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Childbirth

Elective c section booked- tell me your stories....

389 replies

angelpuffs · 22/12/2015 21:01

I've got a date for my elective c- section when I'll be 38+6. Did anyone go into labour before their c section date? Any advice/dos and donts? I had a ventouse delivery with DD1 so would like to hear people's experiences of the op itself, post natal care and recovery- and anything else you can think of. Thanks in advance!

OP posts:

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eastwest · 22/12/2015 21:11

I had a planned CS due to breech position. I wasn't really given any choice in it - it was pretty much made clear that this was the thing to do. It was fine. Surreal. This was my first child so I had nothing to compare it to but my main feelings were just of how very weird and surreal it was - being awake but totally 'dead' below the upper chest with the anaesthetic. There are a lot of people in the theatre and they do about 4 CSs a day (at my hospital) so for them, it's just bish bash bosh job done - to the extent that they had the local radio station playing so if I'd not had music to play during the operaiton I could well have delivered to the sound of the local travel updates :D - whereas for you, obviously it's probably the only time you'll have that experience, so there is a big disjunct there! It didn't bother me personally but it is worth being aware of it. You can feel a bit 'operated on' which can be distressing if you are the kind to be distressed by it, iyswim.
The recovery was tough but I was able to take a plane with DS on my own one month after the CS (it was essential) - no fun, especially with the buggy, but possible if you have kind stewards/ fellow passengers.

eastwest · 22/12/2015 21:11

Oh and good luck - am sure it will be fine!

DearTeddyRobinson · 22/12/2015 21:13

I had an ELCS 3 years ago and it was lovely. Nice and calm, quick, not too much pain. In fact the worst pain was from the blooming after pains! The midwives will give you lovely lovely morphine for the pain, hand you the baby as soon as you want after the birth etc.
I had mine around 4pm and was able to have a shower the next morning.
DS latched on the boob about 40 mins after he was born and stayed there for about 3 days solid so my milk came in on day 3.
Managed easily with paracetamol for pain relief and was carrying baskets of washing up the stairs by the end of the first week.
I am planning another one with DC2 (due in March).
I would line up as much help as you can though especially if you have other DCs. I was still knackered even though I hadn't been through labour, and you do have to be careful of the wound. I have a 3 year old so I am a bit worried about how he will deal with a wobbly mummy, my mum will be there & DH will be on paternity leave so hopefully I will recover quickly.
Anyway best of luck!

Haggisfish · 22/12/2015 21:13

I had an elcs after an emcs. It was great-I was incredibly anxious beforehand ( more about spinal really) but staff were fantastic. All over and done by 1030 am having arrived at 8am. Recovery was fine even with dc1 who was 2.5. Bf fine. You'll be fine.

Haggisfish · 22/12/2015 21:14

And I was in labour with dc1 when I had Cs. It was fine.

tryingtocatchthewind · 22/12/2015 21:19

I've had an emcs and an elcs, the elected was an absolute dream. A spinal block is so much better than an epidural. I recovered very quickly and was up and about supermarket shopping after a few days. Took a few weeks first time round.

dementedma · 22/12/2015 21:20

My first was an emergency CS,and the second two were elective. Labour started for the first one but it ended up CS due to breech. No labour for other two.
Recovery is OK with painkillers and help with lifting.

TangledUpInGin · 22/12/2015 21:36

I loved mine! Honestly! It was a beautiful experience and far less traumatic than I'd been led to believe. Recovery was far quicker than my v birth. I was in marks and Spencer's within 24 hours (buying lots of pate )

TheDuchessofBoxford · 22/12/2015 21:53

I went into labour two days before my elcs (breech). My waters broke so I called the hospital and they advised to get there as soon as due to them not wanting me to progress too far with breech labour.

They left me hanging around for an hour or two and then realised I was at 8cm (only 3 hours since labour started) so got me down to theatre.

Spinal went in and couldn't feel a thing from then on. 10 minutes later and I was holding my baby - the worst bit is the 45 minutes after baby is out as I just wanted to be out of theatre.

Recovery was really smooth and was showering the next day and out and about within a couple of days

Nicshev · 22/12/2015 23:58

I had an emergency section with my first baby and was up and into a shower around 6/7 hours later. Recovery wasn't too bad, I remember being sore and couldn't walk anywhere far or fast for around 7 days. You just have to listen to your body and take it easy where you can!

I am booked in for a elective section on 5th Jan and I am hoping to have a nice calm delivery with a repeat recovery of last time!

Just remove you will have a wound very low down so either high waisted or baggy bottoms were great! Good luck hope everything goes well x

angelpuffs · 23/12/2015 14:51

Thanks everyone- some really positive experiences there
Just hope I make it to the planned date and don't go into labour earlier.... Any advice on what to pack for the hospital bag? First time around I packed a huge suitcase with a load of useless stuff that people said I'd need- spray bottle of water to spritz myself during labour, etc etc and only used about 10% of what I took. The hospital said to just bring in enough for one night for a cs- the rest can be brought in later. Any essentials you'd recommend? X

OP posts:

DearTeddyRobinson · 23/12/2015 15:37

Big high waisted knickers! Several pjs/nighties as hospital is so hot, you could be very sweaty maybe that's just me
Baggy/maternity clothes to go home in, some toiletries, stuff for the baby. Also decent sanitary/Tena pads, you don't necessarily need maternity pads as your bits won't be bruised post-labour.

Haggisfish · 23/12/2015 15:38

Tena lady pants that absorb, big enough to cover wound and can be torn off easily.

