Skin to Skin question

hmhiggin · October 2012

Was there anyone here who was able to have their LO placed directly on their chest for skin to skin immediately? As in while they were being stiched up? Or is it a safety issue?

This is one of the things that still bums me out about my c/s...

Mrs.PinkPearls · October 2012

I wasn't able to.

They brought him over to me and let me kiss him. He was all wrapped up when I "met" him. I was half out of it though so that could be why.

nosoup4u · October 2012

He was at least cleaned off, but the MW offered to have him lie on my chest after he came out (she would have kept holding him), but I was just too freaked out and exhausted and shaky (I had an unplanned c/s, though!).

I would really push to have it, as long as you and the baby are doing fine. Never hurts to be forward.

lovebug33 · October 2012

I wasn't able to and I didn't get my baby for five hours. I am still bitter and angry about it.

payn0045 · October 2012

I asked my OB about it and she said not until recovery - I know it can be done, but I don't think it's the norm at all yet.

Neener73 · October 2012

They took DS to check his APGARs, weigh him, clean him, etc. Then he was handed to DH. DH brought DS over to show me. Then they sent DH and DS to the recovery room. As soon as I got to recovery, the nurse had DH hand DS to me so we could have skin-to-skin contact and start nursing.

ladybugpjb · October 2012

My arms were strapped down and I was vomitting, so...no. I don't think I even did it in the recovery room because my parents were there. My arms were like jelly, though, so I was nervous holding him period.

emberlee3 · October 2012

No. I was too out of it to do much except look at DD.

tawillers · October 2012

Both of my girls were laid on me all bundled up while I was being put back together and then we did skin to skin when I got to recovery within an hour of them being born.

KariChadDora · October 2012

After 5 minutes in the warmer they wrapped up my DD and placed her on my chest, not skin to skin, but I was "holding" her. This was at my request. I found it to be extremely awkward and I was really afraid I would drop her. My arms were not tied to but I had all kinds of stuff dangling from them (BP cuff, oxygen monitor, IV) and I felt a little out of it too. I asked my DH to take her after a minute or two because I didn't feel comfortable with her there. He held her till we went to recovery and then we did skin-to-skin and nursed for about an hour in recovery.

Zimger · October 2012

He had his lungs cleared out first (they cleaned him off a bit while they did this). Right after they did this the placed him on my chest. I was able to hold him for a second but then my blood pressure dropped and I felt out of it so I asked them to take him. I was afraid I would drop him becasue I was starting to get shakey.

Vegasbb · October 2012

Mine was scheduled so I asked about this ahead of time and they claimed it was a "sterile" issue and absolutely I couldn't do this in the OR. That being said, I was very upset about this ahead of time (we wanted a natural birth and I was obsessed with the skin to skin thing), and at the time it wasn't a huge deal to me. When I got to recovery, LO was doing all of his newborn screens and tests and they put him on my chest in recovery. He was probably skin to skin 30 minutes after birth? He took to breastfeeding immediately and all was ok. In the OR I was still kind of loopy and overwhelmed by how surreal the experience was. Not sure I would have "enjoyed" skin to skin in the OR anyways. 30 minutes later was fine and worked out great for us, despite how badly I thought I wanted skin to skin in the OR.

payn0045 · October 2012

Vegasbb:
Mine was scheduled so I asked about this ahead of time and they claimed it was a "sterile" issue and absolutely I couldn't do this in the OR. That being said, I was very upset about this ahead of time (we wanted a natural birth and I was obsessed with the skin to skin thing), and at the time it wasn't a huge deal to me. When I got to recovery, LO was doing all of his newborn screens and tests and they put him on my chest in recovery. He was probably skin to skin 30 minutes after birth? He took to breastfeeding immediately and all was ok. In the OR I was still kind of loopy and overwhelmed by how surreal the experience was. Not sure I would have "enjoyed" skin to skin in the OR anyways. 30 minutes later was fine and worked out great for us, despite how badly I thought I wanted skin to skin in the OR.

This is useful to hear since I am pretty much in the same boat!

Jess & Drew · October 2012

I didn't get to immediately, and at the time I didn't want to hold DD due to the fact that I was shaking so badly and couldn't stay awake for more than about 30 secs at a time. I was too afraid I was going to drop her on the floor. I wouldn't have trusted myself to hold a pencil without dropping it at that moment. DH did hold her close so I could touch her hands and what not. After we got into the recovery room, they gave me some meds to stop the shaking, and then I was able to hold her.

pepomntpat · October 2012

I was not. It was not a safety issue. It was a stupid hospital policy issue and really the only thing I regret about my birth experience. And I regret it a lot.

Worcbride · October 2012

I didnt with either child; DH got to hold them first which I actually think is great cuz I had the whole experience of carrying them for 37 and 38 weeks. These are OUR children so I felt it was fitting that I carried them and he brought them over to me. He got to stay with them while I was stitched up and then we all met up in recovery. I'm very happy he got to have that bonding experience. I think it made him more a part of everything vs a vaginal birth

hmhiggin · October 2012

Thanks for all these responses!!

I'm not expecting yet, and don't plan on it for awhile, but for some reason I just can't stop thinking about next time already. I had an unplanned C/S after a looooooong failed induction. All my pregnancy I had dreamt of that first moment of her being pulled out and put right onto my chest. It makes me sad that I missed out on it. I personally wasn't shaky or strapped down.

Just in case anyone else was wondering, I have also heard from some ladies on my FB group that some hospitals are starting to allow assisted immediate skin to skin in the OR, with either husbands or nurses assistance. Heck, one of my ladies even said that her doula or nurse helped her son latch while still on the table.

pinkmoonlight · October 2012

No, but that is because he was having breathing issues. They brought him over to me so I could see him for a few seconds and then he went to the NICU for about 2 hours. If there would not have been any problems then yes, I would have been able to do it.

homediva · October 2012

I don't know if it ever happens WHILE being stitched up? My son was cleaned off after my unplanned c-section, given his apgars, etc (all in the same room as me)., then snuggled in with me as we were wheeled to recovery (At first I said I was too shakey, he was so small) where we immediately had skin to skin!

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