Tell me wat happens right after baby is out?

[SunnySideUp2020]

FTM. Coming up to 30 weeks.

Just wondering what actually happens after the baby comes out?
Lots of info and videos on the labour itself but not much about the hours after....
Does the baby stay on you for skin on skin?
Do they take him away for a wash?
What about the vitamin K and eye meds?
When do you dress him?
Do you take a nap?

C section or vaginal birth i am really interested if anyone would like to share their own experience ?

Thank you!!!

I had a water birth in mlu baby was handed to for cuddles in the pool then the midwife helped us out of the pool on to the bed where she gave me the injection to deliver the placenta. Once the placenta was delivered she inspected the damage and gave me a couple of stitches.
I had skin to skin cuddles plus feeding for an hour or so then I went for a shower an my partner had some skin to skin. Around the time of the shower they came to weigh her and give the vitamin k injection. after she was weighed we did nappy and clothes. At some point tea and toast were brought in but we were too busy getting our heads around everything it was all cold by the time we are it....the wine gums from my food bag were amazing!
We waited in the birthing room for about 6h in total as I required a side room on the maternity ward and I had to wait for discharges on the ward.

I’d second The Positive Birth book, really really good. Have a read and look at the replies on here, you can put your preferences for afterwards in your birth “plan” (I called mine my birth wish list as having a plan may lead to disappointment!)

I was left in the delivery room for an hour post-birth with my second (born Sept 2020) which I was told is routine. Skin to skin the whole time, vitamin K given, first feed, then we dressed baby just before we were moved. I napped on the postnatal ward.

First baby in 2017 was a ventouse in theatre and she ended up on NICU. I was off my face on drugs and couldn’t have told you what I did afterwards.

I was still waiting for my placenta to detach a couple of hours later so definitely still holding baby!!!

Vaginal birth I had DS put in my chest I held him whilst they tried to stitch me up, they couldn’t I needed to go to theatre so DH held baby until I got out of surgery about 1.5 hours later. Baby was having skin to skin until I got back, then I had skin to skin all the way to the ward. DS wasn’t taken from me for anything until the next morning. I gave birth early hours of the morning.

C-section with DS2 m6 husband cut the cord they put baby on my chest I fed him in theatre whilst they stitched me up, I let DH have a hold. Again I can’t remember anybody taking him off me until the next day.

You don’t usually wash baby for a few days, they don’t take them to be washed, though you can wash baby on the ward, I did with DS2 I had a bath with him, I was very lucky to have my own en-suite room both times.

You can dress baby whenever you want, remember this is your baby not the nurses you have to do everything from day 1 yourself, I wish I was told that it took it a while to click with DS1.

Baby was passed to me immediately, I put her inside my top to cuddle and breastfeed. Midwives left us alone for around an hour / hour and a half then came back to weigh her etc - at that point they gave her to dad for skin on skin while I cleaned up a bit then I took her back. Got her dressed after maybe 2 hours once I was getting restless to go home. Didn't put her down for at least 24hrs!

Dd1 I was a bit out of it on morphine so they passed her to me then I had a massive row with the doctors who wanted to check and weigh her etc as I refused to let go of her. They ended up checking her while in my arms. Once they finished my stitches and moved me into a bed I breastfed her and again refused to let anyone else touch her or get her dressed for ages. Everyone thought I was a bit nuts at the time but seemed to accept it much better with DD2 so I think things have changed a bit in thr last 10 years

I would double check what they consider normal where you live.

I have been comparing notes with two French friends and the expectations are so far from each other’s.
I’m considered a hippy for my water birth (and crazy by a MW there). Epidurals are the nom there.
Same with after the birth.
You might be able to get some accommodation but maybe not as many as you would hope.

Speak to your midwife about your birth plan. Ask them these questions as it may be different in covid times and it differs between hospitals.

DD came out (covered in poop!) and was passed straight to me like I had in my birth plan. I got to hold her and stare in shock for a while, she tried to feed straight away. Had the injection for placenta. Unfortunately one of her tests came back and it meant they had to take her to NICU. So didn’t get that initial skin to skin/ breastfeeding experience.

