Elective c section at UCLH...anyone had one recently?

[Pinkponk1]

Hi was just wondering if anyone had had an elective c section at uch recently? I had an emergency c section last time and had a lot of scar pain since so figured electivery section over vbac would be a better choice for me.

A bit worried about not knowing who would do the c section but not sure how it works at all there. Also at the royal free last time I was kind of left to it, not being able to move even to pick up the baby, so worried about the after care side after that experience

Any tips, stories etc would be v much appreciated

Thanks x

[ghislaine]

I didn't have my c-section at UCLH, but I did have one approved there in case my health insurance didn't cover me to have it privately. What I did was mention it to the midwife at my booking appointment, and he referred me to a consultant who approved it on the spot at 18 weeks. I found it quite simple, although in my case I had a letter from two different consultant gynaecologists saying I needed one so I didn't have to argue my case or be made to consider a VB. The same UCLH consultant then performed my c-section privately. The only issue I had was that as the section was approved quite early, I did get a few snide comments from midwives during my ante-natal appointments wanting to know why (and one even told me women shouldn't be 'allowed' to have sections!).

[princessx]

Yes I just had an elective c section there last week. Can't fault the op, as I actually feel better than last time. The after care was pretty poor but it might be like that in all London hospitals. They tried to make me leave within 24 hrs saying after an elcs you should have recovered by 24 hrs. I cld hardly move or stand!

But because I had had c section before I knew what to look out for such as reminding them to change my catheter bag regularly and getting them to pick baby out of cot when I needed to feed.

Let me know if you want more info!

[Andcake]

I had a planned cs at uclh in August ( dont like calling it elective as ds was breech so no choice) so a while ago. I was kept in for 48 hours ( told that was standard) and I have a very neat scar. The actual proceedure was probably the jolliest part dr was great - professional but made it feel unique and special. Respected our wish that DP tell me the sex of the baby etc. could take a cd in! The two nights in hospital were fine loud with all the babies (but I think my ds was probably the loudest) I would have preferred to go home earlier. As with all hospitals and mw some are nicer than others. Uclh is a very practical hospital and I think they are the best place to give birth if anything awful were to happen as they have good experts. I wasn't worried about not knowing who in advance but in the few hours we were there from 7 am til op at 11 ish you meet everyone so many times. Was v reassured when senior anithesist (sp?) was telling me it was his sons birthday that day and he had been delivered in that same op theatre.

[samarcanda]

Hi, i'm in the same situation ! curious to read the answers !
ghislaine can i ask you how the private Doc worked within the whole UCLH system?
I need to have an elective c section at UCLH and they said I can have surgeon doing it privately if I'm worried of not knowing who i would get...but I did not understand if this means that I just pay for the surgeon and the rest is normal NHS (which I would be entitled to anyway). Did you have to pay also theatre and other extras to have it privately?
thanks x

[ghislaine]

My situation was a bit different because at that time UCLH had no private maternity wing. I transferred to private care at around 37 w and had my section at 39+3.

However, now that UCLH offers private ELCS, you can probably stay within UCLH the whole time. Google the Fitzrovia Suite, that should get you started. You could also ring the Harley St Centre for Women and speak to Tiffany - she is Pat O'Brien's secretary. He is an obstetric consultant at UCLH who works at the Fitzrovia Suite and the Portland. I don't know if UCLH requires you to pay for the whole package (about £8000, including post-natal care) or if you can get away with just private delivery and then NHS post-natal care. Mr O'Brien's delivery fee for the Portland was £2500. The anaesthetist was £650. My scar is tiny (about 2 inches now) and a perfect straight line.

[drjohnsonscat]

I had ELCS at UCLH three years ago. It was because I refused to have vbac. I did have to argue my case quite strongly (cousin had disastrous vbac so was absolutely not prepared to consider it) and they unwillingly agreed. But op itself was great - felt very well looked after. After care only so so but think that is the norm, sadly.

[Zavi]

whether a CS is elective or emergency will have no bearing on degree of scar pain.

If you want to avoid scar pain (and any kind of CS will results in pain around the suture site) then go for a vaginal birth - if you're allowed one.

A CS is major surgery. Problems with movement immediately afterwards are inevitable. As is pain.

My advice if you go for a CS: take charge of your post-op recovery asap. Get out of bed as soon as you are allowed to., get walking. And walk regularly. Every hour for 5 mins at least. I.e. take control of your recovery yourself.

Private/NHS - won't really make any difference to the quality of the surgery. But by going privately you can choose who does the surgery.

[samarcanda]

Thanks ghislane! I rang and sadly no, can t mix, I have to take the full package privately....

Zavi it s not about pain, but about how well surgery is performed... Which results in less adhesions, better looking and healing scar etc.
I ve already turned down vbac, not for me...

