I am due on 18 Nov, can anyone who had an elective C Sec share their exp pls?

[vio]

Am due on 18 Nov, my first had emergency C section, then I have made up my mind will probably go for elective CS, i have heard that you get CS normally earlier than your Due date, how much early?

Can you also share your exp ?

[sophiewd]

I had one just over 5 weeks ago and was a lovely and postive experience. Like you had an emergency so chose to have an elective. The operation was great very calm, they explained everything (take your own CD of music to play), looked after both of us very well after as well. My recovery has been really good, I admit it is slower then last time (i still have a few niggles) but we started doing B&B again when he was 8 days old, not very wise but the curse of being self employed.

[Sassafrass]

I'm having an elective c-section. My consultant told me that they usually won't do them before 39 weeks as there is less risk then of baby needing help with breathing. I'll be having mine at 38+1 due to medical reasons.

[sophiewd]

Mine was done at 38+6 as that was the day they do elective sections on

[vio]

38+6, so I guess around 39 wks then? elective CS sounds very good, I mean, when i had DS1 first time, it was very traumatic for both me and the baby and the afterbirth was even more shocking as he's born with a very rare genetic condition which no scan or any test could have picken it up, hes in a better place now but my son is a my hero, he will always be,...sophie your experience sounds very positive..

[PollyParanoia]

Hello, I've tried to post a message twice already - let's hope this works!
Vio, I'm so pleased you opted for a planned cs. Although I didn't for my second birth (but ended up with a planned one as went so overdue), I do think it's the least stressful way to spend the next few months and you need to eliminate stress and uncertainty where possible after what you've been through. I also think the most important thing is to make a decision re cs and vbac and then just commit wholeheartedly to it (which I never managed).
Anyway, my second birth which was my first planned cs was at 40+9 days. It wasn't as calm as I'd have liked because the surgeons were inexperienced and seemed freaked out by amount of scar tissue inside. Having said that, it was still a way calmer and more controlled experience than labour and an emergency.
My third section is tomorrow (mn as displacement activity!) and I'm booked in with a consultant as surgeon. I'd advise you to argue the same - that you need to be considered "high risk" or "high priority" because of what you've been through. Try to meet with a consultant and see if you can get onto a specific "list" so that you know you're going to have one of the best do the op (I'm supposedly booked in with one or other of the two best at caesareans for my hosp). Say it would really help you to feel less anxious and I'm sure in the circumstances they'll do all they can to help you - I think the NHS is much more sensitive and flexible than it is sometimes given credit for. Hopefully this way you'll also be first on the list - I was last and was starving hungry, bored and anxious by the time I went in at around 3pm (I#d been at hospital since 7am).
Good luck and well done for being so decisive,
Pol

[vio]

HI Polly, thank you so much for your kind advice...I will see if I can get my consultant to as a surgeon.

This is your 3rd CS, how many weeks are you? probably too late to ask this question as you are going for a CS tomorrow...I am excited for you and keeping my fingers crossed. Good luck ! let me know how you get on.

[ChaCha]

Hi Vio,

Emergency section with DS1 at 41weeks - not an experience i ever wish to go through again but was all worth it of course.

Elective section a year later with DS2 at 39+4, fantastic experience and will never forget it. I really have such happy memories and was home on Day 3 and out and about pushing both boys by Day 7.

Having elective section on Thursday at earlier 38+5 as SPD is quite severe. Am hoping it will be as last year's section.

Congratulations on your PG and good luck x

[ChaCha]

Hi Vio,

Emergency section with DS1 at 41weeks - not an experience i ever wish to go through again but was all worth it of course.

Elective section a year later with DS2 at 39+4, fantastic experience and will never forget it. I really have such happy memories and was home on Day 3 and out and about pushing both boys by Day 7.

Having elective section on Thursday at earlier 38+5 as SPD is quite severe. Am hoping it will be as last year's section.

Congratulations on your PG and good luck x

[whomovedmychocolate]

39 weeks is normal unless you have a medical reason. I had one twelve days ago for medical reasons at 38 weeks. Was much more relaxed them the emergency section and I wasn't (too) knackered afterwards, though recovery is harder second time around. Take all the drugs offered and ask for them when you feel the first twinge on days 2 - 4 as they take a while to kick in and there really is no point in suffering unnecessarily.

[vio]

Thanks Chacha & Chocolate.

ChaCha, good luck too on Thursday.

I understand what you said about Emergency CS, it wasn't an experience I would have wanted. From what you ladies said, I think an elective CS, you know a planned one, you really do feel much more relax as you know what's going to happen next and when it's going to happen and I think everyone not just me, everyone I mean, my parents and DH will feel more relax and less stressful too.

