Elective C-section on Tuesday! (Blow by blow account for anyone facing the same)

[PaddleBoardingMomma]

I'll be 38+5 and I'm equal parts excited and nervous for pregnancy to be behind me and to meet this little girl!

Thought I would just post-as-I-go through the experience in case anyone else is facing the same over the coming weeks and might like a snap shot of what happens.

I'm a size 14-16 (plus some pregnancy weight gain) too so have some extra abdominal fat where the incision will be and thought it might be useful for anyone else who's also been wandering what the healing is like if you're a bit bigger.

Yesterday was my pre op assessment and went like this:

I think most trusts are super busy at the moment so my appointment was over an hour late, I've had to wait ages at every appointment this pregnancy so not shocked.

Eventually saw a lovely consultant who talks you through the procedure and lists the relative risks and percentages of things that can go wrong such as infection or bleeding. She did say that these figures included emergency sections which can boost the figures to look a bit scary as electives are generally very very very safe, this was reassuring! You sign some forms and then you are given some strong anti acid tablets (omeprezole) to take the night before and the morning of the surgery.

I then had to wait to see a nurse who took my bloods. This is to check your blood type, iron levels etc. They have your blood type on stand by in the theatre should you need it.

Finally I saw another nurse who measured my height and weight and then measured me up for compression stockings to wear during surgery!

The whole thing took about 2.5 hours with all the waiting to see different people but was a very positive experience and they answered all my questions very thoroughly and kindly.

They told me to be back at the hospital on the morning of surgery at 8am and that's where I'll pick up from again when I next post!

They did say that depending on the situation on the day you may he bumped back to the next day if they have emergencies come in and electives always go to the back of the queue so I have that at the back of my mind.

If anyone has any questions feel free to ask! And if not I'll just post as each thing happens so at least it's here for further reference and might help someone else down the line.

Good luck for Tuesday. I bet you can't wait to meet your baby

Following with interest. Hope it all goes well xx

Can I ask how they decided on the delivery date? Is it a maternal choice caesarean ie no official medical need?

Good luck with it all!

Good luck on Tuesday! Xx

Oh great thread
Thanks OP - hope it all goes smoothly for you

Ooh thanks OP. I had an emergency c section with my first and seriously considering an elective this time so I’ll be really interested in how you get on xx

Thanks - watching with interest as currently 26 weeks pregnant and trying to get one arranged. I'm hoping the midwife is supportive at the next appointment.

Mine is on Monday and I’m feeling the same! Had my pre-op this afternoon with a nurse. Just had a covid test and blood test then will sign the forms on Monday morning. Very very nervous but being there today and seeing someone leaving with their newborn baby in a car seat did make me realise why I’m doing it 🙈 I’m most worried about the cannula (purely because I’ve never had one) and spinal. Been told on another thread to count to 100 in French in my head while the spinal is happening because it will probably be done long before then. Just hoping I can calm my nerves enough to stay still 🙈 good luck for Tuesday, the vast majority of comments I’ve read about ELCS have been hugely positive and straightforward

@User27569 good luck in getting one approved. You should be able to fine! I typed a 5 page document to read at my telephone appointment with notes from the NICE guidelines as well as info I found on birth rights. In the end up I didn’t need any of it and other than trying to scare me with the risks, they were quite happy to agree to it

@PaddleBoardingMomma Thanks for this thread!! Following with interest as I'm booked in for a section 4th October and I am on the podgy side this time round so interested to know about the section incision and how you deal with it. Good luck mama! X

Hi everyone!! Thanks so much for the well wishes and I'm so happy others are joining in too, please do post your own experiences and then hopefully this will be a useful and collective thread for people to get a little info if and when they need to!

As for how the date was chosen...

They attempt to get as close to 39 weeks as possible, for me this would have been Thursday the 12th. However the Thursday was quite solidly booked and there would have been more chance of me being sent home, where as two days earlier on the Tuesday has plenty of room and a better chance of going ahead.

As I say, they do like to get as close to 39 weeks as possible but they DO have leeway and consultants are allowed to make judgement calls based on things like how baby is growing, how mum is going and what the surgery schedule looks like that day.

Thanks, my wife is 36 weeks and looking to have a caesarean, it’s an ivf baby so they usually get them ‘out’ around 39 weeks so I just wondered.

He’s also measuring big so we have another growth scan to see. Thanks for sharing all of this it’s really useful

I've had two C-sections. The first was due to a failed induction, the second was elective. The first came as a shock as not planned, and I was wiped out for three weeks or so. But the second was a breeze. I even hosted a birthday party for my oldest DC one week after the arrival of my second.

