To request that baby is not weighed, measured etc. until I have fed him

[cath476]

I am due to have an ELCS in about 3 weeks and I have gestational diabetes (not the reason for the section - previous ELCS with DS2 and 3rd deg tear with DS1). I have been very vigilant about my blood sugar levels and am keeping good control. I am desperate to avoid my baby having problems with his levels.
My sister is a sister on the SCBU and said one of the causes of low sugar levels are that babies are allowed to get too cold after birth.
I recently re-watched the video of DS2 in the recovery room being weighed, measured, walking reflex checked etc. This all happened whilst I was still being sewn up in theatre (DH was with him). He seemed to be naked for quite a long time (DS2 not DH!!!)
I have also checked the NICE wrt Gestational diabetes and it is recommended that baby's blood suger is only checked after he has been fed.
Soooooo...AIBU to request that baby is simply wrapped up and given to DH to keep warm until I am out of theatre and can give him his first bf? They could then do all the checks and weighing, dressing him etc. I don't want ot put him at risk by denying him essential checks but surely some of these things can wait an hour or so?

[Firawla]

yanbu, unless there is an urgent reason i think they are fine to allow you to do this? not sure whether being a csection will be a factor or not but i fed my ds2 and had him with me for ages before he was weighed and all that, ds1 taken straight away as had to go for more tests than the usual, and to get antibiotics etc so in those kinda circumstances obviously they do what they have to. but why not just put it in your birth plan, and ask if you can do it then if theres no urgent need to do checks asap im sure they should allow it?

[Meglet]

It only took a couple of minutes for them to check my DD after a planned cs, then she had skin to skin. It sounds like they took a long time with your DS if you were still being sewn up while they checked him.

I expect the consultant will be flexible if you spoke to him / her. If the baby is not at risk then they must be able to speed up the checks or do them later.

[SalFresco]

YANBU.

I have had two cs (one em, one el) and both times baby was wrapped and given to me - DH was sat next to me while I was being sewn up, and DS's were laid next to me. They weren't weighed, or checked, until we were in recovery. Some people ask to feed in theatre too, although I didn't. I presume each hospital has their own "routine" but there is certainly no reason they can't do what you're asking, especially given your diabetes,.

[thisisyesterday]

of course not. he is your baby and you can request what you want :)

you may be able to feed him in theatre tho you know. a friend of mine made sure she could get good boob access via the gown she had on, so that as soon as her baby was born her dh could help her breastfeed (while she was being sewn up again)

so it might not even be as long as an hour anyway

but no, unless there are concerns and baby needs attention straight away then there is no reason why they can't wait

[ENormaSnob]

It takes me less than 3 minutes to do initial check, weigh and vit k on a newborn.

The only problem I can think of is not having an accurate baseline weight for reference.

[steph1512]

Hi just spotted title but havent had chance to read, but i fed before weighing etc...and dd2 wasnt coming off for about an hour ..it was a homebirth so they had to wait/enjoy a well earned cuppa

[cath476]

Thanks for your replies, I am not generally an anxious parent but the thought of the baby having to go into SCBU for blood sugar management after I have worked so hard to avoid it makes me want to cry! (I also feel guilty I think because I let my BMI get so high pre-pregnancy and substantially increased my gestational diabetes risk). I do however, have a tendancy to sound sharper than I intend to and don't want the medical staff to think I am telling them how to do their jobs but I just want to do the best for my baby. (crying again now - bloody hormones!!)
I would be really interested to hear any midwives' views about the best way that I can approach this without sounding too demanding. I think putting it into a birth plan sounds a good idea and will sit down with DH this week to agree a plan.

[cath476]

"The only problem I can think of is not having an accurate baseline weight for reference."

Sorry, ENormaSnob, what does this mean?

It was definitely longer than 3 minutes with DS2 and the midwife didn't seem in any rush at all.

I just want it all over now, so that I can hold my healthy baby in my arms - do you reckon it is normal to feel so anxious at this stage - don't remember feeling like this with DS1 and 2.

[WilfShelf]

Hi,

With my third CS I asked to speak to the senior Anaesthetist on duty for my section before I went in. I explained to the MW and to her that this was my ONLY opportunity to hold my baby first and I absolutely insisted that they find a way to let me have skin to skin. I knew there would be a lot of stitching time afterwards (3rd time) so I asked how they could help this - assuming he was well etc.

They could see no reason at all they couldn't support this so they left gown open, made DH stand on my left side as a physical barrier and tucked him into my gown, unwashed, unweighed, nothing but him, me, a bit of goo and a nipple. It was lovely - and they all said so too... In fact the anaesthetist said she was going to address the hospital policy on booked sections to see if they couldn't do this more often.

He wasn't taken away from me until much later - about 40 mins I think - when a lovely MW brought me a cup of tea and toast, asked if we were free yet and if she just put a nappy and hat on him after weighing him would that be OK?

And she brought him straight back.

