What happens if you go into labour before date of ELCS?

[whatwasIthinkingof]

I am having a tussle with consultants at the moment. Last appointment they tentatively agreed to give me a ELCS after much hassle but said they will only book it for when I am 40 weeks pregnant. My SIL had her ELCS at 39 weeks (different hospital) and thinks this is routine. I know it is only a matter of one week but if I go into labour before my due date I am worried I will end up with another dreadful VB which is what I am trying to avoid. Will they still do the ELCS if I go into labour before the booked date?

Has anyone else been told they cannot have ELCS until 40 weeks? Did you fight for earlier? Realise unless indicated it wouldn’t be a good idea to do it before 39 weeks as the closer to due date the better but I cannot see how one week would make much difference to baby and waiting another week may mean I end up with VB and possible EMCS which I am trying to avoid.

Any advice/experiences would help.

I had a meeting with my consultant last week - he said he would be happy to book me in at 39 weeks exactly, and that this was standard practise for him. He said he rarely does c sections any earlier. I am booked in at 39+1.

I asked what would happen if i went into labour before this. He said to grab my notes at get to hospital asap, tell them i am booked for a c section, and that they would get me into theatre asap.

I have gone into labour before my elcs and I ended up having an emcs. My waters had broken, it was my third section. I was 38 weeks.

I also went into labour a couple of days before my 4th elective section date. Staff were quite nervous to give me an emergency section, it was a Saturday night. Labour subsided overnight, no broken waters and I went on to have my section as planned.

When I had my first elcs, the usual time was 38 weeks. For my final section, it was 39 weeks. I managed to convince them to give it to me at 38 weeks because I had had two babies born without problems at 38 weeks (I was very contractionish during my final pregnancy and didnt want to wait as I was concerned about it being my 4th section).

From my experience, you will still have a section, but it would be classified as an emergency. This isn't ideal as the staff during the day are usually more experienced. At least this is what I have found having had five children. Check the NiCE guidelines for elcs, they should outline the 'official' date for elcs.

my elecs is booked in at 38weeks and 6 days..I think it was to do with availability purely. I am going in , in 4 days eeekkk

I was told if I go into labour early I should go to the hospital straight away with my notes and I will still have an ELECS.

unless im one of those lucky ones who gives birh in the space of like an hour.

Same as posters upthread - booked for 39 weeks, but if I go into labour rush to the hospital and I'll be taken into theatre.

This is interesting as I want another section. Due to having a short cervix it is highly likely I will not go to 39 weeks which was when a date would have been agreed. As everything has been up in the air no plan was made. However I am seeing my consultant at 34 weeks when he said we would discuss it further. I am guessing that if he agrees it them it would be done if I go into labour before hand?

I was due to have an ELCS with DC2 at 39 weeks due to previous damage but baby had other ideas & I went into labour at 37 weeks. After having to convince them I was actually in labour at 6am on a Sunday morning they finally gave me a EMCS (I was fully dilated by then!).

They have agreed to just under 38 weeks this time (I wanted 37 but now understand there are significant but small risks re breathing etc) as I'm worried about going into labour again as the last one was so short.

I was booked in for ELCS (due to extended leg breech presentation) at 39 weeks. Two days prior to planned ELCS I went into labour in a local park

I had an EMCS that night.

I will see if he will agree to 38 weeks (if I get that far) He said that a vaginal birth helps their breathing more if they are born early, but I have had the steriod injections so lungs should be developed ok. I guess if you are progressing well and quickly they will not perform a section.

I was booked in for 39 weeks but my waters broke a few days beforehand.
Went to the hospital and they tried to convince me to go for VBAC. When I politely (ahem) declined I went straight to theatre for my section. It got delayed due to an emergency coming in but then I did have it later that night.

Thats good to know Purple I am certain I want another section. Up until I had complications there was little resistance so hopefully I can get it agreed at my next appointment.

I am booked for ELCS at 39+5. They only book midweek here so my choices were 39 exactly or +5, +6 or 40w. Like others I've been told that if I go into labour spontaneously before that then ring delivery & go in straight away & I'll be in theatre as soon as possible
Keeping my fingers crossed DC stays put, was induced at 40+12 first time so hopefully I'm safe...

I think he has slightly mislead you... Studies have shown that labour is better for their lungs if they're early but not necessarily a vaginal birth. The rates for lung problems decrease dramatically if you go into labour as the contractions squeeze the lungs but EMCS is as good as vaginal delivery in these circumstances...

Same as posters upthread: booked for ELCS at 39 wks (DS1 came at 37 wks): consultant said to get to the hospital as fast as possible, and, provided the baby wasn't literally crowning, I could still have the CS.

Oops: that's ELCS with DC2! DS1 was an EMCS...

I managed to get the consultant to agree to 38+2 last time. This was because I have a history of preterm birth (other two were 35+5 and 36+6) and precipitous labour. I have a permanent stitch in (TAC) which means if I labour, especially as fiercely as I did with my first, for too long my uterus could rupture as there is no exit for baby, so it's important we avoid labour if at all possible.

This time out I am a bit anxious because we've moved and now the nearest hospital is 20-30 minutes away even in good traffic.. and it is right next to a football stadium so hoping baby does not decide on Saturday afternoon for a birthday. I'm only 15-16 weeks so agreeing a date is a while off yet.

I've always been told that if I show up in labour, I get an EMCS right away, but then it is a life-threatening situation. Good times

Imno thats interesting to know. I was only 26 weeks when he said that, but I really do not think it would make any difference plus if baby got stuck that would cause more problems? I am not going to change my mine so will get it agreed at next appointment.

i have just seen a consultant re elecs as had a emcs last time.
they said my elecs would be booked for somewhere between 39 and 40 weeks.
they said if i went into labour before 39 weeks i could choose either to give a vbac a go if the circumstances were right or i could have the next available emcs slot although no guarantee this would be straight away as my situation wouldn't be life threatening.
i said if i went in to natural labour pre 39 weeks and i got to hospital and i was 7cm plus and everything looked good i would give vbac a go otherwise emcs.
the consultant wrote this down in my notes as the plan.

Happened to me too. DC1 born 38+4 natural delivery.

DC2 footling breech so ELCS booked at 39+5. I laughed in his face. He took no notice.

DC2 labour began 38+1 and finally got a section 5 hours later after the on call consultant tossed a coin well it may as well have been they were fannying about so as to which of the three labouring women would get their EMCS first. I won

Don't panic. Just tell them you are due ELCS and they get you into theatre pretty quick.