C-Section and baby in room question.

oohgrrl11 · May 2012

I had a C with DS after 40 hours of labor 2.5 years ago. The first night DH stayed in the room with us, sleeping on a fold out chair. The second night I sent him home to sleep and take care of the dogs. He is 6'4" and has an on and off back problem and the chair was killing him. I didn't know at the time that not having someone in the room meant they had to keep DS in the nursery and then bring him to me to nurse. They said it was due to the pain meds I was taking.

Now we have DS age 2.5 at home and I really don't know what to do. He is staying with grandma the first 2 nights if necessary. Do I have the right to insist DD stay with me anyways? What were your experiences?

jb2rn · May 2012

It's your baby.

Unless you are totally zonked on meds (which you shouldn't be, anyway), then there is NO reason your baby ever needs to be away from you or your husband.

I didn't have any narcotics post op, but even if I had, I would insist my baby be with me.

Are you planning to BF? If so, you NEED your baby with you at all times.

aprillle · May 2012

My first c-section was two years ago and believe me, I took my pain meds!! But DD stayed with me at night all four nights I was there. I don't remember being told she couldn't stay with me because of the pain meds. And I felt okay so I told H to go on home and get some rest/sleep while he could at night.

Maybe it was a hospital rule at your hospital?

mlf625 · May 2012

I'd FLIP if someone tried to tell me my baby couldn't stay with me. The only rule imposed at the hospitals where I had my first two was that if the baby was in the room, DH or I had to be in there with him/her. Like, when my sister was visiting, they didn't want me to walk down for a cup of ice and leave her with the baby. Which I did anyway. Wink

As long as you're not loopy or heavily sedated, you should have the right to have your child with you. Talk to your OB and see what the policy is at your hospital. I'd be hesitant to even have my c/s at a hospital that forced my baby into the nursery - we didn't use it at all.

FWIW, we had DS stay home with my parents babysitting him, and DH stayed with me and the baby. It was really nice to have him there and have some bonding time for the three of us before we went home and brought DS into the mix.

HarrietNJMommy · May 2012

Maybe it depends on your hospital? At my hospital, after a c-section, the only time the baby can't stay with you (room in) is when you can't get out of bed. Otherwise, it's fine.........

GL!

oohgrrl11 · May 2012

jb2rn:

It's your baby.

Unless you are totally zonked on meds (which you shouldn't be, anyway), then there is NO reason your baby ever needs to be away from you or your husband.

I didn't have any narcotics post op, but even if I had, I would insist my baby be with me.

Are you planning to BF? If so, you NEED your baby with you at all times.

Yes I will be BFing. I did with DS also but they just brought him to me from the nursery. I was not totally zonked...I guess I just thought that was the way it worked and after reading all of these comments I am starting to wonder...

HarrietNJMommy · May 2012

FWIW, all 3 of my kids so far (planning on this one too) have spent all the nights in the nursery at the hospital. They room in during the day, but I send them to the nursery at night.

imimahoney · May 2012

For my c-section we did partial rooming in (if that makes sense).

The baby spent the entire day with me and my H and then went to the nursery from 10ish until his first feeding. We are EBF.

The first night we sent him back to the nursery because I was so exhausted from 3 days of labor and then the c-section but after that he spent the rest of the night with us after his first feeding.

AshleyK515 · May 2012

When I had DD via c section in January I was told by several nurses and a doctor that someone had to be in the room with me because if she were to choke or need immediate assistance for some reason due to the c section I could not get to her fast enough.

The last night we were there my mom actually stayed with me so she could be with me. I even offered to not take pain meds but was told the bigger issue is being able to get to baby if they had a problem.

magdalina.h · May 2012

She is YOUR baby you have all of the say. My mom was with me when Lucas was born so I don't have any experience of not having someone with me, but that will be the case for next time.

capulet · May 2012

jb2rn:
It's your baby.

Unless you are totally zonked on meds (which you shouldn't be, anyway), then there is NO reason your baby ever needs to be away from you or your husband.

I didn't have any narcotics post op, but even if I had, I would insist my baby be with me.

Are you planning to BF? If so, you NEED your baby with you at all times.

Er, I've EBFed both kids and DD spent a couple nights in the nursery. What you need is a hospital staff that fully supports BFing.

It probably depends on the hospital, but where I had DS, they didn't even have a nursery (other than the NICU) - it was a small hospital and they would just take babies at the nursing station if parents wanted a break, but they encouraged rooming in. So I can't imagine that they wouldn't have let me keep DS with me, even if DH hadn't stayed with me the whole time.

