Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

Original poster

ELCS with lowered curtain

14 replies

TinyTear · 27/02/2015 12:04

Hi
I had a EMCS 3 years ago and will be having a ELCS in 4 weeks (many reasons for it which I won't go into right now... suffice to say I am a high rist pregnancy and have appointments every 2 weeks at the hospital)

My question is, how likely do you think it is they will agree to lower the curtain when they actually pull the baby out so I can see?

And would it be possible - baby being well, of course - to wait for the cord to stop pulsating before they cut in and get skin to skin after a ELCS?

As my last one was EMCS they just took my DD to get checked straight away, so I only cuddled her after I had stopped shivering and shaking, after DH who had the first cuddles...

The hospital will be the Royal Free in London, if anyone knows about it...

Thanks

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

ElphabaTheGreen · 27/02/2015 12:11

I didn't have a lowered curtain per se for my ELCS (my first was an EMCS also) but there was much less of a screen and I was much more 'with it' so I saw his head emerge over the top of the curtain when they pulled him out, which I didn't get with DS1.

Re: skin to skin. I asked for it ASAP after my ELCS, but there really isn't room for it above the surgical draping and tubes, wires etc. They also still have to do a certain amount of whisking away to check the baby as there are complications for the baby from a surgical delivery that need to be ruled out before s/he can be given to the mother. As soon as they'd done these, though, he was put on me, wrapped up in a towel and held in place by DH while they stitched me up. He then went skin to skin in recovery and stayed that way until we went home the next day.

ladybunnikins · 27/02/2015 12:29

We drop the drape when the baby is born and then put it back up (or at least offer to, it's quite new in our area and most women aren't keen on the idea!)
We tried doing skin to skin straight away but after a few problems we've gone back to the midwife doing an initial check, putting a hat and nappy on and then doing skin to skin (again, if the mother feels up to it, it's quite common to feel sick or shivery due to the spinal).
We've talked about delayed cord clamping for elective LSCS but we've decided not to offer it routinely at the moment because of concerns that the baby might get cold because it will still be lying exposed at the surgical site (rather than getting cuddles with a warm mother after a vaginal delivery).
London seems to be ahead of most places with this since they do all the private obstetrics so I suppose they are used to accommodating women's requests, so hopefully you shouldn't have a problem.
What you are describing is the 'natural caesarean', there's a nice youtube video for it if you haven't already seen it.

Original poster

TinyTear · 27/02/2015 13:15

Thanks!
I shall ask at my next appointment... I think lowering the curtain is what I would like more (i'm not too squeamish) and then get the cuddles once DD is out and checked...

Lady yes, last time I was shivering uncontrollably and was sick a few times, even though I had been nil by mouth since the day before (as I had a drip because of the Gestational Diabetes), don't want to risk dropping the baby!

OP posts:

ElphabaTheGreen · 27/02/2015 15:46

Tiny I had the shaking first time really badly - most likely exacerbated by the shock, no food, trauma of the events leading to the EMCS, plus a PPH - then it wasn't nearly so bad with the ELCS. The second I felt even slightly dodgy at any point during the ELCS, I told them and they gave me something through one of the many tubes to help immediately. Just make sure you speak up and it will be a totally different before, during and after experience.

I forgot to say - you'll be lying flat on your back on a slight tilt to the left, if you remember that from the EMCS, with cannulae in both hands and be only capable of partially restricted arm and head movement, which would make safely holding a naked baby comfortably very difficult. I desperately wanted skin to skin immediately with DS2, since I couldn't have a VBAC, but having him lying on me while I was stitched up was certainly better than the eight hour separation I had from DS1

Original poster

TinyTear · 27/02/2015 15:53

Thanks Elphaba! Strangely looking forward to major surgery

True! I shall strip when we are safely in recovery and I can put her on the breast! DH can have the first cuddles as he will then be going home to stay with DD

OP posts:

Cockbollocks · 27/02/2015 16:13

My surgeon asked if I wanted the curtain lowered. I said yes, then looked at DP who went green so said better not!!!

That was 6 years ago so hopefully its becoming quite normal.

ElphabaTheGreen · 27/02/2015 18:42

It only actually occurred to me recently that DH got the first cuddles with both of our boys and it didn't bother me in hindsight - in fact I was quite pleased. We get the fun of feeling their first movements, hearing their heartbeats at all antenatal appointments, both of mine are/were VERY breastfed so are very mum-centric as a result, so it's only fair that DH got something significant of his own.

VeryPunny · 27/02/2015 18:44

Delayed cord clampung possible at my hospital for csection, I had skin to skin after initial check up with DD - that was an EMCS as well. Anaesthetist unplugged iv etc to take gown off then wired me back up once DD was on chest.

ThatBloodyWoman · 27/02/2015 18:45

I wish I'd asked for no screen with my 2nd -if you don't ask you won't get,so give it a try.

Booboostoo · 27/02/2015 18:58

My DH got up and looked over the, really small, screen as DS was being born but personally I did not want to look. He was quickly examined and put on my chest, I held him with my left arm which was free and a midwife was right by my head to help if needed. I collected stem cells so couldn't do the delayed cord.

ToriB34 · 27/02/2015 19:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

TinyTear · 27/02/2015 20:21

Thanks all. This is hopeful for me to ask them

OP posts:

TooManyDicksOnTheDancefloor · 27/02/2015 21:03

I had an emergency cs in 2012 and they didn't use a curtain, I saw everything! I didn't get skin to skin initially, they passed her to DH and he left the room while I was stitched. I held her an hour later and put her straight to the breast.

wrapsuperstar · 01/03/2015 00:18

I had skin to skin after my EMCS and ELCS (at two different hospitals) -- I only managed a couple of minutes with EMCS before I became very unwell, but with the ELCS I actually had my monitors etc put on in such a way as to allow room for skin to skin comfortably. I lay down on the table with my writing arm free from my gown so I could comfortably hold baby there against my chest once she was born. We didn't go for lowered curtain (didn't ask) but did go for delayed cord cutting. You should be fine. And personally speaking, an ELCS is so different to an emergency one. Mine was brilliant.

Flip