(More) C-Section Questions

seamus

My wife is due to go in for a C-section in the Rotunda in a couple of weeks. But it wasn't our first choice, my wife wanted a birth with minimal intervention. But as baby is breech, we weighed up all the options and if choice no. 1 of a natural birth wasn't available, then we decided that a planned c-section was the best no. 2 option, rather than ECV, etc etc.

But as we haven't been preparing for c-section for the last nine months, we naturally have a number of questions.

I've found a couple of good threads here on the process of the day in terms of going in and doing it, but my wife has two very specific things which we can't seem to find any information on. Namely that she wants me there the absolute entire time, she wants to try and nurse immediately after the baby is born, and the baby is not to be given a bottle by anyone under any circumstances - i.e. if she has to struggle to get the breastfeeding started for two hours, then so be it.

What's been worrying her on this is that all of the literature says that she is brought into theatre and prepped, then I'm brought in. She wants me there from the start, during prepping and everything. I'm not squeamish n the slightest and I'm well able to keep out of the way, so is there any good reason why the team would refuse to allow me be there from the start?
She is also very concerned that once the baby is born, that a midwife will whip the child away and ram a bottle down her throat, or that the child will be given to me and we'll be "sent away" while my wife is stitched up, etc. While my wife has no problem obviously with me having the child, it's the "sent away" bit that bothers her.

She has a good bit of fear around hospitals as a family member died from septicaemia due to surgeon error, so her insistence in that regard is that she's not on her own in the theatre, that I am always with her until she's back in the ward.

I've advised her to write all her questions down and we'll grill someone at the final scan/checkup, but can anyone shed any light on the above to allay her fears in the short term?

Neyite

Seamus, the prepping is only minutes - it feels like longer in an emergency situation - I was gowned up in the labour ward with my partner, and wheeled down, he stayed to gown up. I was topped up with the epidural and the screen went up and in he came.

I also was given the baby to nurse after I was stitched up - again, its very quick - I was wheeled down to theatre and in 30 mins my partner was holding the baby. So they keep you for an hour in recovery to monitor you and my partner stayed the whole time, and I had baby on my chest nursing.

If you can do skin to skin or be prepared to (my partner shaved his chest, though he probably should have waxed to avoid stubble - but I dunno if thats necessary?)

I'd ring and ask the consultant if you can come in from the beginning, and you be vocal that you want her to nurse.

KGLady

My experience is almost 5yrs ago now and it was an emergency trip down to theatre so its not quite the same, but it was in the Rotunda and some of my concerns were similar. As Neyite says the prep isn't that long, at that point you will probably be getting into your own scrubs etc but if your wife spells out how nervous she is and how it will help to have you there as much as possible they should be very supportive (I pure love the Rotunda for just how willing they are to listen and work with me in my experiences there over the years) Distress for her wont help matters at all so from a point of avoiding it they should be at least open to discussing things.

Also in regards to feeding baby, I was adamant I wanted to try breast only and worried about formula throwing off my efforts. Unfortunately I had a bad hemorrhage and that took time to stop and then I was 2 hrs in recovery before returning to the ward and was unable to feed her as a result. In that time himself had our little girl and multiple times he was offered a bottle and formula for her, the midwives on the ward trying to be helpful but he declined each time and said he'd wait for me. Nobody is going to take your child from your arms and force feed it, so just be prepared to politely stand your ground if you get some overly helpful/nosey person trying to offer you a bottle. Maybe it'd help to agree a maximum time frame in advance at which point you'd review matters and consider a formula feed it, as might help you both feel more confident in deflecting the bottle offers should they come frequently. As I said it was ~2.5hrs for me and while she was grumpy she wasn't starved or weak with hunger! It might have suited the ward nurses to have her fed and quiet, but himself stood his ground and kept her snuggled without any drama at all.

