C section Question-Are Your Arms Strapped Down During A C Section In The UK?

[Buffyjo]

I am from the USA but am at the moment in the UK. One of my friends who is also from the US but recently moved to the UK is due to have a C Section In London. And she is very worried that her arms will be restrained or strapped down to the operating table during her surgery.

Over in the USA it is standard or routine practise in a lot of American Hospitals to strap down the mothers arms to the operating table during caesarean Sections, (C Sections) that are done while the patient is awake under a Spinal or Epidural.The mums arms are actual strapped down to the arm boards on the OR table.

And my friend who has Claustrophobia is very worried about this as she does not want to her arms strapped down.

As I am not familiar with UK hospitals having only been over here for a short time I really don't know what to tell my friend. So I just want to ask is it standard practise or do they strap your arms to the OR table during C Sections in the UK hospital. And if so what can my friend do to avoid it? Can she refuse this?

No. My arms were certainly not strapped down for a c-section in 2010. That sounds horrible. When my son was born they wrapped him in a blanket (which was a shame as I would have preferred skin to skin - they didn't ask) and put him in my arms with my husband's help. The anaesthetist's assistant took photos with my phone. It was all pretty chilled in the circumstances. They even put the radio on for me when my husband struggled to make small talk to distract me from the thought of what was going on behind the screen.

2011 emcs not strapped down but full of needles and bp cuffs. I seem to remember the op table had special rests for my arms out to the side. Easy acces for aneasthetist I guess? Held DH hand then briefly DS then puked in my hair. Ah memories.

Would also be interested to hear why they do in US though - sounds awful.

I was told mine would be strapped down I refused so they could give my daughter straight to me. They still strapped the other one down. That was dundee 2011.

Absolutely not.

Hell no!!

As already said arms / hands are on resting your chest or holding your OH's or a theatre member's hand. Only thing which she might find claustrophobic is the screen that is put up at boob level.

My advice would be for her to tell them she is nervous/anxious/worried which is what I did and I found the staff to be comforting and really kind/considerate for both my sections.

Yes it is quite common in American hospitals. Not all of them do it but a lot still do. And in America they put your arms out on arm boards not on your chest(I was at my sisters C Section in New York.) The arms are spread out on armboards T shaped or as if you are being crucified(Jeaus Christ style) and strapped to the arm boards at the side of the OR table..

Okay my friend does not mind having her arms on the arm boards as long as they are not strapped or tied down to them. But this is routine practice in many US hospitals. See this if you don't believe me-Us Forum:
community.babycenter.com/post/a14491885/do_they_tie_your_hands_down_during_a_c-section

that's horrible .

No, that would be really weird. There were needles and bp cuffs and so forth, though. I could have held DS almost immediately but I had the shakes from the anaesthetic and was scared of dropping him, so DH held him instead.

mine were handed straight to me when the were born (had skin to skin with the electives, dd1 was wrapped in a blanket first), ds1 latched on & fed straight away. Dh took them to dress & weigh after a few minutes then the were given back to me - when I was moved to recovery the baby was tucked up next to me but the rest of the time I held them. Before they were born I was holding hands with dh.

Happens here in Ireland. I presumed it happened everywhere

I can't remember where my arms were but they certainly weren't out at right angles. What would be the purpose of that?

Please reassure your friend, given the response here I think you can see that really it's not going to happen.

Oh and of course people believe you but really it's just very very different to how things are done here hence the responses.

WhamBam really? God.

Thanks well it seems that they don't do it here in the UK which I am very glad to hear.

Yes my friend is having her C Section in a NHS hospital in London her husband is English so she gets NHS care.

I didn't know they put the arms on the chest here. Over in the Us they lay them out on armboards away from you a bit like Jesus Christ style( I assume to keep the arms out of the sterile feild.)

My friend does not mind the arm board as long as her arms are not strapped. Although some US hospitals don't strap down, they just lay the arms out, other US hospitals do. They do it because they seem to think mum might reach down and help during the Op, so my US OB told me. Which is silly.

