C section not gone to plan

[Hannah12341234]

Hi, I posted a few days ago but didn't get much response so trying again!
I had my first child by emergency c section. I am going to opt for an elective c section for my second child.
However, I know that things don't always go to plan. Has anyone got any experiences of their elective c section not going to plan e.g. Waters went before the c section date.
Just curious as to what others have experienced!! Thank you

My first elective section (almost 18 years ago!) I went in to labour at 37 weeks. I called the hospital, went straight in and they fitted me in about an hour afterwards, it was all very quick.

I had two unplanned but not emergency C sections. Something that flummoxed us was DC2, though v well, being taken to the baby unit immediately for tests, checks and antibiotics because it’d been several days since waters had gone. They hadn’t informed us in advance that would happen and DH had been looking forward to cuddles, cleaning DC2 etc, which had been his experience with DC1. Also I had adhesions/bladder joined to womb so had to be in surgery longer and put under general. DH ended up alone in the recovery area for ages not knowing what was going on with either of us.

Well I’m not sure it’s helpful to have stories of all the things that could go wrong, most go to plan and are fine! But since you’re asking - my elective was a disaster. They discovered I had undiagnosed placenta prévia (despite a scan at 34 weeks and no bleeding throughout whatsoever, no issues at all, was doing gardening the day before my section)! I lost 2.5 litres of blood and had to have 3 transfusions and stayed a week in hospital. But recovery was straightforward and still a positive experience- much better than my first birth which was a 67 hour induced labour! (Hence why I opted for a section with my second). Any birth can be unpredictable. Good luck x

Mine did in fact go to plan (and was a wonderful experience) but I had a plan in place in case labour started before my date. My notes stated that I was to have a section in either my maternity care hospital or the hospital I worked in.

I too bled more than was usual (somewhat expected and part of the reason for the section) but it didn’t detract from it at all.

Overall it was a great experience and I felt in control throughout. Good luck and chat through the specific what ifs you are worried about with your team.

I went into labour ahead of both my planned c-sections (because apparently my body doesn't know how to make it to 38 weeks pregnant - let alone the 39th week the section gets booked in). I could hardly say it "didn't go to plan" though. Just went in when labour started, they did it shortly after. No drama. How quick they do it will depend on how busy they are vs. how quickly things are progressing, but they just fit you in somewhere. It was all very straightforward for me. Just have the basics of your bag packed in advance!

I've had four sections. My first was emergency, second was planned for 39 weeks but went into labour at 37 weeks, they treated me as an emergency and did it about 2 hours after I went to hospital to be checled over as I was having contractions, but it was very laid back like a planned one should be, not rushed like my first birth.
My last 2 sections were planned and all straightforward.

I was booked in for an elective section and my waters broke the morning of the day before - rang the hospital & they told me to come in. Had my section a few hours later (I didn't have any contractions) it was a good experience.

Pregnant with no two & asking for an elective this time too.

I went into labour 2 days before my planned c section with number 2 and had a vbac because it felt very different to my first labour which ended in an emcs, labour was actually progressing and a couple of days before I’d decided I didn’t really want another c section (and had got very upset about the pending c section).

Earlier in pregnancy I’d got very very upset at the thought of not being able to have a csection.

Hello, sorry for jumping on this thread but if you've previously had a caesarian, can you request an elective one on your next birth without a medical need (UK)? I've had an emergency one and not pregnant yet but just wondering. Thanks:

In most areas if you’ve had one c section you can request another. How much you’ll be persuaded to try a vbac depends on the hospital trust. In my area they just tell you all the c section risks and then you decide.

I went into labour 3 weeks early with my 2nd DD after planning another C Section following an Emergency C Section with my eldest DD (who was also impatient as she was 3 weeks early too!)..
I was classed as a planned emergency and as long as everything was ok i was just told to wait for a theatre to become free once they had done all the 'proper emergencies... i.e. life and death etc' had to wait 5 hours for this but all in all a much better labour/birth then with my first.

I went into labour ahead of an elective with dc2. I was encouraged to attempt a vbac as I'd reached 10cms with dc1 (he was stuck). Discussed it, pointed out this felt exactly the same as last time and around 3 hours later I was in theatre for an amazing semi emergency section. We we were discharged the following day.

Thank you all for your replies. I guess every birth is so different!! I want to be prepared for the things that can go wrong 🙈.

@Dozer Can I ask about your adhesions/bladder joined to womb stuff please? They're personal questions so don't feel you have to answer.

Backstory: I had an emcs with ds1 and due to how far down I'd pushed him (until he was well and truly stuck) they had to cut an unusual way down to pull him back up and out. I had a catheter for 10days to let the area heal without my bladder inflating against the womb. Pregnant again and at the consultant meeting my 1st pregnancy notes said i'm likely to have adhesions and bladder issues and would need a senior surgeon if I had a section again, and encouraged a vbac as would be less risky. Initially I preferred an elective but seeing the notes from the 1st birth has made me a bit concerned.

Did you know beforehand about the adhesions/bladder attached to womb issue? Did you know you were going to have a general anaesthetic? How were things afterwards recovery wise with the bladder?

As I said, very personal qs so don't answer if you prefer not to. Deciding between an elective with risks vs vbac with potential complications whilst silently clinging on to a glimmer of hope for a natural without ending up in another emergency section is quite the mind boggle!!

Yes I had a scheduled section booked for 38 weeks - I'm a type 1 diabetic, was in my 40s and the baby was very big (I'm almost 6' so any baby was never going to be small, diabetes or not). My waters broke nine days before the scheduled date. We went to hospital but they said I was not in active labour so they would wait until the morning as they had a lot of surgeries booked, but if I did go into active labour I'd have to go in right away. So I had my 10lb 4oz son the next morning. I was lucky in one sense as they closed the ward shortly after I arrived as they couldn't handle any more women - I would have been sent to another hospital if I'd arrived a few hours later.
The section itself was fine.
My second the docs wanted me to go for a vbac but she also grew quite big so they opted for a section. She was born as a scheduled.