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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Elective C-section after due date?

27 replies

MaddieUK · 15/12/2015 19:33

I was wondering if anyone else had experience with an elective c-section planned after the due date?

Because the hospitals near me are too busy, I am scheduled to have mine at 40+4 and I'm very nervous that I will go into natural labour before then, which would result in an emergency c-section and possibly a general anesthetic, which I want to avoid at all costs.

OP posts:

MamaDuckling · 15/12/2015 23:15

Seems odd to me, mine have booked me in a few days early (38+5) as opposed to letting me go past due date.

MamaDuckling · 15/12/2015 23:15

Because they're full up on what would be my 39 week mark, that is...

Original poster

MaddieUK · 16/12/2015 09:21

39 weeks would have been between Christmas and New Year's Eve - so I think they're low on staff. Mildly annoying as they're two major hospitals - not small local ones - but I don't think there's much I can do about it.

I have no idea what the odds are of going into labour before 40+4 - supposedly roughly 50%? :(

OP posts:

MamaDuckling · 16/12/2015 09:47

We must have a very similar due date. Worst case scenario is that you'll still get a c-section, it might just not be the planned, completely calm scenario you imagined.
I've been told that if I go into labour before my booked section, they'll just do a section anyway - they fit you in somehow. It's classed as an emergency one because it's not on a planned date...

Can I ask if you're high risk at all/why a c-section? The docs review their patient lists each morning and prioritise alongside emergencies, so you'll be okay either way I'm sure.

wonkylegs · 16/12/2015 09:58

My 'emergency' section was quite calm despite following a long non progressive labour.
I have been told I may end up with a planned 'emergency' section this time based on previous history. My planned section is booked for 39weeks because that's protocol but my waters broke at 36wks with our son and they think this could happen again so my section would be classed as an emergency even though they know they will be doing it.

Original poster

MaddieUK · 16/12/2015 10:46

The consultant calls it 'high risk' - there is a fibroid potentially blocking the birth canal - not quite sure it's a risk high enough to be prioritised. Health professionals seem to be (deliberately?) vague when it comes to quantifying/explaining risks.

Wonky, it's good to hear that the emergency section was quite calm. If you don't mind me asking, was there enough time for you to get an epidural, and how long was your recovery period?

I really want to avoid the general anesthetic - so I'll try to rush into hospital at the first sign of labour. Better in vain/too early than too late I suppose. Hope they won't be too annoyed with me if it happens ;) It just seems traumatic to me to wake up groggily and suddenly have a baby, without having it seen born.

OP posts:

LumpySpaceCow · 16/12/2015 10:59

They only use general anesthetic for a crash section in extreme emergencies (or if mum requests one or has a spinal problem stopping her having a spinal anesthetic). In most emergency sections there is still enough time to site a spinal and for it to be a relatively calm affair. I know quite a few people who have had scheduled sections but gone into labour before so have had an 'emergency section' and none have had a general.
As soon as there is any sign of labour just ring hospital and go straight in.
Some people request to go into labour before having their section as better outcomes for baby and baby is choosing to be born so you know they are ready.

LumpySpaceCow · 16/12/2015 11:01

Also just think of all the women who are in labour and then require a section- only a tiny minority of these are under general. Most are decisions that are anticipated rather than a true blue light emergency.

Whenwillwe3meetagain · 16/12/2015 11:06

My ELCS was scheduled at 40+1 and was told I'd get an EMCS if I went into labour before. In the end it was an emergency anyway as ds's heartbeat kept dropping but was still pretty calm, the surgeon just shouted at a nurse when she was too slow cleaning the incision area.

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 16/12/2015 11:15

As a midwife the only emergency sections where a woman has had a GA have been where there's either been concerns about the baby's heartbeat or the woman is bleeding heavily.

An anaethetist can get a spinal in in 5 mins from you walking in the operating theatre.

But yes, ring up at any signs of regular niggles.

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 16/12/2015 11:16

I meant the only emergency sections I've seen with GA have been fh problems or bleeding. GA sections are rare.

Doublebubblebubble · 16/12/2015 11:19

You can certainly ask. I wanted to find out this myself... (ended up me trying for a vb and getting an emcs). I wanted mine after my due date because my mat leave was due to start the day after my due date. I know I'm a nut. I don't know what there is to loose they'll either say yes which is all gravy or no which means you get to meet your nb a bit sooner xx good luck op x

wonkylegs · 16/12/2015 11:47

Yes I had an epidural and I recovered relatively quickly certainly not much different from my friends planned section ( although it's hard to quantify recovered as I have RA so was pretty wrecked from that rather than the emcs,) my section scar healed quickly and really well it's almost invisible these days.

