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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Booked in for ELCS but what if I go into labour earlier?

16 replies

Delurked · 15/05/2016 03:44

Expecting DC2 next month and have been booked in for ELCS at 39 weeks. I had an EMCS for DC1 and was given the choice this time of a repeat C-section or a VBAC. I would be a pretty good candidate for VBAC but for various (largely practical/ childcare) reasons have decided on an ELCS and am happy with my choice.

The hospital have said that if I go into labour before the date of my ELCS I should go in and they will give me a section there and then. One midwife did point out that if I got there and was almost fully dilated they would want to discuss my options with me as it might be that attempting a natural delivery would make more sense. That's fine by me, I am not dead set against a VBAC and if I went into labour early many (but not all) of the reasons why I have chosen a section would be negated anyway!

I would really like to hear experiences of anyone else who has gone into labour before the date of their ELCS, particularly anyone who did not necessarily "need" to have a section. How did it play out, were you whisked straight off for a section, were you encouraged (or even pressured) to attempt a natural delivery, was it too late to have a section and you had no choice but to deliver naturally? Anything else I should bear in mind as I get nearer to my due date?

OP posts:

Junosmum · 15/05/2016 07:31

2 of my friends went in to labour on the day of their elcs. They went to hospital straight away, but both were left to labour for 4ish hours before having sections. They were checked over regularly to ensure they weren't progressing too quickly. Both elcs were for health reasons and so vaginal births weren't advised.

kittybiscuits · 15/05/2016 07:33

I went into labour and week before my planned section. They pushed hard for me to have a trial of labour. I repeated like a robot 'I am not having a trial of labour. Please read my notes. I am having a section'. I had a section.

GreenRug · 15/05/2016 07:38

I went into labour about a week before my planned cs. They verified I was actually having contractions first and then slotted me into the schedule for that day. I would have got the first slot but I'd eaten a pack of chocolates on the way and they wouldn't let me because of the rules on not eating before the anaesthesia. So I just waited, and waited... Never have I regretted eating chocolate so much

DoYouLikeBirds · 15/05/2016 07:39

I feel this is now relevant to me, as thanks to bad luck, and the choice of consultant my section is booked pretty much on my due date. My midwife told me I'd have to go straight into hospital and ask for a section, but my 2nd was born 30 mins after my waters broke with no obvious noticeable warning prior to that, although I must have been in labour! My first 2 were born bang on 39 weeks. I'm very worried!

avocadosweet · 15/05/2016 07:44

I went into labour the day before i was booked in. They put me in the monitor for a bit then examined me, I was 5cm so everything moved quickly after that! I technically could have had a VB but wanted to avoid further damage after a severe tear and dreadful recovery.

GreenRug · 15/05/2016 07:44

Op, fwiw, it was my 3rd dc and would be my third CS so I think that had alot to do with no one trying to shimmy me along to have a vbac. I was told after cs 2 to ensure I had another one if I had a third as there was alot of scar tissue ( I laughed a hollow laugh, as IF i would ever have a third dc, did she think I was crazy?! )

somelikeitmild · 15/05/2016 07:55

Interested in this because I had a section with my first and have gestational diabetes this time and another large baby so possibly heading towards another section. Anyway, I could be wrong but is there some merit in your body going through labour even if they plan to section you? Not full labour of course but early contractions etc, I thought I read/was told that starts to prepare your body for the baby's arrival ie: milk etc. Happy to be told I'm wrong.

Original poster

Delurked · 15/05/2016 14:35

Thanks all. kittybiscuit did you have to fight to get your section signed off in the first place? I have been very pleasantly surprised by how little resistance I have had from midwives and doctors throughout this pregnancy - I thought they would really push me to VBAC - so I'd like to think they would continue to respect my decision if I turned up in labour. But part of me thinks it can't be that easy!

