Elective section - what happens?

[oldmum42]

I'll be 25weeks tomorrow. Due to a risky medical issue, I will be having an elective at around 39weeks. My other 3 DC were all "normal" delivery, having arrived before my medical problem developed.

Can anyone give me pointers on the process - what happened on the day, catheters, how long did you have it in? Getting mobile after the section - how long did you have to stay in hospital, any info really. Thanks!

Hiya oldmum,

I've just had an ELCS along with lots of others on this thread and quite a few of us have posted our birth stories if you want to have a read of them here

Briefly, my experience was: pre-op a week before where they did bloods, weight, talked about fasting etc.

On the day we turned up at 8AM having fasted the night before, went in about 11.30. They did the spinal first, then the catheter once the spinal was in.

Baby delivered after about 10 mins, stitching took about 25 mins but went quickly as was looking at the baby.

I went up to high dependency straight after where they helped me do skin to skin and b/f the baby. Left high dependency after 5 hours (is usually 6-8 hours but I felt fine and didn't want to miss visiting hours)

I stood and got into a wheelchair then was taken up to the ward that way, although have heard of people being wheeled to the ward on a bed.

DD had been born at midday and the earliest they could take the catheter out was midnight, which they did. I was home 48 hours after the section.

Hiya,
I had an ELCS 9 weeks ago. My experience was a pre-op two days before the section where they took bloods, swabbed me for MRSA, measured me for those lovely tight stockings you get to wear and talked me through everything.

I had to fast the night before the op and took Ranitidine (sp?). We were at the hospital for 8am but they didn't start the op until about 10am because there was an emergency CS going on. They did the spinal first then helped me lie down on the bed and put the catheter in. They checked the anaesthetic worked by running ice cubes up and down. DS was out in about 10 minutes, stitching didn't take very long after that. They wheeled me into a recovery room with DH and DS where I got to have some skin-to-skin and BF (MW helped DS latch on and he fed for an hour). Once my BP was stable they wheeled me into the post-natal ward on my bed - about 3 hours I think although I can't really remember - was very blissed out.

Catheter came out the next day and they helped me get up and about. I was back to being pretty mobile the day after that (2 days after section). I had to stay in hospital for five days because my BP was very high but by the time I got home I was pretty much back to normal and I've been fine ever since.

Thanks, both of you - lots a good info there to digest, and thanks for the link to the birth stories - I have some "official info", but I'd also like to know what real people went through - it not alway the same thing!

Hope the stories help - mine is in great detail on the 'elcs after birth trauma' thread so I will spare you the repeat! In conclusion though, a really positive experience that did what it set out to do - a safe, calm delivery of DC2 with minimal damage to me. Really hope you enjoy the day and that you heal swiftly.

My only tip would be to get as much help as you can post op so you can avoid any heavy/toddler lifting for as long as possible. Some people manage fine very soon but you don't know until you start lifting if it will restart bleeding or cause you pain. Best to plan for time to recover your abdominal strength to avoid setbacks if at all possible. I made sure people expected the minimum from me so anything else I could do would be a bonus, but I wouldn't be pressured to rush things and slow my recovery.

I'm on page three of the thread now - all int eresting reading!

I am fortunate that my other 3 DS are 16,15 and 13, so are not only past the toddler stage, but the older two can cook, clean (if I stand at the door and tell them what to do ), and use a washing machine, so life should be easy (ha ha).

Went in 8 am. Checks done. Spinal 8.30 am, then catheter inserted. Baby born, all fine, got feeling back around 5 - 6 hours later. One thing I would say is my catheter wasn't removed until late the following day, even though I was up and around and would have been able to go to the toilet. With the benefit of hindsight, I would insist on the catheter being removed as soon as I was mobile. It's just not fun having to carry a bag of wee around with you!

Hi Lolaknickers - sound like a good, calm experience.

IKWYM about the catheter - it bothers me that my hospital says it should stay in for 24hrs.
drDH says this is not nessesary at all - should be out when you get feeling back and are mobile. I will be asking for it to be removed as soon as I'm mobile - the longer it's in, the greater the risk of infection. I don't know if having a medical husband will help or hinder though - IME MW tend to be a bit sniffy about medical partners expressing any kind of opinion even if it's done very very politely!

However, planning to request early removal as soon as I'm up and about as if the consultant writes it up in my notes, it might happen.

My DH did suggest that if I'm fit, mobile and they refuse to remove it, I say "fine, I'm off to the bathroom to remove it myself"...... not sure if he's entirely serious

I think I was even worse than having a doctor as a husband - I'd googled it, which I think is every doctor / midwife's nightmare (I have google, therefore I am more qualified than you - I can see how this is annoying). But second time round I am going to insist on the catheter being removed. If they won't I'm with you on the self-removal!!

OH I google too!!!! Knowledge is power and all that.

Re self removal...... the first part of the tube, nearest your body, has a double skinned tube (they inject saline into it to inflate a little balloon at the end, to stop it falling out)you have to cut the vent part of the tube to let the saline, you can't just pull it out.

However, really there should be no need...DrDH was half joking about that.

I plan to ask my consultant for it to be noted on my notes that HE has discussed it with me, and I am to get the catheter removed as soon as I am mobile - theres no reason to keep it in longer - google it and see! It's just stupid blanket policy to say "24 hrs".

Also if you withdraw consent to have the thing in, and they refuse to remove it - demand to speak to a doctor. Anything that impedes your ability to get up and walk around after a section will increase your DVT risk - that's reason enough to have it out ASAP

Interestingly I raised the DVT point with them - isn't it better to be up and mobile etc etc. They were actually trying to get the consultant on the phone when I asked for mine to be removed - presumably to report me as an awkward patient or something! I gave up the fight in the end, couldn't be a*d. Next time though, I will stand firm!

Will note re: cutting the tube and appear armed with scissors should I get another refusal to remove!

Yes, we patients can be SO troublesome, the hospitals would run so much better without us!

RE tube cutting, if you do - only nick the outer skin of the double skinned bit, not cut it all the way - you wouldn't want to risk it being pushed/sucked into your bladder!!!!!!

The reason they were phoning your consultant was to tell him you wanted it out - the MW can't actually make many decisions of their own backs, the Dr has to give the go-ahead. I think the 24hr thing is just for the convenience of the staff - not a good reason if you ask me. That's why I am hoping to have it written into my notes than I have requested catheter removal as soon as I'm mobile, but I have no idea if this will be approved - I'll find in a few weeks.