NMMC Women’s Hospital Enhances C-Section Experience for Parents

TUPELO, Mississippi—Mothers who deliver by Cesarean section at North Mississippi Medical Center Women’s Hospital can now enjoy the same special bonding experience with their baby as those who deliver without surgery.

Many years ago, Women’s Hospital began observing “the Golden Hour,” when parents and baby spend uninterrupted time together as a family. During that time, the baby lays skin-to-skin on the mother’s chest wearing only a diaper and hat. But until recently, skin-to-skin was not an option for C-section births.

Ben and Lacinda Daugherty of Tupelo were one of the first couples to experience skin-to-skin contact in the OR after the C-section birth of their daughter, Nova Grace, on Dec. 20, 2023. “Our family is a blended family. Nova is our fourth child between the two of us,” Lacinda says. “She was a surprise, and we believe God gave us her to be the missing piece to our family of six. I’m so thankful that we got to have this amazing experience for our first and last baby together.”

Lacinda also had a C-section with the birth of her 5-year-old son, who was born after a long battle with infertility. “A C-section takes away so many things,” she says. “I didn’t even get to hold my son until several hours later. After he was born, they took him out of the OR and honestly, it felt like forever. For that reason, I was dreading having another C-section.”

Throughout her pregnancy, Lacinda had talked to her ob-gyn, Dr. Gabrielle Alexander, about her concerns. Still, she and Ben were not prepared when, just before going into the OR, Dr. Alexander announced that they would be able to experience the Golden Hour with Nova while they completed her surgery. “I couldn’t hold back the tears,” Lacinda says. “When they laid Nova on my chest, it felt like it was just her and me in the OR.”

For the remainder of her surgery. “I was preoccupied with Nova and paying no attention to what they were doing,” she says. “It didn’t seem as painful as my first C-section. The whole experience was amazing. It was priceless.”

Ob-gyn Dr. Rachel Ladner advocates for the practice. “Skin-to-skin contact at birth is highly beneficial for both mom and baby,” Dr. Ladner says. “Not only does it facilitate relaxation and calmness of both, it can help the baby adjust to life on the outside with better regulation of the baby’s temperature, better initiation of breastfeeding and better bonding with mom.”

Allowing skin-to-skin time in the OR dramatically improves the entire birth experience. “No longer will we have to sacrifice those special first moments that every mom looks forward to,” Dr. Ladner says. “Those first snuggles are priceless!”

Brittany and Colton Sims of Burnsville, who mourn the loss of a stillborn infant in 2022, cherish their recent experience at NMMC Women’s Hospital. Dr. Laura Marion delivered their daughter, Harper, on Jan. 12.

“As I held my newborn baby on my chest, feeling the warmth of her delicate skin against mine, a rush of emotions overwhelmed me,” Brittany says. “There was an indescribable mix of joy and gratitude. After experiencing the heart-wrenching loss of a previous infant, every moment with this precious new life is a miracle.”

Brittany says the immediate skin-to-skin moments in the OR “helped my mama heart so much.”

“Although the lower half of my body was numb due to a spinal block, I felt safe knowing that a registered nurse was by my side ensuring the safety of my baby during the remainder of the surgery,” she says. “In this moment of tender embrace, I found solace and strength. It was heaven on earth for me.”

Designated as a Baby-Friendly Hospital by UNICEF and the World Health Organization, Women’s Hospital has initiated several measures over the years to enhance the birth experience.

“We like to celebrate birth days in the OR like we do with a vaginal birth. This is part of our baby-friendly atmosphere here at Women’s Hospital—mothers and babies should remain together,” says ob-gyn Dr. Neeka Sanders. “It’s very calming for the baby and mother, particularly in the OR.”

For more information about NMMC’s women and children’s services, call 1-800-THE DESK (1-800-843-3375) or visit nmhs.net/pregnancy-birth.

Benefits of Skin-to-Skin Contact

Baby

• Stays warmer
• Becomes calmer, cries less
• Maintains more stable blood sugar
• Breastfeeds sooner, longer and more easily

Mother

• Stays calmer, boosts confidence
• Increases mother/baby bond
• Increases milk production