Did anyone get to nurse/have skin to skin ON the operating table?

[CoBabyMaker]

I seem to recall at some point seeing a story about nursing on the operating table.  I would looove to be able to do that next time.  I know DH would probably have to hold the baby on me and it would partly depend on the hospital.   DD1 wasn't brought to me for HOURS and I still have some emotional issues with that (ok, the whole labor, c/s and after care).  DD2 was brought to me in recovery and that was SO MUCH better.  I still can't watch (even a TV staged birth) when they put the baby straight to the mothers chest without bawling.  I want that SO badly. 

Has anyone been allowed to do that?  Can you tell me about it?  Obviously, I would need to talk to my OB but is there any reason it would conflict with having my tubes tied?

[katelove]

I did it. Not immediately, she was taken to the resuscitaire first and wrapped, but then the midwife brought her over and unwrapped her and we tore the front of my gown open and put her on my chest. DH helped me hold her as I only had one free hand. She had a good feed 10 minutes after she was born.

There's no reason your babe couldn't be on your chest while you had a tubal done.

[hildare]

i did, i put it in my birth plan, and since it was a scheduled one this time, i was able to discuss it in the intake interview. 

the l & d nurse explained that they can't always do it at this particular hospital b/c of it requiring an additional person in the OR.  they did make an attempt and were very supportive, so it ended up happening for us. 

i also had my tubes tied ;)

if you're wanting this to happen, you will want to

- put it in your birth plan

-talk to your ob about it

-also call the lactation nurses & explain what you'd like to happen.

-bring it up first and foremost during the intake interview/pre-op or whatever they call it

-make sure you are scheduled for the OR on the ob/maternity floor and not a general hospital OR because the rules are very different about recovery (for after the skin to skin)

and, i don't want to burst bubbles or make anything sound negative, but i will go ahead and say that having immediate skin-to-skin wasn't the best experience that i imagined it to be.  ds weighed 10 pounds and the operating table is very tiny, and you're lying flat on your back.  there is no way to incline the position upwards or to sit up at all (or at least ime) so it was akin to having a huge weight on my chest.  he didn't nurse right then, but after i was sewn (and the ligation took seriously 5 minutes of that time) in the recovery room, the lactation nurse met us there and he did nurse.  so bf took place within 30 minutes or so of his birth. 

if i had a do-over, i'd probably just go ahead and dictate that dh get the skin to skin.  it was a little underwhelming for me.  :(  but i was pretty happy that they were so accommodating.  it was sweet.

[happyblessedmama]

I was able to with my second (planned, non emergency) section. It wasn't on my mind during the emergency c.

[Healthy Skeptic]

I had 4 C-Sections.  My first one was only local anesthetic cause I didn't want to have drugs in my baby.  It was torture as they only numb the top layers of the skin.  Then once the cord was cut they knocked me out.  With the 2nd I had 2 doctors deliver him.  The nurses said they never saw a faster delivery.  I was knocked out and boom he was out.  I doubt a drug had time to get to him.  My last 2 was one doc but by now he knew how I felt and got them out quick.

I had a birthplan the size of Montana.  And my hubby was in the room from start to finish.  They would take babies wipe quick, wrap quick and plop on my breast while I was out every time.  Usually it was my hubby who did it too.

I have been blessed to talk my sister and best friend into home births.  They have had 3 now between them and they cause me to cry.  But as much as I am not a doctor fan, I look at my 4 kids and feel so blessed that Docs are there when we truly need them.  I would be dead and have no kids without them.  So I try to focus on that and at the same time encourage all I know to have their babies at home.

[starling&diesel]

and, i don't want to burst bubbles or make anything sound negative, but i will go ahead and say that having immediate skin-to-skin wasn't the best experience that i imagined it to be.  ds weighed 10 pounds and the operating table is very tiny, and you're lying flat on your back.  there is no way to incline the position upwards or to sit up at all (or at least ime) so it was akin to having a huge weight on my chest.  he didn't nurse right then, but after i was sewn (and the ligation took seriously 5 minutes of that time) in the recovery room, the lactation nurse met us there and he did nurse.  so bf took place within 30 minutes or so of his birth. 

if i had a do-over, i'd probably just go ahead and dictate that dh get the skin to skin.  it was a little underwhelming for me.  :(  but i was pretty happy that they were so accommodating.  it was sweet.

