Elective c section booked- tell me your stories....

[angelpuffs]

I've got a date for my elective c- section when I'll be 38+6. Did anyone go into labour before their c section date? Any advice/dos and donts? I had a ventouse delivery with DD1 so would like to hear people's experiences of the op itself, post natal care and recovery- and anything else you can think of. Thanks in advance!

Thanks for the reply, much appreciated! I will definitely post after and will hopefully be happily surprised!

You will Be happily surprised. My experience really was breezy. You'll be in and out in no time. Get ready to meet your new boy!! (I have 2 ds by the way! They're fab)

Thanks Downstairs, it sounds so different to my first EMCS birth. I lost 1.2L then but they are well aware and I won't have laboured through for 24 hrs beforehand so can hope that I feel less like I've been hit by a train afterwards! I want to try and be excited and not look back and wish I'd been less anxious!

Just wanted to say good luck for tomorrow, you will be fine, my elcs was the easily one of the best days of my life, so calm and serene and i'll treasure the memory of hearing those first cries forever. I burst into tears as soon as I heard them.
Let us know how it goes

Thank you so much, its lovely to know there are other women out there rooting for you having shared the same experience. I think 4.30 isn't bad given my pregnancy sleeping so far.

04.30 is good! Good luck today!!! X

I'm really loving this thread. I'm currently in the process of beginning to put together my case for a potential fight (because it seems to be you need to put up a fight to have an ELCS on NHS) and all this information about the process of the c section the little tips and even issues about before and after and how they go and what to watch out for are so informative. So glad the OP started this thread and people are so helpful. Well done and congratulations to all you so far having delivered since the start of the post! X

Up feeding my little lady!!
Just wanted to say hope everything went OK 2ndbabymama and it was a much better experience than your last! Look forward to hearing your news!
Good luck Annie too, is this your second baby? I didn't find it hard to get the elcs agreed to, I think it depends who you meet with! My midwife was pro me having a VB but the consultant was really understanding & ultimately let me make the decision with no pressure at all either way. Hope you get the outcome you want!

Hello ladies, well most of the time we hear excellent stories on here but unfortunately mine isn't such a good one. Firstly our son is healthy and a good 8lbs 12oz at 39 weeks and we are both together and doing well so everything to be happy for. The actual birth was not great. My veins were blowing at every attempt, I fainted and was sick before we got to theatre and I had a uterine inversion - don't Google if you feel squeamish.. I lost even more blood this time 1.5L but got some back through the cell saver machine. Was in recovery 2pm till 11.15pm by at least hubby could stay with me. Disappointed i still need the catheter in but im too weak stil to walk so hoping not to repeat kidney infection from first birth and catheter. It sounds awful but I'm still so happy we are both here and he's fine - apologies if I upset or freak anyone out in advance of their births. Things don't always go to plan but what we get through makes us stronger and grateful for all the good things we have. x

Hi 2ndbabymama. So sorry to hear of the ordeal you went through- how frightening it must have been. I really hope you're feeling a lot better now xx

God 2nd! Sounds like you have really been through it! Hoping that you're on the road to a smooth recovery now. X

I'm getting increasingly anxious (think the tragic story in the news yesterday about the woman that died following an elcs has triggered it). Keep think of the worst possible case scenarios and feel petrified that I'm going to die and leave my 3 dcs behind. I know this isn't in the spirit of things. But I just feel
Consumed with raging anxiety all of a sudden. Elcs is tues and I'm desperate for it to be over so I can relax. Someone please talk some rational sense into me. I don't think it's helped that I've lost blood in previous births (0.75 each time) and that they have just picked up A heart murmur on me and potentially other heart problems (had a scan and trace this week but haven't received results). I'm just scared. Sorry. Rant over!!

Oh zippy I suffer with anxiety too, and I kept thinking in the week before mine about dying and leaving the kids behind, I was so scared of it..think I've watched too many medical shows where things go wrong!! So I totally understand where you're coming from ...but it is totally irrational! And just so unlikely to happen! You've done this before, you'll be absolutely fine. I'm so sorry you have the extra worry of the heart murmur and I have no experience of that kind of thing to give reassurance but they will take care of you! It's so hard to relinquish control & to not know what could happen, but that's always the case with any kind of child birth isn't it, we have to just trust our bodies and the doctors. I can't wait to hear your news next week. Sorry I'm rambling now but the bottom line is YOU WILL NOT DIE (my best friend text me that, bluntly, when I told her I was scared of that and I found it helpful!!)

