Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Squick Factor

I had my 30 week appt yesterday, at which we discussed the delivery - what happens when, what the doc does and doesn't do, etc. One of the questions Aaron's book told me to ask was "do you give the baby to mom directly after delivery?" My docs answer: If everything is fine, he will put Smallfry...on my stomach.

Where? What? GACK! There's...blood, and amniotic fluid, and possible meconium! And you're going to put it WHERE? On my STOMACH?! *shudder* I'm usually fairly ok with bodily fluids. I understand that having a child means I'm going to have to get used to cleaning up everything you can think of, and be willing to be puked/pooped/peed on. I am not my sister, to pass out whenever one of the kids pukes or comes in bleeding. It's just...the idea of having all that, that has been swirling around for 9 months, deliberately put on my stomach...it's too much to grasp. Did I mention I have an EXTREMELY sensitive belly button? I may NEVER get all the ick out!

Aaron tells me I will be too enamored to care. I'm thinking "I have a multi-track mind. While one part of me is enamored by our son, the other part of me is going to be gibbering in the back of my brain because there is ick all over my stomach!"

So tell me, girls...what was it like for you? Did your doc put your newborn, straight out of the womb, on to your stomach? Did the ick even bother you? help!!!!

4 comments:

Mrslady1975 said...

Not there yet, I have about 3 weeks before my EDD but I really want my son placed on my ASAP. It helps with bonding and nursing. You can also ask they put a little blanket or towel down before they put baby on your tummy. Your hubby is right though, you will be to excited to care.

Jess said...

Is it wrong that this made me giggle?

Okay...first...they'll wrap him in SOMETHING even if they haven't cleaned him up first (I'm unclear as to if they mean they'll do NO prelim wiping up, but I seriously doubt it...they'll probably do that as they swaddle and hat him). Ethan they put directly ("directly") on my stomach, but he wasn't dirty, he was only "dirty." The blankets were even only "dirty" so I assume the wiped, swaddled, and gave, but it was FAST. I mean, I pushed, he came out, they shot me with something for the bleeding (I've been told since this is because I went fast and they probably hadn't given me something-or-other by IV yet which is normally given), and then he was there.

If you want references, here is the first pic post from my blog with him right after birth. The first two pics of me and Travis holding him are before they took him to clean him....I can tell because he's wearing the cap we dubbed "bloody hat" in the pics and that evening with Ava he's wearing a different hat. The only real "fluid" you can see on him if you look is on that hat, there's a bit of blood you can see in the pic with Travis. You can also tell he's not been cleaned because his hair is a little matted. Other than that, though nothing. I assume...that if you peeled off that colored blanket maybe the blanket under is dirtier, but I really doubt much.

http://theproblemwithhope.blogspot.com/2007/12/long-awaited-pictures-and-short-update.html

It'll be fine, I promise. You'll already have blood and crap all over your lower half and possibly be slightly drugged from whatever you've had for pain PLUS you'll have a new baby....and they're not going to give him to you soaking wet. REALLY! I promise!

MrsSpock said...

Ick doesn't even remotely bother me, but they usually put a warmed baby blanket on top of you, and then the baby on top of the blanket. I had a section, so my son was wiped off a bit, swaddled and had a hat on. There isn't as much "gunk" as you think. And the nurse is often stimulating and wiping him off as well. Most babies don't have meconium, so the odds are yours won;t either.

sharah said...

Directly on my stomach for a few moments before he was whisked off to be suctioned out. But I was wearing a hospital gown, so I just got a clean one before he came back to me. Even then, he was just a little damp and had my blood on him, so not bad at all.