Well put.  I was eager for immediate skin-to-skin and nursing (we were a homebirth transfer), and it was a disaster.   I was so groggy and nauseous and exhausted and shaky and terrified and relieved, and the table was so flat and there was no pillow.  I felt like I was going to drop him, and I could hardly keep my eyes open.  My sister was in the OR with me (DP was too squeamish), and after a few moments of pathetic fumbling, my midwife (also allowed in) gently suggested that my sister do the skin-to-skin while the surgeon finished up.  Brilliant idea!  DS nursed within about half an hour of the surgery too.  Once I was on a proper bed and was past the tense moment of the birth. Plus, he roomed in, and slept with me, so other than those first shaky moments, he was with me, skin-to-skin and working on the nursing. 

[Storm Bride]

I was able to nurse on the table with my last one. I was told ahead of time that it wouldn't be possible. (The OB said there wasn't enough room for the baby between my breast and the drape.) I was pretty bummed out about it, to be honest. When we were actually in OR, they took dd2 off to weigh her and check her over, and then brought her over for me to hold - I had seen her over the drape, as soon as she was out. While I was holding her and staring at her cute little face (super pink, and the biggest cheeks I'd ever seen on a newborn), she started to fuss. The L&D nurse who had accompanied me into OR (I believe, from something she said while prepping me, that she' d been a midwife in the UK) said, "I'll bet she's hungry - would you like to try to feed her?". I almost came off the table, spinal and all, with excitement. So, she and dh held dd2 over my breast from above my shoulder. The crown of dd2's head was pointed at my toes, and she had a good feed. After she broke off, I got to hold her again for a bit, then they took her out, because they felt the cold OR wasn't a good place for her, anymore. I was on the table for quite a while - four previous c-sections, so it took a little longer than usual to get in, then the OB excised some old scar tissue, and I also had a tubal. I have to agree that dd2 probably needed to be somewhere warmer.

I loved it...by far the earliest I was ever able to nurse one of my babies.

[CoBabyMaker]

Thank you all for sharing your experiences.  It's good to know it's possible and it's also good to have a little reality check.  I figured it would be a bit awkward at least but I'd just love to try.  I bet DH would love to have some skin to skin time. 

Sort of a side note, thinking about having the baby with me as much as possible....I remember when planning a vaginal delivery we had planned on waiting on the bath.  Do you think it is more necessary after a c/s?  DH has always gone with the baby so they are never out of our sight but I would just love to keep the baby with me as much as possible.  I have a hard time waiting to have the baby brought back to me and DH always hates leaving me cut open on the table.
 

[katelove]

We didn't bath our LO until Day 4. IME c/s babies are often cleaner because they get wiped pretty well on the resuscitaire. She did get taken to the nursery briefly with DH due to staffing issues and they weighed and measured her then but we asked that she not be bathed. They just put a nappy and little suit on her which the midwife took off again for me when she brought her back to recovery. For the next 24 hours she was on my, or someone else's chest covered with a blanket.

[butterfly_mommy]

When I had DS I told my midwife that I didn't want to bath him till we got home and she told the hospital staff that I would take care of the bath. DS had his first bath at 7 days old. He was wiped off while midwife did a brief check of him and then she put on the cloth diaper and wool cover we had given her and gave him to DH to hold on his bare chest while they finnished with me and woke me up (I was under general as the spinal did not work) As i woke up in the recovery room my midwife had DS on my breast it was great!

I am again going to request that this baby not be bathed. Oh my midwife told me that the hospital staff may wear gloves to handle DS if I din't bath him which I said was fine as I didn't expect them to handle him much and they really didn't handle him very much.

[starling&diesel]

We declined the bath too. 
 

[WaitingForKiddos]

I did!! It was fantastic! My hospital/ob/anesthesiologist typically doesn't allow it because it does require an extra person to help mom with baby. Thankfully a good friend of mine is a LD nurse in that hospital and she came in, off the clock, and did this. She also sweet talked the anesthesiologist into it! DD was bought out of me, glanced at under the warmer for a very brief amount of time...under 90 seconds I'd guess, and then loosely wrapped (per birthplan) and set on my chest in a sitting-like position. After I got to see her face and hands I unwrapped her and my friend leaned her forward as she pulled my gown over. DD had no interest in nursing...and really just wanted to go back to sleep (she was sleeping pre-birth). She she snoozed in that sitting position, skin to skin, as I touched her and talked to her while being closed up. It was AMAZING. I had also asked that she not be cleaned off so she was all gooey and scrumptious! 

