Elective section- please reassure me this is easier to recover from than an emergency one?

[Raahh]

Bit of back ground- I am 38 and only 4ft 8 (this is relevant, honest!).
I am on dc3- dd2 due October 4th. Ds (now 7) was a vb, at 41+1, but he was only 6lb 1. Dd (4 next week!) was delivered by emcs , after a 32 hour induced labour. She was stuck, she was never coming out. It was quite badly managed, dd was born with a facial palsy due to her position, and it took age to recover for me, after effectively going through both types of labour. She was 8lb 2, and I had had a bad pregnancy. Again it was at 41+1. i felt pretty beaten up after the experience, and it took me weeks to recover.

This time round,am now 31 week, far bigger than last time, and really struggling. I have spd, which doesn't help. Today i had a review app and a scan, and baby is big (for me) i am dreading going over again, as I feel so ill, but really wanted to avoid a section. All signs point to this being the best option all round, and they will decide at 37 weeks to do a cs at 39 weeks. I suppose what this ramble is wanting to know, is to those who have done both, is is easier to recover when the cs is planned? Is it a vastly different experience to an emcs? (in termsof how you are physically, and recovery). I suppose part of me feels guilty about now deciding not to go for a vbac.

But it's not a competition, is it? So long as dd2 is born healthy? Think i am feeling a bit bombarded by info today

Thank you if you have read this far....

Hi I have had 2 full term normal births, 3 sections..one crash section, one emergency and last one elective. Wow there is a world of difference with elective!!!
I actually could prepare for and enjoy the birth! It was as magic as a normal birth hearing the cry etc and not being totally exhausted/worried/stressed...I was in 2 nights compared with 4 nights (emergency) and 9 nights (crash section/hemorrhage). I was in pain for 3 weeks, i think it took abit longer for my scar to heal this time but it was OK as DH had 3 weeks off work to help with kids (this was DC5).

I didn't really want a section as I found the recovery after a normal birth far easier and hemorrhaged badly needing life saving further surgery after my crash section (the 2nd section I had for prolapse cord) so was terrified I would bleed to death. However as I was high risk (long story but my obstetric history is awful) and had had 2 sections already they advised me an elective was safer. I had no excess blood loss at all and think that it was safer to be booked in and have a consultant in the morning than a crash section in the middle of night!

I had my elective at 37/38 weeks (had different dates from scans) but they let me have him abit early due to my history and having a cervical stitch in and on blood thinners it was better to be prepared than go into labour.

Good luck!

Thank you Jellybeans- i think that is what i wanted to hear, that being able to plan for it, made it a good experience, rather than one i felt guilty about. You really sound like you have been through it all!

I think because my birth and recovery was so easy with DS, in my head I want that again. But i know it is unlikely- also if after an elective i can be home earlier than if i end up with another emcs, than that would be great!

I had a section with DD after a long induction ending in a CS with DS, I would say from my experience that a planned section was a completely different experience, much more relaxed you are prepared physically and emotionally, you have not just done 30+ hours of labour, you have come into hospital relaxed and in full understanding of what is going to happen. I recovered much quicker and felt much happier after my planned section, I could get organised knowing I would be out of action rather than the suprise of not being able to drive the first time round !

Go in being prepared to wait,they fit you int around emergencies take a good book and just the bare essentials into the devlivery unit, the rest of the stuff can stay in the car.

It was the right decision for me at the time, you can only base it on how you feel but it was a positive experience for me.

A billion times easier IME .

I had help and care for DS sorted out at home, I knew I needed to wear comfy clothes around my waist, I knew the theatre drill, was familiar with a lot of the staff, knew what I had to aim for with BF, had experienced the pain once before and had, basically become a bit of a control freak about the whole thing .

I still stayed in for 3 days but I had a private room that time so it was quite a pleasant stay (and I am not a fan of hospitals). DD was good at BF and my sister bought me M&S sandwiches and orange juice.

Pain was far far less after a planned cs too.

Thank you all so much- you are making me feel much better. Poor Dh has had his ear chewed all day, whilst i debate everything!
The main thing is not going through a day of labour before hand!!!

Hiya. I've also had an emergency and elective cs and totally concur with what's been said already - the twp experiences couldn't have been more different.

My head was in the right place for the elective - I knew it was happening and when so I could plan childcare etc, and even chose the music I wanted ds2 delivered to.

I stayed in hospital the night before as I had to be there by 7.30 am and it was a really pleasant experience: very calm and relaxed - unlike the emergency!

The cs itself was over with in 25 mins (!!) and I recovered really quickly. I had pain for about 2 weeks but this was managable with the meds they discharged me with.

I stayed in for 2 nights only because I wanted morphine the second night - otherwise I could have been discharged. I then went to a midwife unit for a night and needed more rest and knew that wouldn't happen at home!

Best of luck with it all - do try not to worry x

Thank you- it just seems the more i think about it, the more confused i get. With two other children, and a mother who thinks i should arrange my birth for her convenience, knowing where and when is important to me, Doesn't look like a lot of childcare help is forthcoming, but i am used to that. DH still thinks I should try a VBAC, but he doesn't have to do it!

I feel a bit better today, I just feel a bit daft- it's not as if it's my first, after all!!

I want to concentrate on getting ready to meet DD2- which ever way it happens!

I had a great elective section on 21st Dec. Baby born at 12.20pm, stayed in that night and home at 5pm the next day. Had a fab Xmas including having 4 friends around for drinks on Xmas Eve.

haven't read all the replies sorry, but I had one emergency after a 24 hour induced labour, which ended up with an infected scar, terrible anaemia, slow recovery and a lot of undiagnoised Post traumatic shock emotions. Ended with a section as baby was stuck, no health problems with baby though.

Then 3.8 years later I had a lovely, calm, planned for, almost relaxing elective section which was fantastic. Such a positive birth experience for me, I went in to hospital at 8am on the day and was holding my son with lovely skin to skin contact by 10.10am. Recovery was much quicker when your body hasn't been through labour, I was on my feet the same evening and showering the next day without feeling so bad. Yes, it's still a section and you need to take the 6 week recovery seriously, but emotionally and physically it was such a different and positive experience for me.

I really hope things work the same way for you and that you have a lovely positive birth story this time around x

I had an EMCS in 2008 and a 'semi elecitve' 11 weeks ago.

I had booked in for an ELCS but went into labour so gave Vbac a go but it wasn't happening so had the section while in early labour.

It was an amazing experience and the recovery was so quick compared to the first time.

Hello,

I had a crash section with dd1 after which I felt as though I'd been disembowelled. It obviously affected my brain as well because two yrs later I was back again, this time for a planned section with dd2. I remember waiting for the epidural to wear off and the pain to start - but it didn't. It was lovely! So much so that two yrs later I did it again with ds.

So yes, it is totally different, lovely, calm, easy, quicker recovery, just generally fantastic (if a bit surreal).

I also wrote a birth plan for both my elective sections - you will be surprised how much say you can have if you want to.

spiritmum