Glad to hear people had a good experience at UCLH from a quality of surgery point of view... I think I ll be stuck with NhS so, this thread is very useful , thanks x

[Pinkponk1]

Thanks for your advice. It is reassuring to hear of good experiences at uch. I'm still nervous about not knowing who would do the surgery..does anyone know if it is always a consultant surgeon rather than registrar? With it being a teaching hospital not sure whether you might get someone doing theirs first one?!

Also when people were booked in for elcs, at what stage did this happen and was it at a mw appointment? X

[samarcanda]

Pinkponk, I have the same fear, but last midwife appointment I had at uclh I asked to see the consultant obstetrician and I m going to take this up with him next week. I ll let you know what he tells me! When s your due date?

[hellymelly]

I had both my dds at UCH but DD" is five so not recent! I tried for a vbac with her, but had pain in my scar during labour and so ended up with another c-section (scar wall was very thin apparently). Who is your consultant? I was happy both times but my first scar was much smaller and neater than my second. DD2 had a bigger head which didn't help. I think the anaesthetist is at least as important as the surgeon and mine were really lovely both times. Good luck!

[Pinkponk1]

Samarcanda how did your app go? I had an app today with a registrar at uch to discuss options and she explained you'd either get a consultant plus registrar or consultant plus trainee sho. She told me it wasn't possible/necessary to book the elcs before 32 weeks. The idea of a trainee makes me nervous but I'm probably just being silly.. As my dad said you don't get many learner drivers crashing cars.. It's the ones that have been driving for years that take their eyes off the road!!

[samarcanda]

I got the same answer , sadly! Although what the registrar said to you and initially to me too is not entirely correct as I also spoke to her senior consultant later who told me not very often a senior consultant is in the room scrubbed in...he even said he himself didn t perform a c section in 13 years on the NHs ! (It is quite annoying to think that our tax money goes to pay senior doctors who basically just manage registrars turns and only perform surgery in their private Harley street practice ...!) I m sure we ll be fine as uch has a great reputation but I would have felt much better knowing there was a senior doctor there ... I agree with your dad, but as I ve had some minor surgery performed by an "assistant" some years ago that resulted is a not so nice scar.... I think the difference between somebody experienced or not is in the details.... Which are still important (infection of would, scar healing, scar tissue inside etc).... But hey, there s nothing we can do! I m almost 36 weeks so my date was booked for 28 feb... I ll let you know how it goes !

[Pinkponk1]

I'm absolutely sure all will be fine Samarcanda..like you say uch is a great hospital..and If you do get a chance let us know how it all goes (like you'll have time with a newborn on your hands!!)

[samarcanda]

Hello pinkponk , here I come to update u! I had my baby at uch last week, they actually brough my elcs date forward because I started bleeding and they were worried there woulkd be issues... My experience overall was great, better than expected...the day where I was bleeding was a bit of a nightmare at reception in the maternal and fetal assessment as I had to wait 7 hours for a doctor to see me and decide what to do, and with me other 5 couples! But it was a Sunday and only dealing with real emergencies..the midwife who assessed me was quite rude but she was the exception as all the others were lovely...once I was admitted everything was great, the maternity ward is all new and feels really luxury... I spent N extra night there to be monitored because of the bleeding and I was in a 4 beds room.. then after the section I was moved into a 6 beds one...all the midwives were great and very helpful, I never felt they were understaffed to be honest. The section was done by a young doctor (sco level) supervised by a senior consultant who was scrubbed and ended up doing more work than him, he even stitched me up....the only issue I had was that they wanted the spinal to be done by a very junior doctor and I actually stopped this cause it really felt like it was her first ! So the senior consultant did it whilst giving her a lecture (which meant he took ages but that s ok as he was super experienced) everyone was lovely, they lowered the curtain and showed me my baby girl as she was coming out, gave her to daddy whilst stitching me up, then we did skin to skin in the recovery room and she latched straight away !!! The postnatal was good as well, the ward is noisy of course so I couldn't get any sleep but I was also very excited to have my baby so not sure I could have slept ! As I was on my own,(my husband had to go home to look after our toddler son ) I rang a lot all the time for help, and the midwives were always good and helpful... I m a breastfeeding pro after I bfed my son for almost 2years so I didn t need help but the lady next to me was having problems and she got a lot of help... I really cannot fault uch at all, I was discharged the day after because I really wanted to go home but they were happy for me to stay another night...my scar is of course not as pretty as my first one done privately but not as bad after all!.. Hope this helps and reassures you...I think my antenatal care was much worse and messy but when they needed to be good, at the actual birth, they were really good ! Good luck Xx

[Pinkponk1]

Congratulations on the birth of your little girl that's so lovely Samarcanda. I'm so happy to hear it all went well and that you found the experience good overall, despite a rocky start. That's good that you were listened to when you asked for someone more experienced to do the spinal. I still feel quite jittery at the thought of it all but you have reassured me. Thank you so much for reporting back..I know you must have your hands totally full at the moment xx