skin to skin after c-section

yzgal247 · February 2014

When i had my son via emergency c section i feel like i didn't get to hold him for over an hour. At my last appoinyment i asked my doctor if i could have skin to skin right after c section delivery. The man looked at me like i was an alien. Any stm have any experience with skin to skin after c section. I would really like them to untie my arms and clean baby on my chest while they close me up. Based off my doctors reaction i'm not sure how practical this is going to be. Im going to talk to him again about it but i want to be a little more prepared this time.

bingbongsmama · February 2014

I'm also having a RCS. I told my ob that I really wanted skin to skin as well and she told me that as long as the baby is healthy and doesn't need to be taken to the nicu, that would be fine and she encouraged me to make a birth plan. One thing you should do is find out what the hospital policy is. My hospital (unlike the last one) is pro bf so they encourage skin to skin and even have LC's in the recovery room.

Are you set on going with this doctor? Maybe there's someone else in the practice who is more supportive of this.

mrsdahamm · February 2014

I asked about this too. My arms weren't actually tied down, but I had an iv in one and blood pressure cuff on the other. The doctor made it sound like I'd have to wait to get to recovery (and I did for skin to skin), but I did get this opportunity...

They took my blood pressure cuff of for a few minutes and let DH hold the baby to my chest. I thought it was a good compromise.

CMheart1011 · February 2014

I'm going to ask about it at my next appt. I didn't get to hold my DD until she was a few hours old. I'm hoping it will be different this time, but preparing myself in case it isn't.

benevolentforce · February 2014

Hmm... good question. I'm going to have to ask my doctor, and get back with any interesting feedback. I've got nothing for now.

southerncharm24 · February 2014

I asked my doc at the last appointment. They will allow the babies to be introduced to me when then born. Skin to skin can happen 15 -20 minutes later when I get to recovery. I'm hoping this is the case. They don't like to separate the babies from their moms is what my doc told me.

Sanibel21 · February 2014

My hospital really pushes for immediate skin to skin and barring any emergency situations, they said they will do it right after. They just told us that at our tour Saturday.

VineyardMel · February 2014

I got the in between. I talked to my OB in advance about what I wanted and put it in my birth plan. My arms were not tethered and when the attending pedi came in and introduced herself I explained that it was really important to get to see--and ideally hold--her before she was cleaned up. They were awesome and put her on my chest as soon as she was out and did all of the initial cleaning there. I didn't specifically request skin to skin and I'm not doing it this time, either. As much as I would LOVE that, it's so very cold in the OR and I was OK with getting to do skin to skin and nurse her shortly after in recovery. There was also very little space between my chin and the drape and you're flat on your back, so I don't know how BFing is really possible unless someone else is holding the baby and positioning them. And honestly? I think I'd rather be the one to do that the first time I get to feed her. As it was her arm was almost in my mouth when they were cleaning her.

babylimas · February 2014

I thought I would be able to but the nurses I met in L&d said it will absolutely not happen. I'm freaking out about delivery a little bit after touring L&D. I don't understand why my cardiologists say he is fine and healthy at birth but no one else will believe it. I'm planning on having a detailed talk with my OB tomorrow.

clo1982 · February 2014

They do not let you in the hospital I am delivering in until after you are stitched up after the procedure. Until then your arms have to be down. Mine weren't tied down in any way but I had to lay with them straight out to the side until they put me back together. As much as I would love to hold him (and would have with DD), I can definitely understand that the priority has to be 'repairing' mom at that point. I was pretty numb too so I think I would have been really nervous holding DD at that particular point...especially while thinking about holding completely still so they can close the incision. I think it might have been @katykatykaty who said her hospital lets you hold them immediately now as part of policy, so it seems that it varies from hospital to hospital.

ntdane · February 2014

This will be my first c-section and I asked about this as well. Both OBs who will be doing the surgery told me that barring any complications I will get to watch them get the babies cleaned up, weighed, etc while I'm getting stitched up. They will likely finish first and be taken back to my recovery room with DH. Side note, I would love to see his face if the nursing staff leaves him alone with two newborns

. Anyway, as soon as they're done in the OR I get taken back to the room and we will be able to BF and do skin-to-skin. They also don't allow any visitors until after we leave recovery, so that should give us some good bonding time.

Kristen61607 · February 2014

@ntdane - So after my c/s with my twins, DH said they took him and the babies to recovery while I was being stitched up and they just handed him the babies and left! Cate was crying and he said he had no clue what to do, LOL!!!! I would have loved to see his face too. Im sure he was like a deer in headlights.

ErinE683 · February 2014

In my hospital childbirth class, the instructor said they're working on doing this at my hospital. It sounds like it was common in the past to keep baby away until mom was stitched up, but they're working on being more BF friendly, and are going with newer research and practices that show it's ok to do skin to skin with a c-section. Obviously, though, the baby and mom need to be healthy for this to happen. If it's really important to you, it's not a bad idea to ask about other doctors in the practice. I'd make sure DH was very clear about the top priorities, so he could advocate if you're feeling tired/doped up/etc.

VanessaBee · February 2014

I'm somewhere in the middle too - Baby will be cleaned up and handed to my mom, who can then bring him over to me for a little peek. I'll get to hold and nurse him in recovery, about 10-20 minutes after birth. Good enough for me!

Zriseon3 · February 2014

I've never been there but my SIL has had 3 and she was allowed skin to skin as soon as they untied her arms, which they were by the time the baby was cleaned off. She held them while they wheeled her back to her room. And with each pregnancy she delivered at a different hospital but she had the same doctor.

katykatykaty · February 2014

Yeah, I posted about this a few weeks ago. I actually talked to my doctor about the specifics this morning, and he said that they would put him on my chest/neck while they clean him up, and some people try to breastfeed during that time. He said it'd be up to me if I want to try then or wait until after I'm stitched up and back in my room/recovery (apparently there's no recovery room at my L&D... they'll just take me back to my room).

avigailandcharlie · February 2014

No experience but one thing we have considered if I end up needing a section (not forecasting needing one, this is just in case), is that hd will take LO and he will do skin to skin immediately until I'm allowed to do it in recovery. Just something to consider in case your doctor/hospital doesn't allow it.

katykatykaty · February 2014

Here's my thread -

https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12236509/stms-c-section-question

ntdane · February 2014

@Kristen61607, I asked DH after I posted this what he would do if that happened. You could tell the thought never occurred to him, lol. He said, no, the nurses would know better than to do that, right? At least he's been through this once before with DS but two on his own would be overwhelming!

.

yzgal247 · February 2014

Thank you so much ladies. At least i feel pretty validated by my request. Im going to talk to him again and also talk to the team in the OR when i go in. I understand that it might not be possible but i want to touch my son asap.

erind0213 · February 2014

My neighbors daughter had a c-section just last Tuesday. Baby was officially born at 6:42 pm and by the time I saw her in recover around 7:15/7:30 she had the baby and was doing skin to skin.

I know in her case they waited till she was in recovery and it caught me off guard at first but the new mom had a pretty big case of the shakes when in recovery, so I am sure they want to be sure all is well before they hand over baby... but needless to say she got some skin to skin time.

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