Holding the baby after C-sec

MrsLettie · February 2012

My first baby was an emergency c-section after a failed induction. It had lasted several days and I was EXHAUSTED. The doctor did not show me my DS over the curtain and I only was able to barely touch his head and take a couple of pictures before they took him to the nursery and wheeled me to recovery. I think it really delayed my bonding with my son. This time will be different. I will have a rcs and also a tubal ligation. Is there any chance in the world that I will get to hold baby #2 before going to recovery/nursery? I see women holding their baby's being wheeled out of the operating room on delivery shows all the time and I just wondered how realistic that was.

Switzerland · February 2012

I had a RCS and an unforeseen complication arose as my baby was born with fluid in her lungs -- I did not get to hold her for 2 days. However, had thsi not happened, they would have let me hold her immediately in recovery after I was all finished with the c/s.

Suesse2009 · February 2012

They showed Nina to me immediately after she was delivered. After she was dried off my husband held her and I was able to have her on my chest. My husband held her most of the time since I was really shaky. I held her though as they took us to recovery. The only time we were separated was when they did her daily weights in the nursery.

pepomntpat · February 2012

Ask! Actually demand that you and your child not be separated...but ask nicely first. As long as you are both healthy you have a right to not allow your child to be taken away from you.

I'd get this squared away in advance. I was also really upset that DD and I were separated after her birth. It is my only c/s regret. If we have a second LO, I will be making sure that barring medical necessity s/he never leaves my sight.

jkchs2003 · February 2012

I was shown LO right after she came out. They cleaned her off and never gave her to DH. I was handed her as we were leaving the OR. I held her all the way back to the room, breastfed her and everything. Others were able to hold her, etc. Then they gave her a bath and put her under the warmer. But, they don't have a nursery at my hospital. The baby stays in the room with you until it's time for them to get checked out. Even then, they did that while I was sleeping.

mben1119 · February 2012

My epidural-accidental spinal was so messed up and my med dosages were so off that I fell asleep during most of my c-section. DH got to hold DS first, and I finally saw him / nursed in the recovery room a little while later.

katmacwv · February 2012

When DD was born, DH got to hold her almost immediately and they offered for me to hold her, but I was shaking so badly from the meds that I was afraid I would drop her. They laid her on my chest with the nurse making sure she didn't fall and took a picture. I can't recall now how DD got from the OR to recovery, but I don't think she went to the nursery until later. They weighed her, cleaned her up, dressed her, etc. right there in the OR where I could see her the whole time.

MrsLettie · February 2012

Thanks ladies.. It's nice to know that there is a chance. With DS I was stuck in recovery for an hour by myself and the nurse and when I was finally taken to my room I had to beg to see him and the nursery nurse gave me crap saying that they usually don't bring them back that quickly. Has anyone had a tubal with a C-Section? Does it add much time to the procedure?

mlf625 · February 2012

DS: it was ridiculous. The hospital was slammed by hurricane patients coming in from the coast (we were in TX then). I got to see him and hold him with DH's help soon after the delivery, but then they took DS and DH to the nursery while they sewed me up. They couldn't find a permanent room for me after recovery and kept me waiting in this random curtained off area until I finally threw a fit and demanded DS and DH be brought to me, because it made no sense for them to sit in the nursery until I could be moved.

DD: same, got to hold her right after delivery, then off to the nursery with DH. This time we all reunited really quickly when they moved me to my room.

MrsLettie:
Has anyone had a tubal with a C-Section? Does it add much time to the procedure?

I may have a tubal this time, and asked my OB if that would delay things. He said the tubal is really fast and would add maybe a minute to the process.

beckbech · February 2012

I was shown all of my DDs over the curtain as they were born and they were given to DH after a quick once-over. I held them when I was wheeled back to recovery.

I had a tubal with DD3, it only added an extra 5 mins tops. GL!

steelermama86 · February 2012

I am glad to see all of these responses as well. I had emergancy CS with DD. It truly is a blur. I was so shocked and upset that I had to get one that I really don't remember much. BUT, I was FURIOUS to know that my IL's and my husbands grandfather all held DD before me. Call me slefish but, I was so upset. I feel that it is MY time to bond with the baby I have carried for months. My husband said I ws over reacting but, so be it. This time I will make sure I am able to hold my baby prior to everyone and their brother.

magdalina.h · February 2012

Tell you dr that you want to hold your baby. Hospitals all have their own policies, but it's your baby. My first was rushed to the NICU because he was a micro preemie, but I held my second and I was holding him when we were wheeled back to our room.

MrsLettie · February 2012

steelermama86:
I was FURIOUS to know that my IL's and my husbands grandfather all held DD before me. Call me slefish but, I was so upset. I feel that it is MY time to bond with the baby

THIS! I would have been livid. With my first we were away from family and only my mom had flown in to be with us. I was okay with her being in the nursery with the baby, but this time I really don't want everyone to see the baby before I get the chance to spend time with him/her.

treble_clef · February 2012

My hospital had a very nice L&D. My doctor showed me my son right after he came out, they let my husband hold him, put him next me, and my husband was holding him for a looooooong time. I went to the recovery with my son next to me, and my husband followed us. My husband held my son and stayed with me for a looooooooong time. I was like, "doesn't he have to get cleaned or something?" and my husband was like, "I don't know, but they want us to be here, so..." Eventually, they came to get him to clean up. He came right back to my room, though. They put him next to me on my bed, and we've been inseparable since:)

I think my hospital really cared about this issue. I didn't request anything, but they were almost pushing him onto me. The nurses would never have let anyone hold hold him before me and my husband.

