What time do you go to hospital with an ELCS?

[SubParbanMum]

Hello,

Waiting for more information after booking my ELCS but want to get ahead and plan childcare etc.

What time do they generally ask you to go to hospital the morning of the section? I’ve heard various times so maybe each hospital does it differently but I’d appreciate any insight.

Thanks

7am at our hospital if you’re on the morning list. 11am if you’re on the afternoon list.
Good luck!

I've had 3 and always been asked to be in at 7am - 3 different hospitals too.

Great, thank you!
And how long was it before you actually went into theatre when you went at 7?

6am for me! I was in theatre around 7 and had the baby by 7.30.

I think it's very hard to predict. Myself and two other women got there at 7am when I had my ELCS. I had DS just before 10am but they were still waiting to go into theatre at 3pm due to a couple of EMCS.

I had to be there for 6am and I would have been in theater for 7am but there was an emergency so obviously that delayed things. Baby was born at 11.15 and I was back in recovery by 12.30

7am. I was first and had my baby at 9.30am... and my friend had exactly the same experience a few weeks later :D

I went in the night before, but I have type 1 diabetes and they wanted to keep my blood glucose steady to prepare me. I was prepared to go into surgery at about 7am.

And how long was it before you actually went into theatre when you went at 7?

In most hospitals, it works like any other scheduled surgery - so all the morning people come in at 6/7am, all the afternoon people at 12/1pm, and then you'll be put into an order.

9:30 am- but due to emergencies I was waiting until 3pm to go into theatre.

@SubParbanMum I’ve had 3 csections.
7am arrival for DD- born at 10.17 went down around 9am
7am arrival for DS1 - born at 11.43am down down about 10am
11am arrival for DS2 - born at 15.10

I went in for 7am along with 2 other women and was warned it was very busy so I possibly wouldn't be taken down until the afternoon. As it happened, I went down at 11.30am so was very pleased! I believe my hospital does it in 2 batches, so one lot at 7am and one lot at 12pm but all elcs stop at 5pm so if you haven't been done by then you have to go home and come back the next day (this is what I was told although I don't know anyone that's actually happened to!).

Both times 7am!
First one born at 2:30pm - I am high risk and pushed out to afternoon list as needed to be first. Due to an emergency in the morning it all got moved about

Second time born at 8:30 - as before needed to be first.

Super interesting. And probably one final question, do you have to be nil by mouth for that whole day? Including water?
Good I can kind of take but no water seems worse..

I drank water. Not loads but kept sipping throughout the wait- that was allowed.

I had to be nil by mouth, yes.
They tell you to drink lucozade before arriving at the hospital. They offer you a damp cloth thing to wipe around your lips.

Also- take good snacks for after. I was so late going down and obviously fasted since the night before- when I was in recovery there were no provisions at all- and by the time I got to ward dinner was long over, again nothing left. I had been told you get tea and toast after but I certainly did not! Luckily DH was able to grab me a toastie from the coffee shop before they kicked him out.

I went in at 7am. No food but allowed a cup of water. My hospital has 2 theatres one for electives and one for emergency so you don't get delayed in theory. I was third on the list and went to theatre at 11.30am. They prioritised the list of electives based on medical need of mother and/or baby on the day.

I had to be in by 7am, I went down about midday and born at 1pm (ish)

There was some faff about them wanting to scan me first as they weren't sure where the placenta was- but in the end they decided not to. Just meant I got pushed to the bottom of the morning list. As far as I'm aware, there were no emergencies that morning.

They did say I could start having sips of water if the wait time was going to head into the afternoon.

I had an ELCS for a breach baby so possibly was further on in the list based on that.

I was fine to drink water whilst I waited. No time with my second but with my first I was delayed until about 10am due to consultant dealing with an emergency and they were fine with me having as much water as I wanted. No food from the night before though.

My poor friend was in at 7am to have twins and ended up waiting until 5:30pm after being nil by mouth since the night before, as there was never two sets of staff (one for each baby) free at the same time! She was getting really dehydrated and in the end her father (who’s like a consultant cardiologist at another hospital) asked them to give her a saline drip. I don’t know why they don’t give this more readily? Surely a new mother who is well hydrated will be able to recover, breastfeed, wee etc better! Dehydration (and hunger) is a big migraine trigger for me so I would definitely ask.

Same as everyone else - in for 7am. Baby was born at 11. I was second (out of two!) on the list. My C section was due to breech baby. Two separate theatres, one for emergencies and one for electives, so no delays.

No food from the evening before but could have an energy drink before 6am for a sugar boost. After that, nothing at all. When I was waiting though, the midwife did come in and say if I hadn't been taken down by lunch time I could have a cup of water - but then I was taken down so it was fine.

Recent ELCS, at hospital for 8am. No food from 9pm night before I think, last drink at 6am with anti sickness tablet.
2 theatres, one for emergencies and one for electives. All 3 electives in that morning completed before lunchtime. I was first in because I had a questionable underlying condition.x