Your c-section... where was the baby?

danibonello · May 2015

Hi Ladies!

So, in an effort to have a plan for the unexpected, hubby and I were discussing what we would like to do in the event of an unexpected c-section. I figure that I will be far more calm if there is even one thing I can control in an uncontrollable situation.

My question, for those who have been there, is this: Once the baby is out, what happens to them? On tv, etc... they always show nurses whisking the baby away to clean/perform APGAR, then wrapped and given to dad while mom gets to peek and maybe touch her newborn. But then what? Do baby and dad stay by mom's head for the duration? Do they take baby to the nursery and make dad leave until the surgery is over? I'd like to know if this is a situation where we would have any say in what happens. I've tried googling it but wasn't finding many experience-based results.

Thanks!!

TheEA · May 2015

I had an unplanned, non emergency c-section with my DS. Right after he was out the doctor held him up for me to see him. Then the nurses cleaned, weighed, and measured him and did the apgar test. Only took a few minutes then they handed him over to my DH. A nurse took a few pictures of us while they finished cleaning me out. Then DH went to the nursery with the baby to get foot prints, eye drops, and other stuff while I was stapled up. When the surgery was completely done I was taken to recovery. I think I was in recovery for about 30 minutes or so before my DH and DS came to joint me. I got to hold him skin to skin and try to breastfed at this point. It was about 1 full hour between his birth and when I got to hold him.
We stayed in recovery for another hour and a half or so before they took us to the PP room.

marcellad12 · May 2015

I have a scheduled c section on Tuesday. We did our hospital tour and that was one of the first things I asked. She said that baby stays with the mom the whole way through the procedure. She said they encourage skin-to-skin immediately and have even had some moms breastfeed right there on the table. I think if you share your desires with them ahead of time, they will honor it. Besides the initial clean up and examination - which is still in the same room, the baby is with you. Once I am done being stitched up, the 3 of us will go back to my "birthing" room to recover. I know every hospital is different, but maybe when you get admitted, you could ask! One thing they mentioned to us was that they are considered a "baby friendly" hospital where they don't have an actual nursery anymore and they encourage baby to be with mom from birth to discharge. Good Luck!

marms1987 · May 2015

I had an emergency C section, they allowed dad to come in when they were taking baby out. They took him to be weighed and cleaned then handed him to dad, I was shaking so bad because of the epidural that I couldn't ask for a picture for the 3 of us, please remember to do that! I touched the baby, and DH and the baby stayed near me until surgery was over. I was then given something for the shakes as they were so bad so I slept 30 mins and woke up in my room and they handed me the baby immediately. I was also allowed to bf once my bp stabilized.

katiebug66 · May 2015

It completely depends on your hospital and their procedures.

jmorneau09 · May 2015

I had a section with my first and will be again next week. They actually gave baby to dad and he walked him over to weigh and get cleaned up and then sat with him near me while I was stitched up. Once in recovery I held /fed him and then we all went back to our room together. He was with us for our whole stay. Never went to the nursery or anywhere without my hubby or myself. I'm sure every hospital has different procedures but if you make your wishes known I would imagine they would be willing to grant them.

ali0608 · May 2015

I was shown the baby immediately. They cleaned him up, weighed him, etc and then brought him back to me for skin to skin for about 20 minutes. That was the best thing for me during the surgery. I could focus on him. While they were finishing with me, my DH and baby went back to the recovery room to do everything else (bath, eye goop, etc) so baby was ready again once I came to recovery.

danibonello · May 2015

Thanks for sharing your stories ladies! I know that obviously every hospital is different, and I'm planning on having a conversation with my doctor tomorrow, but I was just curious to hear how common/possible skin to skin or at least staying with the baby was.

I definitely plan to be a patient who lets their wishes be known!

natbcain · May 2015

You should google "gentle cesarean" and see if that is something you may want and then ask your doctors. I just had an unplanned csection after 5 hours of pushing and was terrified. It was quite traumatic to be honest but it was because I was having a hard time through my pregnancy accepting that it was a chance I would have one. I think it's awesome you are preparing. I got to just see my baby cheek to cheek for a minute because my uterus started "failing" and I lost a ton of blood so they had to knock me out within about 4 minutes of him being pulled out.
My husband took him to get his eye cream/shot etc then they were in recovery when I got there. Even after all that craziness - my sweet boy latched great, has been doing amazing and is healthy as can be!

danibonello · May 2015

The article I read on gentle cesarean is actual what prompted my thought process on preparing for a "just in case"... it sounds awesome but I get the feeling it's not super common. I'll see what the dr. says tomorrow. My hospital is definitely pro-bonding, kangaroo care, etc... so maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised to hear that they support these newer practices.

mina6483 · May 2015

I just had my c-section on Saturday after they cleaned the babies they put them both on my chest so I could hold them DH and babies stayed with me the whole time they even stayed in recovery with me they didn't take them to get cleaned till latter so I had time to bond with them before anyone else got them we had some nice family time .

mamajama3 · May 2015

For mine it was very similar to what it was like for the other ladies above. We did skin to skin and even tried breast feeding my baby girl while I was still on the operating table being stitched back up (which I thought was really cool of the nurses to help me with). Also- you can request dissolvable stitches instead of staples, my surgeon did that at my request and then there are no staples to take out afterward.

ALITAYLOR23 · May 2015

For mine they showed her over the curtain and then took her out of the room into the nursery to get clean, weighed, etc. they finished gluing my belly and such and then they wheeled me into the room I stayed in until I left the hospital. They brought her in to me in that room about 20 minutes after she was out and I got to hold her from then on.

sarahandandy · May 2015

I've had 2 c/s at two different hospitals with very different experiences. My first- I got to see him briefly (as I was dry heaving), then they whisked him away. I didn't see him for 2 hours in recovery & for another hour because his temperature wasn't stable.
Last week I had my second at a baby friendly hospital & they put him on my chest right after they did APGARS & footprints. Then in recovery we had 2 hours together & they helped latch him on to breastfeed. It was amazing.
It requires an extra nurse so staffing may be a limitation. But as long as you are awake & baby is ok ask! Baby's temperature & blood sugars are more stable if they are skin to skin so don't let that be a limiting factor!

danibonello · May 2015

Well, it's funny that I thought to ask this last week. On Thursday I went in for my 37 week appointment and found that my blood pressure had suddenly spiked high enough to be considered gestational hypertension, which meant heading to L&D for an induction! After 24 hours of contractions (2-3 mins apart) I made it to 9+, 100%, 0 station. I stayed this way for 6 hours until we finally agreed that a cesarean was the safest delivery method. So, I'm glad I planned for the unexpected because it made the whole experience far less scary. The surgery, however, was 100% worse than I Ever thought it could be. But that's another story!

I grow more madly in love with my little girl every minute!! Never knew a love this strong was possible!

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