It is a bizarre experience. You walk to the operating table. A needle is inserted into your spine and that's where the wonder drugs are delivered. I didn't feel anything at all btw. So don't worry about any pain. Then they check if you are completely numbed. I felt really sick from the drugs but as soon as I told the anesthesiologist, he gave me another drug that instantly stopped me feeling sick. Then once they've opened you up you feel some pressure on your chest (like a naughty toddler sitting on your chest). It isn't that uncomfortable but it is a weird feeling as they are pulling and tugging to get the baby out. Then once your baby is placed in your arms, everything else is a blur. Honestly it was as fine. No issues at all. I was similar size to you. I healed really well.
It can be a bit painful moving around, so don't be afraid to accept the painkillers. But they won't give you codeine if breastfeeding (but the alternative tablets were fine for me).

Good luck. Hope all goes well x

@BabaGanouche the cannula in your hand and spinal - how sore? What do they feel like? 🙈

I didn't really feel the spinal. The cannula in your hand was okay too. Slight scratch as they put it in, and can be a bit sore if you flex your hand a certain way. Btw you will also have a catheter to collect your urine. I remember the first night in hospital they took it out (no discomfort whatsoever).

@BabaGanouche everyone seems to say the same thing, I need to try and stop worrying about it. I’m fine with needles the rest of the time! I know, going to strictly tell them I want to know nothing that’s happening beyond that curtain so I don’t want them to say when it’s going in 🙈

Mine is on Tuesday too at 7am! I'll be 39 weeks exactly and having a girl too.
Pre-op is booked for tomorrow. Going to do my bags today 😀 I'm so anxious and excited at once.
I had an emergency csection with my first DC after failed induction so this elective feels less chaotic though.

Best wishes OP.

Quick update!

I'll be in the hospital tomorrow for 7:45am, finding it hard to sleep with the nerves and excitement.

I had to take 2 omeprezole capsules at 10pm, and I can't have anything to eat now until after surgery tomorrow. Another two omeprezole to take tomorrow at 7am! X

@PaddleBoardingMomma Best of luck mama! Cannot wait to hear how it goes! 💗

[quote MyGrassIsBrowner]@PaddleBoardingMomma Best of luck mama! Cannot wait to hear how it goes! 💗[/quote]
Thanks so much!! I'm super nervous but equally excited. I'll be sure to document everything as I go tomorrow! X

So excited for you! Congratulations!!

@HauteGirlSummer @PaddleBoardingMomma huge good luck for tomorrow!

I have genuinely had the best day of my life! My little man was born at 2:28pm 😊 None of it was bad at all, other than the over thinking before it! Told my anesthetist how I was feeling about the needles (and I’m usually okay with needles)! He couldn’t have been nicer. He did a bit of local in my hand first so the cannula was fine - was my first time ever having one. The spinal the only bit I properly felt was the local and it was just a bee sting then it was done. The spinal just felt like his finger pushing into my back really. I was surprised by how ‘okay’ the feeling was after it was done too. It took a lot longer to gradually spread all over than what I expected. I thought it would be this sudden horrible rush of hot/cold feeling but it wasn’t at all. It was just like pins and needles that came on very very slowly. I was convinced it hadn’t worked enough because I could still feel the spray on my skin but it wasn’t cold, just felt like a room temperature spray kind of or like I was being sprayed over the top of my clothes. The anesthetist assured me this was fine. When they started the op I’d asked not to be told anything but he did tell me they’d started about a minute after it had. I didn’t even know, it felt like someone just had their hand on the area and was pressing down. It had to have been under 2 minutes from the screen going up and I could hear him crying as they said ‘we have a baby’! I think I was actually stunned it had been that easy! I was thinking no way?! I had geared myself up for it to be at the minimum 5 minutes - if they were really fast! I can’t get away with someone being able to get a baby out in like 90 seconds!!

Now on the ward and feeling fine, managed to get up to sit on the chair etc and I really can’t feel I’ve had an op at all. Felt like I had slightly bruised ab muscles when I got up but really nothing major.

Have the loveliest day tomorrow- enjoy it! Hope it goes as lovely and straightforward as mine. Everyone on the ward has had a nice experience too ☺️ The only person who didn’t was someone’s husband who went over to see baby and cut the cord at the side then blacked out and hit his face off the little bed baby was in then hit the floor. My partner was then terrified to get off the seat when they said he could go over 😂 with some encouragement he managed it haha!

Hope you both have the best day tomorrow, will be thinking about you 😊xx

Congratulations @sarah13xx

I can't sleep. Too excited/anxious about it all. Can't wait to meet DD.
Dropping off DS super early with a friend tomorrow before we leave for hospital. I'm so relieved I've got the childcare sorted. Just feel bad for my friend who'll be getting our toddler at 6:30am this morning lol, she's been a lifesaver 🌺

Best wishes for tomorrow OP!

And congratulations @sarah13xx so happy everything went smoothly 😀 Enjoy the cutest cuddles from your little new one .

Thinking of you ladies and hoping you have babas in your arms now! ❤