What happens immediately after the birth?

TinaL99

I can read everything in the world about labor, delivery and taking care of a newborn.  But what happens right after the birth?  I've heard bits and pieces about Viatmin K shots, the Hep B vaccine, goop in the baby's eyes, delivering the placenta. 

If you have a "normal" birth and LO doesn't need to be in the NICU or anything like that, what happens with you and the baby right after you give birth?

ArcticFox

With my regular birth, I tore badly, so they sewed me up while DH watched the baby get weighed/cleaned up etc., and then he held her while the Drs were finishing up on me.  I didn't deliver the placenta with either birth.  Also I opted out of the Hep B shot at birth - IMO it is not necessary for years so I don't know why they offer it at birth.

Also for both times they transfer you from a delivery room to a post partum room, about an hour afterwards.  

MelissaSue81

Well.. they put the baby on my belly for a minute or two so I could see her.. Then they took her over to the other side of the room.. I am not totally sure what they did with her.. I do not think she got the vit K shot while she was in my room (and not totally sure she got one at all.. she for sure got the hep b vaccine but not until the next day in the nursery).. They checked her all out obviously..weighed and measured and all that.. I never remember her having goopy eyes.. but she must have so maybe they just didn't put a LOT of goop on her.  DH went over there with her..

Delivering the placenta happened much quicker than I expected.. basically my dr just yanked on it a couple times and it was out.. I thought it was gonna be a longer process.. like 10 mins or so.. I think at some point they turned my pitocin back up.. I dont' remember if it was before or after the placenta was delivered.. Then I got all stitched up which took  FOREVER (and hurt a little bit, but not TOO bad). I had a 4th degree tear.. and everytime I would think she was done stitching, she wasn't! It worked out though, that just as I was done getting stitched up, they were ready to bring me the baby.

 Then they brought her to me.. I tried nursing..We hung out for a couple minutes then DH went and got our families and everyone came in to see her. After that we got to hang out with her for a little more. After about an hour or so though, they brought her to the nursery. I ended up getting stuck in recovery for a LOONG time. They told us it would be about 2 hours from delivery til I was brought to a maternity room.. but it ended up being about 6 or 7 hours. I spiked a fever and my heart was racing.. so they made me stay down there for monitoring and bloodwork and i had to have and EKG..It was about 5 hours, I think from the time they took her to the nursery to the time we got to see her again. i was SOOO sad. And not that it matters in the long run, but they gave her formula in that time period too.

MrsWhiteonWhiteSt

It was just like 1 push & a tug on their end for the placenta. The stitches felt like they took FOREVER. I think it was b/c I just wanted to hold the baby again and it does sting a little when they sew you up. I felt super nauseous immediately after delivery (kept saying I was going to puke) so they gave me a shot of something in my thigh. Justin got all cleaned up and checked out. They handed him to me, cleaned up the room a little and let the fam come in. They gave us 1 hour and then b/c of his size, Justin had to have his blood sugar monitored and they gave him some formula- DH went with, When everyone left the room I literally passed out from exhaustion. I don't remember falling alseep but when I woke up the room was empty and the lights were dimmed (I was in labor for 30 hours, then pushed for 3 hours with like 1 hour of sleep). Then they transfered us to our room and brought the little one

MarcyIam

Similar to the above for me except I didn't have to push for my placenta delivery.  The OB just sort of pushed on my belly and tugged on the cord to get it out.  Was kind of a cool feeling with it coming out.  And it didn't hurt me at all when they stitched me up.

In addition, they also had me go to the bathroom and then while in there, showed me how to get all padded/iced/witch-hazeled/dermaplasted up  ;-) 

Oh - and they brought me food b/c I was starving!  lol

mrsoc

I had an emergency C-section, but while they were stitching me up, E was getting weighed, eye drops, etc.  DH was able to take pictures.  We did get one picture of the 3 of us.  We did opt for the Hep B shot, as both DH and I are healthcare workers, who can be exposed.  We are both immunized against it, but I want to be sure for E.  DH got to hold him after they did all of that.  (The doctor did show us E over the drape immediately after birth).  I got to hold him after I was in the recovery room.  We were in recover for about 3-4 hours before going up to the post partum floor.  While there, I got to hold E, tried to nurse, talked to the nurses, rested.   

JenJar

I didn't even know I'd delivered the placenta it all happened so quickly.  They put Gavin on my chest and wiped him off while the doc got the placenta (I guess! ) and put a couple stitches in me.  They took him to a warming bed right next to mine and cleaned him and weighed him.  I honestly don't remember the events clearly, and that makes me sad.  I don't feel like I was drugged or anything, I just feel like it was all such a surreal experience. 

mrobin73

Thanks for asking this- really interesting to hear the answer b/c as you said- they never tell, in any of the books, the immediate info for once baby is out.

Telyco

This is a great question...and my experience was similar to ppsers.

But I just wanted to add that they will cover this pretty well in a birthing class (assuming you attend one...which I highly recommend b/c they talk about stuff like this that a lot of people don't think to find out beforehand)

aSp6907

Immediately after birth they put on my chest so I could see her and then took her over to the warmer. My doc then had my deliver the placenta which they were going to start the pitocin again but it came out with one very little push. I had a 2nd degree tear so she sewed me up. While they did that they put the goop in Belle's eyes and weighed her and everything. I'm not sure if she got the vit k shot in the room or in the nursery. I was too worried about my MIL trying to walk into the room a that point. After she was weighed they gave her to DH while my doc finished sewing me up. It seemed, to me, to take forever. We were able to keep her in the room with us for an hour before they took her to the nursery.

After they took her they waited for the epi to wear off and then had be get in the shower. After I was cleaned up and dressed they moved me to our actual room. Belle got the hep B shot while in the nursery. They said they were going to keep her for about 3 hours and give her a little bit of formula to make sure she can tolerate it. It ended up being 5 hours before they brought her back and we couldn't get a straight answer as to why she hadn't been brought back yet. Turns out her sugar was low so they were testing it. Then the next day we found out that her sugar was fine and they didn't have to test it at all. We weren't too happy about that. But it went a lot smoother then I expected the after birth to be.

jewelsonu

Right after they laid him on me and DH cut the cord.  After a few minutes they took him away to get weighed and his shot and footprints.  I don't remember delivering the placenta.  I remember the dr giving me a lecture on the placenta and how wonderful it is.  Then she stiched me up and it took forever.  I asked how bad I tore since it was taking so long.  She  said not bad it she was doing a running stich.  then dh walked over with ethan and he let me hold him.  We were in there for an hour and they took him away.  The nurse came back and said I could try to walk to the bathroom or she would reinsert the catheter.  Well I didn't want the catheter again so I made sure I could walk.  She gave me the menu and I ordered lunch.  I also was posting pics on the nest and facebook.  Then she took me to the room.  On the way I saw Ethan getting his first bath.  I should have slept once I got to my room but I didn't b/c I thought he would be in any minute.I can't believe it's only been 10 months and I can't remember all of the details