Birth Plan (C-sec) advice

erinchrisitne424 · June 2014

I am a STM. I going to have a repeat c-section. I did not have a birth plan the first time around, but I am hoping to do so this time. Are there any other STMs who have had a c-section that have advice that I should include in this. I was not happy with the way things went the first time. I was not able to see my son for hours after he was born. I do not want this same situation to occur the second time around. Any and all advice is appreciated.

Erin

Emerald27 · June 2014

Hi, Erin!

I am not a c-section mom, but I have a few ideas for you:

- talk to your provider and hospital in advance to find out what their policies are, and consider making a change if they're not what you want
- request immediate skin-to-skin for LO's temp regulation
- request that LO be examined on your chest instead of on a nearby table
- request help initiating breastfeeding in OR, as soon as LO is ready
- request that you (and/or SO) not be separated from LO for any reason

Under normal circumstances, all of these requests are 100% reasonable. Best of luck!

erinchrisitne424 · June 2014

@Emerald27 Thank you so much for your suggestions. Those all seemed very reasonable, yet thingsI wouldn't have thought of on my own. Thank you!

Justabean3 · June 2014

I personally think time gets very messed up. I thought I was away from mine a long time. They even gave me something to knock me out.

I thought hours and my mom said 30 mins tops

saraheh007 · June 2014

I had a section my first birth, however that was not the plan. I got to "hold" my son as soon as he was born but they took him away to the nursery to be checked over. It was a good 30-45 minutes before we were reunited. DH stayed with him the whole time so I was all alone (with a nurse) in recovery. This time around, if I end up in the OR again, I would definitely insist all of her tests be performed in the OR and that I get to hold her during recovery. If she is born healthy, there is no reason for her to be swept off to the nursery for testing. I agree with the previous posters suggestions but I think for me, skin to skin and nursing would have been difficult when I was being stitched up. Once that part was done, I would definitely want my baby with me and to start nursing. If she never left the room, then I would be able to have that contact as soon as I was finished with surgery. I need to start researching c-section birth plans too as I am sure there are lots of things I would change this time around should I end up in the OR again.

persephonerose · June 2014

For my c-section they did all of the initial clean up and testing in the OR while I was being stitched up. As soon as my son was born they brought him to me and I was able to rest my hand on him then they took him to be wiped down and examined. I was so glad they did it in the same room because DH was able to monitor both DS and myself. Once DS was clean and swaddled they held him next to me and I was able to rest my hand against his face.

We had DS at what they are now calling a baby/family friendly hospital and the staff does everything to ensure bonding, breast feeding, and skin to skin. You might have to check with your hospital and see if they do that as well.

ETA:Fix not to now. Spelling is hard.

Justabean3 · June 2014

I had to call my mom. She said with my scheduled c (she was in there) they immediately gave him to me. Then they did all the measuring in the same room but over near a corner. I got him back 15-20 mins later and he never technically left my room.

She said they took him to the nursery about an hour after I had been in recovery to check him out and came back about and hour later.

I don't remember most of it honestly. I was so emotionally high

Emerald27 · June 2014

**WARNING** this video shows a cesarean up close. It's graphic, and if that is something you do not wish to see, please don't watch the video! It also shows breasts, prep for the epidural (but not the epidural insertion itself), and cord clamping/cutting. This is serious stuff. You have been warned!

This video does contain great information about how some practitioners are aiming to make cesareans "woman centered." You may find that some of the things they choose to do (e.g. placement of EKG monitors on mom's shoulders instead of chest, slowing down the birth and dropping the drape just enough for mom and dad to witness most of baby's birth, and immediate skin-to-skin without rubbing off the vernix or swaddling) are things you would like to ask your doctor about.

