Question for mommas who have had a previous c section(s)

meli1112 · June 2015

I am a FTM and scheduled to have a c section on August 24th. For those of you who have had a c section before, how long did you have to wait before you could hold your LO?

sconniegrl · June 2015

Great minds think alike - just posted about c-sections, too! I haven't gone through one yet myself, but my doctor told me that it will take a half hour to get me closed up and back to the room to see the baby. She said in the meantime, my husband can go with the baby and do skin on skin with him/her right away. That idea made me feel a lot better about it.
Good luck!!

ann_jeremiah · June 2015

All of my stuff happened in the middle of the night after laboring all day and attempting to deliver vaginally. As weird aS it sounds... As soon a baby was out, I knew he was ok and he was taken out of the room- I fell asleep! I woke up in a recovery room.. I must have slept an hour or so? Once I woke up, they took me back to my room.

breezymeema7 · June 2015

Not long, maybe 30-45 minutes after the surgery.

SassetteSmurfling · June 2015

With DD, it was about 2 hours. She was an emergency csection. They showed her to me and then took her to the nursery I guess and I went to recovery.
With DS, a scheduled csection, he never left my room. DH was able to hold him right on my chest in the OR and we went to recovery together to do skin to skin and he nursed before they even bathed him or anything.

I would ask your hospital what their policies and procedures are.

amylianne · June 2015

With my first I saw him and then he and DH went to the nursery, but that was unplanned. I saw him in recovery, but only for a short time. This time we hope to do skin to skin while I'm stiched up, and he stays in the room unless something is wrong. My first hospital wouldn't allow the baby to stay, so you'll have to check on the policies.
Once we were in recovery and our official room I picked him up almost immediately. I didn't have much pain at all, but that's also because they drug you up nicely

daniellepanda · June 2015

Within 15 minutes. They did his weight and apgar tests then gave him to my husband. Once they had me finished getting stitched up they handed me the babe to go to the recovery room. He didn't leave my side since that point.

benmel31 · June 2015

I honestly don't remember but I don't think it was too long. DH left the OR and went with our girl right away.

jesselayne8 · June 2015

Both times I held the baby as I was wheeled to recovery. My babies never left my sight.

kriszty2 · June 2015

I have my third scheduled section on that day too! I think it was about 30 minutes at most before I could hold him. My husband was with him the entire time though and they met me in recovery.

Kalikins · June 2015

The first time they spirited my little girl out of the room so fast that I freaked out thinking something was wrong. They brought her back after a few minutes and put her on my chest while they were finishing stitching me up. Then it was 45 minutes until I could hold her again.
The second time they took my second girl for a minute and cleaned her up. Then immediately placed her on my chest so I could see her and bond with her and my husband while they closed me up. Then when they went to go give her a proper cleaning she refused to let go, so I got a few extra minutes. I took longer this time to get situated in recovery so it was probably an hour/ hour and a half before I saw her again.

Wering · June 2015

I had a non-emergency emergency csection in December 2012. I'm pretty passionate about the "Gentle Cesarean" idea - you might want to read this article.

https://www.worry-free-c-section.com/the-gentle-cesarean/

Also, my SIL was separated from her LO for over 3 hours and they gave him formula in that time despite her hope to breastfeed. My husband was my advocate and DEMANDED they wait to bathe the baby until after she had nursed the first time, making our separation a little less than 30 minutes (basically the time it took for me to get closed up and the baby weighed).

Below are my tips for surviving a csection:

Guide to Surviving a C-Section (from someone who's been there)