I don’t remember much but I remember doing the biggest wee ever, and they have to check the fluid (no one ever mentions this). Maybe that’s because I had an epidural though.

We actually did have a sleep while DD was in nicu as we’d been up for absolutely ages. Then I got to go and feed her, she was only there for a day. I remember when they wheeled her back in and we were so grateful to have her with us- but were a bit like what do we do now!?

OP I hope you not in my country..my friend gave birth back in my country in December, no partners allowed he dropped her off at the hospital and next he saw her was when he was picking her and the baby up..she had to have COVID test before coming in and had one after admitting and one when leaving (if she would have positive test upon leaving they will not allow baby to go home with her)..luckily all her tests were negative..she originally went to be induced but ended up not being induced and went with c-section on doctors advise. Baby was taken away after, all babies are kept in one room not with mothers straight away, she gave birth here in uk with her first so it was a shock for her, after around 5-6 hours and her constantly asking they finally bought her baby for feed, he was taken away after, 1-2 feeds during night after that taken away..next day in the afternoon after she complained and cried for hours they finally brought him to her room for good, she went home after 4 nights since the section. Yes, unfortunately this is the norm and normal where I come from.
I am not trying to be negative or scare you just check your local hospital for rules and regulations it could be very different from how things are done here. Some of the Eastern Europe countries are very behind what others would call standard or up to date.

First baby was a straightforward water birth in midwife led unit. DH picked baby out of water to pass to me for skin to skin, I held her for a minute or two, then DH took her while I got out of the pool. More skin to skin while he cut the cord and we waited for placenta to be delivered, mostly spent feeding DD. Once placenta was delivered they took her for weighing/cleaning while I had a quick wash in the shower. Left on our own for snuggles etc for an hour or so (including eating the best tea and toast ever!) then taken to the ward. It was nighttime, DH slept in the chair next to my bed. My adrenaline was too high to really sleep though.

Second was a c section. Technically it was an emergency, although I wasn’t in labour and everyone was very chilled. Had to be done because of placenta starting to fail and one twin was struggling. Twin 1 was taken to be resuscitated, so DH saw him straight away but I didn’t see him till he’d been cleaned up and in a nappy after resuscitation. Twin 2 I had a quick (rather awkward) cuddle before hand. No proper skin to skin unfortunately as they needed to go straight to SCBU as they were premature and needed some treatment. So taken to another room to be taught how to hand express. Didn’t get to see them again for a few hours, but DH was with them and SCBU send you a nice photo of them.

Gave her a quick wipe then put her on my chest with a blanket over till the cord was ready to be cut, the placenta was delivered and my episiotomy had been stitched up. Then took her off me, rubbed more gunk off, weighed her, gave vitamin K injection then put her on a table thing and told my husband to dress her (including a hat they gave her). Everyone left and I had a very very quick shower (had better one at the ward later) when I had some feeling back post epidural. They gave me tea and toast, I tried to breastfeed her but it was too hard to latch her (I got help with this on the ward and it got much easier). Then I was taken to the ward in a wheelchair. This time I'd like more skin to skin before she's dressed.

Depends how the birth goes I guess. I ended up in theatre with forcepts delivery but they'd numbed me from the boobs down as they thought I might need a c section. By the time the baby was delivered I was completely out of it through anaesthetic and being awake and in labour for 48 hrs. I didn't get to hold my baby until I was in the recovery ward about a hour after she was born as I had reacted to the anaesthetic and was shaking too much, I also needed stiches. My partner was able to hold her sat next to me.

My baby, me and my DP were taken to the post theatre recovery room and a midwife popped in and out to monitor me. I did have skin to skin at this point and was able to try breast feeding. It was about 4am by this time so my partner went home and we were taken to the post natal ward where I basically passed out tired and unable to move anything till the morning with my baby asleep next to me. Was then woken up around 7am by the midwife to have my blood pressure etc all checked. Could start to feel sensation in my legs again by this time thankfully and I was up and out if bed by around 10am and we were able to get home by 5pm that sane day.

@Hardbackwriter

I remember that I definitely did not get a nap - or any sleep that night - and that I felt so bewildered and betrayed by nature about this at the time; it was the toughest thing my body had ever done, it seemed so unfair that I didn't even get a break afterwards!