[AbstractMouse]

I had an elcs after an emergency section and it was fine, seemed to go really quick, pain not too bad after and out in 48 hours.

The only horrid bit for me was trying to get the spinal in, they tried for ages and wasn't pleasant. But for me this was a combination of being overweight, a huge bump so I couldn't curl forward properly and an inexperienced doctor. More senior bloke came and tried and got it first time, so don't let anyone use you for practice!

Good luck, sounds like you have had a horrible time. Oh yes and nice bits were the curtain being lowered as the baby was born and dp being asked to say the sex/cut the cord.

[whomovedmychocolate]

Vio - don't be surprised if you feel surprisingly cross about it on the day, I really felt everyone expected me to have another section and it wasn't really what I wanted (I was quite ill though so a trial of labour wasn't an option).

However in terms of routine they will generally invite you in the day before to meet with the surgeon and sandman to go through things and sign permission forms, you'll probably then be admitted for the night and monitored in the morning. Try and get the first slot of the day if you can, they generally do two or three electives in a morning and it's best to have the first one because emergencies bump people down the queue and if you get in first you aren't hanging around - the waiting is the worst bit.

Don't be surprised if they take you to the delivery suite either - you will hear other women screaming - that's not what's going to happen to you

The anaesthestia takes ages to administer a good half an hour in most cases between the needle going in and surgery starting. This is a good thing.

There's also a five minute hiatus when the baby comes out while they do the apgar checks which can be disconcerting but is normal.

Afterwards you'll stay in the recovery room for between two and five hours before going to the ward.

[gladders]

39 weeks, as everyone has said

have had two electives - one for breech and other purely through choice.

second was harder than first due to scar tissue, but was still very calm - was laughing with anaesthetists and midwife beforehand.

take cd - and camera if you fancy post birth pics - into theatre with you.

you can ask for screen to be lowered if you want to see baby being born, and you can also reuqest they not tell you the sex before you['ve seen etc.

make your choices known, stay calm and enjoy.

[newjerseychick]

Gladders - Can i ask how you were treated by midwife consultant regarding the elective. I had an emergency c section 2.5 years ago and suffered panic attacks and PND after. The emergency section was fine and I am now due to have another baby in March 09. I want an elective as I can not face a natutral birth. When i saw the midwife last week she said the would encourage a natural birth. I explained that i wish for an elective but would obviously think about it. Any advise on how to approach getting an elective?

Ax

[gladders]

i was at st thomas in london - everyone very proVBAC. I was initially keen to give it a go but lost my nerve with about 2 weeks to go.

had appointment with registrar who told me I had lost the right to choose by waiting so long - cue floods of tears from v hormonal me...

went back in to see consultant with dh and talked through the options and he fully supported my right to choose.

my advice would be to know the score early on and to make sure you arrange it early. you can always back out?

i never discussed it with midwife as so late but they were all very pro VBAC - might be better to discuss directly with doctors if that is your decision?

[vio]

Appreciate all the kind advice. Honestly, if DS1 was born naturally and the labour was smooth, I would have been on this topic. The thing was, not just the labout, I had a very tough time, after birth was even more shocking, my baby son was born with a very rare genetic condition ( we were told that no scan and no test could have picked it up as we have even paid for a 2nd private scan just to make sure our boy's healthy), he suffered from a condition called 'Epidermolysis Bullosa', if you have watched a programme called 'The Boy whose skin fell off', it's the same condition but DS had the most severe form so we were told he will not live to see his 1st bday, he passed away last year.

Anyway, not trying to mention this to upset anyone. It's just given my history, VBAC carries risk, not to say CS doesnt but I just think for me anyway, I am pretty firm and pretty sure that an elective CS is the best option for me.

Gladders, refer to what you said your 2nd was harder than 1st due to scan tissue? what do you mean by that ?? could you pls kindly explain to me? I really want to gather more info.

[AbstractMouse]

So sorry to hear what you have been through. I agree that a section would be what you need, it's not without risks but it eliminates a lot of variables.

Scar tissue can sometimes be a problem, if you have adhesions, but not everyone will experience this and it doesn't really make much difference to the experience, maybe a bit longer in getting into the uterus. My surgeon said I had an excellent scar and he would make it even better, so it isn't all awful.

If you can jus try to relax, knowing your history they hopefully will take extra care of you.

[gladders]

scar tissue - this just seemed to give them more to cut through? took a bit longer and the whole thing seemed more 'physical' than first time round? it felt as if was being punched in the tummy rather than the more gentle' someone doind the washing up' type feeling?

i may have been unlucky?

my scar was definitely neater after 2nd one though?

[vio]

So, after the 2nd or 3rd CS, did you feel that you need to take a longer period of time to recover, say compare it to the 1st CS you had?

