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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to think that the way c sections proceed needs to be reviewed?

110 replies

newmum953 · 30/12/2011 14:53

Just wondered if anyone had any ideas that would further improve the c-section experience? (For instance, I would really have loved there to be no screen at all but have no idea whether this is done - to lower the chance of infection or if it's so that the parents don't have a reaction to what they see or a combination of both?)

OP posts:

YonderRevoltingPeasantWhoIsHe · 30/12/2011 15:16

Haven't had a CS so don't know, but I imagine they can't risk people freaking out.

My friend who had one done in Switzerland was tied down during it, which I find a bit and would really hate but I guess it's for the same reason, they can't risk you twitching.

Vajazzler · 30/12/2011 15:22

I'm not sure why they have a screen. If its so you dont freak out then they've got it wrong, cos i could see what was going on in the reflection of the big light that was above the bed!
I've had 5 sections and in 4 of them asked the midwife in the room to lower the screen so i could see the babies being born.
I think there could be more done to make a c section more like a natural birth like encouragement of skin contact with the newborn and a quicker opportunity to breastfeed. With all of mine, they have offered me a quick look at the baby and then taken it off to be cleaned dressed and wrapped up.

Moominsarescary · 30/12/2011 15:26

Think it has something to do with sterile area

MeconiumHappens · 30/12/2011 15:31

I think it needs to be remembered that it is surgery though. Sometimes people get so whipped up in the notion of naturalisin everything that they seem to forget that its surgery which has significant risks. Im all for making it as positive an experience as possible, but equally it needs to be safe and for the surgeons to have an environment in which to work effectively. I cant help but sigh when people request dim lighting....there's someone with a scalpel rummaging aound your abdomen, light is preeeetty important.

Gigondas · 30/12/2011 15:33

I can think of nothing I would want less than no screen... Vajazzled- could you help
Someone over on childbirth who was asking about multiple c sections for her sister please

4madboys · 30/12/2011 15:33

actually you can ask for the screen to be lowered at the time the baby is delivered so you can see, my friend did :)

and re skin to skin i am sure you can insist the baby stays with you, they may need to wrap it up to help keep it warm, but again i know friends who have had the baby put down their top whilst they were being stiched up!

i was always the one to dress my baby first and put its first nappy off, i would be a bit miffed at not being able to do that :( sometimes it has to be done by a member of staff but if you are having a routine c-section etc and all is fine there is no reason why they cant just wrap baby snuggly and let you hold till they are done and then you can dress baby or your partner if you dont feel up to it etc. i think this is hwere you need to be firm and clear of your wishes otherwise the staff will just do what they usually do.

i havent had a csection so this is going on my friends experiences and they were quite clear about what htey wanted (second/third deliveries so a bit more clued up and forceful iykwim!)

yes def a review needed so mum know they can make a choice as to what happens :)

MrsTerryPratchett · 30/12/2011 15:33

I had a C-section in a different country and there were a couple of things that made it really good (for me). The surgeon discussed it at length with me, knew I didn't really want one and respected giving us time to decide. My midwife is a Goddess and held me hand through the whole thing (literally and figuratively). These was screen and I'm glad about that! I had skin to skin really quickly and everyone involved acted like my choices were important and valid.

staylucky · 30/12/2011 15:34

There is NO WAY I would've wanted to have seen the surgeon rummaging about inside my stomach, eww. I mean...eww.

worriedsilly · 30/12/2011 15:37

The screen is part of sterility - it is a barrier to the (usually) unmasked gasman and gasman assistant that hover at the head end for pain relief and life mainetence if required (hopefully not!)

That said it could be carefull wound down if someone wanted, alhtough it's mega tricky as the scrubbed people have a huge risk of breaking scrub by touching some non sterile bit of you or equipment and visa versa, and the non sterile people run a huge risk of touching some sterile bit of sheet. If this happens the whole op has to stop and everything changed - a amjor and poterntially challenging act.

In reference to the baby, they are basically at risk of bloody freezing in theatres. Our theatr is 24-25 degrees, and hotter and the scrubbed people start fainting. The baby comes out wet and in a large room with air flow (due to the nature of the air cleansing in theatres) which is a freezing combo. So the tendency is to dry and wrap wrap wrap. But certainly dry very very well.

Some trusts like a paed at delivery as all sorts of sections ( planned and otherwise) carry a risk to the newborn, they can be very likely to need oxygen in the firts 5 mins as they are not 'primed' to make the physiological adaptions needed i the first few mins. For this reason the paed or recieving midwife tend to want a really good look at them, observing for chest recession or nasal flaring etc whiklst they make sure they are 100% dry before wrapping in a million towels.

However, a well baby can be passed to mum and slid into skin to skin contact - just ask amile]

Some mums get very shaky or drouwsy in theatre also. And some plain freak. So this (I don't think) should be expercted of new mums in this situation. Same applies to partners, who I have seen do some very odd things! Most I have asked have looked horrified at the notion of doing the skint o skin for the baby, only one has accepted - in 15 years!!

I'll never forget one dad who stood up and picked up an instrument for a look, midway through. We had to change everybit of drape, equipment and the surgeons had to rescrub. Not nice when your are lying there with your tummy open!! I can laugh about it now

Anyway, hope this helps. But yes, all activities have a ground 'reason' but lots can be worked around at request of lady

PetiteRaleuse · 30/12/2011 15:39

I was strapped down as the drugs were making my upper body shake. Or it could have been adrenaline. Can't remember was pretty high on meds

I think the screen is to keep the area sterile. Some lower it when the baby is removed but I was happy to wait 20 seconds more til they brought the baby round.

