u/Healthy-Media-5328

I have my c section coming up this Friday. I am absolutely determined to breastfeed and have done so much research. I am becoming increasingly worried about missing out on skin to skin contact once my baby boy arrives.

I would love to hear other people's experiences, were you allowed to have skin to skin with your baby once they were born and if not, what was the reason? I of course understand in some situations where baby needs more support this wouldn't be possible or a priority.

I would love to hear some positivity and advice! My C-section has just been moved forward to next week (it was initially 2 weeks today) and now it could be as early as Monday or as late as next Friday.

This is an elective c-section due to medical reasons so please don't comment suggesting to go for an induction instead.

All I have heard is positive planned C-section stories so I know that I will actually be absolutely fine but I am getting so anxious about the build up to the surgery and experiencing new sensations. I am scared I am going to feel really sick (I get really sicky when I feel really anxious) and that I am going to panic about getting the cannula and epidural etc.

Has anyone else with anxiety (especially in medical scenarios) had an elective section and have any advice or positive stories for me.

I am due for a C-section at St James in a couple of weeks and wondering if anyone else has been recently and knows the rules around birth partners staying overnight with you in hospital? I know not every hospital allows this but the wording on the website is that they can stay overnight in the delivery suite but doesn't say anything about their access on the postnatal ward.

Obviously rules are rules but for us personally my partner really wants to stay overnight if he can do that he can help me post c section (I know the midwife's will be there to support but he really wants to be there, he will have just become a farther after all and doesn't want to leave us when men already have such a limited paternity leave).

TIA 💗

I am curious, what day of the week do you receive your maternity allowance payments? my maternity allowance (maternity leave) started on Saturday 28th March.

(FYI at the moment my payments are £67 a week but waiting for recalculation after paying an NI voluntary contribution to up it to the £194)

on March 27th I received a small payment of £18 (I am assuming that was to cover the Saturday and the Sunday initially)

I was then told on my letter that I would then receive my payments fortnightly on Mondays...

Well here I am 3 Mondays after my maternity leave started and nothing?

I am going to call them today to find out what is going on in regards to my payments starting and chasing up when my payments will be updated and backdated.

it is already a stressful time with a baby on the way and I've got priority bills coming up that I won't be able to pay without the full amount.