I think that no matter how a baby comes out a bath should be postponed until baby and mom are home and nursing well. Those smells are made to keep babe and mom connected. Specific to cesarean mamas, I've heard of requests that the baby remain in the first blanket they are placed on and wiped with so that all the blood and fluids and good smelling things stay with baby and then mom can have that on her as nursing is first initiated. 

[Au Contraire]

I got to do this with my second child. It was unexpected, actually - I had such cool pro-breastfeeding nurses. I had never breastfed before so I had no idea what to do. The nurse popped him right on my boobie almost right after he came out and held him there the whole time, he latched perfectly and nursed away while they tied my tubes and stitched me up. I didn't even have time to think, it was just wham... here's baby... and okay, now I guess we know how to nurse him, too!
 

[AlexisT]

I didn't. WIth #1 I didn't even think to ask. With #2, having been through a C, I knew I didn't want to. It's COLD. You're at a horrible angle. Someone has to try to position baby with you flat on your back. I found it really unappealing. Nursed immediately upon going into recovery with both (with #2, the OR was actually right next to the LDRs and they had me do my pre- and post-op in a regular LDR--just got wheeled across the hallway. I really liked that actually, it was better than being in a special post surgical bay and made me feel more normal.)

Both got baths. DD they waited till after I'd held her, DS they did it while I was being sewn. I think I slightly preferred the former. Both actually needed baths, though. DD had tons of vernix with mec mixed in. DS was just bloody looking. (Having had both, though, I can say that even a bathed baby still has brand new baby smell.) My closure with DS took a long time, so waiting wasn't an issue--the baby was ready before I was.

[hildare]

we declined the bath with both kids after the c.  wiping them down is plenty good enough, i personally think it's better to not bathe them.

[maryamrose]

I asked for skin-to-skin, and tried to nurse him, but it was very difficult given that the epidural made me feel numb from the breasts down. I was also very shaky and nauseous. still, I appreciated that they facilitated skin-to-skin contact and gave me the chance to try, and it was very special to hold him close to me so soon after birth, as I'd been expecting given that I'd planned to birth vaginally.

we also declined the bath at the time (we had him bathed later the next day).

[Kimcarrots]

Originally Posted by CoBabyMaker 

I seem to recall at some point seeing a story about nursing on the operating table.  I would looove to be able to do that next time.  I know DH would probably have to hold the baby on me and it would partly depend on the hospital.   DD1 wasn't brought to me for HOURS and I still have some emotional issues with that (ok, the whole labor, c/s and after care).  DD2 was brought to me in recovery and that was SO MUCH better.  I still can't watch (even a TV staged birth) when they put the baby straight to the mothers chest without bawling.  I want that SO badly. 

Has anyone been allowed to do that?  Can you tell me about it?  Obviously, I would need to talk to my OB but is there any reason it would conflict with having my tubes tied?

They came right around the table with her and plopped her tiny body on my breasts.  She never left my side, we didn't bathe her, and we left after 24 hours.  It can be done in a supportive hospital.  Mine said that now that it was becoming "evidence based practice" they can convince the doctors and nurses to do immediate skin to skin.  

Nevermind that we mama's knew this was "evidence based" from what our hearts said!

[fayebond]

It shouldn't be a problem if your hospital is "baby friendly" already.  Mine offered to hand me the baby right away - I still regret saying to go bathe her and I would look at her later.  I had never taken more than one tylenol before and felt higher than a kite, so I don't kick myself over it, but if I'm ever a CBAC I will completely plan to hold that baby.  I think the same hospital was recently in the local paper for allowing nursing during the close of the CS.  No reason the tube-tying part would inferefere, although of course, if the OB doing the sewing isn't comfortable with it, you don't want to mess with their routine.  If your OB isn't good with it, you can ask for a referral to someone who is, not all the OBs at my hospital were the same in the baby-touching department.