Mum’s delight at baby bonding birth technique
A VALLEY mum has spoken of the benefits of an initiative designed to strengthen the maternal bond for all caesarean section births.
The method allows mums to experience the magic of holding their baby ‘skin to skin’ by placing the newborn on the mother’s chest directly after the birth.
The method being used at the Lancashire Women and Newborn Centre in Burnley for all non-emergency c-section births.
The routine process for caesarean section births was a screen placed in front of the mother which meant she could see her baby being born.
Liz Howey, from Bacup, gave birth to her son Rufus, enhanced by the ‘skin-to-skin’ technique at the centre in April 2016.
Liz said: “The important thing about Rufus’ birth was feeling like I was part of the whole birthing process.
“My daughter Ruby was born by caesarean section and, although I tried to plan and achieve the perfect birth, I remember the screen creating such a barrier and the surgeon feeling so far away.
“Thankfully, Rufus’ skin-to-skin caesarean at Burnley General Teaching Hospital was a very positive experience, and I want to thank all the staff for helping me to achieve my ‘perfect’ birth!”
Mrs Liz Martindale, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, said: “For skin-to-skin care after a caesarean birth, the mother and her child must stay together.
“We received many requests from couples wishing for a ‘gentler’, more personal caesarean birth experience, and hospital staff have worked together to provide immediate and sustained skin-to-skin contact. Immediate skin-to-skin contact offers many benefits including an increase in breastfeeding initiation, decreased time to the first breastfeed, increased bonding and stronger maternal satisfaction. After understanding and seeing the benefits of this family-friendly birth, staff were more than ready to support the change.”
In many other hospitals, caesarean births are followed by the baby being taken to another area in the operating room, where he/she is examined, cleaned, weighed, clothed and swaddled before being shown briefly to the parents.