I had a c section at VHC and I definitely was given my baby in the operating room and the nurse was getting the baby to latch while they were finishing the procedure. I’m sure they took the baby for suctioning or whatever in between but I don’t recall it being longer than a few minutes. I don’t know if this is standard now but I asked requested to get skin to skin from the nurse as soon as it was safe. |
I asked for a gentle C section at Sibley in 2020 (clear drape, immediate skin to skin). I had a scheduled C. My OB told me it was against hospital policy. I was upset at the time but when I delivered was very grateful for the policy. I was nauseous seeing blood and my innards reflected in the light and was grateful I could not see more because it made me feel ill. After baby was out I got to hear and see him right away and DH got to hold him but I was shaking badly and had to get my arms strapped down (which sounds awful but actually made it easier and made
Me feel better), and would not have been able to really move or do anything anyway. I got skin to skin in post op and got to nurse and it was fine. I’m probably even more bonded to my son than my daughter who had a traumatic vaginal birth and I had immediate skin to skin with. I know it seem |
I know it seems like it’s so important to have a clear drape and immediate skin to skin but honestly, it does not matter that much in hindsight (my kids are older now). Try and remember this. The most important thing is you and the baby being healthy. You have the rest of your life to bond. The golden hour is nonsense. |
This golden hour stuff is just meant to make you feel like a bad mom right out of the gate.
I had both vaginally at Sibley and can not remember with either one of them if I had skin to skin right away. With my first, my epidural didn't take, so, I basically delivered her naturally and had a 3rd degree tear. I don't remember anything directly after the delivery except how painful it was to sew that tear up. I had an extremely easy delivery with my second, but, I still remember nothing immediately after the delivery. These are not golden moments you and your children will remember and treasure forever. That is nonsense. Read less about delivery experiences online. There are lots of great things about a c-section. You will bond with your baby just fine. There is no special trophy for pushing something out of your vagina. We are all moms. |
Thanks everyone! Super helpful — mostly wanted to mentally know what to expect (absolutely would not want a clear drape regardless) |
Not a C-sec but difficult vaginal birth, had a APGAR score 3 baby put on me and it was very traumatizing. I was slapping his back trying to get him to breathe. Head to toe blue, limp, obviously struggling. I could shoot whoever came up with skin to skin. With a C-sec, she was shoved on me w/o warning while my blood pressure cuff was going off, I did not care for that either |
Horrible horrible advise. I would not wish the trauma I have been through on anybody. They almost killed my covid baby because I was alone. One of the Drs has a stillbirth on his record, got a slap on the wrist. There are no consequences unless you can get a lawyer on contingency. Drs and nurses do whatever they want |
yeah I found having to hold an infant while your guts are still open *NOT* to be any kind of favor |
I had an emergency c section and they arranged it so my husband did skin to skin.
I know everything feels like SO MUCH right now but in hindsight a lot of the stuff people go on about aren't that important. My own mom couldn't hold me for a couple days due to HELLP and she was both able to nurse and we never had bonding issues. |
Please please do not put so much pressure on having the optimal post birth experience. It really and truly does not impact your relationship with your baby and then kid. Unless you let it negatively impact it. My twins were in the nicu for months - no skin to skin for weeks. Did not matter at all.
Births are unpredictable. You need to be able to roll with it - good prep for entirety of parenthood. Your baby will love you even if you don’t hold him/her for 1 hr/1 week/1 month/1 year. |
I remember my baby wouldn't stop crying when placed on me after my C-section. They did her vitals and everything but she cried the whole time in that cold room. I felt like such a bad mom two seconds in because it wasn't this magical locking eyes moment that baby knew me and I knew her. I felt like garbage. She settled once we were out of the cold OR but damn. The expectations are wild. |
This is like saying helmets don’t always work in a motorcycle crash, and then purposely crashing a motorcycle without one. You’re the one giving horrible advice. |
This this this. There seems to be this movement of needing this amazing birth experience or you're a failure (See below PP who felt like a failure for not having a magical eye locking moment). I don't know if it's mommy bloggers or what but it's so so damaging. I had a pretty horrific labor. I just had to roll with the punches or I think I would have mentally shut down during and after. DS is a teenager and I can 100% say that his birth did not play into the relationship we have. |
It's fine, OP. I had an anxiety attack and they gave me something to calm me down except it knocked me out, so I don't remember the first 45 minutes of my baby's life (I'm told I actually even held her during that time, I just don't remember it). She and I are perfectly bonded, she's 9 years old and the snuggliest, cuddliest, sweetest little thing. My 12 year old, who did get immediate skin to skin contact, is a raging ball of hormones at the moment, so I don't get as many hugs as I would like, LOL!
All this to say is that skin to skin immediately or 45 minutes later, it's not a big deal, no need to freak out about this stuff, it's ridiculous. |
Ugh, this sound horrible to me - mom of two c-section babies. These "birth stories" I find absurd. You'll bond with your baby no matter what, OP. And if you don't, a different "birth story" wouldn't have made any difference. |