Hospital policies! Any suggestions? I need advice.

"DeliciousTruffles" skrev i en
meddelelse ...
I'm just a wreck right now. :-( What can I do? I need a bit of
guidance and some advice from people that are removed from the situation
and are able to think clearly (because I'm certainly not able to).

I had a planned c-sec at age 39 with my son. It was such a peaceful and
wonderful experience. I had a spinal anaesthesia (sp?) and was awake holding
DH's hand. Everyone was so kind and merry because we were almost having a
party - my child was about to be born and no-one was ill.

The moment he was born he was swaddled in a quilt and put in my arms while
they sew me up. In recovery - less than an hour after the c-sec - he
nursed - a little bit difficult as I couldn't sit up.

I had an electric bed in hospital so that I could get out of bed without
help. We have sleep in - no staff to take the baby an no nurseries - they
don't exist. They did help me the first couple of days. I went home on day
5, I think.

I was on pain meds for two weeks - no more. And I wasn't exactly a spring
bunny. I'm not tough either. And I had a very clingy nearly 5-yo daughter at
home.

I nursed him for two years.

Couldn't you have him with you in the recovery - after all: he must be
sterile after spending 9 mos in seclusion? With a little help you can nurse
lying on your back until you are allowed to move.

I loved my planned c-sec. It was such a happy occasion. And do you know
what? The moment they placed the block in my spine I rested as I hadn't done
for months. Do you know the feeling you sometimes have when you're lying on
the sofa - perfectly relaxed - thinking: Please - phone - don't ring right
now. That's how I felt.

For what it's worth.

Tine, Denmark

Tine Andersen wrote:

"DeliciousTruffles" skrev i en
meddelelse ...

I'm just a wreck right now. :-( What can I do? I need a bit of
guidance and some advice from people that are removed from the situation
and are able to think clearly (because I'm certainly not able to).


I had a planned c-sec at age 39 with my son. It was such a peaceful and
wonderful experience. I had a spinal anaesthesia (sp?) and was awake holding
DH's hand. Everyone was so kind and merry because we were almost having a
party - my child was about to be born and no-one was ill.

The moment he was born he was swaddled in a quilt and put in my arms while
they sew me up. In recovery - less than an hour after the c-sec - he
nursed - a little bit difficult as I couldn't sit up.

I had an electric bed in hospital so that I could get out of bed without
help. We have sleep in - no staff to take the baby an no nurseries - they
don't exist. They did help me the first couple of days. I went home on day
5, I think.

I was on pain meds for two weeks - no more. And I wasn't exactly a spring
bunny. I'm not tough either. And I had a very clingy nearly 5-yo daughter at
home.

I nursed him for two years.

Couldn't you have him with you in the recovery - after all: he must be
sterile after spending 9 mos in seclusion? With a little help you can nurse
lying on your back until you are allowed to move.

I loved my planned c-sec. It was such a happy occasion. And do you know
what? The moment they placed the block in my spine I rested as I hadn't done
for months. Do you know the feeling you sometimes have when you're lying on
the sofa - perfectly relaxed - thinking: Please - phone - don't ring right
now. That's how I felt.

For what it's worth.

Tine, Denmark

Tine, it's the post-partum recovery for me that would be difficult to
manage. My twins are not yet potty-trained. I would have to lift them
to change their diapers (or get on the floor - neither is desirable),
and I would have to lift them for other occasions as well. But, I think
a plan is formulating that might work out.

--
Brigitte aa #2145
edd #3 February 15, 2004
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/joshuaandkaterina/

"Readers are plentiful; thinkers are rare."
~ Harriet Martineau

"DeliciousTruffles" skrev i en
meddelelse ...
Tine, it's the post-partum recovery for me that would be difficult to
manage. My twins are not yet potty-trained. I would have to lift them
to change their diapers (or get on the floor - neither is desirable),
and I would have to lift them for other occasions as well. But, I think
a plan is formulating that might work out.

Good - I mostly wrote it to balance your feeling of disaster if you had to
have the c-sec. The pain from a c-sec is much lighter then those from
contractions. I had 32 hours of labour the first time around before they
finally decided on a c-sec. But you are right about the lifting. Me: 5'1" DH
6'something. No way those babies could get out :-)

Best of luck to you. I'm sure it'll turn out OK.

