Gentle C-Section

Kirss · June 2017

https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2016/04/25/a-new-more-gentle-c-section-experience-being-offered-at-bryn-mawr-hospital/

Have any of you heard about a "gentle C/S"? What are your thoughts?

I am planning on a RSC. The first go around was fine, but we didn't have skin to skin for I don't know how many hours. As for the clean drape, I think my husband would faint, he's real squeamish when it comes to blood.

breezybee · June 2017

My doctor was talking to me about it at my last appointment. She told me that it depends on the doctors doing the csection, but at Kaiser (my hospital), they're trying to encourage this method more and more. I guess I don't really have an opinion about it yet, as I'm trying to stay focused on one thing at a time, and that seems so far away. It's not, but it seems like it is.
What are your thoughts?

Kirss · June 2017

I will be asking my doctor next week, I'm not even sure if he offers this.

It does seem pretty far away. I *think* I read this article when it was first published, so way before we we're thinking about trying for another, I thought it was interesting and a nice option to have.

I love the idea of skin to skin right after delivery, and not being tied down. I am unsure on the watching baby actually being delivered. Another article I read said that you still don't see the incision, which I don't want to see! It also said something about the baby emerging slower than a regular CS, which helps clear their lungs naturally.

disneyfan0511 · June 2017

I would love to have skin-to-skin right away. I don't think my hospital offers the gentle c-section but I'm going to ask at my next appt.

Kirss · June 2017

@disneyfan0511 That's what I'm more interested in.

breezybee · June 2017

Oh yeah I wouldn't want to watch AT ALL. I would be interested in the skin to skin for sure, but since wer having twins and they could be born premature, I don't know how realistic of an option this would be for us. We'll have to see when we get a little closer, I guess

MJDsquared · June 2017

I'm not really scared of the possibility of a c-section at all (I mean, if it was an emergency c-section, yes, I'd freak out because 'emergency') but the thing that I really look forward to after giving birth is immediate skin-to-skin (if possible, of course; I know even in vaginal deliveries the baby could need to be attended to by the doctor). I will definitely ask about this at some point!

wabash15 · June 2017

@kriss I had an opaque drape for my C-section but they allowed the cords to finish pulsing before cutting them and then DH was able to do skin to skin nearly right away with the twins. I was not tied down for my section. Then when I was in recovery I had 2 nurses hold the babies on me to try to latch and do skin to skin. (I could not hold them myself because I was shaking too much from the rapid change in hormones). The twins were not taken away from us for cleaning off untill nearly the end of my recovery period (so a good hour or more post birth).

@breezybee fx you don't go super early and you can do skin to skin, even if you do they have found skin to skin to be super helpful in the NICU.

stella_700 · June 2017

@wabash15 Kirss MJDsquared Too soon to plan something one way or another, just too many variables, but if I have to have a c-section I'd love to do skin to skin immediately, both my husband and I. My husband has already stated that he will be firmly by my head, he voted for the opaque drape. I laughed at him some. I just read an article recently on this, I think it was in the local news here...

Nope found it, CNN did it.
https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/13/health/gentle-natural-c-section/index.html

TigerCakes · June 2017

I didn't know this was a thing, but I'm definitely going to ask about it at my next appointment. I had an emergency csection with my DS and didn't get to hold him for 4 days because of his condition and didnt really ever get to do skin to skin until he came home 2 weeks later. I'm going to have a RCS and want to hold this baby as soon as possible so a gentle csection sounds great!

dkizz82 · June 2017

I am plannimg to talk with my doctor about this. The hospital I deliver at offers this but not sure my doctor is comfortable with it or has ever done it. I just want the immediate skin to skin

missphil · June 2017

I'm hoping for a VBAC but open to a RCS if it needs to happen. I'm about to change doctors and the one I'm interested in does vbacs and gentle csections. I hope I am able to switch!

clovelyone · June 2017

That sounds really cool, but the article states it may not be used in high risk or twin pregnancies. However, that means there's a small chance some doctors will do it. I wonder why they may not do it for twins.

ETA: I'm having twins

stella_700 · June 2017

@cloverlyone I'm expecting twins also, I think we are close to the same EDD as well. I know in my head that the babies will need to be assessed and checked out before I get to hold them but still a step in the right direction for parents and their new babies. Their well being comes before my wants for sure. I hope to deliver, depending on babies positioning, vaginally with good sized babies so we can squeeze their precious bodies as soon as possible. My wish for all of us expecting twins!

anewadventure · June 2017

my OB (well, at least one of them, as it is a group practice) does perform these. i'd be interested in immediate skin to skin and not having my arms restrained. i plan to talk to him about it a little later on. we've already discussed why i'm a terrible candidate for VBAC and why a RCS would be best.

cait5413 · June 2017

missphil said:

I'm hoping for a VBAC but open to a RCS if it needs to happen. I'm about to change doctors and the one I'm interested in does vbacs and gentle csections. I hope I am able to switch!