TreaterAnita · 16/12/2015 12:01

A similar thing happened to me with my second baby. I was booked in for 39 weeks but they forgot to put the booking in the theatre diary and couldn't offer me another date until I was 39+5 - as I went into labour with my first baby at 32 weeks I was pretty nervous!

She actually stayed put and everything went without a hitch but I was told that if I had any signs of labour I should call and they'd get me in and do an urgent section straight away. That's what I had with my first baby (breech preemie) and there was plenty of time to do a spinal and deliver him safely. You'd be very unlikely to end up with a GA.

Roomba · 16/12/2015 12:37

I was booked in for ELCS at 39+6 weeks, but my consultant just said 'Of course, if you go into labour naturally before then, just come in as soon as you can, and we'll do it there and then though you may have to wait an hour or two for theatre to be free'. So I didn't worry what would happen and in the event I didn't go into labour anyway. I would ring them and double check what they'd want you to do.

TaliZorah · 16/12/2015 12:39

Ask for it early. If they're full at 39 why can't they do it at 38?

I wouldn't be happy with that

NerrSnerr · 16/12/2015 12:46

I went into labour before my c section, it was booked before my due date. It was a really chilled emergency one. It was very chilled.

jamtartandcustard · 16/12/2015 12:48

I only know 2 people IRL who have had c-sections under ga. one because she began fitting during labour and the other was my mum who had pre-eclampsia and extremely high blood pressure so it's safer under GA or something like that.
Everyone else I know, myself included, were spinal even those during labour where baby is starting to be distressed or things not going right.
Is this your first baby? Real life labour isn't like the soaps on tv, it's highly unlikely that waters will break, strong contractions immediately and baby born within the hour. They say an average first time labour is 12 hours so plenty of time to be squeezed onto the surgery list

weebarra · 16/12/2015 12:56

I've had three emcs. DC3 was supposed to be elective but I went into labour at 37+5. It was the most chilled out of my EMCS but still happened fairly speedily.

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 16/12/2015 13:12

They won't do it at 38 weeks because there's a lot of research showing that babies born by elective section at 38 weeks do significantly worse than babies born at 39 weeks. National guidelines say not to do elective sections before 39 weeks unless there are concerns about health of mum or baby.

TaliZorah · 16/12/2015 13:20

Simon mine was booked for 38+5 when 39 wasn't available (mine ended up being earlier than that anyway) she said that a couple of days wouldn't make a difference. In this case where there is a risk is surely makes much more sense to do it slightly earlier than risk OP going into labour.

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 16/12/2015 13:50

Was that recently Tali? Guidelines changed maybe two years ago. Now any section prior to 38 weeks you're mesnt to have two steroid I jections to help mature baby's lungs.

Where I work women would be offered a section past their due date rather than before 39 weeks. There isn't a medical risk to going into labour and having to have a section on an unexpected date. 99% of women go into labour fairly steadily with enough notice that they can ring the hospitalbefore things have hotted up. I guess the only time they might make an exception is if someone has had a really quick labour before.

laulea82 · 16/12/2015 20:15

My emergency section was a true emergency- alarms blazing and baby out in about three minutes. And I didn't need a general anaesthetic. This time I have a planned at 39+2. They've said as soon as any early labour signs they will do a section. It would be an emergency technically because I would be in labour but early stages so I'm not too concerned. I might be if my date was that late though but guess there's not much you can do! Just go in if you're even slightly concerned you're in labour.

elliejjtiny · 17/12/2015 01:03

I had a cat 1 section where the dr said "we're going to theatre" at 1:30am and baby born at 1:53am. Still managed to get a spinal in and DH just about got changed into scrubs in time too.

Doublebubblebubble · 17/12/2015 05:33

My ds was 12 days late and according to my hv (and midwives) he pooed in the waters because of his overdueness (I also couldn't get past 5cms and he was 10lb1) he wasn't distressed at all so there wasn't any urgency (although I fully appreciate how easily it could have changed) I was told around 7.30am that id need to have an "emergency" section but didn't even go into theatre until 11:15(ish) and ds wasnt born until 11:26... It was all very very very calm x good luck op x

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