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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

c section with curtain lowered

14 replies

puddleduck27 · 27/04/2015 15:19

has anyone had this? I had emcs with my first and it was all done so quickly. am going to be booked in for elcs this time round and just watched a c section on the telly and am thinking I would like to see more this time. Is it something they are usually happy to do if requested? if so was it what you expected? I'm not squeamish on blood or anything. Altho dh is

OP posts:

ChunkyPickle · 27/04/2015 15:29

I'm not squeamish at all, but I'm not sure I would do it. I worry that despite my generally steady demeanor I might suddenly panic at it, then they'd have to sedate me and I'd have to wait to see the baby a bit longer..

Dunno, I've seen it on video (mine that is, DP filmed my first!), and it didn't worry me, but I wonder if looking down and seeing it might be more extreme.

TheySayIamparanoid · 27/04/2015 15:29

I had emcs with my first and elcs with my 3rd, and I asked for no curtain! They thought it was a strange request but there was no problem with them doing that.
And I'm so glad I did, it was wonderful to see her lifted out, I couldn't take my eyes off her!
I'm not squeamish at all and I'm so glad I asked for no curtain, I was the first to see she is a girl!

TheySayIamparanoid · 27/04/2015 15:31

Oh and I didn't see them cut or anything, my stomach was in the way!

ChunkyPickle · 27/04/2015 15:33

You know I didn't think of that TheySay! Of course you wouldn't be able to see it, you can barely see your own toes by that point!

In that case, should I ever have another (doubt it) I'd happily ask, I imagine seeing your baby being born is fantastic.

ICallHimGerald · 27/04/2015 15:35

I wish i had asked for this - although think it would have been too much for Dh. I'm sure I have seen someone also using a mirror so they could see more iykwim

Original poster

puddleduck27 · 27/04/2015 18:31

thanks for ur replies. I think I will enquiry about it. good to know you can't see the cutting bit. makes me feel a bit like I'll see him being born

OP posts:

TheJiminyConjecture · 27/04/2015 18:42

I'm booked in for an elcs next month, standard procedure at the hospital I'll be in is that the drapes are lowered at the point of birth. I'm really looking forward to seeing her being lifted out. But I think DH would faint if he could see everything!

Crazyqueenofthecatladies · 27/04/2015 19:40

I asked for this with dd, my second emcs, born three months prematurely, and the docs politely said erm no not this time. They had a heck of a job getting her out as at that stage in pregnancy the unstretched uterus is really strong and it can envelop the baby and trap them, she was breech and her head finally emerged from my left side with an audible pop! I would like to have seen one of my babies being born, especially as with dd labour was so fast I was clear headed as hadn't needed gas and air, but can accept that dds birth wasn't one for spectating.

SockQueen · 27/04/2015 20:39

Depends on the hospital. Some will not allow the drapes to be lowered at all, others will only allow it to be dropped for the parents to watch the delivery of the child, and keep it up the rest of the time. I don't know if many places would be happy to keep the top drape down for the whole thing, as the risk of accidental contamination/women reaching over etc is not insignificant. Can't hurt to ask what they are happy with though!

lotsoftoast · 27/04/2015 22:17

I had lowered drapes till after my baby arrived and then they were popped back up. Look in to natural caesarean anotherbun1.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/natural-caesarean-gentle-c-section-our.html?m=1

GotTheKey · 25/05/2015 21:21

Yes you should be able to have the screen lowered if you request it. As someone said above, you can't see the gory parts because of the angle. Google gentle c sections, there's some good stuff out there.

starodyssey2015 · 26/05/2015 13:29

I had a curtain up, but the light above me had mirrors all over it! So I actually saw one of my ovaries when they were checking them over! I wasn't bothered. But I was dosed up to the max, thinking about it now I don't even think I'd be bothered.

No harm in asking!!

Jackiebrambles · 26/05/2015 13:46

I saw the consultant about my ELCS last week and there is an option on the form where you can ask for the curtain to be lowered to see.

I'm not a squeamish person but I'm not sure I could cope with it! Its in 4 weeks so need to decide soon-ish! :)

Becauseicannes · 26/05/2015 14:12

In the UK they are happy to do it. I had the curtain lowered. In the country I just had a baby, they don't lower it, rather show you on a screen. I would prefer no curtain but its important for infection control.
No, I wasn't squeamish at all, it's something that was happening to my body, and I was just looking in wonder at the baby!

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