Elective section - things I should know to prepare myself

[ArtemisBean]

Owing to a previous bad 3c tear I've been advised to consider a section this time. They're leaving the decision up to me and I'm swaying towards the section at this point. But I'd like to hear from mums with experience of an elective and the recovery period afterwards. Was it what you expected? Anything you wish you'd known, or would do differently next time? Any adverse effects on the baby and/or breastfeeding? At the moment the biggest incentive for having a section is that, although it's 'major surgery', the long-term after-effects are likely to be minimal compared to having another 3rd or 4th degree tear that could leave me with problems for the rest of my life. I feel like whichever decision I make I'm screwed 🙁

I was in the same situation, 3b year with first child after several hours pushing, failed vacuum and forceps and then elective section for no2.
My section wasn’t agreed until 32 weeks, then a date booked around 36 weeks (for 39 weeks). This was then pushed back to due date because of staffing issues which did give me a bit of anxiety over what would happen if I went into labour, but as it happened contractions started the morning of the section so it was fine.
The section was really quick, but I was last on that days elective list so had to hang around in the corridor/waiting room until I was brought in - make sure your phone is charged and you’ve got a power bank with you!
Keep on top of pain relief post op, and keep asking for it in the hospital, the midwives weren’t proactive at bringing it but every time I asked they sorted something straight away.
Breastfeeding and milk supply were absolutely fine, I feel like my supply came in easier because my body had done it before (might be nonsense) but it was still agony for a couple of weeks while we got the hang of it.
I do have a bit of a pouch belly, but a year on my scar overhang is nearly gone as my abdominal muscles have knitted back together and strengthened and the lack of weight loss is due to no exercise and lockdown snacking, I think without covid that wouldn’t be an issue for me.
There won’t be a next time, but I do think a section was the right call.
Since the birth I’ve asked my GP to refer to women’s health physio for an assessment and they’ve confirmed my pelvic floor is weakened and I think any pushing this time round would have really damaged things.

Big pants. Black big pants.

Get up as soon as you feel able to, and walk up straight.

Don't carry anything other than the baby. Get someone else to carry your bag or the kettle.

Getting up in bed is hard. Work out a way that you can do it, and don't worry you look like a prat. You need to be able to get out of bed and it does get easier.

Rest. When you overexert yourself you'll find out by the fish of blood in your pad.

Big pads. I recommend the boots own brand that always seem to be on 3 for 2. They claim you bleed less after a section - I didn't. Either time.

Take it slow. You've just had a baby. Try to get some time in the whole wind for your own recovery.

Best of luck.

PS I've had two. First was EMCS and stayed in for five days. Second was an ELCS and left hospital 25 hours after delivery.

And feeding is fine - DS2 is 2.5yrs and still feeding.

Had emergency with first, planned section with second.

Planned was a dream. Was not exhausted from failed labour, pain was manageable (never done vb so can’t compare) home next day. No probs holding baby. Breastfeeding fine. Within a week was pretty much ok. Laughing and coughing in first week not so good.

I think if you can have the perfect vb that’s ideal. But who gets that! C-section is not risk free but compared to vb may friends had.. I had the easiest ride by far.

I’d second get up as soon as you can.. seemed to help recovery and feeling more normal.

Congratulations to you anyway whatever you decide.

I recovered a lot quicker from my elcs than from my previous birth experience which involved tears and a broken coccyx!

Planned was an absolute dream after traumatic first birth. I was driving three weeks later with obstetrician’s go ahead.

I had an elective as I had a breech baby and didn’t fancy the turn...
On the day you go in it depends how busy they are as to whether the procedure goes ahead. On the day I went in I was counted as the only non elective and I was the only one chosen to go down (due to emergencies).

I’m very squeamish, so I wish I’d told the doctor that I didn’t need to have everything she was doing described to me in great detail. They will show you the placenta if you’d like to see it...
Aside from that it was very quick, baby was fine and the whole procedure was obviously pain free (until afterwards!).
I was asked if I wanted the baby straight on me, cleaned and put on me or cleaned and swaddled in a blanket and given to my DH. I went with the latter and wish I hadn’t. I didn’t hold baby for around ten minutes, but she was put close to my face instead.
I didn’t want to breast feed before I had the baby but changed my mind afterwards, however I didn’t get any milk for 4 days by which time baby was used to the bottle. If you want to breast feed make it known to your midwife and they can assist you.

