Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 21:47     Subject: sibley c section - immediate skin to skin?
Anonymous wrote:Not as Sibley but I was able to request a clear drape - it was a double drape and right before they pulled my daughter out they lowered the blue one so I could see her and everyone cheered. They took her to the table for suction and apgar. My husband was able to go stand near and take videos and pictures. It was a few minutes. Then while still in the OR they put her up on high on my chest/neck and the nurse took out first family photos. They finished and took the baby back while they got me on the recovery bed. Again just a few minutes. Then handed her back and I got to keep her on me the entire time in the recovery room. Our nurse had her latch and helped me express some colostrum. I had GD so she needed her sugars checked but was just fine. I got to hold her as we went up to postpartum. It was the best case scenario for a medically scheduled and planned C-section. I agree. That some things you just leave up to the Dr and some that you think you want like a playlist go out the door when it's time and never really mattered. But others like if possible having a clear drape so I can see the second she hits this world was so important to me and I'm so glad I asked and they were helpful in making it happen


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.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 21:43     Subject: sibley c section - immediate skin to skin?
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.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 21:13     Subject: sibley c section - immediate skin to skin?
Anonymous wrote: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.


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.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 21:04     Subject: sibley c section - immediate skin to skin?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Hi — curious for those of you who have had a c section at sibley whether you were able to immediately have skin to skin with the baby? How quickly was the baby brought over to you?

Please have a trusted friend with you at all times in the hospital. You need your own advocate isn’t afraid of the medical industry.


This is not a good idea. Too many people don't know what they don't know and are frequently wrong but rarely in doubt. Doctors and nurses are not your adversaries.

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


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.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 17:53     Subject: sibley c section - immediate skin to skin?
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.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 09:23     Subject: sibley c section - immediate skin to skin?
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.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 09:17     Subject: sibley c section - immediate skin to skin?
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.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 09:16     Subject: sibley c section - immediate skin to skin?
Anonymous wrote: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

yeah I found having to hold an infant while your guts are still open *NOT* to be any kind of favor
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 09:15     Subject: sibley c section - immediate skin to skin?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Hi — curious for those of you who have had a c section at sibley whether you were able to immediately have skin to skin with the baby? How quickly was the baby brought over to you?

Please have a trusted friend with you at all times in the hospital. You need your own advocate isn’t afraid of the medical industry.


This is not a good idea. Too many people don't know what they don't know and are frequently wrong but rarely in doubt. Doctors and nurses are not your adversaries.

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
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 09:13     Subject: sibley c section - immediate skin to skin?
Anonymous wrote:I asked about this and they need a few minutes to work on the baby since it didn’t go through the birth canal. Babies have much better outcomes after cesareans when they go through whatever the nurses need time to do. All I know is I advocated hard for immediate skin to skin until they handed me research and I was like oh ok, do your thing then. Don’t be your own doctor during or after surgery is my recommendation.

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
Anonymous
Post 04/22/2025 13:25     Subject: sibley c section - immediate skin to skin?
Thanks everyone! Super helpful — mostly wanted to mentally know what to expect (absolutely would not want a clear drape regardless)
Anonymous
Post 04/22/2025 12:40     Subject: sibley c section - immediate skin to skin?
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.
Anonymous
Post 04/22/2025 12:30     Subject: sibley c section - immediate skin to skin?
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.
Anonymous
Post 04/22/2025 12:28     Subject: sibley c section - immediate skin to skin?
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
Anonymous
Post 04/21/2025 22:54     Subject: sibley c section - immediate skin to skin?
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.