HarrietNJMommy · May 2012

jb2rn:

Are you planning to BF? If so, you NEED your baby with you at all times.

No, you don't. I EBF all of my kids and had them in the nursery at night. No formula. When they woke, they would wheel them in to me so I could BF.

mommytoconnor · May 2012

I'm an OB nurse and our hospital has rooming in and we also have a nursery. WE encourage rooming in, unless the mom is unable to tend to her baby. You can still take pain meds and have your baby rooming in with you. If you are really zonked then it isn't safe to leave baby in room specifically if baby were to choke or have a problem, and you are out of it, it could be disasterous. But if pain meds don't put you out that much then you should be fine. It really depends on your hospitals "rules". You can check with them before you deliver. Good luck.

Daisy22 · May 2012

It depends on your hospital policies. I'm not sure what my hospital does b/c dh always stays with me even when ds1 was home. He wanted to stay at the hospital. He did go home one night to put ds1 to bed but then came right back.

I BF both my boys and still sent them to the nursery every night for 3-4 hours. It's not a big deal in my opinion. It was nice to get a little stretch of sleep.

pepomntpat · May 2012

After the first night I would have been fine with DD by myself. The first night I was still numb from my spinal and needed help. After that I was only on ibuprofen in my IV and could move around relatively easily. I see no reason why they would have to keep your LO from you. If you do need help, you just have to page a nurse.

That said, having DH in the room with me was a really big help and if you are okay with your LO staying with grandma, I'd do it and keep your DH.

stemms8810 · May 2012

At the hospital I delivered at it was their policy since I had a c-section if my DH couldn't spend the night, my baby couldn't room in with me. This was in case he needed something and I couldn't get to him. I think they didn't want the liability of mom's recovering from major surgery taking care of a newborn by themselves.

If my DH wasn't there, the nurse took him to the nursery and brought him back for feedings. Honestly, the first night I would have had a hard time caring for him if my DH wasn't there. The nights after that I would have been fine though.

JenJH923 · May 2012

At my hospital the baby has to stay in the nursery at night until you are up and moving around independently. I am a Maternity RN and we have patients wanting to keep their baby with them on the first night after their c-section and we cannot let them. If their husband is staying the night, the baby can stay in the room. Our policy is in place because if the baby starts to choke or needs help right away the mom might not be able to get to it right away if she is still on bedrest with the catheter in and such. We also have a policy that mom cannot be alone with the baby after IV pain medication. And even though most patients think "it can never happen to me" we have had patients drop their baby off the bed when they doze off after getting IV meds. Just remember the hospital is not trying to impair your bonding or do anything to keep you from your baby- it is all about safety.

magdalina.h · May 2012

HarrietNJMommy:
FWIW, all 3 of my kids so far (planning on this one too) have spent all the nights in the nursery at the hospital. They room in during the day, but I send them to the nursery at night.

there's a difference you sent them to the nursery (I did too) but she's saying they don't give a choice and take the baby to the nursery

HarrietNJMommy · May 2012

magdalina.h:
HarrietNJMommy:
FWIW, all 3 of my kids so far (planning on this one too) have spent all the nights in the nursery at the hospital. They room in during the day, but I send them to the nursery at night.
there's a difference you sent them to the nursery (I did too) but she's saying they don't give a choice and take the baby to the nursery

Oh, I know what the OP was saying. I was trying to make her feel better that others ask to keep their child in the nursery and it works out, in case she's at the same hospital and they have the same rules.

Also, I was trying to respond to one of the other posters who said if you are BFing you NEED to have them with you, but I responded in a different post to that.

melissa721 · May 2012

You can insist that the baby stays with you but I dunno if that's such a good idea if you'll be alone. I was throwing up hours after my c section due to the meds. And I couldn't get up to walk. How will you change the baby? Get her when she cries? It might be easier to send her to the nursery at least for the first night. That's what we did. I also had the surgery at 10pm. By the time I got to my room it was 2am. We had been up for almost 24 hours. (woke up at 5am the day before for work - c section was unplanned). We were exhausted and needed sleep. Sending her to the nursery is definitely something you should at least consider.

cassoppea · May 2012

I didn't take narcotics, but I don't remember them having rules about this. The nurses always asked me if I wanted my daughter in the room with me and the first night I said yes. After that, I sent her to the nursery so I could sleep and they brought her in to nurse when she woke up. I agree with PP - its your baby so you can insist that he/she stays with you. Some people go home on narcotics and they care for their babies at home just fine!