It was all very peaceful and lovely, compared to the previous crash sections...

[thisisyesterday]

you wouldn't have an "accurate baseline weight" if the baby did a massive poo or wee either tho would you.
or, in fact, if they hadn't but did one straight after

my 2nd and 3rd babies were both fed straight after birth. ds3 wasn't weighed for at least an hour after he was born.

[Lulumaam]

his weight's not going to change much whether weighed 3 minutes or 33 minutes after birth

after a VB, a baby is given straight to mum for skin to skin etc and if there isa physiological 3rd stage, weighing etc could be held off for an hour or more

with a planned c.s, there is a little bit more hcance of the baby needing a bit of help breathing wise, but if all is well, you should be able to have skin to skin

[steph1512]

I know all areas are diff, but ive just read original post..and in my experience (i have 3dc) my midwife would have been fine about all of this..i agree about birth plan, and the beauty of thec-sec is you could maybe communicate your feeling pre theatre?

I have had my dcs either at home or birth centre..and they were very keen on bf and skin2skin (with mum and dad) b4 anything else!

So the intermitant time between babies appearance and whatever needs you may have, to me this would be the perfect time for some skin to skin with dad.

Skin to skin is suppose to be the most reliant way to keep babies temp regulated and heart rate!...could you do skin to skin while being stitched up??

[steph1512]

sorry stictched up doesnt sound very sensitive! didnt mean it to sound that way

[cath476]

Thank you for all the positive replies - I feel a little less like I am asking too much now. I will ask if they can stay in theatre with me while I am stitched up - I just assumed they wouldn't be able to because he was whisked away last time.

[cath476]

sorry - I meant DS2 was whisked away.

[WilfShelf]

I would definitely clear all of this up early though - do you have a 'booking in' appointment? You need the whole team onside including the anaesthetists because they are the ones who will pull rank - the obstetricians will be busy sewing! If the anaesthetists are worried about you fainting and dropping baby etc it will be at 'their' end so to speak.

And IME it is always better to have the agreement written into your notes in advance.

[ENormaSnob]

Sorry cath should have elaborated. An accurate baseline weight is needed in case baby starts to lose weight during the early weeks. Up to 10% of birthweight is an acceptable loss in he first week so it's important to have that baseline to measure against.

Tbh though a small amount of colostrum won't weigh that much!

I would just tell the midwife you are keen for skin to skin asap.

[cath476]

We have a consultant appointment on Monday to agree the date so I think maybe I will bring this up then. I really hope I don't meet much resistance though because my patience, my ability to articulate and my threshold for losing my temper/bursting into tears are not what they usually are at the moment!

[ENormaSnob]

X posts with everyone!

Honestly it shouldn't be a problem.

[littlemissturquoise]

Doctors just do things because it is procedure. Just do what YOU want to do. It is your baby. You should be holding that baby for as long as possible anyway.

[jewelsforxmasplease]

where i work babies are not weighed in theatre, they are quickley looked at whilst being wrapped then passed to dad, then weighed later on after first feed usually. just say what you want to the midwife looking after you,should be no probs!

[WilfShelf]

It shouldn't be a problem, but it sometimes is. It just takes one frowning senior medic or a midwife to say 'not on my watch' for a vulnerable woman who can't move to cave in, in tears, and then lose that precious moment.

Which is why I think it IS important to have it written into your notes and all the staff know beforehand what your intentions are.

[llareggub]

I had GD and my hospital had a policy of rushing babies born to mothers with GD off to SCBU as a matter of policy rather than clinical need. I was not happy about this for a number of reasons, but most of all because when I had DS1 one of the SCBU nurses threatened to take my baby away if I refused to give him formula. So the thought of going through that again made me very anxious.

I wrote a calm, measured letter to the Head of Midwifery, copied to my consultant, outlining my wish to have my baby remain with me at all times, unless there was a clinical need for special care. She replied, agreeing to this and the letter was put with my notes. I made sure that every health care professional involved in the delivery read this and took note.

I say all this because I was also unable to provide a particularly articulate argument in person, as the memory of what happened with DS1 was still pretty raw.

Incidentally, my DS's bloods post-birth were absolutely fine.

[biscuitsandbandages]

I've assisted at tons of sections as a junior doctor and although I'm not an expert, providing baby is well and the anaesthetist isn't worried about you I can't see a reason you couldn't feed in theatre and have seen it happen quite a few times. Just let everyone know repeatedly that is what you want to do (so they don't forget) while they are getting you ready and it should be quite straight forward. The surgeon won't mind along as there is room for them to work ( which would only be a problem if you were very short like me). Good luck and well done on your blood sugar control :)

[Memoo]

Make usre the midwife and doctors are aware of what you want to happen after your baby is born.

I had a CS with my DD. They took so long to sort me out afterwards as I was losing a fair bit of blood. They wisked DD off and I didn't see her for about an hour! it was bloody awful!