I still have no c section date despite baby being due any day

[ThatZippyTurtle]

39 weeks and no c section date in sight. I can't seem to get a definitive answer from anyone at the hospital or even the person who books the c section appointments as to when my operation will be despite having spoken to them this week. Opted for an elective c section due to previous emergency one.

I attend the post op assessment appointment today to realise that some of the women have received their operation dates over the next few days. I get told I will receive a call the night before but no date is given and pre operative nurse didn't know either.

I now get the impression that I'm just on standby with no operation date in sight as the medically necessary ones take priority. I think the eventuality is that I will just end up going into labour as they can't offer me a date which defeats the whole 'elective'.

If anyone can offer any advice in this late situation it would really be appreciated as I'm just feeling hopeless now. If I had known this would be their approach I would have made other considerations.

I’m not sure how it’s working for dates ect. But if your down for a elective and go into labour you will get a section then x

Bumping for you. I've had three sections, one unplanned and two planned. For my last section I got my date at 36 weeks and had section at 38+6 (or could have chosen 39+1 but was desperate to get baby out!). I can't remember for the other planned one but it was similar, had her at 39+1, booked in a while before. I'd be querying it again. Don't know if it's different for different hospitals but I would have expected you to be booked in and having the baby now.

Honestly at this point I would go to PALs (patient advice / complaints). You have tried asking multiple times and now you are very close to natural delivery with no communication about your planned Section. They are likely to be able to move things along.

This happened to me and you do have to keep on at them although I know, you really shouldn’t have to. I did wonder cynically if they were trying to force me into natural labour but I think they were just badly organised!

My section was 39 + 6 by the way; nothing like leaving things to the last minute!

I had my elective at 39 weeks exactly last September. I had the planned date from about 30 weeks, although it had to be changed a couple of days before the op was booked due to the combined junior Dr and consultant strikes last year. I'd really keep pushing if I was you. It's awful that they've left you hanging like this and must be so stressful. There's the risk that if you go into labour and labour is too far advanced they won't be able to do a section.

I'm sorry OP. Chase them up. I think hospitals try and avoid "elective" sections for financial reasons if I'm honest. I have twins and I was told that these days most are born vaginally. So I went ahead for that and it was awful. All sorts of things went wrong. Luckily we all survived but every single person I saw afterwards was shocked that I had them that way (because they were lying. Most twins are born via section because it's bloody dangerous)

Keep asking! Ask someone else. Demand a date! Of course you might get bumped for emergencies but just be really assertive

That's ridiculous! Go to PALS! I had mine at 39+2 and was given the date several weeks beforehand. I wanted it on exactly 40 but was told that electives are done earlier to avoid going into spontaneous labour 🤷🏻‍♀️ On the day I had to wait until 4pm... the EMCS took priority for obvious reasons!

I've had 3, 1 unplanned 2 planned. I got my first planned at my 20 week appointment and my 2nd planned at my 12 week appointment. 1st was 40 weeks and 2nd 39 weeks. I would keep at them

OP who have you called and how far have they escalated it?

Throughout my pregnancy I had made my team aware that I wanted an elective section for various reasons and wanted to avoid an induction, I was told I was 'on the list' and would be informed of the date a 39 weeks.

It gets to 39-week scan where we were anticipating being informed of the date, and they say you're not on the list so we need to induce tomorrow as baby is too big.

I was really scared and shocked but did not have the mental capacity to fight may corner. Luckily my partner did and kicked up a fuss about the fact we'd be led to believe the whole time the c-section was planned etc and this was unacceptable. In the end I got on some sort of emergency list the next day but it was a pretty horrendous day waiting in the ward from 6am - 5:30pm just in case a slot came up, for them to squeeze me in very last minute. And because it was so late partner had to leave 2hrs after baby was born. I totally appreciate that emergency situations are prioritised, I just wished I'd got the date sorted earlier on to avoid the stress.

Moral of the story, push for the date as early as you can and don't let them go until you have one!

I hope someone helps you out xxx

Hi OP - @ThatZippyTurtle. What was the outcome in the end? I’m in a similar position and getting worried that I’ve been forgotten