I am with you 100% on this one @Hardbackwriter I'd been in hospital for 9 nights before the birth so hadn't had much decent sleep. Had a traumatic forceps birth then lost 2 litres of blood and was being treat for sepsis, had to stay on the labour ward that night for extra help but still didn't get sleep! They didn't actually help me anymore than what I would of got on the ward tbh. It's the hardest, most tiring thing our body will go through but we don't get a rest afterwards, just a newcomer to try and look after! Ha

I was also told to get showered alone half an hour after being given liquid morphine! I remember trying to manage holding the catheter in one hand and trying not to knock the canula. Oh what fun childbirth can be.

I might be wrong but I think they do that antibiotic eye drop thing on babies in the USA and other countries but not the Uk. Don't know about E.Europe.

@DaniX91 I couldn’t believe I was asked to shower alone, behind a fairly hefty fire door about an hour after giving birth. I’d lost a lot of blood (turns out I should’ve had a transfusion but they’d miscalculated how much blood I’d actually lost) and felt like I was going to pass out. My friend actually did pass out in there a couple of months later.

No eye meds in the UK. Never heard of it, what would be the point? There isn’t a high risk of eye infection in babies or we’d be seeing issues in the UK compared to those countries that do use it.

I had c-sections. The drugs dropped my blood pressure and I remember nothing except the fight to stay conscious, the shaking, dizzyness and sickness.

My first was taken straight to resus. I didn’t get to hold them until much later in the day.

My second was handed to dh as I didn’t want to hold them I felt so out of it and needed to gather my wits. He did the weighing, washing, dressing stuff and held them until I was able to speak about an hour later.

It may be very different where you are though.

@PatchworkElmer disgraceful isn't it! I also should of had a transfusion but like you they couldn't seem to add up how much I'd lost 🙄 I looked through my own notes a week later once I was discharged and saw that it was 2 litres. Your poor friend!

@PatchworkElmer that is disgraceful! I did have a transfusion as I lost 2.5L. I wasn't offered the tea and toast in case I had to have another transfusion, which they thought was likely at the time. I eventually got it 6 hours after birth, having not eaten for 33 hours!

I had a home birth so got straight into my own bed with my baby feeding and my partner right next to me whilst my mw made us all coffee. It was bliss

It totally depends on how your birth goes. I was induced and had an extremely quick labour which caused baby to go into respiratory and cardiac distress. Red button was pushed and a tonne of doctors, midwives and neonatal specialists rushed in. I was promptly cut and then told by the consultant that baby had to arrive now so they used ventouse to literally drag him out. Baby wasn't breathing when they got him out so he was promptly whisked off to ICU whilst I was stiched up and then my husband and I were left by ourselves for 2 hours while they stabilised baby. We were taken to ICU to see him and then I was admitted to the ward - no toast or tea offered as it was the middle of the night. Fingers crossed you'll have a much nicer labour experience and will get to enjoy those precious post-birth moments that a lot of the other posters have mentioned, I'm hoping I get to have that experience for my 2nd!

Op I've not read all the comments so apologies if someone has said this but I recommend a birth plan. Dont get me wrong it won't happen 100 percent but you can outline in there you want skin on skin, partner to cut cord, if you want vit k injection given etc. Give it the midwife on arrival. No birth is the same nor can you predict whats going to happen. I had group b strep so after pushing for an hour and half, having an epidural (that I said in my birth plan I didn't want but no awards for suffering trust me!), failed forceps and then having an emergency c section my ds was taken away for antibiotics etc so I didn't see him for what seemed like an hour but prob wasn't. Go with the flow thats all you can do but anything thats important to you put in a birth plan

Really hope everything goes smoothly for you.

I didn't have a straightforward experience after ds was born as he was poorly. Didn't get the hour of skin to skin etc and couldn't feed him until he was 6 days old.

He's now 8mo - exclusively breastfed, no bonding or pnd issues and all healthy.

Just to reassure you- the skin to skin, breastfeeding, delayed cord clamping were very important to me too, but even if things don't go to plan it's not the end of the world. Good luck!

Just to add op prepare for the heel prick its not nice but necessary and done in a second