Emergency c section delayed due to electives?

[JenS16]

I was admitted yesterday for an emergency (category 3) c section and they can’t fit me in today as the list is full of electives! Hopefully tomorrow but they can’t say for sure.

I am fully in support of women having a choice when it’s comes to childbirth but AIBU to think that emergencies should be prioritised over electives as there is a risk to the baby of waiting??

(I know I don’t know the situ of the women but waiting for electives but as they are not classed as emergent I would assume there is lower risk or they’d be re-classified…)

I can tell you that in a cat 1 they sprint from where they are. I had a needle hanging out of my arm at the time!

Absolutely! I was already in theatre because they were going to try for a forceps delivery when DD's heart rate dropped massively and they called a Cat 1. It felt like when they open the doors on the Oxford Street sales with the amount of people that came bursting in, they just kept coming and coming!

I feel just fine, thanks.

It feels like they’re just waiting for the CTG to get worse and then I’ll have to have a crash section… I’m just so worried.

this is literally what happened to me with baby one but was never able to get through to anyone. They played dumb until it was cat 1. I am still angry about it many years later. We both had sepsis and a prolonged period in hospital because of this.

it just felt think they say you have options but you never really do.same feeling for second baby, so no more for me. Xx

I had an emergency section. I was in triage. I told the midwife to have a look because I could feel something. Apparently it was feet. Anyhow, she looked, ran and pushed a button. I had 20 people in the room immediately. I was rushed to theater and daughter was born under general anesthetic not long after. 30 minutes prior they were telling me I wasn't in labour and should go home.

My second was elective. She was breech and because of a medical issues was always going to be delivered by c section. I went in at 7.30. Had the csection at 9 and was sent home the next day. All very relaxed.

If they need to get the baby out they will. Your in hospital and being monitored.

I had a cat3 section last year (due to a failed induction). Induction was due to high fluid levels and a heart condition I have so they didn’t recommend I went over 40 weeks. Induction started on the Monday, c section suggested Wednesday PM & c section didn’t happen until the Saturday. I’m not sure on the 12-24hour thing as that was never mentioned to me. It did however baffle me that I was induced because baby needed to come out but they was happy for me to wait 3 days for the c section after 3 failed induction attempts (delay was due to cat1 & cat2 emergencies taking priority).. sorry not very helpful but just letting you know you’re not alone and my baby was absolutely fine x

They could be electives for complicated reason

All it means is they know the baby is coming out that day it doesn't mean you know why

I know it feels shit
Ask to talk to the matron

I've had three cat 1 emergency c sections even though two of them had been planned
I went into labour with my second one on the day of surgery and I had my op first

“It feels like they’re just waiting for the CTG to get worse and then I’ll have to have a crash section… I’m just so worried”

Maybe actually say this to the team OP.

This is why our trust use the normal theatres for electives and then the theatres on ward for the emergencies x

I just had a planned section due to concerns over baby's weight. I knew the date and was prioritised because I have diabetes so had to limit the length of time I could fast before the anesthetic. But even though I knew I'd be one of the first elective sections in the day I also knew that someone with a high need emergency section could take priority and I may need to wait and i was prepared for that. The doctors will always be weighing up levels of risk depending on who has presented. Just because a section is planned doesn't mean its safe for that mother to wait - in my case I would have needed treatment for a hypo if I'd waited any longer to be taken I was right down to the limit in my blood sugars in the moments before. If you're very worried I'd speak to the consultant about how they are managing the risks and what options you have for treatment. I hope it all goes well for you and baby gets here safe and sound.

I had an ELCS due to a bicornuate uterus and footling breach baby. I didn't choose to have him that way, it's the only way he could actually physically come out.

Surgeries are done in need prioritisation. Elective purely means planned and emergency purely means unplanned.

I was the birthing partner to a close friend whose waters had gone, she had mild contractions, her baby was footling breach and she was also an “emergency” but non urgent emergency C-section. She was told “nil by mouth” and would be on as soon as there was space on the list. We ended up waiting quite a long time! She was so knackered due to the nil by mouth. However, thankfully her contractions didn’t ramp up and all was fine in the end.

