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Original poster

Skin to skin after C section

43 replies

DJBebe · 30/08/2020 07:51

Hi all. I was hoping for a natural birth but the baby has other plans, as he/she is breach at 35+4 i will probably need a C section. Can i still do skin to skin contact immediately after? Thank you

OP posts:

lorisparkle · 30/08/2020 08:03

I had my c-sections a while ago so things might have changed but in my experience straight after birth they did all the usual checks then gave baby to my DH. I was being stiched up. When we got to the recovery room I was then able to do skin to skin for as long as I wanted.

PenguinMama · 30/08/2020 08:07

Yes you can. I had a c-section last month and was asked if I wanted skin to skin. After the baby was cleaned up, he was bought over to me, I pulled the top section of my gown down a bit and we had skin to skin whilst I was being stitched up.

mrssunshinexxx · 30/08/2020 08:08

I asked for my gown to be put on backwards for skin to skin they said no I can't remember why I was exhausted in my hosp due to Covid dads are only allowed to stay for 30 mins post section so I said for my husband to have her for all of that anyway x

BeMorePacific · 30/08/2020 08:32

As long as the baby is ok you can have immediate skin to skin. Make sure it’s in your birth plan. Good luck xx

MindyStClaire · 30/08/2020 08:41

I didn't feel comfortable holding the baby during the section either time, just because I was flat on my back with cannulas etc. DH held them at my head and then I did skin to skin in recovery. Lovely for DH to get that first hold (especially this time with covid restrictions) and I enjoyed skin to skin more in recovery. Breastfed both times with no issue (just in case that's on your mind).

Original poster

DJBebe · 30/08/2020 08:47

Thank you all. @MindyStClaire that's exactly why I'm a bit anxious because i want to breastfeed.
For how long did you have to stay in the hospital after the section? x

OP posts:

MindyStClaire · 30/08/2020 08:47

Oh and I'm pretty sure they wheeled us down to the ward with the baby tucked inside my nighty both times, so skin to skin continued to the ward for as long as I wanted.

MindyStClaire · 30/08/2020 08:48

I stayed two nights both times. The second time I was offered to leave after one night but decided to stay as but two can be a bit tricky with cluster feeding and I wanted support just in case.

scrivette · 30/08/2020 10:15

They asked me if I wanted skin to skin and I held her whilst they stitched me up. They sort of ticked her into my chest with a towel and one of the doctors stood next to me the whole time. They did take her out to meet DH who was standing outside the door though to meet him quickly before bringing back to me for skin to skin.

Original poster

DJBebe · 30/08/2020 10:46

@scrivette was your DH allowed to stay with you during the procedure?

OP posts:

Somethingsnappy · 30/08/2020 11:25

Hi OP! My husband stayed with me throughout the birth, but waited outside while I was being stitched up. He kept the baby with him, but that was through choice as I felt a bit groggy. The stitching doesn't usually take long with your first and I took baby back afterwards in the recovery room. I've had 3 sections now and chose to have my skin to skin afterwards in recovery, where I also breastfed all three (and continued to with no problems). I did cuddle baby for a little while after the birth, up near my head, wrapped in a towel as it is chilly in theatre. My husband did skin to skin while I was being stitched up.
An elective section is a much nicer experience than an emergency! Everyone happy and laid back and taking their time. I talked and laughed with the doctors doing mine. No pain at all. You can feel a bit groggy and sick from meds/blood pressure at times, but do mention this if so, as you will be given anti sickness meds which help loads, so no need to suffer or feel uncomfortable.

You will be monitored for a little while in recovery, and as soon as you are allowed to eat and drink again, you will feel much more human! I found a hot chocolate was perfect, to get my blood sugars back up again shortly afterwards without overloading. Lovely experiences overall.

Somethingsnappy · 30/08/2020 11:31

P.s. have a Google of breastfeeding positions which work well after a caesarean birth. Your abdomen can feel quite tender for a day or two afterwards.....I don't just mean the scar, but your whole abdomen, due to trapped wind following the procedure. I loved 'laid back breastfeeding' but with baby kind of lying horizontally across my chest, rather than lying across my stomach.

plixy · 30/08/2020 11:37

I was given baby to hold as soon as they had checked her, about 2 mins after birth. They laid her across my chest while they started to stitch me up.
They said I could hold her until they were done then dad would take her while they moved me from theatre bed to the recovery bed.
However I had some complications and was in so much pain I asked for her to be given to dad, as I was worried about dropping her or squeezing her or something.
You won't breastfeed until recovery or the ward anyway so if for some reason you can't do skin to skin in theatre it won't affect you.

NemoRocksMyWorld · 30/08/2020 11:37

Hey I've had 4 sections over the years. With the eldest 11 years ago, he was handed straight to husband and I had skin to skin in recovery. However, things have changed a bit. With my youngest I asked for skin to skin straight away and they popped him down my gown in theatre. I was being sterilised at the time so it was a bit more than just being stitched up. Little ds surprised me by scooting down finding my nipple straight away and latching on! He fed non stop all the time I was in theatre (actually pretty much for the next 10 months 😁). You can definitely have skin to skin in theatre if you want it!

