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I was able to get immediate (well, almost immediate) skin-to-skin with my LO after my c-section (standard hospital procedure); is there a reason you assume you won’t be able to?

Before drafting up requests for a c-section, you might want to check with your hospital and see what their normal c-section procedures are. Where it is surgery, they may not be as flexible with requests as with a vaginal birth; but you might find that your hospital/s normal operating procedures are what you would ask for anyway, KWIM?

Some things you might ask about:

- Stitches vs. stapling (my incision was stapled and I have like zero scar now, I don’t know if the staples vs. stitches had anything to do with that, but you can always ask)

- What sort of pain meds you will get (if you don’t react well to certain painkillers I would definitely ask about this, or let them know your drug interactions)

- Do they provide you a belly band / stomach wrap for after your section?

- For anesthetic; I had no option: hospital standard procedure is you get a spinal unless you had to be put under completely, which was only done on an emergency/non-standard basis.

- Ask if your partner can be there the entire procedure

- If you want to watch your LO’s birth, ask if they will put up a mirror and/or lower the curtain when your LO is born.

My OB tells me that skin to skin is normal after a c-section at their hospital. It's not immediate, but as soon as they get me stitched up, I get to do it, in recovery. DH gets to hold him until then.

The only thing I'm going to specify is that baby and DH, unless medically necessary, aren't leaving my side at all. Once they get scores for LO, he gets to hold him until I do, and they don't go far from me. That, and I want one particular nurse to not be assigned to me at all during my stay.

At my hospital skin to skin was normal, but if you have blood pressure meds, you went to a special care ward and had to be seperated from LO.

I had an emergency c-section due to me spiking a fever & LO's heartrate going through the roof. Luckily, I had already had a spinal so I didn't have to go completely under.

* Husband in room with me & able to cut cord (they left him a small piece to cut
* I had staples, and have very minimal scar...I would op for staples over stitches if possible
*skin to skin if possible (unfortnately I was unable to do this as she was rushed to NICU, so I was able to give kiss & I sent DH with her.
* Someone in recovery with me. My mom came in while I waited since my DH went to NICU, this was so important because I was freaking out. I needed someone/my momma to calm me down.

Honestly my best piece of advice is go with the flow, let the hosptial do what they know best, and trust your doctor. It was easier for me as it was my OB GYN who did the surgery and delivered my baby, I put my faith in her.

Also, belly band...THIS IS important. And if you do , get up immediately and walk around. You will thank yourself, I was healed in no time, most people didn't even know I had a section beacuse of how well I moved around a few days later. But that being said, don't over do it, you will feel it (day 8 I overdid it ..and went backwards on day 9 & 10.)

I would think if you're having a c-section in an emergency situation, the doctors aren't really going to have time to answer questions and introduce themselves.

I also feel it's best to let the doctors do what they do, how they do it best. I want them performing under their best circumstances. If that means listening to 80s music in the OR, then so be it. But that's just my opinion.

@Vegmama: @wheres_c: my entire c-section was audio recorded by my OB (I'm assuming for insurance/liability reasons?) so she told us everything she was doing minute by minute. It was kind of neat to know, but I also didn't really want to hear all about getting cut into lol

@Vegmama: Lorelei was a homebirth transfer c-section, and they allowed my midwife to be in the operating room with my husband. It was really comforting and helpful!

I would want what's being referred to as a "family-centered" c-section: http://blog.ican-online.org/2012/04/14/the-family-centered-cesarean/ if we were to have another baby.

I commend you for considering all the possible birth scenarios-- I did not the first time, and I know I could have had a much better experience had I done so.

@yoursilverlining: Mine was recorded too actually...I remember him counting all the instruments over and over.