Mums who’ve had both: is ELCS really different to EMCS?

[LeFluffyPants]

Hello wise mumsnetters 💐 I’m sorry, I know this has been done before (not by me though 😃)

Warning: I’m sharing a bit of my birth story here (hopefully just facts, no added drama!) and it was bad. If you’ve not given birth yet maybe don’t read on, I do think I was VERY unlucky and this is not the norm!

I’m booked for ELCS with DS1 next Monday. Just over 2 years ago DD1 was born by EMCS after 48 hours of labour, failed induction and total rupture of membranes. It was a struggle to get her out (turns out she was well and truly stuck), I had a major PPH, followed by severe sepsis that landed me in ICU and finally a hematoma that burst my scar open on day 7. (DD was absolutely fine though 😊)

Anyway, due to how it all panned out, I’ve been consultant-led this pg and an ELCS has been recommended the whole way through. I’m happy with this as just want to avoid a repeat of last time!

But here’s the thing: I keep hearing friends/acquaintances tell me an ELCS can be a really lovely calm experience. Not at all like an emergency one.

But I literally cannot imagine it. All I can think of is how scared I was, how unwell I was with sepsis, how much blood I lost and how stressed the doctors were trying to yank her out.

So I’m feeling pretty bloody scared at the mo. To the point that actually I think if I hadn’t had a “surprise” pregnancy this time, I’m not sure I’d have chosen to do it again. Sorry, I know that sounds shitty, I AM bloody grateful to be having a second healthy child. I just can’t imagine giving birth in a way that isn’t really scary.

So: mums who have had both. Can ELCS really feel that different? Did you find it calm and did it even put to rest some of your EMCS memories (something else people tell me!)? Or was it pretty similar, all told? No sugar coating needed, best to be prepared I think!

Thank you so, so much in advance for any of your thoughts. 💐

I had a four day induction ending in EMCS with my first baby. DS was difficult for the surgeon to get out, he had an injured shoulder from the birth and I ended up with a blood transfusion and was very poorly for some time afterwards. Struggled to feed (mastitis/cyst), felt like I had the flu for months after the birth, got PND . It was a gruelling time.

I had an ELCS with baby no.2 and I cannot tell you how much better it was! So calm and serene. No drama. Recovered quickly. I think knowing some of what to expect + not having the long exhausting induction beforehand meant I was much calmer in myself and had more energy and just felt emotionally much stronger.

I wanted to do it again straight away - that’s how good the ELCS was .

EMCS the first time (failed induction and all round horrific experience).

ELCS the 2nd time was like a completely different thing. It was calm, I walked down to theatre myself. Was on an enhanced recovery plan so was up and sitting in a chair 6 hours later, walked to the bathroom and brushed my teeth before bed and was home the next day. It hurt, but I made sure I stayed on top of my pain - took peppermint oil capsules to help with the wind pain and was prepared at home with a big box of paracetamol, ibuprofen and a pick up stick. By 2 weeks, I was back to doing the school run and at 6 weeks was walking a mile a day. I know there are potential complications from any surgery, but honestly it was like chalk and cheese. I think the biggest boost to my recovery the 2nd time was that I wasn't exhausted from induction and days of labour, so I was ready to recover iYSWIM, rather than run down and exhausted from being induced and nil by mouth for several days.

Also, I'd reiterate what a PP has said about counselling / debrief. I was diagnosed wit PTSD during my 2nd pregnancy as a result of the 1st experience. You might find that this ELCS ends up you feeling a bit worse about the 1st time round and need some counselling or a debrief.

I was treated for PTSD during my 2nd pregnancy, and after wards I ended up with PND but I think that part of the issue was that I felt very sad about my 1st pregnancy and how different I had felt about my babies. 1st time round, I didn't want my baby near me for a few hours as I had felt so crap about the experience and the 2nd time I just didn't want to stop cuddling my baby. I felt incredibly guilty about how different I had felt between the 2 - some counselling after the 2nd birth really helped sort through those feelings.

Sorry you had such a trauma OP. That must have been very tough. Having had both, an ELCS is at least planned for daylight hours. My EMCS took place after 12 hours of non-progressing labour that started at 11pm! Avoiding total lack of sleep when you already have a DC to look after is one upside of an ELCS. Although we have no relatives nearby, my amazing MIL moved in with us for 2 weeks to look after house, cooking, cleaning leaving me to focus on baby. Accept all offers of help, especially cooking, shopping etc. Good luck xx

Op you have had an awful time. Congrats on your pregnancy. I've had 2 ELCS & both fine. The op takes bout 25 - 40 mins so I was timing to get through but as soon as baby is out, everything else down there is irrelevant. Good luck!