Somethingsnappy · 30/08/2020 11:44

@NemoRocksMyWorld, can I ask how your 4th section compared with your 3rd? I am due my 4th in December and feeling a bit anxious as I have a lot of scarring.

PaulinePetrovaPosey · 30/08/2020 11:53

DD was born last Christmas.

DH was given her to rub down immediately, then she came to me after being checked over- probably within 5 mins.

She fed while they stitched me up.

It was a really special, lovely time.

Good luck!

NemoRocksMyWorld · 30/08/2020 12:07

@somethingsnappy my 4 th C section was better than my third. With my first two I was kept in hospital for 5 days (first C section was elective for breach and ds was poorly, second C section was a very messy emergency section and I was poorly). But with my third I was out in less than 24 hours. I tried to do too much and by day 2-3 was in agony. With the fourth I came home after 24 hours, but went to bed for 5 days. I got up to pee and to eat and that was it. Me and baby ds just camped in bed watching grays anatomy and breast feeding. I recovered well with minimal pain!

So, long story short 4th was better but I had learnt my lesson with the third and took it really easy. Good luck!

Somethingsnappy · 30/08/2020 12:20

@NemoRocksMyWorld, thank you very much! That's good. How was the actual c section itself, whilst in theatre? Did it take much longer than the others? Was there any anxiety? Do you know if the doctors felt it was much more complicated due to scarring etc? How did you generally feel throughout the section? So sorry about bombarding you with questions....I just feel anxious as, last time, they said they don't recommend having any more due to scarring, but it was quite an offhand comment.....not a serious sit-down talk. I don't meet anyone IRL who has had 4, and who I can ask! Thanks again for taking the time to reply x

NemoRocksMyWorld · 30/08/2020 12:43

@somethingsnappy no worries! I had a consultant for my fourth who was excellent (he even fixed my diastasis recti while he was doing it). I have a fair few adhesions due to very messy 2nd section. It takes a bit longer to get to the baby because of this. The C section itself took quite a bit longer than my others because I was being sterilised at the time. But thereafter recovery was very similar. In fact the fourth was the only one who I didn't vomit copiously after or want to scratch my own skin off (I had a lovely anaesthetist who really listened when I said that morphine makes me feel terrible and have me loads of anti sickness and piriton). Overall, it was the best experience of the lot. But by that point I did really know what I was doing (as I'm sure you do). I made it clear what I wanted, id packed all the right stuff etc.

My understanding is that the risk with multiple sections is reduced nowadays because they remove scarring at each section. The greatest risks come from uterine rupture (which is why you won't labour naturally) and placenta accreta where the placenta embeds in the scar. Accreta can be really tricky and cause awful bleeding and the risk goes up quite a bit between third and fourth sections (but is still really low). But this would have been found at your scans. I think other than that the scarring can just make it take a bit longer and be a more complicated op.

Hope that helps.... Sorry for the thread derail!

Somethingsnappy · 30/08/2020 14:06

@NemoRocksMyWorld, thank you so much! It really really helps and has made me feel better. I have a posterior placenta, so it hasn't embedded in the scar tissue, thank goodness.
I'm glad yours went well. And thank you again! And it's me who should apologise for derailing the thread with all my question. Sorry, OP!

pigletpie2177 · 30/08/2020 14:09

I had skin to skin very shortly after the birth. It all feels like a long time ago now - I think they gave DS to my husband very briefly but it wasn't long before we did skin to skin and our first feed. He was breech too so I had one for the same reason. I wanted a waterbirth!

thismeansnothing · 30/08/2020 14:13

Yup. I had my planned Csection 18 month ago. Chord was cut and I got DD for skin to skin snuggles strait away while they stitched me back up.

All the checks like weight etc were done in the delivery suite later

crazychemist · 30/08/2020 14:22

Thanks so much for starting this thread OP. I was wondering how this would work, but hadn’t asked my midwife yet. I had a vaginal birth for my DD, and am a bit nervous that I’ve got to have a Caesarian this time round, mostly because I just don’t have a clear mental picture of what happens once the babies (Expecting twins) are out, especially with all the Covid restrictions. I’m keen to give breastfeeding a go if possible, so really good to hear that people do manage it.

aToadOnTheWhole · 30/08/2020 14:23

DH held DS for the first half hour/hour while I was getting stiched up, then DS was put on me and he didn't move from there till he was about 3

I was really struggling with breastfeeding and c-section mobility (and wind, but in my shoulder!) a few hours post section. A wonderful, wonderful midwife lay me down, propped me with pillows and tucked DS in beside me and showed me how to feed lay down. That was a game changer.

PawPatrolMakesMeDrink · 30/08/2020 14:27

As soon as DS was out of me he was plopped on my chest and latched on. Magic.
Just mention it to the staff before you go down as they can get you gowned up so it’s easy to pop little one straight on you.

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