[IlanaK]

I had my third section just over a week ago. The first was an emergency, the second was elevtive and this was elective too.

There is no doubt that an elective is a much calmer experience than an emergency one. You know what to expect and when.

Things to keep in mind: emergencies will take precidence so even if you are first on the list, you may have a lot of waiting to do. Last week, I was second on the list, but didn't get taken to theatre until about 10:30. I was actually sat on the table about to have the spinal done, when they were called to stop due to an emergency. So back up to the ward for me and a long wait. I think things vary from hospital to hospital. Someone mentioned on here being in recovery for in excess of two hours. I was only there for 45 minutes. Your baby is with you for this though.

Second and subsequent sections take longer after baby is out as there is scar tissue to deal with. I was told an hour on average. As to recovery, I have found it extremely quick this time. I definately put that down to being extremely mobile straight away after the birth. My baby ended up on SCBU so I was out of bed within 4 hours to prove that I could sit up so they would take me to see him. I was discharged the next day at under 24 hours as I had been walking around a bit since the previous night. Being back and forth to hospital all week added to the mobility. I was checked by a midwife today who said the scar has totally healed up.

HTH

[gladders]

cs itself took longer second time around (both before and after baby was delivered) - bt once baby is out you won;t really care about that!

recovery was easier and faster as I knew what I was expecting, and also because I had a toddler too so had to be more mobile.

[vio]

Thanks for all the kind advice, keep them coming!

Another 3.1/2 mths to go...I think i feel ok now, I try not to think too much or worry too much but i am not too sure if I will still be so calm later on but then hearing so many positive stories about an elective CS has definitely made me feel more comfortable.

[Fizzylemonade]

I had emergency section 5 yrs ago due to baby in distress, was all very fast after 25 hours of labour, I was exhausted and relieved it was all over.

Opted for elective section for ds2 who is now 2, I was so adamant that I saw the consultant at 22 weeks!!! They did try to persuade me to do a trail of labour however I had read up on everything re VBAC and it just wasn't for me.

Ds2 was born at 39 weeks, was all very calm, seemed to take forever from walking from my bed to theatre, spinal block, catheter inserted, then hearing the baby crying of the person who went before me!! It was about 50 minutes.

Spinal was complete 2nd time, with ds1 could feel the rumaging around but with ds2 felt absolutely nothing

It was a very positive experience for me and DH, DH got to trim the cord down to the clip, lots of very early photos with both babies. Ds1's first pic is of him half out of me (you cannot see anything horrid, just green sheet and a baby emerging from it) and the same with ds2, they wheeled the scales up beside me so I could see ds1 being weighed.

With both babies they let DH see what the sex was and tell me (although we knew from the scan) and with ds2 they called him by his name just after he was born which I thought was lovely, the midwife was talking to him saying "right X let's get you weighed"

For me, it meant I was a little more in control this time, it felt like there were more certainties if that makes sense.

Yes it is a major operation however if there was a risk it was with my first section as they didn't take their time they were straight in.

I really hope it goes well for you.

[TuttiFrutti]

Hi Vio!

My experience is very similar to Fizzylemonade and Chacha: horrible emergency cs first time round, and wonderful relaxed and pain-free elective cs for the second one. Electives are so different in every way - I don't really understand why, but recovery rates are much better.

I agree with the advice about getting first in the queue if you can, although IME you probably won't be given a choice, at least not on the NHS. I was third and got bumped back so far that they tried to send me home at 7pm after I'd been waiting for 12 hours. In fact I'd gone into labour naturally while I was waiting so they had to hurriedly find a surgeon that evening after all!

Plan for it as much as you can. Choose some music and bring in a CD for the operating theatre. Let them know if you want your dh to announce the sex.

Good luck - I hope it all goes well.

[PollyParanoia]

hello Vio - I had my 3rd cs as previously mentioned on Monday so it's all fresh in my memory.
In answer to your question, I was 39+4. I was worried that the baby would be less ready as my other two were born with two weeks more gestation. However, it's made no difference, she's just as alert and breastfeeding has been way easier as her sucking reflex is so much better than the others. She's lying across my arm as I type.
I didn't bring music in as I find it distracting. However, they were playing the most godawful cd so I wish I had taken my own. the surgeon was brilliant, so calm and exuded competence - do try to find out from a female doctor or midwife who are the best. All the midwives told me that they go for the surgeon I had if they were having a cs. Don't feel bad about using your awful experience to get top notch treatment this time round. I'm sure in the circumstances, they'll try to do you as early as possible in the day and give you a named consultant. It made such a difference.
I was out the next day! Ward was so sweaty I was glad to.
Again, I'm so pleased you've made a decision. As you can see by these messages, an elective can feel really positive (still bloody hurts though!)