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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

C-section/ skin to skin question?

25 replies

InThisTogether · 18/11/2017 08:02

Hi all,
I am currently 38 weeks with a cheeky breech, back to back baby. It's my first and I'm a little clueless, hoping you lot could advise?

In spite of every effort to turn him, he's staying put and I have an ELCS booked.
My pre-op assessment is the day before the op so no chance to ask questions til then and I made the foolish error or googling for answers (I know, I know!)

Basically I just want to know how soon after the birth I can have skin to skin/ hold my baby.
Reading last night it seemed like I had to wait 2 minutes for delayed cord clamping, then midwife does tests and weighs him, then he goes to my partner in recovery room while they sew me up, THEN i can hold and feed him. ..

Sorry if it's a silly question, I just got so upset by it last night and I've woken up worrying about it too. I just want to hold my baby.

Any advice gratefully received?

OP posts:

Zampa · 18/11/2017 08:08

My section is next week. The consultant told me that they can do skin to skin in theatre (you just put your gown on back to front!).

The theatre is apparently quite cold so they like to dry baby down and wrap it up so it doesn't get too cold. However, I got the impression you can be holding baby in a few minutes.

I have my pre-operative appointment this morning so I'll let you know if I find out anymore.

ChristmasAccountant · 18/11/2017 08:10

I've had 2 c sections now and both times was offered baby within a few minutes. Didn't have to wait either time for me to be stitched up. It's an odd position to hold a baby in though, they kept ending up under my chin so DH took them until I was finished then I had lots of skin to skin in recovery and for ages after. Don't think either of mine were dressed til visiting time!
Best of luck with your section.

ticklady · 18/11/2017 08:11

It was the same for me it was a delay but i felt so rough it could've been a week Tuesday for all i knew.
I only got skin to skin in the recovery room, my DH was able to hold my babies up to my face but honestly i wasn't with it enough to want a cuddle.
I only got skin to skin with my last one too. The others were just plonked in the crib. I had c/s for all mine. And tbh it didn't bother me too much because,as I say I was totally drained. I had one elcs and the others were emergency.

Ask in theatre if you can have close contact as soon as you can but you do have quite a bit of stitching up to do after. You may well be very shivvery and the emotion of it may be overwhelming. There us a ghastly mess to clear up and lots of wires tubes monitors,and loads of people around.

Or maybe i just had shit sections!!

confusedlittleone · 18/11/2017 08:13

You normally only have to wait untill after recovery if you've actually been knocked out. With just a spinal you can have babes quite quickly

ticklady · 18/11/2017 08:13

Hope it all goes well though and you get the chance of contact. How exciting!

DaisyDaisydoo · 18/11/2017 08:14

I had skin to skin straight after the immediate checks but before weighing and stitching up etc, still in theatre. Just make sure the midwife knows you want skin to skin as soon as I’d safe and it shouldn’t be a problem. Please don’t worry- they really do try to make it as ‘natural’ as possible. It was the loveliest experience of my life. Good luck.

Lules · 18/11/2017 08:16

It was very quick. They weighed him after I'd held him. It wasn't very comfy though as there isn't much space and you're lying down.

With my emcs it was a lot longer but that's because I wasn't well.

greenlizard · 18/11/2017 08:22

I had my daughter on me almost immediately after birth. They cut the cord when she was in me and she had her vitamin K injection me. They briefly took her away to weigh and wrap but only after i had had her for a while. I had her whilst they stitched me and she was nursing before we left the theatre. Goid luck it's so exciting

N0tNowBernard · 18/11/2017 08:25

I had skin to skin after a planned C Section (due to low lying placenta blocking the exit!) they showed me DS immediately over the curtain, DH went over to watch him be weighed and cut the cord. With c section they need to make sure the lungs are clear of fluid because the baby hasn't gone through a labour so they were a min or so doing tests. The tests take a very short amount of time and I was so relieved to hear him crying I just wanted him to have his tests and his lung fluid check sorted.

Plus the surgeons were busy stitching me up, so there's lots going on! It's a very unique experience but magical all the same. My surgeon team and anaesthetist were so good at distracting me from what was happening 'behind the curtain'. It's all over so quickly!

GilligansKitchenIsland · 18/11/2017 08:25

Most hospitals now are trying to promote skin-to-skin as much as possible.
At ours (I'm a midwife), during the section you have a kind of screen up so that you can't see the surgery taking place.
Once the baby is born they lower the screen a little and hold him up, lion-king-style, for you to see.
Then they clamp and cut the cord, put him in a cot that gets wheeled over to the resuscitaire (even if he's perfectly fine and screaming his lungs out) for a quick check, weigh and measure, and vitamin K if you've asked for it. All being well, that whole process takes about 5-7 minutes from the time of birth.
After that, we ask mum if she wants to do some skin-to-skin straight away. Some mums do; others can feel a bit sick or groggy from all the medication, in which case we give the baby to dad / birth partner, who can do skin-to-skin in the theatre (usually at the anaesthetist's / surgeon's discretion) if they wish.

I hope all goes well!

Jenala · 18/11/2017 08:27

It was within a few minutes for me. I was the same as you, very stressed because I wanted it to be like when my first was born and he was put on my chest within seconds. I was clear I wanted skin to skin as soon as possible. They put the sticky pads monitoring me on the back of my shoulders to allow for this, and put him into my chest as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately in theatre things are slightly different to delivery suite as they weigh, take temp, give vit K shot (if doing) all before they put the baby on you. That's just how it has to be, at my hospital at least. Whereas when I gave birth they put him on me and did all of that later.

However. All of that took less than 5 minutes, and my partner went with them to stand with the baby while they did it all. Then he was put on my chest while they stitched me up and he stayed there, all the way through theatre, into recovery (first breastfeed) and then when wheeled onto the ward. In fact I don't think I stopped holding him for hours afterwards.

