Did you tell people the date for your ELCS beforehand?

[irish2014]

hi ladies, still a bit new to MN. just wondered if anyone could tell me, I am 33 weeks pg and have a ELCS booked in Feb, for my first baby. I didn't want to tell anyone the date, so it was a surprise when we let people know the baby has arrived. But my DH says he doesn't want to be secretive and we should just tell people the date?! what are other people's experiences? Thanks.

It never occurred to me to keep it a secret.

We didn't keep it a secret, we decided to just tell close family & everyone else found out when we told them about LO's arrival!

It's completely up to you both.
I personally didn't want to tell everyone before the baby had actually arrived.

Also there is a very small chance that the CS wont actually happen on the day it is booked for.

Just preferred to tell everyone when we had some actual news!

I'm also having an elcs in Feb. We will tell my family the date, and DH's work. We won't be telling friends or DH's family (DHs mother will find a way to cause problems if she finds out - we're estranged from her anyway but didn't want to put the rest of the family in an awkward position if they knew but weren't allowed to say anything).

Plus on the friends front I don't want people hastling me for news, especially if it gets put back a day (which is possible for elcs if there are emergencies).

We were excited when we 'picked' our DTs birthday. Then due to circumstances I ended up being booked in to hospital 3 weeks earlier & after seven days in hospital was told we would have the op the next morning. It was then cancelled 6 times - after the 3rd date change we kept schtum and only told people when the twins arrived safely. I'd say limit people who know as the only thing more irritating than the drs saying 'sorry, we are putting you back a day' is the constant well meaning texts asking for updates! Good luck!

I was a little disappointed to have an ELCS after my DS refused to turn from breech so when I got booked in,we simply just kept the information to ourselves and surprised everyone with his arrival on the day.

It was exciting having "our little secret"

I didn't have one, but I did tell people the date of my induction, so that's similar.

We're telling our immediate families - parents and siblings - but giving everyone else an approximate date if they ask (as it's possible it'll change). My parents will be at our house looking after ds while we're at the hospital and it didn't seem fair for them to know and not my pil. And my sister's will know as my parents live near them, hundreds of miles from us, and will know they're down with us. In a way them knowing the date reduces the 'any news' questions, which I got so sick of last time!

Yes but only because we're ex-pats and my parents wanted to book flights. It was only 2 days before my due date anyway but ended up having it on the day of my pre op assessment so after all that my Dm still didn't make it here in time for the birth!

I told people my due date and that I was probably going to have a cs as close to due date as I could get.

We told the immediate family but no one else.

We didn't tell anybody first time. We also kept the sex of baby secret. Might tell close family next time though as will have to arrange childcare for DD! Enjoy your pregnancy X

Thanks for the replies folks! I think that's the way we will go, tell close family the date and leave the rest as a surprise! (if all goes to plan)

I didn't tell anyone with either ELCS.

If it's a planned section there is no guarantee the date they give you a few weeks before will be the actual date. This happened to me, I was phoned the day before my section and told not to come until 2 days later due to the theatre being really busy,
So glad we didn't announce a date!