To add the problem is when I goggled NHS hospitals in the UK regarding this, nothing came up but a load of post from other mostly US forums, which wasn't much help.

I had a section 8 months ago and my arms were definitely not strapped down - they were out at right angles to my body on the little plates for that purpose, because I had 3 IVs and various other accoutrements. Also meant I could hold my DH's hand throughout.

I had a bad reaction to the medication and was convulsing, so if I had been strapped down that would have been particularly distressing.

Awful that it happens to women in the US.

I'm an ex-theatre nurse (UK) and have been at hundreds of c-sections. I have never seen arms tied down. They would be usually be resting high on the chest - with the inevitable venflon and drip attached to at least one. I can imagine that if there was difficulty with a line and it was inserted at the elbow then it might be stretched out on a board and potentially loosely strapped in place, but I've rarely seen that done with an awake patient, and only ever one arm.

Yeah in the US maternity care in hospital is very medicalised and yes I read the website Improving Birth, that's a US website. And yes there is a lot in the US hospital that needs to change.
I saw this video on You Tube a few days ago in which this jerk of a Doctor(American DoctorBTW) talks about strapping down to the arm boards like it's okay when it's NOT. Made me want to puke!

I've had 2 sections and my hands weren't strapped down either. Never heard of this.

This has horrified me. It reminds me of the horrible practices they have of tying down female prisoners.

I've had 2 cs and due a third in June, both were positive experiences, my elcs in particular where I felt very much centre of the care and invited to hold my husbands hand and hold my baby.

Shocking practice.

ElfycatI'm an ex-theatre nurse (UK) and have been at hundreds of c-sections. I have never seen arms tied down. They would be usually be resting high on the chest - with the inevitable venflon and drip attached to at least one. I can imagine that if there was difficulty with a line and it was inserted at the elbow then it might be stretched out on a board and potentially loosely strapped in place, but I've rarely seen that done with an awake patient, and only ever one arm.
Thanks Elfycat, so it seems it is not done at al in the UK or in the NHS hospitals.

I did not think they could put the arms on the chest, as it might be too near the stomach where the surgery is happening. I know they don't like you to put arms on your chest in US hospitals incase you touch the blue curtain.

Although my sisters arms were not strapped I think because she had her C Section at a New York hospital that was attached to the birth centre with Midwives, so maybe they were more mother friendly there. She still had to keep them on the arm boards and did get shouted at by a nurse when she touched the blue screen as her baby was coming out.

I will tell my friend the replies here and I also think she should write up a birth plan saying she does not want her arms strapped down and any other wishes she wants, so the staff will know in advance. I think that's a good idea.

If you do some browsing there are plenty of American threads talking about this; it's not completely universal. Plenty of women talk about negotiating free hands or signing extra disclaimers, etc.

I was strapped to the table as they had to tilt it to try and stop me puking (glamorous). My arms were free though.

Glad we can put your friend's mind at rest via you OP!

Interesting isn't it the NHS may & may not be a lot of things but they don't strap women to tables when they're having babies so that's a win I reckon

*Glad we can put your friend's mind at rest via you OP!

Interesting isn't it the NHS may & may not be a lot of things but they don't strap women to tables when they're having babies so that's a win I reckon*
Yeah it's only a pity the USA cannot follow the UK example. They also strap arms down for other Gyne surgery in America not only C Sections, it's also standard pratise in Canada still.

@Ireallydon'tlikemonday- Yes there is the safty strap round the waist that stops you falling off the table as it's quite narrow. My friend does not mind that she just don't want her arms strapied as then it's like being in restraints. They still have those 4 point restraints in the ER that I saw a druk man bond hand and fot to the bed in NY ER!

I am astounded that this happens widely in the US! It's utterly unnecessary and controlling. If anyone had tried it with me I would have freaked out and told my DP to stop them.