silly elcs and breastfeeding question

[babybouncer]

I'm having a elcs for placenta previa in a few weeks time with DC2. With DS I had a normal birth and had a 'get your breath back' gap before we did skin to skin and started feeding and after about 3 months I found that breastfeeding wasn't working (no idea why - DS stopped gaining weight and then lost it) so I had to mix feed. This time round I'd really like to exclusively breastfeed (not least because of the faff of bottles) and so I want to do everything I can to have the best opportunity to make it work (although I'm aware this isn't entirely in my control!). So I'd quite like to have skin to skin and start trying to feed as soon as possible, but (and here is the silly part) DH has pointed out that if I want to do this I should be aware that in the operating theatre there will be lots of people and I may not feel comfortable doing it. I'm a generally confident person, but I didn't like bfing in public last time, so he may have a point!

Did any of you do this straight after the birth? Is it weird? How many people will be there and will any of them care what I'm doing? Is this something they will be supportive of/pushing for anyway?

I can't tell you how many people will be in theatre but as far as I'm aware skin to skin is always encouraged. And chances are they have all done it a hundred times and really won't think anything of it or be deliberately looking :) please don't let it stop you from asking them to help you do it they really won't be looking at what your exposing . Wishing you all the best for the birth of your beautiful dc :)

Hi, DD was born by ELCS and I was asked for my wishes at the pre-op appointment and they were all followed .
As per my wishes, DD was put straight onto me after a brief suctioning. I opened the back of my gown so we had skin to skin and a towel placed over us both so plenty of modesty. I had a special painkilling injection after which was guided by ultrasound, so DP and new DD waited in recovery together while I had that done, and she was dressed in the clothes I had brought to theatre. In recovery we attempted breastfeeding and she was very alert and happy to try. We then were wheeled back to the ward in the bed and parked back in 'my' cubicle. It could not have gone better .

PS. She was on my chest looking at us and calming down and able to take a breather and take stock of the situation before I let them weigh her, etc.

I'd be surprised if those first moments had any bearing on breast feeding 'not working out' so well several months later. I didn't have a CS, but had fairly nasty birth and horrendous third stage (placenta stuck, me screaming). I was pretty much in shock and don't remember much skin to skin immediatelyt after or that night . She was 3 weeks early and totally uninterested in feeding for nearly 36 hours. She then had mild jaundice and it took a while before we established breast feeding. However, despite rocky start we got there and she exclusively breast fed for 8 months. I guess it goes to show you don't have to have all that immediate skin contact and post birth feed for ot to mnake a difference in the longer term.

I had a planned CS, and didn't get skin to skin in the theatre - I hadn't asked for it (hadn't made any birthplan as such) - but as it turned out, the time from DS being whisked out to me being wheeled into recovery was so quick anyway, I don't think I would have bothered anyway.

Once we were in recovery, I stuffed him down the front of my gown, with him wearing just a nappy and a hat, so he was snuggled on my chest, and warm. After a few minutes, I squeezed a little colostrum from my nipple, rubbed it on his lips - he licked them and wriggled a bit, and his legs were doing little froggy kicks, so I figured he wanted to move! so I scooted him over to my boob and rubbed my colostrum-y nipple against his lips. He opened his lips, latched on and that was that.

I'd say DS was probably BF-ing within 15 minutes of being born? I had no BF support, btw, I just read up on it beforehand and did what seemed sensible - and was also very lucky in that I had a good birth and a healthy DS who was a keen and competent BF-er without me really doing anything.

FWIW, I became aware after my CS that part of the reason BF-ing was easy for me to start with was that I wasn't trying to sit around on very sore post-birth bits! Friends with stitches and various wounds found it bloody hard trying to get comfy enough - one friend with an infected episiotomy gave up BF-ing precisely because she could only manage it lying down, just about, and found it all very traumatic and painful. One thing I'd strongly recommend is a big V shaped cushion to prop yourself up with. Moving position from sitting to standing, or from reclining to sitting up etc can be tricky when you are recovering from a CS - a nice big V shaped cushion keeps you marvellously propped up.

For us, skin to skin and first breastfeed happened in recovery, a quiet room just next to the operating theatre. This must have been about 20 mins or so after dd was born - while I was stitched up DP held her up next to my face. I would have found skin to skin and breastfeeding in theatre difficult, as I was flat on my back with not much space before the curtain they put up, and to be honest I was a bit anxious and shaky til it was all over. In recovery there was one lovely midwife who helped us get into the right position and then kept her distance and left us to it, dd latched on fine (but then forgot how to feed for the next 2 days... she was rather sleepy/stressed out when awake!). See how you feel on the day and don't panic if you don't get immediate skin to skin. We got a lot of help with breastfeeding in hospital, though I did have to keep strong and resist suggestions to give formula. We worked it out in the end, she's still breastfeeding at 11 months and it's lovely. Read up on breastfeeding as much as you can (I recommend La Leche League's 'The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding' - wish I'd read it before the birth) and call a breastfeeding counsellor early if you have any problems when you get home. All the best!

Of course it's not weird! Loads of maternity units have a policy to encourage skin to skin/breastfeeding immediately after a C-section. Talk to your midwife - you'll probably find that they are really enthusiastic and supportive. You'll need to put it in your birth plan. It's a brilliant thing to do, helps both of you to calm down and recover.

You can do it while they're stitching you up - the baby lies sideways and latches on like that, or just has a snuggle if he's not ready to feed straight away. Someone will help you position him, nobody in theatre will think it remotely weird. Most of them will be focusing on the stitching behind a curtain anyway.

On privacy - well, I think this is your call, not your DH's. It is also worth remembering that after a c section you'll need a bit more help than usual with lifting and positioning the baby, so planning to BF in total privacy may be a bit unrealistic for the first few weeks!

I'm not there yet myself - at 32 weeks with my first I've just found out that I have the same condition as you - but I've just been attending NCT classes. They said that it's skin to skin that's important, not necessarily who with, so this could be a fab opportunity for your DH to hold your baby close while you're being stitched up, etc. If he's wearing an old shirt then that would make it easy for him and I think it's a lovely way for him to be involved too. You could play it by ear to see how you feel but this is a nice option to have.

I had an ELCS with dd and didn't want to hold dd at all during the CS - my BP was v low and I felt sick and shaky. So DH held her. You will be lying flat during the CS and not really in a position to bf. Your dh could do skin to skin though, or you could if you are feeling up to it.

When we got through to recovery I undid my gown and cuddled dd naked/with a towel to cover us, and she crawled right over me and latched on to bf! We bf for 3 years. :) I don;t think skin to skin with mummy is essential for successful bfing. Good luck :)

Don't despair if you don't have skin to skin for some reason, it can still all work out - I had an EMCS, and my reaction to the epidural thingy was violent shivering - so I couldn't hold him safely at all - or even get very close as my head wouldn't stay still.

I was sent to recovery, and only allowed down to my room once I could wiggle my toes, and DS went with DP. We were separated for a good 45 minutes before he had his first skin to skin with me, and feed attempt.

My milk took a few days to come in (he lost nearly 10% body weight in the first week), but now, 19 months later he's still BF a couple of times a day

Like Pops said - they attempted skin to skin with DP, but DS wasn't at all impressed with the hairy chest!