Hi all, I wasn't sure where to post this, sorry if this isn't the right place. I'm due in November with a very sick baby that will spend a month or so in the NICU. I wil be a scheduled C-section because I had one with my DS. My question is, do any of you have any experience with how you having a section works as far as recovery when your baby is cartered off to the NICU as soon as they're born? I am really sad that I'll probably only get a glimpse of him and it will probably be hours before I'll actually be able to get to the NICU to see him for the first time, for real. I already told my husband that I want him to go with him and leave me; my Mom will join them in the NICU if she's allowed. Then as soon as I'm in recovery I want my Mom to come into recovery to tell me everything that's happening with the baby. It really, really stinks knowing its going to be so long before I can see my baby, touch him, talk to him...etc. But, I know that's what's best for him. Just curious if the hospitals usually make special exceptions or anything? Would love if they could wheel my bed right into the NICU lol but I know that's not going to happen. Wonder how long before they'll allow me to get in a wheelchair and go??? Thanks for any input, and sharing any experience you may have. Yes, I realize every hospital and every situation is different. But I do appreciate anything you can give me!
EDIT: I see there's a Csection board, so I'm going to post there as well. Sorry if this isn't the right place, feel free to let this go on down the board.
10/16/04 ~ lost our first baby boy at 20 weeks due to IC
3/05 ~ another loss at 12 weeks
2/14/06 ~ Our sweet valentine miracle was born after a nightmarish 8 months!
Surprise Baby Boy, born sleeping at 31 weeks on 9/21/14
Re: C-section and NICU ???s
He was there when I woke up and I asked him to go to the NICU and take pictures for me. He wasn't allowed to go for several hours after they were born, but did go, take pictures, and decide who was who (we didn't assign names in utero).
I wasn't allowed to see them until about 14hrs later after I was off morphine and they took out the catheter. I was able to keep a wheelchair in my room for the first couple days and went to see them a few times a day.
I don't know if you plan to bf or not, but if you are, request a hospital grade pump ASAP. It took me the better part of 12 hours to be given a pump and then I pumped every 3 hours for 30min around the clock.
So, alot of it will depend on not just hospital policies, but how you and the baby are doing immediately after the delivery. Of course, the restrictions on seeing the baby in the NICU is for everyone's health and safety.
I'm so sorry you have to face this, it's a scary time. But you'll get through it :-)
10/16/04 ~ lost our first baby boy at 20 weeks due to IC
3/05 ~ another loss at 12 weeks
2/14/06 ~ Our sweet valentine miracle was born after a nightmarish 8 months!
Surprise Baby Boy, born sleeping at 31 weeks on 9/21/14
I'm not new. I just hate The Bump.
My experience was that I was put on bedrest for 8 hours after my C Section and so I had to wait that long before being able to get into a wheel chair and go see LO in the NICU. During that time I also got outfitted with meds and had my catheter removed, met with lactation and was given a pump and started pumping.
Apparently 6-8 hours is standard after a C section at my hospital and w/ my MFM. (It was my MFM's order but the L&D nurses told me it was standard). My MFM did not tell me that in advance so I was kind of peeved, but its now just a blip on the radar of the entire experience.
I will say that I would personally not go back to that hospital and I would not use that MFM again. But it's not only based on that...just in general the entire hospital was sort of a step behind what I have now learned are current recommendations about post partum care in general and the 8 hour thing is an example of that. It was just overkill.
TTC since July 2011
Me(33): normal HSG; diagnosed with mild PCOS
DH(35): normal SA
*6 cycles no meds, July-Dec. 2011, all BFN
*Clomid for 3 cycles, Jan-March 2011: BFP March 2011
*MC at 6 weeks
*2 cycles off
*Started TTC again July 2012 with Clomid, 6 cycles from July-Dec. 2012, all BFN
*1 cycle no meds: BFN
*1 cycle Femara: BFN
*1st RE visit March 2013 - first IUI in April 2013 with Femara, Menopur, and Novarel (BFN); second IUI in May 2013, same protocol (BFN); two cycle break; third IUI in August 2013, same protocol (BFN)
*1st IVF cycle, October 2013 (Synarel, Menopur (75 iu), and Gonal-F (150 iu)) -- BFP!! Saw two babies at our 5wk5d u/s on Oct. 28th! EDD=June 25, 2014
Once I saw for myself that he was okay and was wheeled back into my room. It was a while before I went back as I was coming down off the magnesium and I took the time to let all those emotions that I kept in check due to the need to stay calm for the baby rip. So that was several hours later. (my hubby was worried that I didn't want to spend time with LO, but it was that i could finally freak out and once calmed, spent big portions of time in NICU.)
Check with your doctor and let them know your concerns. I'm sure they will accommodate you as much as possible.
after that. It's definitely hard not being able to hold them right away!
This was also my experience. I delivered at 32 weeks as well. The magnesium definitely made it hard to view the babies but I had to get healthy first. As soon as I did, there was no stopping me. Love my baby boys.