What do I wear for an elcs?

[Boosaphena]

Maybe a stupid question buy do I wear a hospital gown or can I have my own clobber on?
Ta

[CandiceMariePratt]

I was given a lovely hospital gown to wear

[Boosaphena]

Lovely. I expected that. Can I wear it so that it's open at front so I can have skin to skin?

[Georgimama]

Not really as they will use the open back to do your spinal block. It's not really feasible to do skin to skin in theatre anyway as they will be stitching you up and it's a bit difficult for you to hold the baby (I did hold DD briefly, but DH held her while they finished). I had skin to skin in recovery within about thirty minutes and I'm sure you could do that.

[TanyaBranning]

I think you'll have to wear a hospital gown. Both times I wore one, back fastening. I asked for skin-to-skin with my second section and I was able to hold my DD against my bare chest/shoulder briefly, then they whisked her away for a quick check over (but within my line of sight) and then she lay on my chest (with DH sort of half holding her as extra support) until we went into recovery, when I had skin-to-skin for ages and ages and breastfed her right away.

[Boosaphena]

Ooh. Ok thankyou. That will be strange then, with my other 2 I was able to hold them immediately, even in theatre whilst being stitched up (from 3rd degree tear not cs) hmmm.
Thanks for replies.

[Meglet]

My consultant was very pro skin-to-skin after cs's so they let me slip my arm out of the gown before they hooked me up to the machines so I could lower it down and do skin to skin after DD was whipped out (little pic on my profile).

TBH I found skin to skin after my ELCS a PITA as I thought I was going to drop DD. After a minute I was happy to hand her to (X)P and then I took over once I was settled and sitting up in high dependency.

[QTPie]

Hi

Hospital gown (opening at the rear), no underwear.

I believe that mine was loosened before surgery, the baby was slipped inside the front of my gown - for skin-to-skin - after they delivered the placenta (so whilst I was being cleaned and stitched etc). Most amazing experience of my life! Continued skin-to-skin for some time... successfully breastfeeding in recovery (about an hour or so after delivery).

Look at the photos in my profile, they show the op, where my gown was and us having skin-to-skin.

QT

[scaryfairy28]

I managed skin to skin in theatre it was amazing and it would have seemed like stitching took forever if I hadn't! Gown was done up the back and I really had to push for skin to skin midwife etc seemed to think it was very unusual.

[scaryfairy28]

Also I did quite a detailed birth plan that outlined what I wanted pm me if you want a copy.

[PrettyVacant1]

That's one of the things that concerns me.
I really want skin to skin asap, I would also like my DP to tell me the sex and one of us to dress it, would I be able to?
I would also like a cot that attaches to my bed.
I didn't have much of a plan when I thought I was doing this naturally, I feel like I need a regimented plan now though.

[PrettyVacant1]

QT and Scaryfairy your pics are amazing, that's what I want.
Do you think if I really push it, they'll let me.
I'm trying not get too hung up on things in case they don't happen.

[Booboostoo]

I had a back opening gown but the MW just pulled it down a bit at the front and put the baby on me pretty much as soon as she was born. She stayed there during the rest of the op (about 30 minutes), she was sleeping, I had one arm vaguely around her, OH was also on that side and MW on the other so very safe and doable!

[QTPie]

PrettyVacant, I think it very much depends on both surgeon and hospital policy.

I suggest asking your Consultant/Surgeon first and finding out what he/she is comfortable with: some (but very few!) will literally "deliever onto your chest", others (like mine) will allow skin-to-skin after the placenta is delievered, some will not allow it at all.... I think "whatever the surgeon says, goes" (they all have their own ways of working). Even if a surgeon says "yes" beforehand, then complications may make it not possible at the time...

Then speak to the MW/hospital too. If the surgeon is ok with it, then worth "pushing" a little, but depends what their policy is and how flexible they are likely to be.

You can request that your partner tells you the sex - would remind the midwife/anaesthetist just before the start of the op, though, too.

My surgeon wouldn't let my husband cut the umbilical cord (didn't want him in the sterile zone), but I know that other surgeons have allowed it.

If you are having "skin to skin" baby may stay naked (well in a nappy) for a few hours. You are unlikely to be in the best position to dress him/her (I remember my legs being pretty paralysed for some hours - 4 or 5? - and hooked up to all types of machines...). Don't see why your partner can't though.

"Cot that attaches to your bed"? How do you mean? In hospital or at home? In hospital, you will get what they have... Have you done a tour of your maternity unit yet? All hospitals tend to have the standard clear plastic cribs: can be rolled next to your bed, but doesn't attach to it like the ones you can get for home (where you can shuffle the baby directly from the cot to the bed). You will need to lift the baby in and out of the cot (although you can ring for someone to do it for you). Of course I may be wrong, and your hospital may provide cots that attach directly to your hospital bed - you would need to check with them.

It is good to have a birth plan (I did), but it really is best to be flexible and "go with the flow" too. Things like "MWs changing my maternity pads" (well you can't move your legs for the first few hours) or a "bed bath" never occured to me beforehand, but I went with the flow... You could probably get your OH do to them if you really want, but the MWs were VERY professional and discrete and would have been looking for problems at the same time.

It is definitely worth thinking about preferences (I did), but I also decided to put a lot of trust in the people looking after me :)

QT

[scaryfairy28]

Got your pm I'll reply as soon as dd is sleeping.

[PrettyVacant1]

Thanks QTPie, I know I must sound like a control freak, I'm really not.
I'm the most laid back person going.
With the cot I believe there are some that attach to the bed so I don't have to wait or rely on someone else to pick up my baby.
I've not even thought of things like changing pads but I've had 5 ERPCS and thinking back it didn't phase me when someone else did it then.
I don't think DP would like to do that.

Good advice to put trust in people, I would never insist skin to skin if there was complications, I'm kind of between two areas for care, my chosen hospital is not the nearest and the communication between them has not been great.
The MW's I see fortnightly at my Docs keep saying they don't know the other hospitals procedures.
I have an appointment with Consultant next week so I'll arm myself with a list of questions.
I can't wait to just get my baby.

[PrettyVacant1]

Thank you Scaryfairy.
Sorry for crashing your thread Boosaphena.

[PinkFondantFancy]

Lovely pictures QT!

When are you booked in for mrspretty? Sorry for thread crash Boosaphena!

[scaryfairy28]

QT amazing delivery pics
PV Ive uploaded my birth plan as a photo so you can see.

[PrettyVacant1]

Meant to say thanks on here too Scaryfairy, you've been a great help.

[scaryfairy28]

Glad to be of help I found the run up to my ELCS so stressful due to staff, in reality it wasn't that bad!!

[lizandlulu]

prettyvacant1 i was given a cot that attatches to the bed so i could reach my dd easier, thay said it was standard practice in that hopital to have one after c section

[scaryfairy28]

A cot that attaches to the bed that would have been amazing!!

[PrettyVacant1]

It's on the list.
I can but try 'eh.

[Booboostoo]

Oooh I would have liked a cot that attached to the bed! For the first two days I had to rely on OH or MWs to give me the baby and take her back, but by day 3 I could lift her out myself.