Getting my head round possible c section

[Hormoneoverload]

Baby really not keen to go into pelvis, either way up at 39 weeks. Still hopeful, but have been admitted for unstable lie and good chance it'll be section. Baby no 3 and two really uneventful births so feeling it'll be a big shift to make in my head. I know it'll be fine, just would really like to know what kind of contact I might have with baby, how soon and trying to think the best. Have too much contact with people who are seeing it as a bit of a disaster and I want to make sure I don't spoil my last child's first days feeling anything approaching that. My head says thank goodness that we have such ready access to sections, want my heart to catch up!

I loved my ELCS - it was a wonderful experience. I had no pain to speak of, and once the epidural wore off, I was just given paracetamol and diclofenac; no need for morphine. Honestly, I get more pain on the first day of a period than I had with my elective c-sec - and I don't suffer from bad period pain.

I appreciate that an emergency c-sec can be much worse than an elective, and the two should not really be compared. Having said that, nearly all of the ladies in my antenatal group have had relatively easy recoveries from their emergency c-secs. (So far all but one of the planned VBs in my antenatal group have ended up as emergency c-secs, so I'm mightily relieved I booked an elective!)

My cs's were fine. Theatre staff were great and very chatty. I saw DS lifted out (me "wow that's him!......... OMG thats my stomach flapping up ). They let me see the placenta too.

Just take it easy when you recover. Don't over do it and take the pain relief at the correct times, not when it starts to hurt. I was as lazy as hell after my second CS but still fine for the gym at 12 weeks.

My elcs was lovely. Just over a year ago I was very hungry as I waited fasting to go to theatre and get DS out the sunroof. Everyone was calm and lovely, once in it was simple to get a few monitoring pads, BP cuff etc on. The spinal took moments to get in and was sore but only very briefly.

I felt loads of shoving and rifling around inside as they tried to get DS unwedged, not at all painful and as I was expecting it I found it interesting and odd but fine. DS was finally persuaded to let go and came out yelling and very healthy. The midwife brought him to my head and he stopped crying as I spoke to him. The mw checked him over nearby then he was held by DH next to my head while they finished stitching me up. DS was then nestled into my gown for skin to skin and started to feed happily on the way to recovery.

It was calm, enjoyable and not painful. Recovery wise I took all the pain relief offered, I rested as much as possible for a few weeks (got family to stay to help lift my toddler), drove again after 3 weeks but didn't lift. I knew the outer layers heal quickly but the inner wounds take longer so I was determined not to risk any complications I could possibly avoid.

I hope it all goes as smoothly as possible for you and that it's a really positive birth - mine is nothing but good memories.

Thank you all so much for such positive stories of elcs. It might still happen, I'm not sure I trust this baby not to turn at the moment, but the consultant appears to have been right to watch and wait. Baby that had been resolutely transverse for couple of days turned Sunday night, head down and 2/5 engaged. So from being a potential emergency cs, I'm now a potential home birth again. So surreal. Had really got to grips with idea of section thanks to you guys and a lovely midwife who was so enthusiastic about the elcs she had attended. Thank you. . We'll see what happens now-due tomorrow