And 2nd so sorry for all your complications too! Hope you can get home soon and start just enjoying your baby. So glad you're both OK. Good weight too! Does he have a name? (No worries if you'd rather not share it!) X

Ah cloud thanks for your lovely response. I know I am being irrational but my mind runs away with awful thoughts. Just got to get through these next couple of days. Thank you for taking the time reassure when you must be tired and busy with your new baby. Xx

Thanks all, Brodie Alexander is lovely and we are definitely going home tomorrow. I definitely feel physically more ill this time but have coped with it so much better than the first. I think having mum experience this time, staying calm and thinking of my two wonderful boys and husband who is devoted to all of us is helping get through the hospital stay. My sister is in for an ELCS in 6 weeks (her third) and I told her today not to think about it in advance. Just go on the day and not waste energy worrying. Easier said than done but try and put the worry in a box and shut the lid until the time comes. Most procedures go so well and are calm and relaxed. Good luck x

Hi cloud no this is my first so I have no comparison or no medical reason only psychological for my request! Like you zippy I read that very sad and scary story and it really ramped up my anxiety too! However, I still feel way , way more anxious about VB. one of the other ladies from this thread has helpfully given me some guidance as we share the same hospital.

I'm sorry to hear you didn't have a great experience 2nd I hope it gets easier for you.

X

Fair enough Annie - I think people/medical professionals can scare monger a lot about CS but actually the risks with VB can also be very high for some women..and as you've read on this thread loads of us have had bad VB experiences. I hope you get the outcome you want!

2nd gorgeous name for your boy! How are you doing now? Do you know when you'll be home?

zippy thinking of you for tomorrow, really hope you're feeling OK and have managed some sleep tonight. Looking forward to your update soon!! Xxx

We got home on Saturday after some polite chasing for paperwork and a really great midwife on shift that morning. I had anti d to get and she was happy to get me out first - the others were first time mums. Soooo glad to be home and have taken it really easy. Hubby is amazing and my 3 year old is at nursery so we have some down time during the day to share Brodie. He's so lovely . I found the back pain the worst. My scar seems fine and only is that sore hot pain in very limited situations - twisting to get out of bed for example. I'm regularly taking paracetamol and the diclofenac. I feel like I've been through a lot physically (which I have) but not pushing it and just so happy to be here and able to make a recovery all together. The biggest discomfort has been my boobs without a doubt. I'm not breastfeeding and they are not leaking but solid square lumps of hot skin. Sorry its gross but that has been a painful surprise. Midwife said ibuprofen and cold compress. Dish towel soaked in cold water was some relief. Hopefully scar is healing well - dressing comes off day 10 is it? I was listening on Sunday but have forgotten what she said! She's back today to take blood for anti d check - wish me and my crappy blood giving veins luck. If she can't do it here it's a trip to gp or hospital

Glad you're home and all sounds positive! Apart from the boobs ouch.
My dressing came off on about day 4 I think.. I went to gp on Fri though cos it looked like I had a tiny hole in the scar that was weeping a bit so she put another dressing on..I've been changing it & think it is healing up now don't have any pain & its not infected, I'm just worried about overdoing it & not letting the scar heal! I'm nearly 3 weeks post section now & still have little scabby bits at either end of the scar that can 'pull' a bit when I'm walking/twisting.. Hoping they'll disappear soon!

Hope zippy is busy cuddling her baby now

Hey all.. Just a quick query.. I'm 9 days post c section and the healing has been going really well, but I feel pain on the right inside where I imagine a stitch is catching.. It's quite painful, when the rest seems to be pretty ok. Is this normal, does anyone know?

Cheers!

Hi vicky- I'm 13 days in and have had the same thing this morning! No idea if it's normal but thought I'd let you know you're not alone! X

Thanks angel that makes me feel better!