Good luck with the new doc! Hope they have room for you. My current OB practice will not do VBACs, so I considered switching even though I wasn't sure which route I wanted to go. I switched with my last pregnancy because we moved, though, and I just didn't want to do it again. I also feel like I know what the recovery from a section is like and arranging care for DD will be easier because we'll know exactly when LO is arriving. But, I was sad it wasn't even an option, and I still feel a little torn about it.

I would love to do skin to skin right after, but the drape is staying like it is--DH is very squeamish and I think even seeing DD covered in blood/goop when she came out freaked him out. I don't know if he'd make it if we could see the surgery. He stayed by my head last time--didn't want to cut the cord or anything. I did get skin to skin with DD once they stitched me up--20-30 minutes later, I guess, but only for 10-15 minutes and then they took her for a bath while they moved me to a different room and did not bring her back for hours. I was so pissed. That will not happen this time, even if I have to decline a bath. I want my baby ASAP.

@clovelyone @stella_700 A good friend just delivered twins at 34w6d--she had to be induced early for pre-ecclampsia. She had a vaginal delivery, but she was able to do skin to skin with baby #1 for a little while right after he was born. Baby #2 had some fluid in his lungs and had to go to the NICU pretty much right away, but she did get to cuddle baby #1 even with everything going on. Both boys are doing great now and so is mama. So, it's not impossible! and she had a successful vaginal delivery as well (they did have to turn baby #2).

elcd458 · June 2017

@cait5413 I know a lot of hospitals are on a "bathtime can wait" / delayed bathtime kick right now so you may not have to worry about it. Not sure if it's different for CS though. The hospital where I'm delivering started a big delayed bathtime campaign last year and I'm actually worried I'm going to have to fight and yell and scream to make them GIVE baby a bath before he or she gets plopped on top of me. I guess that's my FTM-ness showing.

cait5413 · June 2017

elcd458 said:

@cait5413 I know a lot of hospitals are on a "bathtime can wait" / delayed bathtime kick right now so you may not have to worry about it. Not sure if it's different for CS though. The hospital where I'm delivering started a big delayed bathtime campaign last year and I'm actually worried I'm going to have to fight and yell and scream to make them GIVE baby a bath before he or she gets plopped on top of me. I guess that's my FTM-ness showing.

Well, baby will get wiped off at least!

thatlauragirl · June 2017

I'm so excited you posted this! I've gotten hooked on this podcast called "Preggie Pals" (the name makes me stabby) and just listened to an episode on "natural c-sections". It gave me so much hope! My c-section was awful. My arms were tied down, I was puking and couldn't move, there was no communication... it just sucked. I've been dreading the thought of an RCS but I would be so much more happier with some of this in place. I'm wondering when the appropriate time is to start talking about this with my OB's.

Kirss · June 2017

@thatlauragirl I'm so sorry, that sounds horrible

I'm sure your next appointment you could bring it up, ask not have not.

tmk0325 · June 2017

I would have loved to do skin to skin right away, heck I would of loved a glimpse of my babies. Because they were so early (31 weeks), none of that was possible the NICU team started working on them right away. If I have a full term labor I am going to request skin to skin right away. They normally do unless there are other issues like we had. I don't think I could handle seeing everything though.

darkfyre · June 2017

@cait5413 they dry the baby off without giving them a bath. So they aren't slippery or gooey but the protective vernix is left behind. This is really good for their delicate skin. We actually didn't bathe DS1 until almost 3 weeks. The vernix rubs into the skin and then you just have sweet smelling baby!

ashtynmo · June 2017

FTM here and I didn't even realize thay if you have a CS (and mom/baby was healthy) that you wouldn't get to see and hold the new baby right away. Makes me sad... Definitely going to ask my doctor about it next time!

elev2017 · June 2017

Sorry, I didn't notice this thread yesterday, but I just posted another article on gentle C-sections in the "Articles of Interest" thread if anyone's interested in checking it out. I definitely plan to ask my doctor about the chances of doing this. I'm also having twins, but I'd really like to try and have a scheduled C-section. I'm with a lot of the other ladies on here though and definitely don't want the clear curtain, I'd be grossed out and my DH would definitely pass out because he's also very squeamish around blood.

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