Gentle C/S

MrsFreeman2010 · October 2016

There was a previous thread a couple weeks ago where we were discussing vbac vs repeat cs. Several people mentioned they were opting for a gentle cs this time. The hospital I work at just started with the gentle cs intititive but there has been some push back from parents and staff. So I'm curious....when you use the term "gentle cs" what are you referring to? I know what the actual definition is but, at least at my hospital there is a miscommunication between what it actually is and what people want it to be. So tell me! What do you mean when you use that term

chickyclg · October 2016

This is something I should research....

Jkp7749 · October 2016

What i've read (and been hopeful to have at our hospital) was the curtain being lowered so you can see the actual birth and being able to have skin to skin immediately after. my emergency c section last time was rough and I didn't get to even see her until two hours later. I was thankful she got here safely, but now looking back I missed so much. I didn't see my husband cut the chord, and like I said, didn't even get to see her until way later. i hope our hospital will offer this!!! What is the discrepancy between your hospital and patients?

chickyclg · October 2016

Jkp7749 said:

What i've read (and been hopeful to have at our hospital) was the curtain being lowered so you can see the actual birth and being able to have skin to skin immediately after. my emergency c section last time was rough and I didn't get to even see her until two hours later. I was thankful she got here safely, but now looking back I missed so much. I didn't see my husband cut the chord, and like I said, didn't even get to see her until way later. i hope our hospital will offer this!!! What is the discrepancy between your hospital and patients?

Was reading up on this and I will totally pass, I had an anxiety attack during my c section last time and ended up being sedated. I don't think I could handle seeing all that lol.

MrsFreeman2010 · October 2016

Jkp7749 said:

What i've read (and been hopeful to have at our hospital) was the curtain being lowered so you can see the actual birth and being able to have skin to skin immediately after. my emergency c section last time was rough and I didn't get to even see her until two hours later. I was thankful she got here safely, but now looking back I missed so much. I didn't see my husband cut the chord, and like I said, didn't even get to see her until way later. i hope our hospital will offer this!!! What is the discrepancy between your hospital and patients?

From what we are hearing people hear the term "gentle" are imagining a cs with less-no pain. And then when moms talk (similar to groups like this) we are hearing people getting upset because I didn't have a gentle cs, why was mine not gentle, etc. It seems to be the actual word gentle that is the problem. Our practice has been to allow moms skin to skin immediately after if baby is doing fine. We don't put the drape down due to sterility issues and dads can't cut the cord immediately (same reasons) but our physicians do leave the cord very long and dad cuts it to the appropriate length when baby is not in the sterile field. Our moms also recover with their babies in the same room unless mom has to be put to sleep for the surgery.

But it we have been doing these things for year but now are trying to name it something to fit the expectations of our moms. However it seems to be backfiring.

emilyalso · October 2016

My take on a gentle C-section has to do with how quickly you get skin to skin time... Like in the operating room vs in a recovery room some time later.

Regardless of whether my definition is spot on or not, I think the whole idea/concept goes hand in hand with not letting babies sleep in the nursery (in favor of all night family bonding). Seems like if an institution is on board with one, they need to get on board with both!

I am interested in learning exactly what it means as well as why some people have a problem with it (I will be a repeat C). GREAT THREAD!

mamagain520 · October 2016

I did research this and found a hospital that is very progressive with 'Gentle' C sections. It is an oxymoron of sorts but the term gentle is more for the baby, not the Mom. They try to tug the baby less and let the baby attempt to naturally make its way out. Like the vagina, but the belly. They also don't use bright white lights everywhere like a traditional OR, you have the option to see the baby come out, music if you wish, immediate skin to skin and nursing, I also believe that some can also be family centered so if you wanted an additional person in there you could. Just more a birthing experience than a straight up major surgery.

I am sure different hospitals definitions vary but the gist is to make it more like a traditional birth rather than a gall bladder removal...hahaha

Jkp7749 · October 2016

@MrsFreeman2010 that is interesting. While it would be nice not to have the pain, that's kind of silly to imagine that is what it meant... wouldn't they make that a standard if there was a way to do it without pain?? I just really wanted to have that immediate skin to skin and hope that that can happen this time. I did end up being knocked completely out by the time mine was over, so as long as we avoid that I'll be happier I suppose.

megchelle · October 2016

@mamagain520 I saw a YouTube video of what you were describing. The baby's head and shoulders were helped out but then over the course of some time the baby itself managed to come out the rest of the way on its own. It was cool to watch! I'll be having my third csection and probably won't request this but it looked nice if an OB would agree to it.

WombThereItIs · October 2016

That actually kind of freaks me out.

This time if it it comes down to another csection I want to talk to the anesthesia team not about pain control but managing my anxiety. I started to hemhorrage and got s little anxious so they pushed a lot of Versed. I am fine with baby leaving with dad and no skin to skin (dad did skin to skin while I was in the OR and I think it was great for the two of them) but if it's avoidable I don't want to be so medicated I am barely conscious and can't remember the next 12 hours.

But my husband is also a doctor and has done many deliveries and c sections so cord cutting and whatnot isn't a big deal to us.

JCWhitey · October 2016

I saw that video, too. It was very interesting. I wonder what the evidence is for non-emergency situations for letting the baby push out if their own like that.

WombThereItIs said:

That actually kind of freaks me out.

This time if it it comes down to another csection I want to talk to the anesthesia team not about pain control but managing my anxiety. I started to hemhorrage and got s little anxious so they pushed a lot of Versed. I am fine with baby leaving with dad and no skin to skin (dad did skin to skin while I was in the OR and I think it was great for the two of them) but if it's avoidable I don't want to be so medicated I am barely conscious and can't remember the next 12 hours.

But my husband is also a doctor and has done many deliveries and c sections so cord cutting and whatnot isn't a big deal to us.

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