Ah, well I had a ELCS first time round (breech baby who wasn't gonna turn) and then I was encouraged to have a VBAC with my second pregnancy. But his ended in EMCS. So I guess I'm kind of back to front to what you're experiencing.

My ELCS was a totally relaxed experience. We knew exactly the date we were going into hospital, which was good in the sense we knew how to plan for the days around the birth. I walked from the ward into the theatre and hopped (as far as poss at nine months pg) onto the bed and had my spinal. The room was so relaxed, the theatre staff were chatting to me and each other. My surgeon asked me if I was happy with the music he'd selected because he'd got a new CD in his car and he could get someone to run down and get that if I fancied listening to it. Honestly, it was surreal. I felt really safe and nothing was rushed, including the spinal, the team explained what was happening the whole time. I felt almost in control.

Once the spinal was in, and I was laid down and ready, my DH came in (in his scrubs, swoon!) and the op started. Everyone was chatting, there was music, and I felt nervous but reassured. Then this baby was presented to me over the 'curtain' and it was almost over.

My EMCS was different, I had experienced labour, it wasn't happening, I had a epidural, the baby was in distress and I was suffering a with a serious chest infection, which was probably affecting the oxygen in my blood, so maybe the baby was distressed due to that, I'll never know. From the time it was decided to go for the CS, the whole mood in the room changed, it became tense and urgent and far from relaxed. It had a huge affect on how I felt: it was serious, the baby wasn't happy and I was scared.

Anyway, in summary, give me an ELCS over an EMCS anyday. And in fact, give me an ELCS over hours of labour too, labour sucks and I bow down to anyone who's endured it for more than 8 hours and then given birth, you are amazing.

KTD27 and Grannyannex - so pleased you had such positive CS experiences. Really reassuring to hear, thank you.

Billballbaggins - so reassuring to hear you found them so different! Sorry you had a crap time first time around too but how brilliant the ELCS was better. And yep, it must make a massive difference to not be knackered out from days of labour! I need to remember that.

Turquoisetamborine - yes, I really remember not liking the tugging sensation in my EMCS (was awake, albeit very out of it due to sepsis and two days of labour). Glad to hear it was calm otherwise.

StateOfTheUterus - so great to hear this. I love that you had a nap pre-birth! How different is that from being in labour?! And great to hear you went home the next day, I am really hoping for the same especially as have DD to get back to.

Heismyopendoor - sounds like we had a similar experience first time, I was also in hospital a long old time as was so unwell afterwards. So pleased to hear the planned ones were so different.

Xuli - such a helpful post, thank you! . Yeah, we've been warned there could be a wait on the day or even a delay til the next day (sorry you had a two day delay though, that's rough!). I'm going to take plenty of entertainment with me, including my phone so I can distract myself with Mumsnet, ha. SO pleased to hear how well it went for you.

NeverTalksToStrangers - wow, your first experience sounds full on. So pleased the ELCS was so chilled, even a bit of an anti-climax - hope I'll feel the same way!!

Yes. I had a crash EMCS with preemie twins. Then an ELCS two years later. I have a photo of me 20 mins before the ELCS smiling and laughing and all excited! 20 mins before the twins were born ... whole other set of emotions going on.

I also suffered worse physically after the EMCS than the ELCS. Recovery from the ELCS was quick and drama free.

Gunpowder - thanks so much I'll check Poppy out on YouTube. And yes, I have had a debrief with a consultant during this pregnancy which was helpful. They were also really reassuring that a lot of the things that went wrong last time were because of my two-day labour, not the CS, so they're very unlikely to happen again.

crosser62 - I love your post, thank you so much. SO sorry your first experience was so awful but how amazing the ELCS was so different... home in 24 hours too. This is so reassuring, thanks

trilbydoll - that's so funny that they were chilled to the point of frustrating! And yes, so true about less rummaging, thank god.

RedCabbageStains - so pleased your baby girl was ok, and that the second CS was much calmer. And yes, I can imagine there might be some flashbacks, did you find they passed fairly soon after DD2's birth?

