What happens when I go into labour before ELCS date?

[WidowWadman]

It's a while still until then, but I keep worryingwondering...

Have been given my ELCS date for 39+0, and consultant also advised/agreed that I'll get an EMCS should I go into labour before then, which all is reassuring to me.

However, what I'm not so sure about is, what actually going into labour is like?

The last time I had an EMCS at 38+4 after waters breaking with meconium staining, no progress (after several hours on the drip only 2 cms), decelerations etc.

I had a show which was blood streaked about 8 hours before my waters broke and period pain for about 2 days which I thought to be Braxton Hicks. I'm not sure whether they counted as contractions, as they never got me anywhere. (Never got anything regular even with the drip. Painful yes, but no proper pattern emerging) I also had these period pains on and off in the last few weeks before the birth, which is why I thought nothing of them when they were more permanent in the last 2 days before waters breaking.

So at what point would I ring the labour ward or midwife if things start again that way? Would neither want to do it too early (or frequently) nor leave it too late.

Also, I guess it's unlikely, but is there any way how I can increase the chance to make it to 39+0 without things going ahead earlier? Will I have to put myself unto a sex/curry pineapple ban for the last 4 weeks or so?

Last time it all started 2 days after giving up work, I wonder whether it was because of all the stress suddenly having gone, worried that this might happen again (also this time I finish earlier than that)

I asked this question before my ELCS, and this is roughly what my MW said: -

If in doubt, at all, come in. If you ring up and are basically saying you think you might be in labour, the MWs will tell you to stay at home, have a bath etc. Which, if you wanted to deliver vaginally, would be good advice (most people prefer to do early labour at home, and the hospital will send women home if they are at early stages).

But if you really want your CS, what you don't want is for things to progress quickly, and to arrive at the hospital 8 cm dilated and be told there isn't time for a CS.

Which is very, very unlikely, btw! But a few women have extremely fast labours.

If you really want your CS, you can always ask/check that your notes are absolutely clear about this. My MW told me that if I went into labour, got to hospital, and was seen by a MW on duty who told me I was coming along nicely, doing really well, and wouldn't I prefer a natural birth etc, to refer her assertively to my notes! Which made it clear this wasn't what I wanted, or what had been agreed.

I was glad I'd asked as my waters went 10 days before my ELCS date, which was 39+1, (just leaking waters, no contractions or anything else). I went in, had that confirmed by a MW, had baby's heartbeat listened to, and was just told to turn up next day for my CS. It was just moved forward - was exactly the same as it would have been if I'd got to my scheduled date. Very relaxed, calm - a really, really positive and wonderful experience.

My consultant told me that if I went into labour early I was to call the labour ward just to give them the heads up then I had to get to the hospital straight away. However I was in a position where it would have been dangerous to go into labour (knackered cervix).

TBH I'd call them as soon as things start happening if you want an ELCS.

I did slow down a bit in the weeks before my ELCS as I wasn't prepared to risk a semi emergency cs.

You just go in if there are any signs that labour has started. The worst that can happen is they'll send you home if labour hasn't started.

All that curry/pineapple stuff is rubbish. You can't home induce labour, babies come when they're ready so you don't need to avoid anything unnecessarily.

it really does depend on why you are having an ELCS. I had grade IV PP so at the faintest twinge of labour it was call the ambulance without haste.

very luckily for me I was at the hospital at the time this started and they caught it on a monitor before i could say i really felt it happening.

Thanks for your answers. I'm still a bit at a loss, because I'm not sure how to differentiate between twinge and the real thing, just as I've put everything I experienced first time round to being a twinge, only went to hospital because of the meconium stained waters.

Ah, well, I'll chat to my midwife to see what she says and see how it goes, I guess. Still a few weeks to go

I can relate - I need to have an ELCS as baby won't come out any other way (permanent suture) but I am 90% sure I won't hit my scheduled section date. If I leave it too long, my uterus will rupture.

I had a precipitous natural birth with DC1, but a gentle build up of pre-term labour (which was stopped) with DC2 at 34 weeks, so I have no idea how this one will go. Not only is it different for everyone, but it's often different with every birth too.

The hospital I am booked to have my ELCS is 90 minutes away by public transport and during the day I am alone with my two preschoolers.. you can see this might get messy.

Like you, I'm really uncertain when I should go in as I have no idea what might constitute "proper" labour for me. Braxton Hicks are usually just Braxton Hicks, but what if they're not and I've left it too late? Fun!

Fingers crossed we both hit our scheduled dates!

I was booked in for an ELCS at 39+3 because baby was breech. I turned up on the relevant day but was sent home because some idiot had crossed me off the list on the basis that, apparently, I had already given birth?!

I got home, within 30 minutes my waters broke, went straight back in, sat around and was monitored for an hour or two and was told they'd probably fit me in at the end of the day. Some bright spark eventually decided to do an internal whereupon they discovered I was fully dilated and baby's leg was presenting. All hell then broke loose and DD was born by very quick EMCS due to risk of cord prolapse.

DD is my first child so I had no prior experience of how these things go but having been through the above, if I ended up going through the same thing again, I'd probably be more insistent on them doing an internal sooner, much as they are horrible. I was told to sit around attached to monitors on 3 occasions in 3 separate wards, all straight after each other, before anyone checked. Given that I was fully dilated by the time they did check I must have been fairly dilated for some time and therefore the risk of cord prolapse must have been present for a while. I shudder to think what could have happened just because their automatic default position just seemed to be to stick you on a monitor and then bugger off to chat to someone else.

Anyway, I digress, I hope all goes well and nothing untoward happens before your ELCS!

Eek, that's a scary story, glad all went well. Did you do a formal complaint afterwards?

Sparklies - thanks for reassuring me that I'm not the only one who feels that way. I guess I'm lucky that the hospital is only half a mile away and the daughter is in full time nursery up to the date, which eases the logistics fear slightly.

Hope it goes well for you. (And me!)

I had ELCS at 37 wks in my first pregnancy,as it was twins. I am 18wks now with my second one (3rd baby)
I requested for ELCS this time also, my consultant told me that they will fix my ELCS between 38 and 39 wks. I am worried as well, so thanks for this thread. The last time around I was told to take things easy, and to have loads of rest and afternoon nap too to bring my pregnancy into term, and I was fine, apart from being too big, didn't even experience Braxton Hicks.

        Anyway, I just hope everything will be fine thing time too. and hope it goes well for you too...

Well had my elcs booked for next Monday after an emergency cs for baby one and an elcs for baby 2. Promised an emergency section if I should go into labour before date, esp as I am also positive for group B strep. However I went into a rapid labour on saturday past and gave birth vaginally on operating table without even time for epidural. Agony and stressful at the time but feels great to be so agile now and both me and baby great despite group B strep! Good luck!

For DC3 I was booked in for ELCS at 38+6. Went into natural labour at 38+0. Was unsure about it all - am I am labour or not, etc. Called labour ward and they said come in and we will monitor you, better to be safe etc. Three hours after I arrived (absolutely convinced that I was overreacting) DD1 was delivered by csection, tho they did say it was emergency rather than elective as I was well into labour. Looking back I think I was in labour for a good day or so but was trying to ignore it....

at HappyHugs and zonkin! Glad all is well!

If it wasn't for the fact it's physically impossible for baby to come out vaginally I could see myself in HappyHugs' position easily.. and conversely I can also see myself in zonkin's position too! I know I've been in denial over labour before, errr, quite a lot actually. It always seems to happen when I'm not really in the right frame of mind for hospital shenanigans, so if I ignore it, perhaps it will go away