To ask if it’s worth asking for my C section to be brought forward?

[Greentartanbow]

I’m 38 weeks pregnant, have a c section booked in for late next week.

I have Polyhydramnios which is getting worse and the baby has jumped from the 50th/60th centile to 97th centile now too.

I am in absolute agony, just had my last midwife appointment and she was shocked at how much fluid there was, said there wasn’t really any point in her trying to feel how engaged baby is etc as she can see how much pain I’m in and everything is just too tight.

My consultant said at my hospital appointment the other week that due to the Polyhydramnios, there is a risk of chord prolapse and if my waters go at home, I have to get down on all fours and call an ambulance.

The midwife really doesn’t think I’ll make it til the end of next week but obviously she’s only guessing. She reiterated again today about what I need to do if my waters go at home re calling the ambulance.

Honestly I’m so scared now about chord prolapse 😞

I really want to phone the hospital and see if they’ll bring my c section foewrd but I asked my consultant at my appointment the other week if they’d do it earlier than in my 39th week and they said no, they don’t do planned sections before then as they like to give the baby’s lungs a full chance to develop.

But surely now at 38 weeks, there’s more risk to the baby staying in with the threat of this chord prolapse than there is it being born a week early?

Does anyone knowledgable know whether it’s worth me ringing the hospital and asking? Am I getting too stressed about this chord prolapse thing?

You should phone. They might say no, but at least you tried.

I would definitely ask them about cord prolapse as it's a serious risk. They may admit you until your section date rather than being the date forward though. My baby was transverse and I was admitted to hospital at 37 weeks because of the risk of cord prolapse that goes along with a transverse/unstable lie, and was expected to stay there until my booked section date.

You can ring and ask, they can only say no. It just depends on if the benefit outweighs the risk

I think your midwife has been unhelpful in saying there's a risk but not doing anything about it, to be honest. Did she specify how much higher your risk is of cord prolapse? Like are you 60% more likely or 2%? It makes a difference.

I'd try to talk to the midwife and explain your fears, ask if she could put in a word for you to the hospital trying to bring things forward or else give you more guidance on the actual risk level. As it is, she's made it sound like you're definitely just supposed to sit around for a week waiting for your waters to go, which will put you at risk.

If your midwife is not prepared to do that, consider getting complainy and ask to speak to her manager or colleague. No harm in calling the hospital yourself either and asking if your date can be brought forward.

I'm not usually the complaining type but the NHS is not exactly efficient right now, you might need to be persistent and advocate to yourself, unfortunately sitting back and waiting for someone to put the pieces together might not work.

It's not unusual for women in late pregnancy to experience a leak that needs investigation as to whether it's waters breaking or urine - if you were to have such a leak, it might also change things...

I'd call and ask. If it was twins, they'd happily pull them from 36 weeks so it isn't like you're asking for something extreme.

Anecdotally, the size jump in baby is like to be distort from the fluids going up, not real baby growth.

In that much pain I’d go to triage and say you’re in so much pain you need them to do something

Altho it's possible this late that they'll be packed full and there will just be no room for you. Obv if it's an emergency it's different because you go in and they work late or bump the woman at the end over. But they can't cancel a planned CS for me to make way for a planned CS for you

I was refused a section earlier than 39 weeks even though baby was off the scale for size, I had GD and an unstable transverse lie with cord balancing on my cervix. Instead they wasted resources and money trying to have me admitted to hospital two weeks before my section date as my waters breaking would have meant cord prolapse with high risk of baby death. I was admitted, they then said they don't cater for GD diets, cafe closed due to covid etc etc. Total shit show. Discharged because they couldn't feed me and wouldn't do my section. Sat terrified at home for two weeks until my section where I had a 10lb baby. I was contracting the whole two weeks. Begged for my section. Told no. Still not over it

Call and ask. Both of my planned sections were at 38 weeks

Won’t hurt to ask.

Ask for an ELCS. I had one at 38+2 with my younger DS due to gestational diabetes. They can do it at that stage.

I really don’t understand this as back in the day when I had my section they were routinely done at 38weeks and I don’t recall dozens of babies having problems with their lungs - mine certainly didn’t . Stress how much pain you are in and keep calling them @Greentartanbow .

Definitely push this with your consultant. I successfully argued for a planned c section at 37+5 because I knew I’d never get to 39 weeks as per previous pregnancies. I ended up having an emcs anyway at 37+3 after going into labour but they can and will do a planned section before 39 weeks. Stand your ground and don’t be fobbed off. Good luck!