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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Anyone got positive ELCS stories please? I'm getting nervous!

16 replies

Chulita · 10/03/2012 06:57

I've had 2 emcs and didn't enjoy either of them (not that you'd expect to) and found the recovery (especially from the first one) very long and drawn out. I've got an elcs booked for Tues and am really nervous. I keep thinking of all the things that can go wrong, didn't help that the consultant talked about the dangers of a 3rd cs which got me all

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cbmum · 10/03/2012 07:05

Hi. I had 2 planned sections. DD1 was breach and DD2 was a swinging breach (shifting all over the place). Both were great. The worst bit was waiting to go down to theatre on the chosen day. With the first one I had to wait til 10.30 and with the second til 1.30. With DD2 it was July and the bed I'd been given was by a very sunny window. Not good with blazing sun and not able to drink anything!

Both went smoothly and with DD2 I was discharged within 23hrs. Just do what they say and you can get out of there.

I found the drs and other staff very helpful. I hope it goes well for you.

AlpinePony · 10/03/2012 07:39

I had an elcs just under a month ago, and an emcs in 2010. The recovery has been very different because I wasn't exhausted through illness/labour like last time. It was a very positive experience and I'm sure a lot of it had to do with energy levels. I completely lost my nerve on the morning of the surgery wanting to delay it - not so much the fear of surgery, but the fear of having two to look after - although I see you're already past that point! ;)

Best of luck and enjoy your new baby!

rarebreed · 10/03/2012 07:50

Yes my ELCS was lovely and calm, I had a vaginal birth with my first DC and much preferred my ELCS! From what friends have said, the recovery from an ELCS is much easier than an EMCS.

I was off the painkillers after 10 days and walking about pushing the pushchair.

I found that if I sat still for too long the pain started to get much worse, so every hour from day 2 I would get up and go for a wander round for 5 mins which stopped me feeling horrible and stiff.

Good luck!

DaffodilsAhoy · 10/03/2012 08:06

I had an elective section after an emergency one. It was a wonderful experience (except for forgetting my dressing gown and having to walk down to theatre in my coat!!)

The theatre staff had the radio on and were chatting to me and dh, was all very relaxed feeling, we had asked for dh to tell me the sex of the baby so the surgeon held DS up (bawling!) and dh turned to me (with a huge grin) and said it's 'daffsboy', all I could see was lots of smiling faces and my son. It was lovely! Afterwards dh held him while they fixed me up and I got cuddles as soon as I was in recovery. I had a small bleed in recovery which was very easily controlled with an injection into my tummy - I was still numb so didn't feel a thing.

I did get a slight infection in my scar when I was at home but a course of antibiotics sorted it out very quickly. I was driving sooner than after my emergency c-section. I felt a lot more in control that time because I had planned it, my parents were looking after dd at our house until I came out of hospital. We had lots of food prepared for the first week or so etc. if I was to have another dc (I'm not though!) I wouldn't hesitate at having another planned c-section.

HTH and good luck

Original poster

Chulita · 10/03/2012 08:32

Thanks everyone! I'm just having really silly thoughts about not coming home for some strange reason. My mum will be here for a few weeks to help look after my other two so hopefully I won't need to be doing any toddler-hoiking for a while.
Good to hear that elcs tend to be calm and relaxed :)

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Zone2mum · 10/03/2012 19:03

I had 2, both were great, happy and panic-free. Good luck for yours!

bigeyes · 10/03/2012 19:07

Had one less than a month ago too, was v good.

I second everything that rarebreed posted.

Gasbluewithlavenderbeads · 10/03/2012 19:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

KittyMcAllister · 10/03/2012 19:15

I had an elective in October after an emergency two years before. Much preferred the elective, it was so much calmer, and I wasn't nearly as exhausted with labour etc so the recovery time was a lot quicker. I'd recommend gentle exercise as soon as you can manage it as it speeds up recovery. I had skin to skin straight away and was breastfeeding DD in recovery, no problem.would highly recommend it! Good luck x

seoladair · 10/03/2012 19:25

My ELCS was a wonderful experience. The atmosphere in theatre was very jolly, and we brought our own CD. The recovery was amazingly quick and straightforward. The worst bit was the daily Fragmin injections (for 5 days), but they were no big deal. I was in hospital for 2 nights, and was walking around a few hours after the birth. I had no problems lifting baba or breast-feeding. Best of all was the rush of love when they placed her on my chest!

Bumf · 10/03/2012 19:27

Hi. Had emcs then elcs next time. Elcs was really strange, very matter of fact, relaxed and everyone just going about their business if that makes sense? It was frustrating from the point of view of loads of waiting around. Went from feeling normal to just carrying on feeling normal, very different from first time. Wasn't knackered or feeling violated or pushed to the limit.
Good luck. It will be fab. Just prepared to be very patient. Oh an go home as soon as you can. No benefit to staying longer than absolutely necessarily.

dementedma · 10/03/2012 19:29

DS was an ELCS and it all went fine. He was my third section and by far the easiest. No probs with recovery, relax and enjoy

Lunarlyte · 19/03/2012 08:29

I'm finding the posts on here to be very encouraging, too :) I'm 35 weeks today and going to the hospital on Friday to see the consultant and get an ELCS scheduled. I had a VB in 2009 and developed a back problem which, although is about 90% better now, ha never completely for away.

I'm just freaking out as, if I go ahead with an ELCS, I guess I'll be having it in precisely 1 month! A VB is possible for me, but my chiropractor told me that as te damage was done to my back through childbirth, I'm at a high risk of doing the same, or more damage.

I just keep second-guessing myself about going for ELCS ... But these post are very encouraging

Lunarlyte · 19/03/2012 08:31

Was meant to write 'has never completely gone away' and it is a VB which might make my back problem return, or worsen.

OP, have you delivered your baby yet?

nickschick · 19/03/2012 08:36

Ive had 3 cs.
2 under G.A first was emergency.

Ds3 arrived by planned cs,id had a spinal block,was awake to see my newborn was able to move a few hours later,wasnt in too much pain during or after tbh i didnt feel a thing during the op ....had him thursday morning was home saturday morning.

I was poorly afterwards but that was due to placenta being left behind had that not happened it would have been amazing how calm and laidback everything was.

Original poster

Chulita · 19/03/2012 11:14

Feeding 8 day old DS2 as I type lunarlyte, I ended up with emcs #3 in the end cos I went into labour 2 days before the scheduled elcs. He was born Sunday lunchtime, I was home Monday - only rushed home due to DD (3) not handling me being away very well. It was a far more relaxed emcs but I had 10 hours of labour beforehand so that wore me out a bit and I'm finding recovery tougher than expected but I have got 2 toddlers and bronchitis so that might not be helping!

nickschick how the frick did they forget the placenta??

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