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Childbirth

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

Original poster

Skin to skin at birth - is this really 'nice' with a slimey baby?

32 replies

Firstbump · 08/07/2003 15:16

I am not screamish at all but on the delivery tour they offer to deliver baby straight on to you or wrap in a towel to give to you. The first sounds quiet yuk! Have I missed the whole point?

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ghengis · 08/07/2003 15:20

Firstbump, I missed this with my first child and, having experienced it with my second, would definitely recommend it. Words cannot describe how important it is to look into your child's eyes for the first time and feel him/her next to your heart.

kaz33 · 08/07/2003 15:27

Gosh firstbump - you must remember that by the time you see your bump you will have gone through all the trials and tribulations of laqbour, the pain, the lack of dignity, various bodily fluids etc... - a slimy baby will be the least of your worries.

And yes, same experience as Ghengis - missed it with my first but holding my second immediately after birth is number one in my all time list of experiences !!!

eefs · 08/07/2003 15:30

by the time the baby is born you'll be pretty slimey yourself
it's a wonderful experience, as was breastfeeding in the first halfhour after birth. It felt so strange but brought a rush of maternal feeling I never knew I had.

mears · 08/07/2003 15:31

Baby should be dried first in order not to lose heat. The point is that skin-to-skin contact improves the baby's heart rate and breathing rate immediately post birth. Babies tend to cry less as they lie cuddled into your skin, listening to your heartbeat. It is an altogether better transition than being wrapped up in a horrible towel. Also gets baby much more interested in feeding.

oliveoil · 08/07/2003 15:35

I missed it with my dd as was out cold with a general anasthetic (spelling?), my friends say it was the best thing they had ever experienced. Some hospitals do ask if you want the baby 'cleaned up' first.....

SoupDragon · 08/07/2003 15:37

I think I had DS2 washed and dried before having skin to skin contact. I think he was delivered onto my stomach but I'm not sure... anyway, he was all clean when we had our first cuddle.

Katherine · 08/07/2003 16:01

Don't remember either of mine being slimey! Whether that is because they weren't or whether its because I was too happy/ exhausted to notice can't say but I'd definitly recommend that first cuddle.

musica · 08/07/2003 16:02

ds came out spotlessly clean! I remember being surprised, and dh was really disappointed - he liked the idea of a gunky baby! But he looked like he was straight out the bath!

spacemonkey · 08/07/2003 16:04

Firstbump, the experience of holding my 2 babies in my arms as soon as they were born are the two most precious experiences of my life - trust me, you will forget any squeamishness when the time comes!

codswallop · 08/07/2003 16:06

I dont like gunk in abstract but at the time you dont notice

Boe · 08/07/2003 16:08

Am not going to read this as remember and want another chance to do this - gunk is yours and your babies and that will be that last thing on your mind!!!

doormat · 08/07/2003 16:11

It is such a wonderful feeling.

Ness73 · 08/07/2003 16:26

Agree with everyone else - you really don't notice the gunk (and they are generally not AS gunky as you think they'll be) and after childbirth it is no big deal anyway!!

Frenchgirl · 08/07/2003 16:36

I didn't notice any slime as I felt so happy and relieved!!! I don't think I looked my best either anyway....

Original poster
Firstbump · 08/07/2003 19:54

Ok I will make sure I include this in my birth plan. Thanks

OP posts:
batey · 08/07/2003 20:01

Felt a bit like this with dd1 and she was wrapped up and given to me,in hospital. But had skin to skin with dd2, at home, and it was wonderful. Definitely recommend it, you'll never forget it.

Dahlia · 08/07/2003 21:06

Its the most fantastic feeling in the world - and I really didn't notice any gunk. Its a moment of pure joy.

lilymum · 08/07/2003 21:13

It's lovely, lovely, lovely. If you're not offered the opportunity, insist on it!

MrsS · 08/07/2003 21:24

Firstbump - I can only reiterate what everyone else is saying here. I had a water birth for DS1, the midwife didn't touch him at all during the delivery and I picked him up myself out of the water for our first cuddle.

The gunk isn't really slimey, it looks like butter but isn't slippery. Also, babies smell FANTASTIC when first born.

Ghosty · 08/07/2003 21:45

I didn't have skin to skin with DS ... due to c/s and him being given to DH totally wrapped in a blanket so I could only see the top of his head and then I was wheeled into recovery and DS and DH were ushered somewhere else so I didn't see DS in his birthday suit until he was about 5 hours old .... and how I regret it ... I think it had a big impact on our bonding process (or lack of it).
Next time, I tell myself, it WILL be different even if I have a c/s .......

Wills · 08/07/2003 22:03

Ghosty - my thoughts as well!!!! DD was given a bath (emptying of bowls seconds after she got out) whilst they stitched me up, no one handed her to me for ages!

Linnet · 08/07/2003 22:27

My dd was delivered by forceps in theatre and was handed to me after she'd been checked and wrapped up in a blanket, which I thought was lovely. It hadn't occured to me at the time to ask for her to be given straight to me, although I don't think they could have since she had to be checked over anyway. We are trying for baby#2 now and I'd like the same thing to happen again, already wrapped up, not the forceps if possible. I'm quite a squemish person and I don't really like the idea of being given a small baby covered in gunk, sorry but that's just me. I had no problem with bonding or feeding, dd had her first feed about half an hour after the birth once I was all fixed up and back in the delivery/recovery room.
Maybe if the delivery had been different I wouldn't have minded being handed my dd straight away but circumstances dictated what happened and I was quite happy. I guess it depends on the situation in all the rush of emotion I doubt you'd notice if there was a little gunk, you'd just be so happy to finally have your baby.

chiggles · 09/07/2003 07:15

Before ds was born I said I didn't want him on me, skin to skin, full of 'lard', however, as soon as he came out he was put on my tummy and it was lovely. He just lay there not making a sound (infact never cried for 24 hours) and kept looking at his hands and turning them over and looking at the other side. It was amazing!

iota · 09/07/2003 09:17

Well girls you spend the next few years being covered in gunk of various kinds, courtesy of newborns through to active toddler. You may as well get used to it from hour 1 of day 1 of your new life

In fact newborn gunk is probably mild compared to the mountains of poo, vomit, nose slime and all the other 'babyplasm' as dh has named it.

There was a time when I reacted with horror to slobber etc on my clothes, but now I just shrug.

boyandgirl · 09/07/2003 10:09

I couldn't wait to be given my baby after each birth. It probably only took a few seconds between them actually coming out and landing on my chest, but felt like forever. And I ended up as naked as the baby because I ripped off all my clothes so that nothing would get between us! Oh it's utter magic, that first meeting. And with no wrapping on the baby you can count fingers and toes so easily.

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