SweepTheHalls · 26/12/2015 11:38

Can I ask a stupid question? My ELCS is on Wednesday (due date). How do you as shower if you have to keep the wound clean and dry?

Haggisfish · 26/12/2015 12:13

You just pat it dry afterwards with a clean towel. I showered after 24 hours I think in the hospital. Good luck!

TaliZorah · 26/12/2015 12:24

I had an ELCS. Went into labour but didn't dialate much so was kept in hospital then sent home a few days before.

The operation was fine. Walked into theatre, had the spinal which felt really weird then it made my legs go warm and someone put them on the table. It took about 20 minutes for that to work.

Then they started and I didn't realise. I didn't realise my baby had been born until I heard them talking, I asked to see him and was quickly shown then he was whisked away to a table. This is unusual, he'd got into distress when I went into labour before and had meconiun aspiration syndrome. He wasn't breathing and was resuscitated and then a load of doctors came in with an incubator and took him to SCBU.

This took about 15 minutes, I was then taken to recovery. I felt fine in myself I just remember being confused about why my baby had had to go to SCBU.

I have no experience of the ward I was transferred to a different hospital (my son needed intensive care) and given a private room due to the circumstances. My birth partner was allowed to stay overnight. The nurses were SO NICE they were always making me drinks. After a few days my son came up to that room with me in a normal cot but he still had a drip!

Recovery was fine. I didn't find it painful really, by day 3 I felt fairly normal and day 2 wasn't too bad. i was walking with the pram by day 6.

Breastfeeding didn't work for me but that was more down to him having bottles in NICU. Had no problems with milk.

Obviously if your baby isn't unwell you'll get them straight away. Id advise to bring extra clothes. I didn't expect to be in as long as I was so had to send people to buy stuff/pick stuff up.

Good luck

fruitpastille · 26/12/2015 13:10

I've had 3. I was fine with my maternity leggings and yoga pants to wear afterwards. I thought I would need a nightie but I think I just had the gown on straight after and wore pjs after that. You have a catheter in after the op and I had to do my first wee into a cardboard container so they could check the amount. One time I struggled as I really needed to go but was not yet able as the spinal was still affecting me a bit. I had paracetamol and diclofenac to self administer plus you have to have a daily injection of blood thinning stuff which they show you how to do (my needle phobic dh managed it). A bottle to drink from is handy afterwards and I took cordial. A travel cup for hot drinks is nice to have too. Also wholesome easy snacks like nuts and raisins. I was able to shuffle v slowly to shower the next day but it was tricky. You have a waterproof dressing over the wound initially. The journey home after 2 nights in was a bit hard work - the walk to the exit felt long! I recovered quickly at home but was warned against anything like hoovering for a good few weeks as although the outside scar heals quickly it can take longer for muscles underneath. Good luck!

angelpuffs · 27/12/2015 13:36

Thanks everyone- this is so helpful. Can anyone give more info about the stitches? Do you have to go back and have them taken out? If so, where do you they do this- at the hospital or at the gp's? And do the midwives who come to your house check that the wound isn't infected etc? Also, if you can't move much immediately after the operation, how do you pick your baby up and get out of bed etc? How long before you were moved from theatre to the post natal ward? X

OP posts:

TaliZorah · 27/12/2015 13:43

Mine were dissolvable, so no stitches to see. My midwife did come and check the wound.

I didn't get my baby until day 3 due to him being in NICU but by that time I certainly had no problem picking him up, and I held him on day 2. I imagine I'd have been fine doing it from the beginning, hospital cots are high up so you don't have to bend

angelpuffs · 27/12/2015 13:48

Thanks Talizorah ** Is getting in and out of bed and walking manageable straight after the c section or does it take a few hours?

OP posts:

TaliZorah · 27/12/2015 13:52

Angel for me I couldn't walk until the next day. The spinal takes a while to wear off and then I found it hurt if I tried to walk (I fainted when I tried to walk to SCBU). I had an issue though where one of the pain killers didn't work for me, so they swapped it to a different one and I was fine. The old painkiller also made me lightheaded and sick which was probably why that happened

Do tell them if it hurts. Once they'd swapped the tablets I had pretty much no pain.

BadgerFace · 27/12/2015 16:04

I had an EMCS with DD and didn't get out of bed until the next morning when they took the catheter out and then want you to walk to the shower to get moving around. DH passed me the baby when she needed feeding/for a cuddle and once he went home I pressed a buzzer for a midwife or assistant to pass her to me.

My stitches were dissolvable so no need to have them removed. The midwife did a home visit to check the wound.

I'm due to have an ELCS on 5 Jan with number 2 and finding this thread a very helpful reminder of how things work!

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BadgerFace · 27/12/2015 16:06

And I am hoping to go into labour before my ELCS date as it's DD's 3rd birthday! I am currently 38+1 and ready any day....

angelpuffs · 27/12/2015 16:58

So badger face you'll be 39+3 on the date they've given you for your ELCS? Let us know if you last that long or go into labour before!

OP posts:

BadgerFace · 27/12/2015 18:11

Yes, which is not ideal but my hospital don't usually do electives on the weekends so the 2nd when it should be is out and they were then fully booked on the 4th due to the NY bank holiday as well! My consultant wouldn't delay a day to miss my DD's birthday as it's already later than she'd like. She said I could call every day to see if a space opens up on the 4th, or if they open a Sunday list if they get really busy, but I decided that was more stressful than waiting to see what happens - whilst secretly wishing that this baby decides to get a wriggle on this week!

Will keep you posted...!

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