1) Ask your doctor if there are safe exercises you can do to strengthen your core.
2) Know about the Belly Band (Binder) – Buy one in advance just in case the hospital doesn’t give you one. You can always return it.
3) Get out of bed ASAP. It will hurt; you will be stiff. But do it anyway. The more you move, the easier recovery will be. But, take it easy and listen to how the Dr. wants you to move. Take three small walks per day immediately (push the baby around the maternity floor). Continue moving as much as possible once you’re home. Don’t be afraid to go to the store for brief shopping. Just be careful of the steps. They’re brutal!
4) If possible, before the C-Section, negotiate your care. Find out how long you’ll need a catheter. If you don’t like it, try to get it out earlier. Ask about the pain medications, IVs, etc. you’ll receive and how long you’ll be hooked up. Try to know what you’re getting yourself into; it’s more for comfort than anything else. It’s a happy occasion, but scary experience.
5) Set expectations for seeing the baby. DH is your advocate. FIGHT. My hubby did, and it made all the difference. They’ll separate you (you should have a choice for doing the baby’s vitals in the ER – take that option). Tell them you want the baby to meet you in the hospital room for recovery. They’ll try to bathe him. Tell them it can wait. Send DH with the baby to hurry them along. Don’t miss out on those precious first moments. (ESPECIALLY if you plan to nurse!)
6) Set up your house before you go. Try to avoid stairs as much as possible. Pick a floor to hang out on, and put everything you need there – diapers, changing station, bassinets, pacifiers, entertainment, etc. Try to only go up and down the stairs once in the morning and once in the evening. Your incision will thank you.
7) Buy (or pull out) good pillows. You probably won’t be sleeping laying down for awhile (sitting up relieves pressure on the incision and takes the stress off when you need to get up).
8) If you didn’t buy maternity underwear, buy some in a bigger size to ensure it is above your incision at all times.
9) Make sure you have plenty of loose fitting sweats that hit belly button or above. They’ll be your best friend until your incision is fully healed.
10) Know that you won’t be able to drive for at least two weeks. Prepare the house as much as possible. Designate a spot in the house where you can leave a list for DH.
11) It’s hard to get in and out of the car. Get a milk crate to use to step into a taller car. For a shorter car, carefully sit down facing out, then turn each leg in one at a time.
12) MANAGE YOUR PAIN! While in the hospital, take more pain meds as soon as you are allowed. Don’t let the pain start. You might need to call up to 45 minutes early to remind the nurse that you’re due for medication. They can’t always get to you right away. Once home, see how long you can stretch starting on day 5, no sooner. Take some medication proactively if you know you’ll be more active.
13) Don’t be a hero. Take the anti-itch meds immediately post-surgery.
14) If you have a spinal headache, make them fix it BEFORE you are discharged.
15) If nursing, see a lactation consultant either before or immediately after to learn nursing positions for c-section relief – ask about the football hold.
16) Let your provider know that you want the option for a VBAC.
17) Forgive yourself for needing medical intervention.

mrswiebe09 · June 2015

I think it was maybe 20 minutes. Can't say what happend for sure since the anestegiologist (sp??) gave me Benadryl for the itching so I was pretty sleepy! But they cleaned DS up and did apgar and such while they finished sewing me up and we were together in recovery.

e1223 · June 2015

My hospital does gentle c-sections (link above describes it perfectly) - this is my first one due to placenta previa after 2 vaginal births, so my OB explained it all to me at my last appointment. Because my baby will be a bit early, the NICU will also be on hand but provided things are looking okay, I'll get to hold the baby while I'm being stitched up - the way the OB described it is they literally take the baby out, Dad cuts the cord and then the baby is slightly wiped off and handed to me, very similar to my experience with vaginal births.

Obviously in an emergency situation it's different, but the OB said even then they wake you up pretty much immediately after the surgery is over to at least see your baby while you are still in the OR.

sjra1028 · June 2015

My arms were strapped down during the whole process. They brought him around the curtain for me to see him. After I was all put back together and cleaned up, they took us both to the recovery room where I got to hold him for an hour. Then they took him to the nursery to get bathed, weighed, & checked on while I went to a regular room.

Lalala2326 · June 2015

It took 45 minutes or so with my first 2.5 years ago. I also had my arms strapped down, so I just got to see her, kiss her cheek, and then my husband and her left the room. I got her back while in recovery, and they didn't take her again till she had her hearing test and cardiac consult (the hole in her heart was a little delayed in closing). I had requested ahead of time that they hold off on bathing/footprinting/etc... (which they did in room later that day) so all I missed was the initial weighing cause they did that upstairs while I was getting stitched up. I remember them calling down and telling all of us the length/weight while I was still getting stitched so that was nice at least.

Fortunately things are changing at the hospital I delivered at (will be same one this time), and I get to have my arms unstrapped, will get baby back a little faster, and they have been trying immediate skin to skin and breastfeeding while in OR. I may not do that though as great as it would be. If this is anything like last time, I had severe shoulder gas pains and was shaking really bad for some reason (not sure if adrenaline, meds, or a combination), but I was barely able to hold her when I got her back at 45 min. I couldn't imagine trying while laying flat on my back with the pain/shaking I had before...

ashbash1012 · June 2015

I had an emergency c-section, I was able to hold her immediately after they'd gotten me back to my room after surgery. Then afterwards they only took her for her tests. Luckily for me, my H stayed with me throughout my 4 day stay so she could stay in the room with me. Otherwise since I wasn't able to walk the first day and a half, she would have had to go back to the nursery.

Suzanne237 · June 2015

Emergency csection. Close to 2 hrs. They made me wait until I could move my toes before I was allowed out of the recovery room.

ammc07 · June 2015

I had a scheduled cs. They did skin to skin right after she was born. Then baby and DH went to the nursery. About 35/40 mins later they met me in recovery and they did more skin to skin and the nurse helped Mr feed baby.

aseajack · June 2015

I have to be under general anesthesia so I have a pretty long wait, because by the time I wake up from the anesthesia they have already started all of the new born testing with my first it was 6 hours before I saw him and with my twins I waited 3 hours because my hubby was very firm with the nursery about not getting the boys formula and putting off doing some of the testing until after I got some time with them. I'm really hoping this time will be even faster

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