ELCS - what to expect and what to pack?

[Chulita]

Mine's booked in 5 weeks. I've had 2 EMCS but not an ELCS, what happens? when does anyone tell me what time to turn up? I have no idea how these things pan out.
And what should I put in my hospital bag? I'm having a bit of a brain fart and can't get my head around what I should take.

You should have a booking appointment the day before (or Friday before is it's a Monday section). The midwife will go through everything then ( like the no eating and drinking, etc, the type of anaesthetic, etc) and tell you when to turn up- there are anti-nausea pills to take at midnight and 6am before you go to hospital.
Take everything you would normally take for after the birth. You will wear a hospital gown for the birth, but I got changed about an hour after.
I had my 2nd ELCS 5 months ago, and it was absolutely amazing...
good luck!

Eh? no eating and drinking?

They prefer an empty stomach/bladder so no food or drink before - obviously they make an exception for an emergency where the risk of vomiting outweighs the risk of not doing the section.

Things to pack? Huge knickers, huuuuuuuuuge ones, real granny pants. I got a five pack of belly-button huggers from Matalan for a couple of quid and they were amazing, they were nowhere near the incision, big enough for the maternity pads, and cheap enough to just bin afterwards.

Peppermint tea, Wind-eze, or something similar. My MW recommended half a co-codomol washed down with a shot of peppermint essence. That trapped wind afterwards is awful.

Something to give you a bit of comfort or a bit of a lift. I wasn't expecting a CS (I went in to have my breech baby turned, had DD by EMCS half an hour later) but I had some lovely fruity showergels and nice moisturiser in my hospital bag. Such a small thing but it brightened my shower up the following morning and perked me up a bit.

Lip balm, hospitals chap lips, I don't know why but they do.

Plenty of sleepsuits, vests, muslins, bibs, etc for the baby. I don't know about anyone else but DD was really mucousy after her birth (it's supposedly something to do with the gunk not being squeezed out of CS babies like it is with VB babies), she was sick loads the first 48hrs after and needed changing frequently.

Flip-flops for the shower and shuffling around the ward in. Nice warm socks for sitting around in.

Camera, we were allowed to take ours into theatre for those first photos.

Book or magazine. I had to stay in bed overnight, CS was at 11:30am and they had the IV fluids in until 7am the next morning (I had low BP) so I was stuck in bed and bored.

Just as cbear6 says.

I will be having an elcs in 3 weeks time. I have a booking in an appointment the day before and will be given anti sickness tablets to take, fill in forms, etc. I've been told I can't eat anything after midnight, but can take sips of water until 6am. Then I have to go in at 7.30am on day of elcs and wait my turn!

After my emcs with dc1, I'm looking forward to making this a really calm, positive experience. We're even going out for a meal the night before to welcome dc2 into the world! (and seeing as she's fully cooked, I may even have a glass of bubbly. :) )

Good luck roseberry and enjoy your meal the night before, I wouldn't enjoy a meal out at the mo I don't think!

cbear I'd totally forgotten about the painful trapped wind, thanks for reminding me, wind-eze on the list!

I actually have a hospital bag list now, thank you! (just have to pack it [in denial emoticon] )

Mine was 5 weeks ago.
I packed night wear that was way too hot. Needed vest type tops really.
I wished had am eye mask to blot out the ward lights. They weren't put out until half 11 .

Just to say - you might not need any of this stuff.

I was told to take in lactulose (didn't need it), windeze (but never had trapped wind after my ELCS), someone recommended a caesarean belt thing for after (still in the box unopened), breastfeeding pillow if planning to breastfeed (preferred hospital pillow).

Best to be prepared though, I was glad I had stuff. I would take in plenty of snacks if I were you though. Also, actually, Spatone is good. I was anaemic during pregnancy anyway but far, far worse after my ELCS (lost a fair bit of blood) so having an iron supplement with me was very helpful.

Oh yes, the consultant told me to keep taking Spatone afterwards but I'd forgotten

piriton for the itching once the morphine wears off.

Iron here too, consultant told me to take an iron supplement for three months.

I don't know if all hospitals are doing it yet but mine did and I understand it's being rolled out but be prepared to be give a weeks worth of blood-thinning injections for you to self-administer at home (they show you how).