Tine, Denmark

Hi -

First of all, don't stress so much! (Easy to say, I know.)

A little bit of formula in the hospital is VERY unlikely to sabotage
your breastfeeding relationship. I'd be unhappy about being separated
from the baby for so long, but not because of bf'ing. (Both mine were
too sleepy to nurse for the first several hours, following vaginal
births. Perfectly normal. Both were supplemented by cup with formula
in the hospital on day 2 because of apparent dehydration; one was
supplemented again, a LOT, on day ... 4? due to bad jaundice. Both
nursed successfully for 10-13 months with no further supplementation
until starting solids.)

I'd arrange for hubby to stay with the baby at all times, abandoning you
without regret until the baby returns. That way he can make sure that
any supplementing is done by cup or dropper, etc.

Once you get the baby back, keep her (him?) at the breast as much as
possible, and remember to unlatch and relatch every time the latch isn't
right.

I hope everything goes easily. Best of luck,
--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

NOTE: No email is read at my MIT address. Use the AOL one if you would
like me to reply.

"Tine Andersen" wrote in message
k...

"DeliciousTruffles" skrev i en
meddelelse ...
Tine, it's the post-partum recovery for me that would be difficult to
manage. My twins are not yet potty-trained. I would have to lift them
to change their diapers (or get on the floor - neither is desirable),
and I would have to lift them for other occasions as well. But, I think
a plan is formulating that might work out.

Good - I mostly wrote it to balance your feeling of disaster if you had to
have the c-sec. The pain from a c-sec is much lighter then those from
contractions. I had 32 hours of labour the first time around before they
finally decided on a c-sec. But you are right about the lifting. Me: 5'1"
DH
6'something. No way those babies could get out :-)

Well, Tine, with all due respect - you can't predict anyone's labor
experience or their c/s experience. Every single experience is different.
Your post-c/s pain was less than your contraction pain. But I had 2 c/s (one
much worse than the other as far as recovery went, perhaps because one was
after 24 hours of labor and one was scheduled) and one VBA2C, and I would
take labor, delivery, and the recovery from my 4'10" body delivering an
almost-8-lb baby ANY DAY over recovery from even my easier c/s. And, no, I
didn't have an epidural for most of my labor (though I did have one placed
during the pushing phase because my thigh muscles were cramping something
awful).

A c/s is certainly not the end of the world. They have their place. It's
certainly easier on you emotionally afterward, I think, if you know
*exactly* why you're having it, and agree with the reasons. It's certainly
easier on you physically afterward, I think, if you haven't been through
umpteen hours of labor first, being denied food and drink the whole time
while your body is working hard. Also ssuming you don't get a post-surgical
infection, or a hemorrhage, or a spinal headache from the medication, or any
of the things that can go wrong with any surgery that have nothing to do
with childbirth. Of course it also helps if you have the luxury of lying
around to heal up from surgery afterward, and don't have other kids to chase
around. :/

A c/s is not the end of the world, but I'd sure as the devil would want to
have my ducks if I knew I was going to have one. (I did EVERYTHING in my
power to make sure I had a good shot at a VBAC with #4 kiddo, because I did
NOT want to go home to 3 other kids, and a newborn, and also be a surgical
patient - again. I even had my previous scar measured via ultrasound to
gauge my risk of uterine rupture.)

I dunno. If I were in Truffles' shoes, I'd still struggle my best to have a
VBAC simply because the recovery was 100X easier for me than it was from the
c/s births I had. But I'd also have plans in place to allow me to heal
afterward, if I wound up in surgery. Can't do that taking care of toddler
twins.

--angela

Tine Andersen wrote:

Me: 5'1" DH
6'something. No way those babies could get out :-)

BS. This particular comment always makes me annoyed. If you said "My
pelvis is shaped in a way that made it difficult" I could just swallow
that. True cephalopelvic disproportion isn't as common as the medical
folks would have it appear. IMO, and from my extensive reading
pre-delivery, a good percentage of the c-sections on this rationale are
due to malposition of the baby, (iow, anything other than textbook)
which causes ob/gyns trained in the current skillset to get very
nervous. They simply aren't trained in ways to deliver anything much
beyond LOA babies.