CS isn't really an experience it is major surgery. I was quite happy to let htem get on with their job and concentrate on our health - making it a more pleasant experience is secondary to that.

valiumredhead · 30/12/2011 15:45

God. I needed a screen, looking up to the lights above was bad enough as I could see the reflection of what was happening.

I agree with it being major surgery - needs must and not sure you can dictate what goes on tbh, you just have to let them get on with it.

Moominsarescary · 30/12/2011 15:46

What worried says, I remember them talking about sterile drapes and not touching anything behind the sterile line

worriedsilly · 30/12/2011 15:51

Well, if you have definate preferences, there is no reason in the world why you shouldn't ask for them. Obssterticians are well practised in saying no when they feel it is needed

If a lady I was looking after wanted skin to skin I'd help her out, no problem.
I thijnk the experience of practitioners naturally tends to inform their practice, and it seems the majority of people rather get the op over and done with

( I feel this because I do ask mums - always- and the majority say no. Then I ask again in a 'are you sure, it's no trouble' type way as I think it can really help breastfeeding, but they say no again and I read on mn that people felt preassurised to bfeed so I leave it) so it is important to make your feelings known.

For example, I've had more people ask for the radio to be turned off or for the baby to be weighed asap for the phone calls, than ask for screen down or skin to skin.

Gigondas · 30/12/2011 15:55

Worried - how easy is it to do skin to skin
If you are in a gown/groggy with anaesthetic?

worriedsilly · 30/12/2011 16:01

It's tricky tbh, mainly because of the drips and chest monitoring. But certainly not impossible.

The main thing is in skin to skin in that position a baby would lie longways between your boobs and on your upper abdomen a good bit - which isn't feasable as it will be being - well - busy in surgery. It will have movement etc. The only way I can get it too work is if the baby is laid across the upper chest like a wrap Unless someone is fairly flat chested, then it's easier!

Gigondas · 30/12/2011 16:10

Will bear that in mind and ask worried (sadly pregnancy made me
Opposite of flat chested). Didn't get any skin on skin with dd as was taken off to have assisted 3rd stage (that said she had a big cuddle with dh which I do think has Made her into a massive daddy's girl)

valiumredhead · 30/12/2011 16:18

I held ds on my upper chest - he was sort of curled up near my neck. He was wrapped up though as he was 8 weeks early, but skin to skin would've been ok normally.

sprinkles77 · 30/12/2011 16:18

I had skin to skin. Wasn't even asked. Baby born. Held up for me to see. Wiped weighed and checked then straight under my gown with a blanket over both of us during suturing. Then he was quickly dressed while I was tidied and DH got own clothes back on, and DS returned to me before I was wheeled out to recovery. He must have been out of my reach for no more than 5 minutes. Brilliant!

blueshoes · 30/12/2011 16:24

cs is surgery, not an 'experience'.

BertieBotts · 30/12/2011 16:25

You can do skin to skin with Dad as well - of course it's optimal to have with mum, but will get the baby's BFing instinct hormones flowing, and all the benefits of human body warmth etc, as well as of course being a nice bonding thing for them. In fact our antenatal class teacher told us dads who do skin to skin at birth are 75% more likely to be significantly involved in the child's life at 6 years old (although I imagine that is more of a correlation - didn't seem to make much difference with XP :()

Sidge · 30/12/2011 16:26

I had skin to skin in recovery with DD3 which was lovely - not possible in theatre for all the reasons worried has said, but not long after. Remember you tend to have only one arm free as the other one is sticking out with a BP cuff on, and tend to be a bit trembly and weak after the anaesthetic (even a spinal) and dropping your newborn isn't really high on my to-do list Those theatre trolleys aren't very wide!

She was tucked in to me in recovery and had her first breastfeed, then stayed tucked in with me as we were wheeled back to the ward. It was as lovely as it could be TBH. She was naked (but wrapped) for some time until DH dressed her. She wasn't washed until we got her home.

RIZZ0 · 30/12/2011 16:29

I had an equally brilliant experience with my C/S. Didn't get skin to skin straight away myself, but we asked for extra size scrubs for DH so DD could be popped under his top.

I can't imagine being strapped down, that would panic me!

Afterwards I was put on my side for an hour, during which time I had the midwife help me get the baby on to breastfeed, so I didn't miss the "golden hour". Think this was only about 20 mins after birth. All in all fantastic.

Now, if only my vaginal birth had been handled so well...

Apart from lowering the screen OP Newmum, what other processes do you think need review?

worriedsilly · 30/12/2011 16:34

I have a question

We are looking at the timing of when we insert the catherter.

In theatre after the anaesthetic is effective. So it is completely pain free but it is in a large room and ight make people feel vulnerable and exposed [we had a venomous formal complaint about this]
Beofre the entrance to theatre in private, but it is a bit ouchy having a catheter and people ar nervous enough without worrying about that.

Same goes for the shave too really.

Any comments.

Or am I hijacking and shoudl I start a thread

Ephiny · 30/12/2011 16:36

I agree it's surgery, not an 'experience'. For me I just want it to be done competently and efficiently, as safe as possible for me and baby, and hopefully leaving me with as little pain as possible and no complications afterwards (and a small neat scar that fades nicely please, if we're having a wish-list here!)

Though I think it's fine to ask about how certain things will be done, and to say if you have particular preferences - but if they say no because your request wouldn't be safe or practical, you have to accept that.

4madboys · 30/12/2011 16:37

can you offer each woman the choice? i actually had a catheter when in labour with ds at one point as i knew i needed a wee but couldnt go and my full bladder meant he wasnt descending properly? it wasnt very pleasant but as it was just me, dp and the midwife it was ok, not too painful tbh i am not sure i would like it in a roomfull of people, or can you not have a curtain to pull round to make it more private in the theatre whilst they do it? but then that might raise issues re sterile stuff etc?

adn the shave def before hand in private i would think.

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