If you want an ELCS what happens if....

[Harryan]

You go into labour before you're CS date??!!

I hadn't really thought of it before. I want to opt for an elective this time with no.3 had two long traumatic labours previously, second one resulting in EMCS.

Really don't want to put my body or another baby through it again...
but what happens if I get my CS date and she decides she's coming early?

I phoned the night before my elcs because I thought my labour had started and I was told that I would have to start of at least naturally!

I was quite put out at that tbh, after all I had spent the last 5 months getting my head around a section

I wasn't in labour and had my section the next morning.

Forgot to add that I assume it would depend on the reasoning behind having the section as to whether they let you try naturally.

If you have a CS booked then they will do it as an emergency if you go into labour. The choice remains yours though - if things are progressing well and you want to continue towards a VB then it isnt a question of 'letting you'.

Lots of threads on this - this is my worry too, I think kind MW's have said - dont wait around if you think labour is starting, get to the hospital, of couse they may have emergencies, other elcs booked and slot you in...but better than waiting at home nad it bieng too late...

there was one lady on here who had a consultant on the day saying she wasnt going to have section after months of planning to get one...., so make sure its on your notes and whatever else you have to do to make sure on the day some other person you have never met can decide for you!

I was also told second time round it could all go so quickly they may not even have time if i went into labour before.

I am meeting a head MW to dicusss a birth plan as an alternative to a section, however i am hoping to also use this - to make sure i get what i want IF i go into labour early.

I had an elective booked for 21st June but went into labour on the 18th and by the time we got to the hospital 5hrs later ( should have gone in sooner but all happened so fast!) I was fully dilated. They said a vaginal delivery would be safer at that point as I was fully dilated and if my waters had gone then would definitely have to be a VB? But they hadn't. Due to the awful delivery of DS I really didn't want a vaginal birth (he was back to back so they had to rotate him with forceps then try to gt him out but he got stuck do had EMCS and was very badly bruised as result). But as they couldn't guarantee delivering him without instruments I requested a c section. It was more dangerous (they said) because the baby had descended quite low down so as to be pulled back up? They were very good at listening to my requests though.

The lesson I learnt though was that I never asked what to do if labour started before CS date when I should have (never thought it would happen not sure why) and even then should have gone into hospital straight away!!