Apparently the hospital where I delivered my daughter recently got rid of the floor nursery so all babies must stay in the room with the moms. They are pushing for the babies to stay with the mamas, so obviously there is great benefit to that.

marrymemylove · May 2012

TBH I was so grateful for the nursery! I wouldn't have it any other way. I roomed in with DS (natural) and it was hell. He wouldn't sleep unless he was held and he fed all night and I got zero sleep. The nurses wouldn't even take him so I could have a shower after a sleepless night. I had to wait until DH came in which took away from our time together.

With DD I had her in room with me (double bed) the first 2 nights until a night nurse said "look you're going home to another child as well, I'm taking her to the nursery. See you in the morning!". I freaked and said being her to feed and she said of course, but she wot wake. She was right! In te nursery without smelling me she slept from midnight to 7 no problem!! It was so wonderful to sleep!

Take the rest while you can get it.

eklanger · May 2012

FWIW, My DH stayed the night while I was recovering and DD roomed in with us, but the first night when she started to cry and I called for DH to help give her to me he was dead to the world asleep.

I can definitely see why the hosp might not want to leave care to you alone for a while. Nothing to do with pain meds, but until you are getting up on your own--as slow as it might be-- you will need to call in a nurse to help hand you the baby for feedings or whatever he/she needs and I remember at least once they couldn't get a nurse in to me for about 20 minutes because there was a delivery going on.

I would ask ahead on what the policy is and if your H can't stay, is there anyone else in your family that might be able to do one night? I loved having DD room in.

jb2rn · May 2012

marrymemylove:

In te nursery without smelling me she slept from midnight to 7 no problem!! It was so wonderful to sleep!

Take the rest while you can get it.

It looks like I am in the minority here, but for BF to be successful, I would NOT recomend this. It's great if you did just fine w/o nursing your newborn every 1-2 hours after birth, but many women will not establish a good milk supply w/o skin to skin and frequent sucking. I would also be weary of nurses/staff giving paci's or bottles in the nursery.

I totally get wanting sleep - I do! I was so tired after a long labor and living outside the states I had no family or close friends to help me out...but breastfeeding was really important to me, so my son was with me or my husband at all times.

catycombs · May 2012

My DH stayed in the hospital with me when I had my DD. I needed him there to get up and change diapers. But, I never sent her to the nursery. She stayed with me until I was released 48 hours later. I EBFed. My only complaint was not having her for the first 2 hours in the recovery room.

I don't think that you have to immediately have your baby to successfully nurse. My milk did not come in for 5 very long days. However, I still nursed my DD for over 16 months.

Michelle164 · May 2012

mlf625:
The only rule imposed at the hospitals where I had my first two was that if the baby was in the room, DH or I had to be in there with him/her.

This is the rule at my hospital too.

Loribelle73 · May 2012

With DS1, DH stayed with me the whole time I was in the hospital, but DS was in the NICU, so it wasn't an issue we had to deal with. With DS2, DH had to go home at night to take care of DS1 because no one was willing to watch him. The hospital wouldn't let me keep him in the room with me alone the first day because I wasn't allowed out of bed. After that, I could have him with me whenever I wanted.

jessicap70486 · May 2012

Call me a bad mom or whatever, but I took advantage of the nursery when DD was born. She was with me during the day, but at night, she was in the nursery. I was not BF-ing, couldnt right away even if I had wanted to because of why and aftermath of my cs. I was so out of it the first day/night that I don't even remember holding DD for the first time, nor do I remember people coming to visit...but there are pictures and thats all I've got. I was put on general though. I stayed 2 nights with DD and let them take her to the nursery both nights, I knew I needed to get myself up and ready and taken care of before I could do it with her. I sent DH home both nights also because he still had to work. Anyhow, check with your hospital on their policies, figure out what you want, and don't be afraid to USE the nursery if you need/want to. You will have your LO by your side every day the rest of your life.

RayRay007 · May 2012

Although DH stayed with me every night, that wasn't the rule in my hospital. In fact, they don't even have a nursery. Rooming in is their policy. If DH was not there and I had trouble getting out of bed, I'd page the nurse.

okayestmom12 · May 2012

It's going to depend on your hospital. Mine recently starts a room-in policy but it was super lax and the nurses were fully aware of how physically draining a csection is.

That being said, I kept our daughter in my room for most of the evening then when DH left, I'd call a nurse to take her to the nursery. They'd then bring her back w/in 2 hours so I could feed her (I was BF). DH did not sown tw night because the accommodations for husbands are atrocious an we have a dog at home that needed to be taken care of. For us, it worked out perfectly fine.

Want a personalized experience?

C-Section and baby in room question.

Re: C-Section and baby in room question.

Choose Another Board

Search Boards