+diana82+ · February 2012

With both of mine, I was able to hold them as we were wheeled out of the OR. Before that DH held them as the surgery finished (after the peds team checked them out).

biblionerd · February 2012

pepomntpat:
Ask! Actually demand that you and your child not be separated...but ask nicely first. As long as you are both healthy you have a right to not allow your child to be taken away from you.
I'd get this squared away in advance. I was also really upset that DD and I were separated after her birth. It is my only c/s regret. If we have a second LO, I will be making sure that barring medical necessity s/he never leaves my sight.

This! I cannot stand to hear/read SO many people who think it's normal/ok/allowable for someone to take their newborn away just because of policy. Luckily I had been on the boards first and saw that this happens, so I asked my hospital ahead of time. If it was policy and they were adamant, then I would have found a different hospital, even at 39 weeks. Mother and child are never separated at my hospital (unless there's an emergency of course). Stick up for yourself. You have every right to have the birth you want, c/s or not.

Daisy22 · February 2012

With both my sons, they pretty much handed the baby to DH who came and sat by me. I couldn't hold them yet b/c they don't want you to move that much while being stitched up. Then DH took DS over to recovery and I was over there with DS1 within 30 minutes and with DS2 it was 45 minutes. I was doing skin to skin within an hour of both the boys coming out. My hospital keeps you together as much as possible even with a c/s unless there are complications. You need to talk to your doctor and ask what the situation is with a rcs. Also find out how the hospital handles the baby after being born and your recovery sometimes it isn't the doctor but hospital policies

lewis514 · February 2012

I had one emergency c/s and one planned one. With both, they showed me the baby before the ICU team examined them. DH went with them a and they also have the exam area where you can see so I was watching them get checked out. Once they were cleared, DH held each baby in the OR and had them by my head while they stitched me up. Once I was on the stretcher to go to recovery, they handed me the baby and I held each one until we got to recovery. Then DH and I both had time to hold them.

I also had a tubal after DS was born; added 5-10 minutes max to the whole thing.

kms34 · February 2012

I couldn't hold DS2 for a few hours because I felt super weak and a bit dizzy after mine. My BP was low so they had to medicate me during the c/s. DH held him close to me in the OR and all the way to recovery, etc.

goldenleaves · February 2012

I had DD on my chest as soon as the NICU team in the OR checked her out. She has Down syndrome and we were told to expect for her to be taken right away for evaluation and a NICU stay. When the asked if I wanted her skin to skin I just started bawling! It was amazing! I had my son at the same hospital two tears ago and it wasn't an option to have skin to skin that early because my cs was emergency and I was barely conscious. Obviously my most recent cs was a much better experience! My son and I are BFFs though, so I don't think it affected bonding at all!

beachbum28 · February 2012

I had a long labor and a c-section for my first...I was pretty out of it after surgery and they put DS right on me after and wheeled me into my room...I tried to look down at him but the room was spinning....then I think I must of passed out because DH was waking me up again...They drugged me during surgery because DH said I freaked out and my heart rate went up to 180.!!! I really hope this time I don't freak out!!

Deez10 · February 2012

steelermama86:
I am glad to see all of these responses as well. I had emergancy CS with DD. It truly is a blur. I was so shocked and upset that I had to get one that I really don't remember much. BUT, I was FURIOUS to know that my IL's and my husbands grandfather all held DD before me. Call me slefish but, I was so upset. I feel that it is MY time to bond with the baby I have carried for months. My husband said I ws over reacting but, so be it. This time I will make sure I am able to hold my baby prior to everyone and their brother.

You are not selfish nor did you overreact! This would have infuriated me as well! I told my husband that I was so relieved to find out that nobody was allowed to hold DS (except DH) while they were stitching me back up after my c/s. I had never worried about it prior to delivery because... I didn't think it would be a problem. I figured it was a no brainer to the nursing staff that the mother be the one to hold her baby before ILs/her parents/sisters/brothers/aunts/uncles/etc/etc/etc. But then when they whisked DS away to dress him, I panicked on the table thinking someone else would hold him before me (besides DH I suppose) - I knew they were taking him to clean him up and that our family would be allowed to watch and take pictures at that time and instantly regretted letting them take him away from me. I was pretty sick worrying about it until he was in my arms and DH assured me that the nurses made it very clear nobody would be allowed to hold the baby until I had a chance first.

My heart hurts for you that others got to hold your baby before you had a chance - so sorry to hear that and I hope that things aren't that way for you the next time around.

Deez10 · February 2012

MrsLettie:
My first baby was an emergency c-section after a failed induction. It had lasted several days and I was EXHAUSTED. The doctor did not show me my DS over the curtain and I only was able to barely touch his head and take a couple of pictures before they took him to the nursery and wheeled me to recovery. I think it really delayed my bonding with my son. This time will be different. I will have a rcs and also a tubal ligation. Is there any chance in the world that I will get to hold baby #2 before going to recovery/nursery? I see women holding their baby's being wheeled out of the operating room on delivery shows all the time and I just wondered how realistic that was.

DH brought DS over to me immediately after he was wrapped in a blanket and laid him on my chest while the anesthesiologist took pictures. After a few minutes, DH went with him to the nursery to get cleaned up/dressed and, 15 minutes later, he was in my arms in the recovery area. If I had asked, he would have been kept with me at all times but I wanted to hold him the second I was finished getting stitched up so I let them take him to get dressed so that he'd be done by the time I was.

I'm sorry your first c/s wasn't the best experience for you and I'm glad you are being proactive about holding your 2nd child immediately. Definitely discuss your concerns with your doctor and call your hospital directly to ask about their policy.

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