Ms2011

Once again an emergancy section so slightly different to a planned one but as said the prep time is so quick, I likened it to a pit stop at a formula one race, several nurses & midwives whizzing round taking off my jewellery, nail varnish, night gown etc. giving me medication & a consent form. Then moved onto a bed with wheels and brought up to theatre, OH was taken to put a gown on. Once in theatre I was given a spinal by which stage OH was beside me.
Sounds like alot but it all only lasted 8 minute from the time I left the labour ward until my son was born.
As with the poster above I bled more than normal so OH was sent downstairs with babs & given tea & toast & helped the nurse dress him. He said he'd only gotten off the phone to family when I came down. Even though it was an hour before I came down OH said it didn't seem so long nor did it seem that long for me.
When I got down to recovery I was asked if I wanted to breastfeed, I said yes & a nurse helped latched my son on.
I can understand you wife's concerns but in reality everything happens so quickly & the staff are so geared to looking after mother & baby that you never really feel alone, well I never did anyway.
Congrats on the new baby & be sure to enjoy every minute of his/her birth :-)

seamus

Thanks for the responses guys, very reassuring

How Strange

Could your wife try to hand express some colostrum coming up to the operation? She could freeze it and then bring it with her in a cooler bag. A newborn baby needs a tiny amount of colostrum as they're not actually hungry for 3-4 days after birth which is when the mothers milk comes in. Up to that the baby is getting colostrum.

You may be asked for permission to give formula if the baby has low blood sugar. As others said, skin to skin by you or your wife will help enormously and if necessary you could give tiny amounts of colostrum by syringe or spoon.

I'd recommend she gets in contact with her local la Leche League or Cuidiu group and speak to one of the leaders as they could give her more specific information about expressing before birth etc.

lonestargirl

I don't think anywhere allows partners in during the prep, my husband is a surgeon and he wasn't allowed in. As others have said it really is a very short period of time. I had an elective section and had skin to skin in recovery and breast feeding was a big success for us.

dublinlady

I dont think they would have let my OH come in to the prep no matter what i said - but it litterally lasted less than 5 mins! They just had to put the spinal in and a drip in my hand - and i think - they do the first incision to ensure the painkillers and anaesthetic has worked - then himself was invited in!
Its so totally fine - i was soooooo nervous about the first incision i started to cry - the nurse was AMAZINGLY comforting and asked me what was wrong - i told her and she informed me it was already done - i started laughing as i couldnt believe it could be so painless and the rest was weirdly enjoyable!!
My hiusband held her by my head while they stitched me up - i got lots of kisses etc - i could hold her though. He then was taken back to the nursery with the baby in the ward and i was brought to recovery. The baby was not allowed in recovery as there was a woman there who had been through an operation which sadly was an unwanted hysterectomy and so it wouldnt have been appropriate for a baby to have been there. I was in there for 1 hr 30mins - which felt like ten mins. I wasnt able to leave til i could move my legs - very frustrating looking at your toes and not being able to wiggle them!! But i just tried to relax - and was fine!

I had instructed that no bottles were to be given to my baby and my wishes were always supported. In fact I found Holles st exptremely helpful in this regard! They told me that the baby would not be starving when born and would be happy to wait until i was out of recovery.My husband held her as she slept for the whole of this time. I then returned to the ward where the lovely midwives assisted me in breastfeeding.

My baby turned breech at 37 weeks and i was completely shocked about having to have a section - i really didnt want it. I can assure you the important thing is to go in pregnant and by whatever means to leave with a healthy baby. I had a really positive experience in Holles st - and found their confidence reassuring. The section experience was nervewrecking - but totally fine - in fact some of it was just so interesting and amazing i couldnt believe what i was experienceing! Afterall...its your babies birthday!!:D

Neyite

Seamus, I've just asked my partner the time line.

After I was gowned up and wheeled down to theatre, he was waiting 20 mins before he was let in. During this time I was getting the anesthetic/epidural top up, the screen going up, and probably the inital incision made.
10 mins after he was brought in, the baby was born. He was then sent out for about 15 mins with baby while they stitched me up, but that was a blur for both of us - for him because he was mesmerised by baby, for me because of the drugs.

Ginny

I wouldn't be worried about the bottle issue. I was in the Rotunda, my 10 week old son had a feeding issue, was difficult to latch at all. No one was overly concerned with giving me formula, I was only given a bottle when I asked for it on the second day. Baby didnt lose too much weight and wasn't overly hungry so there was no concern. There was absolutely no push to take a bottle by any of the midwives, and they were more then happy to help on the post natal with breastfeeding, although they were under pressure. My ward shared 2 midwives with another ward, so 2 midwives to 20 women and 21 babies, with at least 3 c sections on the ward.

annamcmahon

I'd second what How Strange said about hand expressing even just to put her mind at rest that if your baby needs something you can syringe feed colostrum. I did that even though I had no reason to believe I'd need a cs. I can pm you a link to a great video showing how to hand express if you want