What happens if you go into labour before ELCS date?

[JungAndEasilyFreudened]

Do you definitely still deliver via CS or if there are emergencies could you have to try vaginal?

ELCS is looking likely for me due to tokophobia but I am still terrified things will start early. Does anyone have any experience of this?

TIA

I was booked for an ELCS at 39 weeks and went into spontaneous labour at 36 weeks. When I rang the hospital they told me to go in and on arrival I was 4cm dilated. My daughter was born by EMCS within the hour or thereabouts.

Have you thought about CBT or hypnobirthing techniques to help with the tokophobia?

I'm in the same boat as you, OP. I have seen a psychiatrist who has diagnosed tokophobia and I am having an ELCS. I am only 14 weeks but I discussed my fears with him and he advised speaking to the consultant at my appointment in 4 weeks. He recommended making sure it is all over the notes (handheld and computer-based) that if I go in to labour or come in hospital because my waters have broken that I am to be seen by the consultant or senior member of staff and not to be sent home. There is a possibility that I could still have a section but obviously depends on emergencies etc

This is my 2nd pregnancy and unfortunately the tokiophobia was not diagnosed and I had to go through a vaginal birth and ended up with PTSD and PND after my DD.

The PTSD can't be treated with CBT as it usually would whilst I am pregnant as it would make me too anxious. I have been referred to a midwife who specialises in mental health issues for anxiety management etc but the psychiatrist doesn't think I should have a vaginal birth and there is no way I could!

Make sure you discuss it with your midwife/consultant, OP. I know this issue is making me very anxious.

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately nothing seems to have had a positive impact on the tokophobia mrsskinnylegs.

I feel a huge sense of relief at the idea of a c section but the thought of it not happening on the day and having to endure a vaginal delivery with no time to even try and prepare myself is getting me into another state of panic. I just don't know what I'd do if that ended up happening. Despite what my notes say it just doesn't guarantee it happening does it?

Good luck ladymarian, I hope everything works out well for you.

Hi - exactly this happened to me. ELCS for 1st DC because of severe primary tokophobia, and my waters went ten days before my ECLS date.

It was fine. If you go in as SOON as you think something is happening, be it pains, odd twinges, a show, waters going - anything - then they will almost certainly have plenty of time to fit you in to theatre. technically it will be an EMCS, but that's just because it won't be on the date you have booked.

A very small proportion of women labour very fast - but it is very small, and if this is your first, it's even more unlikely this will be you.

The key thing is to get in there early. Try and make sure you have this written on your notes - that you DO NOT WANT a trial of labour or any such if things kick off before your ELCS date. Standard advice for labouring women is basically to wait as long as possible before coming in to hospital. You do the opposite. My (brilliant and sympathetic) community MW told me to ignore anyone telling me to have a warm bath, or 'see how it goes.' Get in there, and get on the list for theatre. It really won't matter if you have to wait because of emergencies if you are there early on. Some people love to scare those with booked CS's by telling them they aren't guaranteed a slot etc. Non emergencies will always have to wait for emergencies. That's entirely reasonable! and those are normal circumstances.

I had to wait about 24 hours from the point my waters went to going into theatre. It was fine (I did get bored and hungry and thirsty as I was nil by mouth for a good 6 or 7 hours! but really, that's no big deal).

My CS was a lovely, happy birth, and me and my DS were fine. I recovered very quickly - much more quickly and comfortably than other mums who had instrumental births btw - and DS was 100% breastfed.

Good luck.

I gave birth in Greece so perhaps not 1005 relevant, but my waters broke a week earlier than my ELCS, I called my doc who met me at the hospital, waters broke at 5.30am, baby was delivered by c-section at 10.50am. Really lovely experience!

ladymarian

I was wondering if you had your own physcatrist or did the hospital refer you to one. I am meeting consultant soon for counselling over wanting maternal request elc, with tokophobia.

I have been through labour once, and do not want to do it again.

I was wondering as I imagine having this diagnosed by a proff, must make it easier to sway the consultants?

Hi Elizaregina
I was lucky as I had an understanding GP who referred me for a debrief (of DD's birth in 2007) with the consultant as I told her I wanted to have another baby but was petrified of another vaginal birth. The consultant went through the birth with me but as it was in her opinion "textbook" and "unremarkable" she suggested it may be tokobhobia given the issues I've had since (PTSD, PND and anxiey) She agreed that I could have an elective section there and then but referred me to a psychiatrist to get an official diagnosis. It has been a huge relief for me and it also means I will get additional support (input from the perinatal mental health team)

Good luck to you