https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:57:53 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445966 Tue, 02 Feb 2016 09:19:07 +0000 snowjewelz 2445966@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wanted to hold her right away, but I didn't anticipate getting the shakes SO bad so we decided it was better that she got cleaned up and checked out first. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445797 Tue, 02 Feb 2016 05:13:14 +0000 Pumuckl 2445797@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Due to birthing position it always took a minute or two until I could hold them. It was fine though, I got to stroke the cheek of my second while we prepared for me to turn etc. The cord was cut with both of them before they were on me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445753 Tue, 02 Feb 2016 01:44:42 +0000 gingerbebe 2445753@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Um, sort of? I had an emergency C-section after a failed induction and I was pumped full of so many drugs at that point that I struggled to stay awake during the procedure. I BARELY stayed awake long enough to hear my son being born and then had to wait while they cleaned him off and hand him to DH. It was the longest 2 minutes of my life because I was SO STINKING SLEEPY. I finally got to "hold" him with one arm and DH's help and said hello, but wanted him off me after a minute because I was sure I was going to fall asleep and thought that would be rude. Then DH took the baby to recovery while I passed out during the sewing up and clean-up. By the time I was wheeled into recovery, I was much more awake and able to hold him and get him to latch on to my breast. </p> <p>We're planning an RCS with #2 for many reasons, but part of the decision did have something to do with me being so groggy the last time around with all the drugs. I'd much rather have a straightforward C-section and be awake and aware this time around. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445735 Tue, 02 Feb 2016 01:09:21 +0000 Cherrybee 2445735@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In theory, I want my baby straight away. But, in practice, with E, I was so traumatised by labour I couldn't wait to get her off me. I'm hoping to feel that elation and love this time around. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445734 Tue, 02 Feb 2016 01:08:19 +0000 lemondrop 2445734@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, but in my line of work, goop doesn't bother me anyway. Mostly I just remember feeling instantly so much better that they were out and more relief than paying much attention to the baby. </p> <p>They let me take a shower within an hour after the birth, so even though my hands and arms were all gross, I got to clean up right away. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445731 Tue, 02 Feb 2016 01:04:22 +0000 lamariniere 2445731@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I held both of mine immediately. DS wasn't very goopy, DD was covered in vernix (3 weeks early) but I thought it was really neat! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445725 Tue, 02 Feb 2016 00:50:44 +0000 lovehoneybee 2445725@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I really wanted it. With the first they put him on my chest for a few seconds but I started hemorrhaging right away so they took him to get weighed and such while they focused on me. I had him back within 5 minutes. </p> <p>I had a csection with my second. She was shown to me, then they did the apgar and she was rubbed down a bit. They gave her to DH, who brought her to me for a minute before we were all taken to recovery. I had to stay in recovery for a while because my BP was very very low, but skin to skin was very encouraged even there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445718 Tue, 02 Feb 2016 00:17:21 +0000 DesertDreams88 2445718@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No one announced when I was crowning or when the shoulders / legs were out, so when they lifted him up, I was stunned he was born. I thought I still needed to push. I was way too emotionally and physically overwhelmed, and I think the nurses knew that. They wrapped up him in a towel (without cleaning him), put him on my chest for about 5-10 minutes as I sobbed and DH &amp; my mom teared up &amp; fawned over him. Then the nurses cleaned him off for about 5-10 minutes and gave him back for skin-to-skin, at that point I had calmed down but there were still a ton of happy tears. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445626 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 22:33:19 +0000 farawayyama 2445626@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, which I am extremely grateful for. I haemhorraged soon after and wasn't physically able to hold her for the rest of the night, so DH did. It is one of the best and hardest memories for me. Hardest because I wanted her close, but best because I really got to witness DH become a father. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445607 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 22:13:30 +0000 Ms maths 2445607@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With LO1, I was so exhausted (after 3 hours of pushing) that I didn't really care about holding him and he seemed a little alien to me! But I thought immediate skin-to-skin was the thing to do, so I just held him and let him try to nurse right awat. In retrospect, I wish someone had suggested I not hold him, since he stopped breathing at one point likely because I was holding him in a bad position and I was too out of it to notice. (We had a "code blue" response, with every nurse in the birth center coming to our room to help get him breathing again. Very terrifying.)</p> <p>With LO2, I was happy to hold her right away: 5 minutes of pushing left me much more capable, and--even though she still felt like a bit like a stranger to me--I could anticipate my love for her much better. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445574 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 21:48:55 +0000 avivoca 2445574@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Give me that goopy baby! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445568 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 21:44:33 +0000 Caly 2445568@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Didn't really have have a choice. The first twin was placed on my chest for a couple seconds before she was taken away by the NICU staff and I needed to start pushing for the second. The second was barely breathing and was taken away immediately. Otherwise, I would have happily cuddled goopy babies. