Another follow up to the c-section thread!!!

I have a somewhat silly question:

Is the desire to hold your baby right away, vs. 15 minutes later or half hour later something that develops as you go through the pregnancy?

I am sorry I don't understand why 15-30 minutes would make such a difference between birth experiences. But then again, I don't have a life in my belly

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Posted by alina

I have a somewhat silly question:

Is the desire to hold your baby right away, vs. 15 minutes later or half hour later something that develops as you go through the pregnancy?

I am sorry I don't understand why 15-30 minutes would make such a difference between birth experiences. But then again, I don't have a life in my belly

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Alina, I've been wondering that for the past few days myself!

I think everyone wants to hold their baby as soon as possible - just because you've waited 9 months (or longer) to do so! But honestly, the true bond for me happened after we were home in our own house and one day I just looked at him in my arms and broke down in tears because the love I felt for him just overwhelmed me. I loved him when he was born of course, but it's hard to describe the difference.

I waited a while to hold him and it really didn't effect my experience at all - believe me we are bonded - I can't even leave the room without him freaking out nowadays and besides, I dread leaving him!!

I didn't hold Molly for 5-6 hours after her birth. I only saw her for maybe 5 minutes in the OR prior to that.
I agree w/Lee about having waited 9months.

Personally, I think it's important that I SAW Rebecca right away. I didn't actually hold her until about three hours later. That was okay. Having seen her in the operating room, and knowing that she was okay and being taken care of by the nurses and doctors was okay for me. As I posted earlier, I just told them that when they were done with her, I wanted to be with her for a while, which I was (for an hour and a half). It was singlehandedly the most beautiful hour and a half of my life!!! It was around 2am, and the entire hospital was quiet, and when they brought her in, it was the BEST present I could've gotten!!! When I was holding her, all time seemed to stop outside the room, and NOTHING else in the world seemed to matter - it was the BEST time in my life!!!!!!!

I still tear up when I think of it!!!

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Posted by LaurenReb

Personally, I think it's important that I SAW Rebecca right away. I didn't actually hold her until about three hours later. That was okay. Having seen her in the operating room, and knowing that she was okay and being taken care of by the nurses and doctors was okay for me. As I posted earlier, I just told them that when they were done with her, I wanted to be with her for a while, which I was (for an hour and a half). It was singlehandedly the most beautiful hour and a half of my life!!! It was around 2am, and the entire hospital was quiet, and when they brought her in, it was the BEST present I could've gotten!!! When I was holding her, all time seemed to stop outside the room, and NOTHING else in the world seemed to matter - it was the BEST time in my life!!!!!!!

I still tear up when I think of it!!!

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MY GOSH! I am tearing just reading it!!! What a wonderful feeling it must be to have a child!!! I can't wait!

I had a similiar experience to Claud's.. saw the baby and touched his hand, then he was taken for APGAR scores and 'freshening up'. After that, Patrick held him for over an hour while I got stitched and 'put back together'.

I was a little out of it from blood loss at that point, so I know that they baby was put into my arms some time after that, but I have very little recollection of it. In hind sight, I know I wanted to hold him as soon as I could after he was born, but at the time I was tired and weak, and while I was probably thrilled when I finally got to do it, I can barely remember it.

(Hey, was that a tangent?? I think so... )
To answer the question, I also agree with Lee... you want 9 months to meet this little person, and you really want to do it ASAP!

Because of GD and an emergency c-section, I also didn't get to hold and nurse Damien until 6 hours after his birth. Steve got to hold him and I was glad for that. I was so exhasted that I don't think I could of held him even if I wanted to.

I have to agree with Lauren when they finally brought him into me at 9:30 in the evening it was as if time stood still. I looked at that little face and fell in love forever. He latched onto my breast right away and hasn't stopped since

When I look back at it now, I'm glad I held him later because I was much calmer and relaxed, which I think helped with BF'd

Like Stacey, Jen, Lauren, Claud and others -- I didn't get to hold Gianna right away either. They were doing their thing to her (because of the GD) and I was getting my thing ( ) stitched!!! (TMI, oops, sorry! ) Joe got to bond with her right away and I'm glad that he did. I think it was important for the daddy to be included and that made him feel special!!

But when I finally did get her, it's like Lauren said -- time stood still. I fell in love w/her in utero, but it was nothing like when I finally held her and kissed her!!! That feeling was amazing!!!

Not for nothing but giving birth -- whether c-section, vaginal, by the stork or however -- is NOTHING like a Baby Story!! So if you envision that, you're in for a shock!!

Because I did the same thing!!! I love how everyone looks so good before during and after birth!!! We should all look that great!! No bloating and blowing up like an elephant after the birth, it's amazing!!!

When I watch a baby story they make it seem as if you always get to hold the baby right away, I think I would like to hold the baby on my belly and have the dad cut the cord etc. But I would love to have alone time like Lauren had later, when I am a bit better/rested. I can only imagine what that is like.

The one I saw recently the doctor was SITTING on the bed and talking to the mom really casually as she was pushing. He didn't stand up and get into his surgical gown until the crown was showing. Why do I watch this stuff?

Trust me Shamma, it's NOTHING like a Baby Story!!!

Irene, !!! Nice of the dr to participate, huh?

I did not get to hold Geno or see it him till after the scores were taken. But I was sooooooooooo tired ( I only had 4 hours sleep prior to my induction) so, for me it did not make a difference. I knew I had plenty of time to hold him!!

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Posted by bearsbabe_113

Trust me Shamma, it's NOTHING like a Baby Story!!!

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Deb I know a lot of it end up being edited, they all cannot be that perfect and kissing and what not

You ladies have me in tears again with the stories of when you first held your babies.

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Posted by Lee

I think everyone wants to hold their baby as soon as possible - just because you've waited 9 months (or longer) to do so! But honestly, the true bond for me happened after we were home in our own house and one day I just looked at him in my arms and broke down in tears because the love I felt for him just overwhelmed me. I loved him when he was born of course, but it's hard to describe the difference.

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I just broke down and cried reading this b/c I had a similar experience. I have also posted before about not feeling that 'ga-ga love' for Paul right away, so the bonding feeling was really powerful for me when it finally happened - but, it definitely wasn't until we were home for several weeks.

ALina,
you just HAD TO put that as the title for your post didnt you ??? you little troublemaker


Anyway thats a question that each mom will have a different answer for. Its really a matter of personal opinion.
When I heard my son cry, and my twin sister and my husband were standing and practically SCREAMING for JOY, I cried more than the baby that just entered the world.
The most overwhelming and captivating joy in the world, is to see this precious little life, coming from your body and soul, your creation. I was too overwhelmed to even THINK about holding him and not dropping him
If he needed to be with the nurses for a while for medical reasons, then that was fine with me. But they did bring me him right away, right after the APGAR and after he was cleaned up. He was the most beautiful little being on the planet. I could barely see through my tears and I could barely catch my breathe to do anything more than look at him and kiss him a million times.
Sorry to ramble on, it just brought back so many memories, and as I sit here with another little one growing SO FAST in my belly, kicking and rumbling, I can only imagine it happening again in 8 weeks.