Anecdotes: My mother is 5'4", my father 6'2". She had three babies just
fine, the smallest at 7lbs 13oz. Their current neighbor...she must be
5'2" and he is at least 6'....she had twins that were at least 6 lbs
each. And when DS was born, I had a 5'4" friend who was told that her
6lb baby was "too big"...she was stunned that I had managed an 8lb baby
without intervention or stitches. Don't even get me started about the
drs who literally panicked when a family friend had mild shoulder
dystocia with her second...but left her in lithotomy position to try to
deliver (she did, baby fine, but stupid dr).

/rant off

Dawn

"Tine Andersen" wrote in message
k...
|
| "DeliciousTruffles" skrev i en
| meddelelse ...
| Me: 5'1" DH 6'something. No way those babies could get out :-)
|

I'm 5'2 and DH is 6'1 and my baby came out no problem. There is no way you
can tell from the size of the parents how difficult a delivery is going to
be.

Nadene

"Plissken" wrote in message
news:1SYTb.396477$X%5.15528@pd7tw2no...

"Tine Andersen" wrote in message
k...
|
| "DeliciousTruffles" skrev i en
| meddelelse ...
| Me: 5'1" DH 6'something. No way those babies could get out :-)
|

I'm 5'2 and DH is 6'1 and my baby came out no problem. There is no way you
can tell from the size of the parents how difficult a delivery is going to
be.

Nadene


Yeah. They say Goldie Hawns daughters csection was an emergency because they
were concerned about the baby's size
it was smaller than my first child, who who I had vaginal delivery no
episiotomy. Hah!

DeliciousTruffles wrote:

But, if I have to, a big fear of mine is establishing a nursing
relationship with this baby. The so-called "breast-feeding friendly"
hospital has a policy of taking the baby down to the nursery for up
to 4 hours post surgery. I will be in the recovery room for a
minimum of 1 to 1 1/2 hours. They will not bring the baby to me for
the initial breastfeeding within one hour. I can't go to the baby.
I'm worried that the blood sugars will be low and they will
supplement. I don't want that if I can prevent it. But how can I
prevent blood sugars from dropping if I can't nurse the baby!

Okay. You sound like me a couple weeks before Gabe's scheduled section. I
was crazy with tension about this. : )

So DH is going to be on toddler duty? But you have a doula? OK. Whoever is
there who isn't you (e.g. DH or doula) stays with the baby. At all times.
They don't let the nurses give any supplements, and they insist that the
baby be in your room ASAP after they get it all stabilized (which does NOT
take 4 hours).

Here's how it went down when Gabe was born: I had the scheduled section. I
spent two hours in recovery before I got back to my room. Gabe had low blood
sugar (which is kind of a given when mom's been fasting prior to surgery),
and DH told the nurses no supplements, this is a breastfed baby; after he
nurses, they could check his blood sugar again and if it was still low, we'd
reassess at that point. As soon as I got to my room, I nursed him and
everything was all good from there on out.

--
tristyn
www.tristyn.net
"i have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.
i do not think that they will sing to me."

"Plissken" wrote in message
news:1SYTb.396477$X%5.15528@pd7tw2no...

"Tine Andersen" wrote in message
k...
|
| "DeliciousTruffles" skrev i en
| meddelelse ...
| Me: 5'1" DH 6'something. No way those babies could get out :-)
|

I'm 5'2 and DH is 6'1 and my baby came out no problem. There is no way you
can tell from the size of the parents how difficult a delivery is going to
be.

Yeah. I ought to add...I'm 4'10", my husband 5'11". Neither of my sections
were for "baby too big". First one was for persistant posterior
presentation, aka, stupid med folks didn't do a damned thing to help her
turn, and kept me flat on my back. And she didn't come out. Well, maybe she
would have, and maybe she wouldn't, but they didn't even TRY to help me have
her.

Section #2 was for fetal distress in twin B/footling breech presentation of
twin A.

VBA2C, I did my best to get baby in LOA. This included spending HOURS with
my belly in a depression in a beanbag chair, and generally spending lots of
time on all fours. She *still* presented asynclitic, and I got some help
with the venteuse, but 7 lb 14 oz baby came out just fine.

Presentation is prett'near everything. Most of the rest depends on whether
your attendants know how to help when presentation isn't optimal.

--angela