Were you strapped down for an emergency c?

I had an emergency caesarean with a spinal block for an undiagnosed breech baby. My son wasn't in distress and it was at least 3 hours from the time I agreed to the surgery until the time DS was born, so there was no hurry.

My question is for those who've had an emergency c-section, were your arms strapped down? Mine were and when DS was cleaned up and given to me they lay him beside my cheek for 'skin to skin' contact. I didn't think I was allowed to have my arm unbuckled so I could hold him and none of the medical staff present at my caesar offered to unbuckle me.

Is this normal procedure for an emergency caesar? If I end up with another caesar when I attempt a VBAC for my current pregnancy, I'll be demanding to hold my baby and breastfeed while they stitch me up.

Thanks to anyone who can share their experience :)

I had one arm strapped down

I have had 2 emergency c-sections for different reasons and never been strapped down. In both cases I held the baby on my chest whilst they stitched me up then went to recovery and had the first feed about 45 mins later when on the ward.

This probably happened (the timings) because both were born in the very early morning so skeletal midwife resources to have the feed happen earlier but it caused no problems for me or either girl.

Best of luck with the VBAC! It felt fantastic for me to try although after 26 hrs of labour, dd2 had other ideas. I'm going for VBA2C this time around.

Hi I have had 3 emergency CS...2 of them happened during the night, never been strapped down :doh:oh my gosh that would be scary!!!! Did they think you were panic stricken and might fight to get up or move in some way??? Only thing I can think of, the previous response might explain as well? a skeleton staff and not enough hands.. Ask the question of your OB and definately tell him/her that you don't want that to happen if you need another CS.
Good luck.:D

they strap arms for venous access (so they can put a drip in you) if you have poor access (like because you have been in labour for ages and had like intake) they may need your arms to be still.

neither of my arms were strapped down however. the BP cuff on one arm made it feel like it, but i could move them.
I was able to hold MJ for a little while and then she was taken away and my DH left too

i had an emergency ceaser a month ago and i wasnt strapped down at all, ive never seen this done. I remember the ob saying feel free to scratch your nose or rub your eyes if you need, i also had about a 3 hour wait before i had the c section so it wasnt extremely urgent.

nah i wasnt strapped down and i wouldnt let them either :S

i had a thing in my arm already tho.....

I also had an emergency CS but wasn't strapped down. Mine was a bit of a rush after a failed induction and DS being stuck with a posterior lip, I think all in all it was 45mins from the time it was decided to when DS was born. The aneathisist (sp?) was holding one of my hands (probably so she could monitor the IV etc) and DH was holding the other. As soon as DS was cleaned up he was put on my chest so I could cuddle him. So I would definately talk to your OB and make it clear that you don't want to be strapped down.

I don't recall having my arms strapped at all. I had one with a drip in so it was out laying flat but I was able to move it

[QUOTE=Sammiejane;1994166]they strap arms for venous access (so they can put a drip in you) if you have poor access (like because you have been in labour for ages and had like intake) they may need your arms to be still.


Interesting, but how archaic! We're having babies, not having psychotic episodes. If they need to have your arm still, then surely it's mostly possible to ask, especially if it's a more "relaxed" E-C/S that takes a couple of hours to get done.

I had an emergency CS, no arm strapping for me either. It took them about 30 minutes from deciding that I needed it to DS making his appearance. I may have already had a drip in my arm, can't remember, all a bit fuzzy.

Mine weren't strapped, but I had both of my arms out the the sides (think Jesus on the cross), one with a BP cuff & the other with the drip and I was told not to move them. I also had the same "skin to skin" contact as well :( Both of mine were emergency c/sections.

emergency c-section here, no strapping at all. no skin to skin allowed. baby had to be resussed immediately, then "under obs".

that's so sad that no-one unstrapped you so you could be with your baby at that time.

i now understand what "birth trauma" means, it's real. never would have got it, pre having a baby.