Healing wise it did hurt, but I could hold baby, pick up baby, shower and move around and the nurses /midwives will make you move around after anyway. After a week it only really hurt during the process of getting out of bed. Overall it was better than I expected, but I took longer to get back to normal activities than my friends who had vaginal births (all of whom tore, one tore very badly and needed an emergency C section as the baby got into difficulty).
I wish I had known what to expect, as I faint at the sight of blood and I didn’t need to worry as I didn’t see any! So I was petrified the entire time, they had to rush a bit at the end as my blood pressure was decreasing and had I known there was nothing to fear, it could have been so much more relaxing.

Good luck with whatever option you choose.

Had a planned section with my first (breech) and normal delivery with my second. Recovery from planned section was so much easier!!! And you're not knackered because you've had no labour - bonus!

Learn to log roll to get yourself out of bed with out twisting (google getting out of bed after spinal surgery!!) and be careful with lifting.

Try and get up and about as soon as you can. Good luck!!!

I had an EMCS and I was surprised by how many people were in the theatre.

Thatwentbadly, so was I. A midwife later told me that some of the theatre staff were in charge of the instruments and swabs etc.

I had an emergency (going to ask for an elective as well)

My emergency was under general and I had no problem breastfeeding (the midwife actually latched my DS when I was still asleep and I woke up wondering where the hell I was, what had happened and how the baby had got there - I was pretty out of it when they took me down for the surgery ) I fed my DS until he was 19 months old and had no problems.

Get big black pants (don’t bother with throw away paper pants or whatever - just buy really cheap cotton pants)

Move if you can as early as you can. So it slowly (but don’t over do it!!) Work out how you are going to get out of bed, with someone there - I sort of adopted a roll onto my side and push myself up with my elbows technique!

Take the pain relief they offer you!

Good luck!

When I had my EMCS, the spinal anaesthetic paralysed me from the lower chest downwards (as it’s supposed to). Due to this, I was given a catheter.

It was fine, but I didn’t like the thought of it, so I asked to have it removed as early as possible. I regretted this, as over the next few hours I could feel my bladder getting fuller, but I couldn’t empty it. That wasn’t fun, until it resolved itself.

I had an emergency section under general, (after being declined an elective and coerced into a horrible induction instead!) And the best advice I took was to get up as soon as possible and walk tall, do not shuffle or hunch. I healed really quickly with minimal pain and was moving about as normal. I wasn't prepared for the 10 days of blood thinning injections I'd have to do afterwards, they hurt like little bee stings! But 10 days goes by pretty quickly.

I was afraid to look at the wound straight afterwards, I'm not sure what I was expecting, but when I did, it was this neat little line and no big deal! The scar is below the knicker line and doesn't bother me at all - I'm quite fond of it in a weird way :)

I did read that you should take some peppermint oil capsules with you as you can get bad trapped wind that you feel in your shoulder. It didn't happen to me but can't hurt to be prepared.

I also took my own painkillers (cocodamol) as I found that they weren't very forthcoming on the ward, and a couple of paracetamol twice a day isn't going to cut it in those first days!

Lastly, I didn't take the really harsh iron tablets prescribed afterwards, instead took spatone/floradix religiously, as its gentler on your tummy!

Hope that helps!

I honestly had less pain in the whole of my recovery from EMCS than I had in five minutes of labour. So unglam, but tena pants were great. V soft and then you just throw away the whole thing. Be careful not to get dehydrated - I ended up so dehydrated but that was probably labour too.

I had a planned. It was lovely to be honest, if you want to see baby come out they will lower the drape so make sure you ask. We were also allowed music on. It felt very uncomfortable at points, like there was a washing machine in my tummy, and I did get quite a bit of pain after but as long as you keep up with meds (ask!!) and accept help picking up baby etc then it’s bearable.
We had no issues with Breastfeeding but I did have skin to skin straightaway by choice! Also we weren’t told this but it’s apparently quite common, baby came out quite mucusy! Took a few days for it all to fully clear, and that’s the only thing that did affect feeding, as he could only manage very short periods before getting very sniffly. Supposedly common as it doesn’t get squished out as baby is pushed out like during a vaginal delivery.
Good luck whichever you choose, Hope it’s a wonderful experience!

