Planned but not planned c section

[Grumpybump88]

Hey every one,, just wanting a little advise really,, I am pregnant with my 3rd I am 38+3 today my first two was born naturally but this little monkey is proving to be a pain in the bum,, he is laid transvesil and i have been ordered to stay in hospital due to the fact if my waters go they need him out in 15 min because his oxygen could be cut off,, me and my partner had planned for a water birth and I was looking forward to a pain relife free birth and had mentally set my self for this :-( but on Monday I went to my community midwife who then refuerd me to the hospital for a scan and I have been here since Thursday and have been booked in for a c section on Wednesday,, I was just wondering what will happen on the run up to the c section eg will I have to fast?? And the recovery process..
Thanks in advance.. X

Oh poor you.

I've had three sections, one emergency two planned. Planned are definitely easier recovery wise.

You'll have to fast from iirc 8pm the night before. You'll be given some antacid tablets as well, and also some in the morning. Plan to stay in at least three days, do not be a hero and go home the day you are up and mobile. You'll need the rest, stay where the drugs are free flowing and plenty. So plan to go home Saturday, Friday at a push.

Recovery wise, no heavy lifting, let people do things for you even if you're not that way inclined.

Good luck. Remember, it's not how the baby is delivered that is important, but that they get here the safest way possible.

Thanks for the advise,, if I have to fast from the night before and my section isn't till the afternoon I think I will feel terrible before,, as soon as I get up I need to eat since been pregnant,, how long after the section will I be able to eat?? And how long will the section take from start to finish providing everything is ok..

have they not offered to try and turn the baby?

Yes they have offered to turn him but said that I would be prepared for a c section for in case they broke the membrane whilst they was doing it in which case it would be an emergency c section so we thought is best to have a planned section..
Not only that they also said that because I had had two children there is every chance that be would pop back out and again have to go for a c section..

They do try and do the elective sections first thing, I had both mine done at 8am, and providing there are no emergencies you should be ok.

Getting the baby out is very fast, takes longer stitching you up. And once the anaesthetic wears off and your stats are ok then youll usually be able to eat.

Sorry, its been 4 years since my last one so cant remember the exact length of tims.

It's poor practice to starve somebody for 12 hours prior to planned surgery. If you are on the morning list then midnight for food and 6am for clear fluids should be fine.

You'll get tea and toast straight afterwards whilst in recovery! I was starving too! It takes one minute to get the baby out and about 20 to close you up but they'll give you the baby to cuddle whilst they do that. Anaesthetic might make you sick of you're blood pressure drops but they'll sort it out straight away and make the sick feeling go away. I felt a bit shaky all over once the anaesthetic works and I hated not being able to move- all worth it though once you're holding your baby.
Get up the next day and try to walk a little bit further each day but don't overdo it. No heavy lifting, bending or stretching. Eat fruit and take lactulose. First few days are horrid - i am day 14 now though and no pain at all. Good luck xxx

Oh and there will be loads of people in the operating theatre who will all introduce themselves to you whilst they give you the anaesthetic- don't worry you don't need to make conversation they just do it to rake your mind off things!

I've had two planned cs. In both cases, no food from midnight. Was ok to drink water (iirc) up until 6am.

Both were done before 8am. In both cases, tea and toast were waiting in my room when I got back up. (was the Portland, mind)

In both cases, I was walking within 12 hours. With the second one, I was home in less than 48 hours. In both cases, I was driving within a week (you should get a drs note for this and pass it on to your insurance ifyoudrive before 6 weeks)

Planned cs are a BIG difference to emergency ones.

My little monkey was very mobile doing full turns until 3 days after his due date. He was often breech, often transverse and sometimes even head down. I was warned that if I went into labour there was a risk of cord prolapse which was a significant risk to the baby but was allowed to be at home with a midwife visiting every day to check which way up he was. When I finally went into labour the community midwife came out at 3am and thank heavens he was head down and I was 3cm so I went ahead at home as planned. Had it been any other position I'd have been in for an emergency CS in a blink.

Just telling you my story so that you know that although it's uncommon, babies can turn even at that late stage if they are very mobile, and that you will make the right decisions for you and for your little one even if that is not what you expected a few months ago, or even what you expect now.

Good luck and enjoy meeting your little one.