in recovery - DH did take her out to the waiting room to meet her G parents which was cool with me and I had the shakes so bad that I could not hold her! Then my mum and dad were allowed in the recovery room with me and we chatted and admired Bella!!
So I guess it depends on the hospital and I have heard it depends on the time of the op too..

HTH

Kate

DD was only away from me while she was checked by the paed then straight back on my chest...skin to skin the whole time and in recovery...was beautiful...so thankful to my wonderful midwife who understood exactly what we needed and made it happen.

unless there is a medical reason for baby, or for yourself (due to complications etc) there is no reason for ANY separation after a c-section, i was so so so so so so beyond spaced out even i was holding my baby in recovery, although i couldn't look at her for about half an hour as i just needed to get my head around everything that had happened, but that is another story..

i'd be checking what your hospital policy is, and if separation for no apparent reason is likely i'd be querying it, and challenging it, or looking at a different hospital, but thats just me. i couldn't stand for other people to be spending time with my baby before me, unless i was knocked out for example.

You can ask if you are allowed to have bub in recovery with you.. Plus if you like you don't have to have the grandparents or other visitors there,., Just ask that they stay away until they are called kwim?

I was seperated for about 2-3 hours each time (had 3 sections) I was happy for grandparents to be there though but Dh got sometime alone with each of the babies as the older kids were being watched by the grandparents..

i think it totally depends on the hospital and how busy they are at the time. I've had 3 c/s - the 1st 2 were at a private hospital and we were seperated when in recovery - around an hour with #1 and only about 20 mins with #2. Had #3 at a public hospital and had a midwife just for me/bub! She stayed with us the whole time so bub could come into reovery and have a feed there and we weren't seperated at all - i was so impressed and all that in a smallish regional hossy - fab care!
I think it's already been said - just check what the policy is and if they have enough staff.
good luck
Julie x

With my first, I had him at 1.27am and was back on the ward with him at 3am. In between he was with his daddy & being cuddled by all of my family. At the point I had not even touched him as I was told not to move my arms during the c/s so I just got to look at him for a few minutes before he was taken (but he had already been wrapped).

With my second it was worse. I had her at 12.06pm and again got a brief glimpse of a wrapped baby before she was taken. I was in recovery until 3pm because of PPH and then when I got back to the ward was told my DD was in SCN. I got to hold her & give her her first feed at about 3.30pm and then finally got her back on the ward around 7pm. So all up it was seven hours that we were seperated :(

Both of mine were emergency c/sections so maybe it's different when they are planned.

i had DD at 4.48am - had a midwife with us that had been with us for 5 hours (the one before that had been there 9 and the one before was 8 - so we got to know them lol) - DD was checked by the paed in the theatre, DH was handed her and she was bought over to me. she was taken up to the nursery for the time i was in recovery (less than half an hour) as i'd had a fever in labour and they checked her out. i was wheeled back into my room at 5.35 and i'd barely been transferred to the bed when she was bought in. i got cuddles, DH had cuddles, then he (with the help of the middy) put her in her own clothes rather than the wrap she was in. SIL was taking photos and was there for about an hour - i rang my mum and my brother to let them know she had arrived (and scared mum when i rang - was expecting DH), she was on the breast by 6 at the latest. SIL had a quick cuddle before she left, and then DH and I were left with her from then on.

had i not had the fever in labour, DD wouldn't have been seperated from me at all.

no one was called by the hospital to say she was there - i made the first call to my folks to say she had arrived, second to my bro, got SIL to take a photo with my phone, and while DD was getting dressed and stuff, i messaged everyone myself.

I was only separated from DS for a couple of minutes....just while they took him to have the cord cut and a quick check over by the paed & midwife. My partner was with him the whole time and brought him straight back over to me. I held him the whole time they were stitching me up, carried him into recovery and had him with me the whole time there doing first feed etc. I even got to cuddle him as they wheeled me around the hospital up to the ward etc.

