Dear  Kika,

In our hospital the women who have a Caesarean section usually have it under 
spinal anaesthesia. After the birth they go to the recovery room (not ICU) 
where there is a space kept free for them in a corner. They are only there 
for about 30 minutes. The midwife who was with her during the operation 
stays and helps to put baby to the breast. She then accompanies the mother 
back to the post natal ward.
If the midwife has to stay in theatre with another elective LSCS, a health 
care assistant can look after mum and baby in the recovery room till she 
goes to the ward.

Mum and baby are transported back to the post natal ward skin-to-skin, often 
with the baby on the breast.The mother goes to the post-operative room for 
about 24 hours (a 6 bedded room on the P/N ward which has piped O2 and 
suction) and is looked after by midwives. The baby stays with her, 
skin-to-skin or in a cot next to her bed.

If the mother has a general anaesthetic, the midwife will take the baby to 
the father (or other  birth partner) who is usually waiting on the postnatal 
ward or delivery suite. In that case she does not accompany the mother to 
the recovery room.

I have never come across any infection in a baby as a result of a short stay 
in the recovery room. The recovery room nurse only looks after that 
particular woman and only for a short time. There is minimal risk of 
infection.

It may be worth considering whether a mother needs to stay in an ICU for 
6-10 hours. Our mums seem to do fine with just half an hour. On the ward she 
will have half-hourly observations done for 2 hours and then 4 hourly. It 
works for us.

Best wishes and good luck

Lucy Simnett, Midwife, IBCLC
Bracknell, UK

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