Question for after a C-Section

[mlw1378]

I'm scheduled for a c-section on 11/4. I've heard so many
different stories about what happens in the moments you
deliver and after. I realize that I will not be able to hold
my boys right away and that they go right to Dad. How soon
after surgery will I actually get to hold them. Will the hospital
allow anyone else other than my husband or hospital staff
to hold them before I get a chance?

I'd love to hear your stories.

Thanks,
Marcia

[oneplusII]

Hi!

My girls were born by csection at 36 weeks. The Csection was not bad at all. I really didn't feel a thing except for a bit of tugging. The worst part for me was not being able to feel my legs and feet and my mouth was really dry. But I felt no pain. As soon as they got one baby out, they quicked showed Mom and Dad and Dad took a picture and then they hand off Baby A to a nurse and I am sure a NICU Ped? And then the same with the second baby. I am sure if there were any complications, they would not take time to show you the babies, but if all goes well, they should show you your babies before they take them over to the isolettes and weigh them and so forth. My girls were fine and did not need to go to NICU.

Then they babies go to the nursery where they keep a close eye on them. After they were done sewing me up, I then went to recovery. I was kinda out of it then, because they gave me some medicine per my request through my IV. I was nervous and really didn't need it though! So, I was in recovery for about an hour and once I got back to my room they brought me my baby girls. It was one of the happiest moments in my life. The other was delivering my first daughter. Same thing, by csection. Congratulations and you will do fine.

A bit of advice for you regarding the pain afterwards. It is not that bad if you take your pain meds before you start to feel alot of pain. I made the mistake of waiting it out and I was in major pain until the meds kicked in. This was the day after the csection.

[chattwins]

I don't know what it might be like folowing a c-section with twins but I did have one with my first child.

They showed her to me as soon as she was out and then took her over to be measured, cleaned etc. (in the same room). As soon as I was sewn up and Katie was clean they gave her to me and wheeled us BOTH straight to my room where I recovered and my family passed Katie around while I rested.

[proudmomoftwins]

As soon as I was brought to the recovery room after the operation they brought the babies to me to hold. I couldnt hold them in the delivery room but they brought them over to me to see them.

Dena
Calvin and Jacob 6/14/2003

[WendyL]

I got to hold them while still in the delivery room. DH had Chloe first and since he was still holding her, they handed Jared to me, even though my arms didn't feel like they were fully functioning! But we had both of them for it seemed like quite a few minutes before they were taken off to the special care nursery.
Ahhhh, memories!!


BTW, that's a great tip about the pain meds, take them regularly, don't wait until you need them cause I did that too and it's not much fun! With the meds it's easy to handle and the actual procedure was way easier than I thought it would be.
good luck!
Wendy

[phxhags5]

I just delivered my girls about three weeks ago and they did hold them up over the curtain for me to see before handing them off to the nurses. Since DH is a wimp about blood and guts, my best friend was in the OR with me and the hospital where I delivered had a great policy for having others able to hold the girls. They gave us 4 bands total. 2 for mom and dad and then 2 other bands for whomever we chose to see the girls. Obviously, my girlfriend wore one, I wore one, DH had one, and my brother had the other. Any one of us was able to go to the nursery and hold the girls and DH, brother, and Best Friend certainly did while I went to recovery. (I had my tubes chopped while I was opened up so I had a little while before I was able to go to recovery.)
Once they sewed me shut and I got done in recovery, they wheeled me up to the nursery where I was able to hold the girls and keep them with me as we went to my room.

Good luck! And please follow the advice of taking the pain meds BEFORE it gets too bad. I made the same mistake of toughing it out and trying to do too much and ended up one hurtin unit!

[Kari]

They delivered my girls and handed them right over to the nurses/Dr's in the same room as me and dh. My husband sat by my side until both were born and handed over, then he asked me if he could go take a look. I was like YES! Go See! I could hear them crying away and the Dr said looks good when they both came out! There was also a lot of talking so dont assume something is wrong-they have to clean them off and check lots. After about 5 min they brought them to my face one at a time..baby A First. It was so neat-they both stopped crying when they were nect to my face and could hear my voice. That made me cry. I then went to recovery room for about 45 min while the babies were in the nursery getting a bath with DH holding their hands...my parents were watching from the window and said he kept running back and forth to each baby and telling them it was ok! I was rolled to my room and they brought the babies to me to hold. My dh was the only one to hold them before me (except the nurses) I didn't feel a thing! I took a lot of pain killers and they work! It was a very good experience!

Kari

[Momma to 3 Wonderful Boys]

I had an emergency c-section. I had Ethan vaginally and then Colin was emergency C, so I was totally out under general anesthesia. I didn't wake up until about two hours after he was born and dh had a couple polaroid pics of the boys that he showed me. I didn't actually get to see them in person and hold them until about 3 hours after they were born and that was briefly while they were wheeling me down to my room.

Definitely do take your meds! I also waited too long at one point, then a nurse told me they take 20-30 minutes to kick in, so she told me to sort of watch the clock since the nurses might get busy and not get them to you right on time otherwise. I didn't take mine at night once we got home, because we slept with the babies in bed with us and part of safe co-sleeping is not to be under the influence of any drugs, and man were the nights HARD the first couple weeks! Those painkillers rock. :)

By the way, a c-section was one of my biggest fears during both pregnancies and now after going through it, I feel like it was a breeze! My pain was manageable and my recovery was great!

You're so close!! :)

[And Twins Make 5]

I saw the babies while still in the delivery room. After they had cleaned them up the nurses brought them over one at a time and showed them to me while the doctor was putting me back together. DH held them while they were still in the delivery room. I was then taken to recovery and they brought the babies to me there. I held them there and tried to nurse them at that time. They were with me there for about 20 minutes, then they took them upstairs to the nursery and brought them to me in my room after I got upstairs. Good luck. You'll do great!

[2 Peas in a Pod]

I had an emergency c-section due to having severe pre-eclampisa (sp?). The c-section was not painful (the surgery part). I only felt light pressure/pulling, that's all. The doctor held up each of my boys once they were born for me to see. DH got to go with them to the nursery while they sewed me back up. I was in recovery for 2 hours.......I did not get to hold my boys until the next day - I was so out of it from the surgery - they kept me very medicated (mag drip, etc.).

That is very good advice about taking your pain medication BEFORE the pain gets too bad. The first few days I only took the pain meds when the last dosage wore off (BIG MISTAKE!!). I was in a lot of pain (for no reason other than I was trying to tough it out). That only lasted a few days, I soon 'wised up' and started taking my pain meds regularly....Life was much better after that :)

Good luck!

[kazz]

I did not get to hold my babies until I was back in my room.
I was able to kiss them when DH took them to the nursery, I was having my tubal. I went to recovery and was so drugged, I do not even remember going to my room.My sister told me that she handed me my daughter..I have no recolection<SP> of this at all.I was on a PCA<pain controlling device> until the next day, then I was switched to Percocets......TAKE THEM OFTEN! Do not let them wear off.......I am a nurse and have explained this to my patients MANY times, but did I listen......NOPE! I was in a lot of pain! It only took one time to get like that......then it was every 3.5 hours ringing that bell for meds!

Good luck...let us know how you do!

[mbh]

I had a C-section at 37 weeks. I held my babies with my husband imediately afterwards. Within the hour, I nursed them. This was with help from a nurse as I was out of it I don't remember vividly what happened imediately afterwards, but I do remember. If it's not too late, make sure to bring a camera. We have wonderful pictures from the event.