If you make your wishes clear to the people looking after you, there really aren't a lot of reasons why they can't accomodate those.

And hun, if you don't want people sitting at the hossy waiting for you (i.e. family) and the big announcement, don't be afraid to ask your DP to tactfully let people know that its something for you and him to share and that people will get an opportunity for cuddles in good time. And its not hard to send an SMS or make a phone call once you're all settled on the ward. That's what we did.

FWIW my c/s was an incredibly emotional and an absolute blur....the last thing I would have wanted was knowing there was a room of poeple waiting waiting waiting to hear what was happening. All my energy & thoughts were taken up focussing on my baby and my partner, it was such a special experience I had no time for thinking about anyone else. If you feel strongly enough about it, talk to your DP and help him understand.

GL

I meant to mention that with my 3 cs they all went to the SCN. I think they all go there for observation after a cs. I did get to see them briefly in the theatre then when I went up to the ward, but my last 2 I didn't get to see them for quite a few hours due to them being on drips due to low blood suagrs.

Ds3 was 11 hours old when I got to see him properly.. when DD was born I made them take me to her when she was 5 hours old.

If your baby is fine they will be brought to you in your room..

i agree - you don't have to have people waiting. i made it very clear from very early that no one was to be waiting. if they were, they'd not get near DD when she arrived as i wanted to do baby led attachment - plus that first little while was just about DH and I. my SIL was there as an additional birth support person and to take photos. she didn't try to touch DD, she was going to leave without a cuddle until i asked her if she wanted to hold her.

if you are concerned about others being there, simply tell them someone will call them when you're up to having visitors. my mum is a shocker for turning up too early, but i made it clear, told her i was exhausted and she coudl come in after lunch. when i was still awake at 10, i rang and told ehr to come over when she was ready. it takes 35 minutes from her house to the hosp - she was there in 40 lol

I was in a hospital in Adelaide. They explained all of this during the classes they offer. Maybe your hospital will do the same?

It sounds like you are having a planned c/s. I think that might make things a bit different from an emergency c/s. You can discuss your wishes with the staff before hand and hopefully they will be accommodating.

TBH I couldn't have cared less about being separated from DD. As awful as that sounds I was just too out of it and I didn't even hold her until I was out of recovery. They offered her to me, but I couldn't feel my arms, so that wasn't going to work!

with Jack he was born at 8.40am and was not well apgars of 3 etc, I didn't get to see him until 5.30pm when I demanded someone take me up to SCN

this time it is a schedualed C-sect I have asked for no visitors on day 1 and the hosp has it down on my paperwork that the only people to have access to boo is my husband and son...ABW bub will be int he room with me within 2hrs so long as bub is healthy and happy according to OB, bub will be shown to me straght away then checked by paed and wrapped then brought back to me for 5min or so ABW all is well with bub and myself then Jase will accopany bub up to SCN where they will wait till I am back in my room

HTH!!!!!!!

I only got to look at Jimmy briefly and then DH had him. I don't know exactly how long I was away but it was probably about 45min I guess. When I got back to my room DH and DS were waiting for me.

The thing that annoyed me most though was that I specifically said I didn't want any family waiting whilst I was in labour (ended up with an emergency cs) but the MIL and DH's nana and uncle rocked up and they all got to touch DS before I did - that really erked me. I think I will be making myself deadly clear next time..

I had expressly said that DS was to come with me to recovery. My stupid MW still tried to take him away but I wouldn't let her and DH knew I wouldn't. So no separation here.

Don't worry about hospital policy... there is none. You are the patient and it is your right to not be separated from your child (unless there is a medical need of course). Stay strong, make sure your DP knows and do not let anyone try and talk you around. Ask them to show you their policy on the subject in writing if you have to - guaranteed they won't be able to!

DS and DH came with me to recovery and I was only in there for a short while. It aids in your recovery to have them there.

Goodluck!