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My question is for those who've had an emergency c-section, were your arms strapped down? Mine were and when DS was cleaned up and given to me they lay him beside my cheek for 'skin to skin' contact. I didn't think I was allowed to have my arm unbuckled so I could hold him and none of the medical staff present at my caesar offered to unbuckle me.

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Sorry haven't had an emergency c/s and just want to state if i have to next baby, i'll demand not being strapped down! That sounds barbaric and scary! :hug:

Wow, I find this really odd, not to mention scary. No I wasn't strapped down and I'd never heard of it being done until now. I'm so sorry that this happened to you :hug:

I was strapped. It was horrible. I could go on to tell other things that occurred that were quite barbaric but I don't want to upset anyone.

My c-section was very rushed and I was shaking very very badly the whole way through it but I was not strapped down. I was scared enough as it was, I don't know how I would have coped if they had strapped me down. I already had an IV in though. They asked me a few times to try and hold still and not shake (my BP was giving very low readings and they weren't sure if it was a result of the shaking) but they still didn't strap me down.

They took my baby away after she was born for the first 15 - 20 mins and asked me if I wanted to hold her when they brought her back. I refused because I was shaking so badly, I thought I might drop her. DH held her until we got to recovery and I was on a bed where I was less scared about her falling off.

I was strapped down both times. The first was an emergency under General, the second elective with a spinal. For the second they unstrapped one of my arms so I could hold him right after he was born.

I thought being strapped down was the norm, and was part of the reason I was so freaked out the second time. Not that I'd be trying to go anywhere, but the thought of being strapped down just made the process seem all the more barbaric and made me feel that I'd be completely and utterly out of control and at their mercy. Of course this thinking is not very rational, because it is barbaric and you are out of control, arms strapped or not, but when you're in such a situation, these are the things that matter. We need to collectively make a lot more noise to change these practices to be more mother-centered if there's no pressing medical need for them.

:hide:Hey you guys, don't forget that many hospitals aren't as forward and up to date on birthing techniques and preferences as many of you are.
Not defending or taking sides just offering a differing POV.
They aren't doing it specifically to be barbaric. They are just stuck in their old ways. Those arm boards are pretty narrow and there is lots of pulling and pushing during the delivery. They just don't want to lose any venous access they may have if something did go wrong. They also don't want your arm to fall off and cause any injury to you.

Wow Ladies, thanks for all your replies! Certainly food for thought. I was actually quite calm throughout the whole process, except for a moment when I felt them drawing on my tummy and thought I would feel the incision, but it turned out they'd already started. There were also plenty of staff there, I think we counted 8 people in the theatre not counting DH and myself. The strapping and not getting to hold my son were things I thought were part of a normal c-section, until I started reading birth stories to educate myself for my VBAC. In 3 weeks I have a special appointment booked with the birthing centre midwives who are my primary carers for my VBAC, to discuss all the hospital policies and my options, including a repeat c-section if I need it.

Thanks again for your replies!

I didn't have anything strapped down. They just knocked me out once DD left the room :rolleyes: I didn't get to touch her at all until I was on the ward.

It is ultimately up the the anesthetist about strapping your arms - and it would depend on their preferences for "best practice" for caring from their perspective. I actually have never come across one who does this and I work with some pretty archaic anesthetists!

Nope I had an emergency CS and you could say I was freakin' out a bit but my arms weren't strapped down, that sounds terrible you poor thing why would they do that? You already feel vulnerable enough being numb from the waist down let alone being strapped down as well!

I asked my midwife about having one arm unstrapped so I can hold bub and breastfeed. She said that over the last couple of years that the Birthing Centre has been trying to educate the theatre staff about breastfeeding and said that I just need to ask them to leave one of my arms free. Apparently all that happened was that I would have had the blood pressure cuff on one arm and the IV in the other, but they can do both on the same arm and if they don't then I should just ask them. She said that DH should also have been allowed to cut the cord and that they could have lifted bub up over the 'curtain' so that I could see him.

All of these things will now be in my birth plan in case we have a repeat Caesarean, and DH knows them too so he can support me if I forget to ask.