I get how you feel (and wonder if the tears are partly due to the fact you need a section at all?) but honestly as someone who was very worried about it, it was fine. They have to take them to do all of their bits at some point anyway - the only difference is they do it sooner with a section but then it's done and you can keep your baby with you as long as you want. And it doesn't have to be like one born every minute where they take them off, wrap them up and give them to dad! It was just as magical holding him and it felt like he was snuggled up to me almost straight away. Hope that's some reassurance.

Jadehxx · 18/11/2017 08:28

I had an emergency c section so unfortunately couldn’t have that skin to skin as also he was prem. But from what I’ve heard if everything goes well and you’re both healthy you can have skin to skin in theatre :)

Flumplet · 18/11/2017 08:32

I first had skin to skin in recovery. I was a bit sick/feinted on the table though so not sure if that’s why. They lifted him to show me and I saw my dh have a cuddle and he was brought right up to my face and I could stroke him but didn’t get a cuddle til after he was dressed and I stripped him off again for skin to skin but I had morphine I think at that point so it was all a bit hazy. It’s still a lovely experience - good luck and congratulations on the baby. I am looking forward to my next one in May!

Frouby · 18/11/2017 08:34

When dd was born 13 years ago by elcs they showed her me, weighed and cleaned her up then passed her to me wrapped up. And I bf in recovery.

When ds was born 4 years ago by elcs he was placed straight onto my chest and then the midwife wrapped a towel over him rather than around. He was still attached (which I didn't realise until the asked dp if he wanted to cut the cord). They left him about 5 minutes I think for delayed cors clamping. They took him for a few minutes to weigh him and do the cord then brought him back for more skin to skin while they stitched me up etc.

I felt a bit funny when they put some pain relief up my bum apparently so they wrapped him and passed him to dp.

It was a lovely experience. Very emotional and it didn't actually feel that medical. I was back in our labour room in a couple of hours and down on the ward a couple of hours later. Then home the next lunchtime.

Much better than the week long stay I had with dd.

Ausparent · 18/11/2017 08:34

I had a planned section and DID not get skin to skin until they had finished sewing me up. It takes about 5 minutes to get baby out and then about 30 to do the stitches etc.

Because I was flat on my back and the curtain was just under my bust, it would have been difficult to hold her. She was put in a crib next to me and I was able to hold her hand.

It was a very calm environment (I had emergency spinal and forceps with DS which was a bit manic and the room was bursting with people) but there was a small team with me for DD and it was far more relaxed.

You should be asked in the day before where you speak to the anethsitist and get checked in so this is a good time to ask for it.

I didn't ask for it but I think if I had done they would have accommodated me. Just be clear with them and with DH how important it is for you. They want you to be calm and relaxed during the process too.

Good luck

Ausparent · 18/11/2017 08:36

Sorry. The word did should not have been in caps. Makes me seem very angry which I am definitely not!

AnonEvent · 18/11/2017 08:36

I had an EMCS is October 2016, and got skin-to-skin in recovery.

When she was born she was taken to a table to my right, to have her cord cut, be wiped down, be weighed and have her APGAR (sp?) done, then wrapped in a blanket and brought to me. It seemed to take FOREVER but it was only a few minutes. She was placed in my chest in her blanket while I was being sewed up.

Then she had her second APGAR (I forget if it’s 5 or 10 minutes after delivery). And we went through to recovery where I tucked her down my gown.

Fruitbat1980 · 18/11/2017 08:36

I was holding baby within about 90 seconds of him being out- I held him for about 20 mins as I had a few complications (they cut a main vein! 😵 And I lost 4 pints of blood) we then went into recovery where I had skin to skin/ started to feed. It was awesome and even friends who birthed naturally didn't all have as good an experience.

DuggeeHugs · 18/11/2017 09:03

My second CS was in July. Each time I've had skin to skin in theatre within about 2 minutes of the birth and was breastfeeding inn recovery. Once I had the babies they stayed in my arms - barring DH cuddling them - for hours

This time around DH also got to cut the cord.

Original poster

InThisTogether · 18/11/2017 09:34

Ah bless you all... that's made me feel so much better...
I've been reading these out to my DH and he's like 'see? Told you!'.
I think its just such an emotional time, I'm usually pretty stoic but I just want to see my little baby!
Thanks so much for the replies!

OP posts:

Anatidae · 18/11/2017 09:40

On the table. Even if you have complications sometimes.

I had to go to recovery but got some skin to skin on the table and he even had a quick latch

Fruitbat1980 · 18/11/2017 09:42

Also don't forget to take a camera if you have one not just a phone! The aneasthiatist had a trainee doc with him so he became photographer extraordinaire! We have some truly extraordinary photos of ours sons extraction (not for the faint hearted!) and pics of him having his first scream on the scales (before he'd been rubbed down or we'd set eyes on him). Perhaps not something we'd hang on the wall but I treasure them!

Potsie · 18/11/2017 09:46

I had a gentle c-section and they lowered the screen and my baby was placed on me immediately. They let us have skin to skin for about an hour before they weighed her.

DeadButDelicious · 18/11/2017 10:19

I had Skin to skin as soon as I got into recovery after being stitched up, I could of had it straight away but it was part of my birth plan that they made sure she was ok as soon as she was out and that they did all their checks and what have you. My husband did skin to skin once that was done and I was being sorted.

ticklady · 18/11/2017 13:55

Oh yes you MUST take a camera,and let the theatre staff/ anyone take some extraction shots. I'm squeamish but i can look at those gory photos any time. It a glimpse that must people don't get to see. And it's bloody amazing!

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