OP posts:

Original poster

Delurked · 15/05/2016 14:40

Doyoulikebirds that does sound pretty stressful, I hope it all works out for you in the end. Mine is booked in for four days before my due date. DC1 was 4 days overdue and early labour was very slow so I'm hoping I won't get caught out. But I guess you can never know.

OP posts:

kittybiscuits · 15/05/2016 14:45

Not a lot delurked. They ballsed up my first delivery really badly (baby was safe and well luckily) and I just said I want a planned section. The consultant read my notes and said that was perfectly reasonable. But it was a bit harder on the day because it was Xmas and they tried to stop me going to hospital. I had to be pushy and had no support but it was fine. The recovery was so much easier too.

Squashybanana · 15/05/2016 14:50

My friend went into labour the evening before her planned c sec. Despite being a consultant herself (in a different field of medicine) they were unwilling to do c sec overnight 'just because', and her DD was born vbac a couple of hours before scheduled c sec. I suspect had she laboured in 'office hours' they would have just done her elective.

AnnaT45 · 15/05/2016 17:10

Glad you have asked this delurked! I'm booked in at 40 weeks for mine. With DD I was induced 11 days over so I'm not too worried about going into labour earlier but it can clearly happen! Consultant said after three hours of labour I would be given a c section anyway unless I was miraculously 10cm. It took me 30 hours of induced labour to get to 5 last time so I'm not too worried!
I too also thought I would have to fight but consultant told me I was not a good candidate for VBAC

srirachalove · 15/05/2016 22:18

I was booked in for a ELCS at 39+5 as had previous section for PP and decided to go with the known over the unknown...

Waters went at 37+1 went to hospital got messed about for a bit. Contractions were rather painful. (Never had them first time) Got dumped in assessment bay. Thought "this hurts a lot"
they were pressing me to VBAC and I was in too much pain to think straight...
I said I would be examined and see how far I was before decided what to do but was fairly sure I'd have my section as who gets to 9cm in 2 hours in an assessment bay? I did!
Had epidural which I'm fairly sure they only gave me cos I was VBAC as I was practically fully dilated. Couldn't feel a thing when pushing so ended up with episiotomy forceps and 3rd degree tear.

Insist on section at all costs. Do not take my wishy washy approach!!

Original poster

Delurked · 16/05/2016 03:53

Eeek srirachalove that is exactly the kind of scenario I am hoping to avoid. Hope you are ok now. Like you, a large part of my reason for having a section is that I found it ok last time and would rather stick with the devil I know! I would probably prefer a straightforward VBAC over an ELCS but obviously no one can promise that it will be straightforward and I would be gutted if I ended up with a difficult VBAC ending in a traumatic delivery/ bad tearing.

I'm very glad to have been given the option of an ELCS this time round but as I get closer to my due date I can't help but second guess my decision, even though I do think it is the logical one for me. Pregnancy insomnia is not helping as I have plenty of time to think (and post on MN) about it.

OP posts:

srirachalove · 16/05/2016 13:53

I must say though that my recovery was easier than the section as although it hurt to sit down it was pain like when you've cut yourself rather than the immobility of a major op. I could lift my toddler, drive and do all the housework (great!)

ProfessorPickles · 16/05/2016 14:23

I'm not pregnant, but this sort of thing crosses my mind all of the time.

When I had DS I was supposed to be speeding my labour up as not much was happening and they kept delaying it as all of the wards were full. I lost a lot of fluid and (apparently?) this is why DS went into distress and I ended up alone and terrified in a room and they kept saying one minute I was having a crash c section and the next minute I wasn't anymore, which I assume is because they didn't know if the doctors would be here?? I don't know. They all had to be called in at 4am to deliver him and they ran down the corridor with me on a bed like in films!
I dread to think what would have happened if they couldn't have performed the c section.

They told me I qualify for a natural birth next time, but I hope that I can have a ELCS as my first experience terrified me to be quite honest. I felt out of control and was scared i would lose my baby and I'd prefer to go in for a planned ELCS next time so things will be calmer.

Sorry if I'm hijacking, just wondering what others think?

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