Just had to share this!
Recently I was fortunate enough to accompany a mother at a planned
cesarean. I worked with her on her previous breastfeeding experience, which
was rocky for the first three months or so and wanted to do my bit to help
her get a good start this time.
This was her first cs and it was for a good medical reason, not of her
choosing. It meant that everything was calm, during the day, with full
staffing, and I was an extra person there. The midwife assigned to her was
not comfortable with giving Vitamin K and drying the baby off in the OR so
we left the room for a very few minutes. Normally in my hospital, the baby
is then brought back to mother who gives baby a peck on the cheek before
midwife, mother's partner and baby return to labor suite (another wing of
hospital) where midwife records weight and other data while father holds
the clothed and bundled baby until they are invited to come to mother in
recovery. It usually takes an hour at least before they are reunited. By
then the anesthesia is wearing off and mother may be unable to tolerate the
baby's efforts to crawl to her breast. We have a problem with cold babies,
too, especially after cs (wonder why - NOT).
All staff involved were a bit surprised to see me in the OR and in recovery
as I rarely stray from postpartum these days. But a lot of them happened to
be women I have helped with breastfeeding and I think that made it easier.
The obstetricians commented on the lovely sounds from the mother's side of
the screen, the anesthesia staff were utterly charmed and in recovery they
were astonished that for once, a baby wasn't wailing on arrival.
Baby spontaneously attached to breast 85 minutes after birth, with no
discomfort for mother. Baby's temperature was 37 degrees C right through
the whole recovery, and they were wheeled to postpartum still skin to skin
four hours after birth. Baby had fed two or three times already.
It was the most fun I've had at a cs, ever, I think. And one of the most
enjoyable days at work in a long time too. My newly qualified colleague who
was assigned to care for mother and baby during the cs and recovery really
got it. Instead of taking the baby to labor ward for weight and
measurement, she brought the whole cart with scales etc up to recovery and
did it at the bedside, after baby had completed a leisurely feed. And she
talked about it to everyone else at work too.
My goal is for this to be the norm at ALL births before I retire. Please
wish me luck.
Rachel Myr, Kristiansand

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