Yes, thats what Elephant is saying. It doesn’t mean PURELY by choice, but some may be.
They’re saying it just means it’s planned. Whether that’s for medical reasons or planned by choice.

OP Calm down. They’re not going to let anything bad happen. X

If there was a risk to the baby by waiting then you'd be operated on. Women on the list may be at more risk than you hence their c sections being planned in advance. Sounds like they've not explained it very well to you, probably better to ask them as qualified medical professionals for clarification/about any concerns you have.

thinking of you OP

My nieces is an elective/planned c-section and I guess therefore Category 4.

Date will not be confirmed for another week or so, but the reason it needs to be planned is she needs 4 different consultants (2 of which are specialised and familiar with her complex history/needs), available when they do the c-section as it is high risk.

I can imagine she would only be bumped for a Cat 1 or 2 or it would mess around with the consultants and other patients schedules.

Hope you get seen soon OP.

BTW, I hope this reassures you if it's not the birth you'd originally planned. Section was very far from my original birth plan too and i was devastated it changed but we had to reassess 2 weeks before. The room is busy but I was still able to use all the breathing techniques I'd prepared for delivery. The team recognised I was nervous and were genuinely so lovely and supportive, held my hand, distracted me and were very attentive. I couldn't fault them in terms of care. It was only 7 minutes from they started to baby was out but it felt even faster than that (feels weird but not at all sore) your birth partner can play music to distract you and you can't see anything gory as the sheet is really high. The anesthetist sat right beside me the entire time to manage any nausea and explained what I would feel and when I would feel it and what the noises were etc that helped me stay calm. You might feel a bit sick when the spinal is administered but they will correct that within seconds. Honestly even though it's not what I'd initially planned it was still an amazing experience and I wouldn't be anywhere near as nervous if i was going in for one now knowing what to expect. Hopefully baby is doing good and you can get cuddles while they finish up because that was the best distraction. Good luck.

It sounds to me like they want to book you as an elective but there aren’t any spaces.

the emergency theatre is being held for emergencies.

this was what happened to me - I was a cat 2 but because theatre was free and no expected cat 1s, I went straight down. They wouldn’t touch the elective theatre unless there were 2 cat 1s.

they’ll use the emergency theatre if they need to

My friend was allowed to have a specific favourite song playing whilst the baby was born by C section. So we spent some time choosing the song whilst waiting!

Also think about whether you want immediate skin to skin contact with the baby’s father/birthing partner once the baby is born whilst they are finishing up with you.

Also think about delayed cord clamping.

All these things were sprung on my friend last minute when they realised the baby was footling breech- a C-section is just a different form of birth.

Midwives discuss the delayed clamping and skin to skin and who with in regards to a birth plan whether it’s a section or not ….

Please don't upset yourself. You will have your baby soon in your arms. I have had all sorts of CS, CAT1/2/3, all come with their own dramas but the best thing is the baby at the end. Focus on the thought that you will have your baby soon.

@JenS16 what a stressful time for you, being pregnant is a constant worry about your baby/babies.
I knew from early on I needed a section as I had a complicated pregnancy with identical twins. They needed to come out early for their and my health but it was booked a few weeks in advance so clearly not super high risk that needed to happen immediately.
I hope that you get some reassurance from the medical team…go and have a chat with one of the doctors/midwives x

My c section was "elective". It was planned at 3 days notice because blood flow to my baby was declining and baby was not growing and therefore had to be born 6 weeks premature. That counted as elective despite me having zero choice, and there being a risk of stillbirth if it didnt happen pretty quickly.

Is he gaming with your 12 month old, because if he's seeing screens at night it's probably the reason he's a rubbish sleeper.

Also - it's not demonstrating healthy sleep hygiene to any of your children (or lifestyle).

It is difficult to hear the message that the birth you imagined is not possible and that it would be safer for your baby to arrive soon and then to be told that the initial timescales would not be adhered to. It is also difficult to see CGT results that are less than ideal. It is hard to sit and wait.