c section before 39 weeks

[kateh1978]

Hi there,
I had my ds ny elscs due to psychological reasons at 39w. I am 29w with ds2 and have had another pregnancy riddled with anxiety. Due to see consultant in 2 wks to be booked in for section. Have also had awful spd and am desperate to have baby at 37 /38 weeks to shorten agony of pregnancy and spd.Also easier to have childcare for ds that week.Booked into Stoke Mandeville. Do you think they will consider earlier elscs? Baby measuring 2 weeks ahead.

I had dd3 at 38 weeks due to SPD & other problems

THANK U SO MUCH. WHEN WAS THAT AND WHICH HOSPITAL?

7 weeks in Cumbria though

I had my two DS's at 38 weeks as standard with elective sections. St Mary's (big teaching hospital) Manchester.

Kateh1978 - the longer you can hold out, the better for the baby. The reason ELCS is booked at 39 weeks usually is because the baby is still not fully developed and the risk of respiratory difficulties, in particular, is significantly higher before the 39th week.

I am sure you are being incredibly brave as it is - is there anything you could do to ease your mind and take away some of the anxiety so you could get this baby closer to term? Wishing you lots of strength to get through this.

For my own mental health my DD was born by ELCS at 36 weeks. Hospital wasnt keen and had agreed to an induction but she had turned transverse and my little boy had previously been born asleep at 37 weeks. oing over 36 was not an option. We had steroids for her lungs and she was absolutely fine - now 2 and a precious blessing

I had DD2 at Stoke Mandeville and they were very adamant she should come after 39 weeks. I went into labour at 38+1 in the end. DD1 was born in Peterborough also at 38+1 but as an elective.

I am having an ELCS at 39 weeks as baby is breech. I asked to go 3 days early when I'd be 38+5 ( to have the baby on the Friday rather than the following Monday) and my consultant declined. Apparently, the 3 days could make all the difference with baby needing assistance with breathing when born.

Sorry to hear about your DS Florence.

My DS was born by EMCS at 37 weeks with no issues/ special care required.

I can sympathise with your frustration OP, and hope they can offer you an option you can manage.

Thanks for replies. I really am desperate for thm to do it at 38..... appointment at Wycombe but baby to be born at Stoke Mandeville. My Mother in law can be there that week too to look after ds. I really hope they consider my mental health xx

by the way, Laura...did you have cs in the end at Stoke even though you went into early labour?

Yes the section was done at Stoke at 11pm. Dr that initially saw me was terrible though, he told DH to bring me back when I was contracting 1 in 5 only then would he consider doing the section that night. Midwives stood behind mouthing "nooooooo". He discharged me but midwives overruled him and admitted me upstairs to see how what would happen over next couple of hours.

They hooked me up to a monitor and I was back in labour ward within the hour!!! Dr not impressed until his consultant reviewed me - section happened very quickly, he was not involved.

This all happened in Feb 2009, we were experiencing very heavy snow and it had taken DH 45 mins to do a 2/3 mile journey.

The ward staff and medical staff (except for that one dr) were lovely.

What was reason for your c section Laura? So worried abt it:(

I had a planned section with my son at 38+5, privately, and my NHS hospital would have done it at 39 weeks, and even though he was over term and almost 9lb he had TTN and was in scbu for a few days. There's a link between early CS and difficulties but it's not absolute. My obs said it was just bad luck.

DD1 was breech, ecv failed, DS was a section for failure to progress and scar tenderness and when I became pg with DD2 Stoke said after 2 previous sections DD2 would be a section too.

I have had 5 sections - 4 were done at 38 weeks

Lisa!! 5 sections ! you r brave. When were they done( which years)?xx

I think guidelines are now 39 wks so the docs are sticking to that
I had breech presentation and borderline gest diabetes. My prev preg was natural delivery at 38+4 so I kept telling him I wouldn't make it to 39 of course the silly man didn't believe me! I went into labour at 38+2 and had emergency!
I digress, if you present a fair and thought through argument to the consultant, hopefully you will achieve something close to what you want.