TheNewYear - I am so sorry to hear about everything you've been through - losing your baby must have been devastating it sounds like you recovered and coped incredibly well. I do think that, for me, it was also the days after the CS that I found v traumatic, as I was basically unconscious/delirious for the first week of DD's life and my DH thought I might die etc. So it was the recovery bit as well as the actual birth, I guess.

Haven’t read all the stories in detail but wanted to say that an ELCS was so so different in my experience than the EMCS. And my recovery also was wildly different.

1st was a crash EMCS under general after 2.5 days in hospital and failed forceps. My recovery was hideous, still holding stomach in pain when I sneezed a year later etc. Obviously I was under GA so don’t remember the actual section but the whole experience and panic for our lives will never leave me.

Understandably I was determined not to have a c section second time round. Ended up being told I had no choice when very overdue and they wouldn’t induce.
I had two days notice to get used to it, was so upset.

Actually it was a lovely experience and so so different. I never imagined a c section could be like a birth is meant to be. Radio on in the background, our wedding first dance came on which I saw as a sign, calm process, moment when they showed me DC2 was amazing had skin to skin and breastfed almost immediately. Was absolutely lovely.

I think your body being in a better place to go into the op, ie not having done labour first, must make a significant difference to the recovery too. And the calmness means they can go a bit slower and be nearer rather than being worried about losing a life.

It can be very very different and a lovely experience OP, honestly.

Good luck to you.

Recovery was quicker after elcs even tho it did end up being an emcs as my waters broke before the due date.
But I wasn't shattered from labouring and being up all night to start with and I hadn't had loads of drugs making me ill.
So it was more relaxed and as I knew what to expect I was more prepared.
I was able to rest lots as dh took charge of ds and let me spend a week in bed basically.
I would do it again!

I'm just popping into to agree with everyone else.

EMCS was horrific and I absolutely did not want another caesarean.

2nd pregnancy was breech with placenta previa so had to have a ELCS which I was dreading. It was lovely. Really calm and relaxed and then a baby appeared!

Good luck, op.

Yes different experiences
EMCS - I was scared, exhausted, desperate for it all to be over.
I remember little of directly afterwards and who was there apart from DH as I was truly exhausted and felt like I'd been beaten up

ELCS - felt a bit odd as it was so relaxed, little bit of drama as my waters broke on the way down to theatre and as I had polyhydramnious (sp?) it was a bit of a tidal wave. I was introduced to everybody, there was lots of chat and it was completely different mood. Was a lot easier, more nervous than scared. And yes I was still sore afterwards but not as exhausted.

I've not had ELCS but my sister's 3rd was, and I agree with all above, much calmer and more straightforward. My mother and I were actually both quite worried beforehand, as her 2nd EMCS had been very difficult (a lot of adhesions, a lot of blood loss) and she'd been advised not just ELCS subsequently, but also to seek the most experienced surgeon possible due to the difficulties they'd had. But it all went very smoothly.

TarragonSauce - oh my god, that's horrendous that the epidural didn't work first time. Can totally understand why it took you that long to try again, I actually think I'd have been similar if this pg hadn't taken us by surprise. I've also had counselling to help me with my fears about this time and it helped a lot. Thanks so much for such a reassuring post.

lrwe - thank you for such a reassuring post! I really relate to the antenatal anxiety, I have also struggled all the way through this pregnancy with anxiety and it's so tough - sorry you went through this I'm so pleased to hear this time was better and that your recovery was easier, too. That's amazing to hear.x

GnomeDePlume - so sorry your first birth was so frightening that's such a good point about abdominal muscles being rested before an ELCS, I hadn't thought of that. Mine must have been thoroughly knackered out before my EMCS. And thanks for mentioning that about your BP, I've heard that can happen, good to be prepared.

ShowOfHands - your first experience sounds bloody scary, so sorry you went through that. Really reassuring to hear second time was easier, thank you.

driggle - thank you so much for this. So sorry you went through such a terrible time first time, and for your PTSD but wow, so happy and reassured to hear the birth four months ago was so different! I imagine I might also be frightened and crying while it's happening but to hear you felt so elated afterwards and bounced back so quickly is amazing. THANK YOU.

