When was your c-section scheduled? 39 weeks? 38? 40? 40+?

[MrsCDNinUK]

Hi,

I've just moved to the UK from Canada this month and am expecting baby no 3 in 6 weeks. It will be my 3rd c-section in less than 3.5 years.

Just wondering when they typically schedule c-sections here? In Canada it's typically 39 weeks but was wondering what the norm was.

I'll be delivering at St. Peter's in Surrey.

Thanks! :)

hi.
mine is booked for 39 weeks exactly. think they tend to be between 30-40 weeks. not before unless real medical need.
good luck

I had one at 38+3 in 2012 but now they won't do them before 39 weeks unless there's a specific reason, so my next one is scheduled in Feb for when I'll be 39+4.

Thanks ladies. Was just curious. At home scheduling is at 39 weeks is standard (not generally earlier unless medically necessary) but they would rarely leave it to 39+4 either.

Was just curious as I just had my first midwife appointment here (I'm 33+ weeks) and she mentioned it could be scheduled at 40 weeks, which was later than I had expected her to say.
I'll have to wait for my first consultant appointment in a few weeks to find out!

They won't before 39 weeks unless the consultant believes there is good medical cause due to NICE guidelines.

This is a source of frustration for me as I believe I have very good medical cause (as did my last consultant, and the one I had for my last ELCS I had at 38+2, latest I've ever gone by miles) but my current consultant has dismissed the issues despite her registrar agreeing with me too! So this one is currently pencilled in as 39+1 as 39+0 is a Sunday.

Mine was exactly 39 weeks for an elcs with no medical issues

38+4 with twins and 39 weeks with singleton

Mine was at 37 weeks exactly but there was a reason for that. Originally the consultant said 38 weeks, which I wasn't keen on as the date was almost exactly 1 year since DD1 was stillborn. If the consultant had said no, the baby must stay in for longer than 37 weeks I would have done it for DD2's sake. As it was I was a nervous wreck by 37 weeks so I'm glad the consultant was ok with it. This time round I'm aiming for 39 weeks if possible.

A friend who had an EMCS with her first has been told that this time, she can book an ELCS for 39 weeks or later, or she can wait right up until 40+10 when they would normally start induction and then opt for a CS. She hasn't decided yet (although baby is due 12 Feb so she'll have to soon!). She wants to try for a VBAC but is worried that she won't progress again and will wind up with a CS anyway.

My trust says they will do it any time from 39 weeks but would let me go as far as 40+ if I wanted, obviously that would mean increasing the risk of going into labour and ending up with what to all intents and purposes would be an emcs.

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences! I'm definitely not looking for earlier than 39 weeks but prefer having it scheduled if possible to avoid an emcs. My previous two c/s experiences were great, probably because they were scheduled so no scrambling around for the medical team to get organized so hoping for the same this time as well. :)