What they do in this video is about as close to a vaginal birth as a cesarean can get, and some of it may really appeal to you. Just wanted to share. I hope no one is offended (especially since I included a disclaimer!):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m5RIcaK98Yg

erinchrisitne424 · June 2014

@Talkkatkv15 There was not a medical reason regarding DS, but I had a second surgery after my c-section, but I was awake for that surgery as well and I wanted DS left with me, I am sure that was part of it, but he was taken into the nursery where people could visit him, but he wasn't with me or my mom (my husband couldn't be there due to unfortunate circumstances).

erinchrisitne424 · June 2014

@FamousEa DS wasn't brought to me in the recovery room. Those were the hours that were hard to not have him, I planned on nursing and they bottle fed him which made nursing harder since there wasn't the instant gratification on his end.

erinchrisitne424 · June 2014

@justabean My c-section was at 9:30 he was delivered at 9:45 and I didn't see him again until 2:15. Unfortunately my time was not distorted. It literally was HOURS. The nurses didn't want family to hold him until I could, so he sat in the nursery that whole time unheld.

erinchrisitne424 · June 2014

@Emerald27 Thank you so much for the video this really helped with giving me ideas on what I want/don't want.

erinchrisitne424 · June 2014

NOTE: my doctors and their practice was amazing. I found a lot of my issues came from the hospital staff and nurses. I am sure things are just standard protocol unless specified otherwise, but that is why I really want to have a plan this time so things are specified ahead of time.

Emerald27 · June 2014

erinchrisitne424 said:
@justabean My c-section was at 9:30 he was delivered at 9:45 and I didn't see him again until 2:15. Unfortunately my time was not distorted. It literally was HOURS. The nurses didn't want family to hold him until I could, so he sat in the nursery that whole time unheld.

My heart aches for you. I was separated from DS for just one hour after his birth, and I STILL have angry flashbacks about him crying or us not being able to snuggle and initiate breastfeeding right away. He didn't get any bottles, but breastfeeding was a challenge for us at the start.

You are going to have SUCH a positive experience this time around!!! You're doing all your research and planning early, so your birth can be empowering and all you hope for.

AmandaJean12 · June 2014

Once you've talked to your doctor about what's possible, talk to your husband or support person so that if you're out of it they can advocate for your wishes. Sometimes you have to be firm, or the hospital staff just does what's easiest for them/their standards.

jmw222 · June 2014

I had 2 c-sections, 1 unplanned, 1 planned. With both, baby stayed in OR and we got to see her/him within 2 minutes of them being swaddled. DH got to hold baby for me to touch/see while they stitched me back up. Within 20 or so minutes, I was in recovery, they wheeled baby in right behind me, and I was able to hold them and start skin-to-skin, nursing.

They didn't take baby away until we were wheeled up to maternity floor and DH was able to with for testing, bath, etc.

reneenearl · June 2014

I had an unplanned csection due to baby being breech. I let the nurse know a head of time that immediate skin to skin and breastfeeding were important to me. As soon as he was born he was given to me while I was still on the OR table. We did immediate skin to skin. They did clean him up and weigh him right next to me.

I then continued to he him while they pushed me back to recovery so I continued to do skin to skin. As soon as I was in recovery (15 - 20 mins after he was born) I began breastfeeding.

Our hospital does not have a nursery so he stayed with me the whole time, other than when they did the new born testing. He was about 9 hours old when they brought him for that and he came back after that. I probably could have gone but it was 3 AM and I still did not have any feeling in my legs back.

I think letting my nurses know what I wanted helped a lot.

erinchrisitne424 · June 2014

Emerald27 said:

@justabean My c-section was at 9:30 he was delivered at 9:45 and I didn't see him again until 2:15. Unfortunately my time was not distorted. It literally was HOURS. The nurses didn't want family to hold him until I could, so he sat in the nursery that whole time unheld.
My heart aches for you. I was separated from DS for just one hour after his birth, and I STILL have angry flashbacks about him crying or us not being able to snuggle and initiate breastfeeding right away. He didn't get any bottles, but breastfeeding was a challenge for us at the start. You are going to have SUCH a positive experience this time around!!! You're doing all your research and planning early, so your birth can be empowering and all you hope for.

Thank you so much for all your encouraging words. It has helped a lot.

tamibattle · June 2014

Thank you OP for starting this thread. I'm a FTM having a scheduled C and was so concerned about the birthing plan

@Emerald27‌ Thank you so much for sharing that video! It's everything I would hope for during a csection. Now to see if my dr performs his csections in a similar manner. I think that to skin is so important after baby comes out.

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