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445565 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 21:43:46 +0000 oliviaoblivia 2445565@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had them all in my arms asap. No baths for the first day at our hospital anyway. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445539 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 21:31:28 +0000 stiletto_mom 2445539@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd likely want the baby cleaned first. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445497 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 21:06:08 +0000 pastemoo 2445497@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jedeve: I wanted to but it wasn't an option. I hope it is possible with this baby. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445486 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 21:00:14 +0000 Smurfette 2445486@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would have but the cord was around her neck and they cleaned her up a little, wrapped her, and gave to me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445485 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 21:00:10 +0000 sarac 2445485@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Of course. I had a waterbirth, so I was already messy. I was so shellshocked from the pain and the hunger and the long night that I was just sort of like 'ok, baby, yeah'. But yeah, I wanted her immediately. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445478 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 20:56:24 +0000 Andrea 2445478@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope. Both kids had their cords wrapped around their necks multiple times so I couldn't. :shocked: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445469 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 20:48:51 +0000 littlejoy 2445469@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes! Give me that baby!!! There was nothing more beautiful than my brand new baby!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445447 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 20:31:21 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2445447@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't really have a preference. I tend to not like the goop though. I didn't get skin to skin with either, the first because I guess that's just what the hospital did, and the second because of meconium. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445445 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 20:31:07 +0000 brownepiano 2445445@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>He came out blue! I was glad they wiped him down a bit and got him oxygen before they put him on me. I don't need a swaddled, diapered baby, I just don't really want more blood and guts on me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth/page/2#post-2445442 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 20:29:35 +0000 Mrs. Sunshine 2445442@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I even kissed DD1 before she was cleaned off.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth#post-2445419 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 20:17:02 +0000 FaithFertility 2445419@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wanted her right away, but she was taken to a table right after to get sucked out I had a lots of her stool in AF<br /> I had her maybe 5 minutes after! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth#post-2445418 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 20:16:57 +0000 HLK208 2445418@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes!!! I waited so long to hold them, I didn't want to wait any longer! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth#post-2445415 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 20:15:26 +0000 MoonMoon 2445415@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Goop! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth#post-2445414 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 20:15:15 +0000 Foodnerd81 2445414@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes both times. Just like @kodybear: going from the last big push to that sweet relief of, well, not pushing, and the warm squirmy baby on your chest is the most amazing feeling. They wiped her off some while she was on my chest before cutting the cord and then covered us both with some blankets. That was probably the best part of labor. </p> <p>Oh and both my babies pooped immediately after being born, on me. Didn't even phase me and the nurses cleaned it right up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth#post-2445412 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 20:14:32 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2445412@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Goop and all. But really they are pretty good and swift with wiping most of it off (from their face at least) before bringing them up to the chest. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth#post-2445393 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 20:03:26 +0000 alphagam84 2445393@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>They asked what I wanted once I started pushing and I said I wasn't sure and we'd have to decide then-maybe wrap her in a blanket first. But when she was born she wasn't breathing and they had to whisk her away and work on her and I didn't get to hold her for 10 long minutes. By then she was all cleaned up. I would have rather gotten her all goopy than have that scare! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth#post-2445388 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 19:51:10 +0000 kitty 2445388@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wanted to! Apparently when the goop gets on your chest it leaves a scent that helps baby find the breast. I had a csection so they wiped him down a little but he was still a little sticky. They put him on my chest after a quick check but he kept sliding towards my neck so I asked DH to take him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-want-to-hold-your-baby-immediately-after-birth#post-2445385 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 19:49:42 +0000 Ree723 2445385@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Most definitely! Both girls went straight to my belly for cord cutting and then up to my chest for the next hour and a bit. The midwives didn't rub them down or clean them - just wrapped a blanket over us and went about their business of stitches, clean up, paperwork etc. An hour later, they weighed the baby, took essential measurements, and then straight back to me they went, dried on vernix and all! As a side note, in Australia they don't recommend bathing babies for the first 24 hrs anyway - so it's goopy babies for one and all! </p>