Pomfluff - hello, fellow fluff sister thanks so much for your post. Really great to hear it was a good experience. So funny you were hungry while they were stitching your insides up! I've had hyperemesis this pregnancy so I reckon I'll also be RAVENOUS the moment he's out, ha. Pleased you've got lots of help for recovery, hope you keep on healing as quickly as poss

Hailthelime - that's fab your ELCS was such a good experience (though not having enough epidural sounds... ouch!). I really relate to what you said about feeling a bit of a failure when it didn't go as you had hoped for first time. I felt the same. Hope this has passed for you now

SackOfSprouts - so sorry you had such a gruelling experience first time round, it sounds truly awful. Thanks so much for posting about how much better it was second time - I LOVE that you wanted to do it again straight away!! I so hope I feel the same way!

Iliketeaagain - massively repeating myself here but thank you SO much for sharing your experience, it's so reassuring, but again so sorry for what you went through. I really get what you're saying about feeling differently towards your two babies, I can imagine that. I will definitely have counselling lined up for after the birth as I do expect that I might suffer with PND again. So sorry you suffered with it too. Glad that counselling and debrief helped

PlainJane007 - thanks for your post and yes you're so right, at least this time my CS will be in 'normal' hours rather than 11pm with a skeleton staff when DD finally emerged! And that's great you had your MIL to help - I am also very lucky in that all DH's family live down the road and are very supportive. DH is also taking quite a bit of time off this time, too.

buckeejit - thank you and lovely to hear your ELCS's were so good. Super reassuring.

FooFightersFan - (me too!) - so sorry your second birth was much harder. But thank you so much for telling me about your lovely calm ELCS. Looking back, I can't really believe that I did 48 hours of full-on labour before they took her out... it does make me think, surely it cannot POSSIBLY be so bad when I've done no labour at all?!

runningme - so sorry your first birth was so dramatic! Hope your twins are well and thriving now? Great to hear you were so chilled and happy before your ELCS - I need some of those vibes!!

first was EMCS due to undetected breech. Followed by PND and no bonding with DD1.

second was ELCS with spinal which didn't take. hugely painful and followed by spinal headache which lasted for several days and is probably the worst pain i have ever experienced.

Roll on another 10 years and unexpected dc3. ELCS, no dramas, no pain, delivered, done and dusted. it was fine. it was nice to finish on a good memory as ds arrived after two dds. Hard to believe he's nearly 17 and 6 foot 2!!!

Yesitwasmethistime - thank you for such a lovely, reassuring post. I am so sorry your first experience was so hideous. How amazing your wedding song came on in your ELCS though?! A total sign! And yep, you're so right that it must be different if you haven't been through hours (days...) of labour first. THANK YOU

bridgetosomewhere - so great to hear your recovery was quicker second time. And sounds like you've got a super supportive DH too - I'm in the same boat in that I know he'll take over everything he can for a week or two so I can rest. So reassuring to hear you'd do it all again! Thank you.

HammerHorror - again, thank you so much. So reassuring to hear your experience.

wonkylegs - thank you so much for your post. That's incredible timing that your waters went on the way to theatre! Your DC was clearly ready to be born at the exact time they were taken out! Amazing.

Pythonesque - wonderful to hear this about your sister. So pleased it went smoothly. Thanks for posting this.

MUMSNET, THANK YOU. You are wonderful. You have massively reassured a v nervous FluffyPants. I will update post CS next Monday in case it helps anyone else who's going through similar (I promise I will actually do this).

EMCS with firstborn followed by an ELCS with second two years later.

Very little pain with either, back on feet in a matter of hours and breastfeeding established with no hitches.

OP The flashbacks did go fairly quickly. I had pulled in a lot of support, so once I got home I was able to rest and recover. No rushing about dealing with endless well-meant bunches of flowers that needed vases, and gifts that needed thank you cards. Certainly no lifting my toddler (we had bed or sofa cuddles), no cooking, no cleaning.

And I kept on top of the pain much better (took all the prescribed post-op drugs, and crucially had better knowledge and so was able to avoid engorgement / thrush / mastitis that time) which made a massive difference to my mental health.

I've had both and agree with previous posters, they were as different as chalk and cheese.

EMCS - horrible and frightening experience, with 6 grim-faced doctors in the room and nobody speaking, I lost a lot of blood, couldn't move my legs for best part of a day afterwards, was in so much pain I needed morphine and was in hospital for a week.

ELCS - a breeze, totally relaxed, pop music playing and doctors chatting about what they'd seen on TV, could wiggle my toes shortly after the CS in the recovery room and stand up to go the bathroom within a couple of hours, not a single minute of pain.