I've only got one child and she was a ELCS so I don't have anything to compare against but I have nothing but positive things to say about her birth. I was first on the list for the day for various reasons so I went into hospital at about 6.30am and she was born a little after 10am. My friend happened to be in the bed opposite after an EMCS the night before and she overheard everything and said the difference between EMCS and ELCS was significant!

There were a lot of staff in the theatre but everything was very relaxed (including some gentle teasing over potential names) and the anaesthetist was amazing (I am soooooo bad with needles!). I held DD for a few mins after she was born before they cleaned her up then once I was stitched up we moved to recovery and I breastfed her successfully within an hour of her being born.

I had a few bladder issues afterwards so had to be recatheterised and kept in for an extra 36 hrs but who knows if I think that was epidural related so could have happened with a vaginal birth if I'd had an epidural. We went home 3 days after DD was born and I don't have any problems now. The scar healed well and any post-birth issues I had were pregnancy related, not CS related.

She's 2 now and I have a scar but otherwise nothing notable from the birth. I can honestly hand on heart say I would recommend an ELCS if needed/wanted - it was a very positive experience for me and DD.

I had extensive tearing with my DC after a forceps delivery with coccyx damage. I was under the gynae team for treatment for nearly a year afterwards.
I’m pregnant again and the thought of another vaginal delivery brings tears to my eyes. I wouldn’t have another if I had to give birth vaginally again.
I had a consultant appointment at my 20 week scan and went in prepared. I’d read about the risks of further tearing with scar tissue, the chances of another retained placenta and the surgery risks of c-section and he was so understanding. He said that he would have supported whatever decision I made but that he felt I was making the right one for me.
I’m already getting pelvic floor pain just with the pressure of the pregnancy so am even more convinced it was personally the right decision.
I’ve been advised to take plenty of reading material/tech so you don’t get bored waiting, and high waisted black knickers. I’m going to take some squash as I’m more likely to drink that than water, and some snacks for the recovery period. I’m struggling to find button up PJ’s in a dark colour though.

I was quite put out that I had to walk to theatre, I wanted to be wheeled I had an emcs then an elcs and tbh the recovery was the same, about 2 weeks, but my scar hurt more the 2nd time. Bf both dc for 9/10 months. I don't think dd2 was really ready to come out at 39w, she was a bit sleepy and jaundiced at first.

The midwives couldn't have made it any clearer that they had no time for me. Luckily the feeling is mutual after the disaster of dd1's delivery!

This is all amazing advice, thank you so much everyone! What were your experiences with the anaesthetic? I had a spinal for my 3rd degree tear surgery which was fine. Is it the same thing for a section? I'm not a huge fan of being pumped full of drugs as I'm a dreadful emetophobe, but I'm hopeful if the tear surgery didn't affect me then hopefully a section wouldn't either...

@butwhereismycoffee That's really encouraging news that you were able to drive after three weeks! DH gets 3 weeks paternity and then I'm on my own and need to get the 2 year old to nursery somehow!

I had a 16 month old when I had my second but elective c section. It was amazing! So relaxed and smooth.
I had to sleep sitting up for the first two nights but was fine after that. I'd say by 2 weeks, I felt pretty normal. Just as well as I had a toddler to look after!
Take things easy for that first two weeks but do try and make sure you are walking round the house

Oh and stock up on peppermint tea! It will help with the inevitable trapped wind!

I've had 3 sections, and it's not the worst thing in the world, although not my favourite way to spend a morning. The main thing to remember is that every few days you will feel better, it's a bit scary at first (kinda feels like your innards are going to drop on the floor when you stand up), but recovery is pretty quick. Try not to worry. Baby needs to come out somehow, try to just go with it.

One regular birth with 3b tear, one c-section. If I had a third, I’d have a c-section again. The first night after was a bit tough but two weeks on I was pushing a double pram up and down the hills where we live. No side effects, no infections and a few years on, you can barely see my scar. No overhang, no skin in the wrong place. It’s great! Personally I’d rather have my stitches where I can see them. Top tip - do not be freaked out by the size of the incision the day after. Your stomach skin will shrink away and rather than looking like you’ve got a 12 inch scar, you’ll be left with one that’s about 4 inches long!

Ps - I also had a spinal for my tear first time. The section was an epidural. I had a tiny numb patch on my back for ages after but that just made me a medical anomaly apparently!