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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Has anyone had their c-section cancelled on the day?

30 replies

Labyrinth86 · 26/10/2021 19:38

I was due to have an ELCS today. I was nil by mouth from 12am and asked to arrive at 7.30am. I was shown to my bed and met all the staff that would be doing my op - I was so happy because they were all lovely and I had met the midwife months earlier and she still remembered me (she recognised me first).

About 1.30pm, having not eaten anything and sitting in the post-natal ward listening to babies all day, I was informed that my op had been cancelled due to emergencies. I have no issue with this and had mentally prepared for it. What completely floored me is that they have pushed it back by an entire 7 days, by which time I will be 40+3. I was under the impression it would be the next day. I feel terrified that baby will come before then - I have been reassured I would still get my section - so I will have to rush into hospital and be treated like an emergency having not been nil by mouth, thus incressing my risk of aspirating stomach contents, etc. I think I reacted to the news quite well (maybe too well) at the time but it hit me an hour later and I started crying in panic. I feel thoroughly depressed now.

Has this happened to anyone else? How long did you have to wait for your c-section after the original date? Did you go into natural labour prior to your op or did baby wait?

OP posts:

parttimemary · 26/10/2021 19:46

No experience sorry but saw your thread and really felt for you, this must be awful.

Can you call up first thing and ask why they've pushed it back a week and why it can't be sooner? It doesn't seem to make any sense.

PunchyPaprika · 26/10/2021 19:59

I didn't have my section cancelled but I did go into spontaneous labour 5 days before my scheduled date. Luckily, my waters broke at 3am (I hadn't eaten since 10pm the night before). I called triage and went straight in, had my op at 6.30am. They initially wanted to wait until 8am until the day shift started so that there were more people around but I was already 3cm dilated so they took me straight to theatre.

The surgery was very quick and straightforward. I didn't have any complications and my recovery was far earlier than I'd anticipated.

Original poster

Labyrinth86 · 26/10/2021 20:13

@parttimemary

No experience sorry but saw your thread and really felt for you, this must be awful.

Can you call up first thing and ask why they've pushed it back a week and why it can't be sooner? It doesn't seem to make any sense.

Thanks for your reply. I was thinking of calling - I'm not sure who I would need to speak to. It was the theatre lead who told me so perhaps I could try her. I think it may be a good idea because after fasting for that long and the shock of the new date, I wasn't really thinking clearly enough to get clarification which I think is adding to my anxiety and depression atm. They start surgery at 9am so perhaps if I call between 7 and 7.30 I can get hold of her while she's less busy.

OP posts:

BFrazzled · 26/10/2021 20:13

It is absolutely not OK op.

I would call, say you are distressed and ask to move it back etc

Appalling.

20viona · 26/10/2021 20:15

You will need to call the consultants secretary to express your concerns. I agree it's totally unfair, I get that emergencies come in but an additional 7 days is ridiculous.

BFrazzled · 26/10/2021 20:18

Just saw you will be calling the hospital- My advice would be to just not accept a no for an answer - this is absolutely not on point. Don’t ask for clarifications - just firmly state this is affecting your mental health badly and you are asking for it to be moved eg to a date this week. They are just using your vulnerability to suit their schedule.

tiggerwhocamefortea · 26/10/2021 20:19

7 days is definitely excessive....just out of interest have you elected for a c section on the basis of maternal preference? So no medical need? I wonder if they have shunted you right to the back of the queue because everyone who has a medical need for one is going to take all the slots first?

cultkid · 26/10/2021 20:19

What the fuck

Ring labour ward and say you need it done tomorrow or on the next elective
They can put someone else forward a few days instead of you a week??

Outrageous and dangerous, you could labour

I would ring with reduced movements two days In a row

Unbelievable

Original poster

Labyrinth86 · 26/10/2021 20:20

@PunchyPaprika

The surgery was very quick and straightforward. I didn't have any complications and my recovery was far earlier than I'd anticipated.

@PunchyPaprika Thank you for your reply. I should probably have asked for experiences from women who had gone into spontaneous labour before their section date as that is entirely relevant too! It's really reassuring that it all worked out for you - thank you for sharing 😊 Good point about the fact if it happens in the night, I'll probably not have eaten for hours beforehand. Did you experience much pain prior to going for your operation? Were you feeling worn out prior to being taken down to theatre or did you still feel relatively ok? 😊

OP posts:

ivykaty44 · 26/10/2021 20:24

I do know that the theatres are strapped for staff. many of the staff from theatres are working on the critical care wards instead and its difficult to put a team together in theatres - so I guess with it being understaffed and very busy thats why

I understand its no consolation to you and you'd be very worried

AMostExcellentStick · 26/10/2021 20:25

Gosh OP, this sounds so distressing for you.

I went in to labour before my planned c section. Although it was strictly speaking categorised as an emergency, actually it was very relaxed. I went in about 6.30, at 7.30 they gave me the option of going down then or waiting until 8.15 for the next shift to come on - I chose to wait. If you think you’re in labour, ring labour ward and make sure they know that you have a c section planned so they can bring you in.

UnalliterativeGeorge · 26/10/2021 20:27

I went into labour as I got home from the hospital to book the day for my c-section. I ended up just ringing them up and going straight back in then a little wait at it was night time and somebody else was in theatre but other than that it all went smoothly! Much better than the first emergency section I ended up with.

Original poster

Labyrinth86 · 26/10/2021 20:32

@BFrazzled , @20viona, @cultkid and @tiggerwhocamefortea

Thank you all for your replies and advice. It is a maternal request/due to tokophobia and recommended by a clinical psychologist due to risk of "severe impact on my mental health". I also have vaginismus and last time they tried to examine me, they couldn't get in the speculum at all and gave up. I am petrified my baby will get stuck and end up with brain damage or not make it if I try to birth vaginally.

Also, I am worried about pre-eclampsia as I have burning pain under my right rib and visual aura. My blood pressure usually comes back normal though. Today it was elevated but that was while I was waiting for surgery so it may have been the apprehension. Perhaps I could mention this to rule it out though.

There is a partner hospital/same NHS trust about half an hour away. I wonder if it would be an option to be moved there if they are in a better position. I'm not sure how I'll cope with waiting until next Tuesday.

OP posts:

Laquila · 26/10/2021 20:37

Ok I really feel for you - you are NOT being unreasonable. I agree that you should keep pushing, as much as you feel able, for the right resolution, but you shouldn't have to!! Very best of luck x

Original poster

Labyrinth86 · 26/10/2021 20:37

@AMostExcellentStick and @UnalliterativeGeorge Thank you for for sharing. That's really reassuring. So glad you both had positive experiences with your c-sections after going into labour 😊

OP posts:

cultkid · 26/10/2021 20:37

Labrynth which hospital is it?

Use the one 30'mins away, is that Ashford and Margate by any chance?

I can't believe they have left you with a phobia like this

So so so bad

I would say to them you need admitting to
Hospital until they deliver you and you're contacting PALS first thing tomorrow (do it)

If they have to admit you then they will deliver as they need the bed back

Also demand to speak to matron

Greybeardy · 26/10/2021 20:37

The risk of aspiration is slightly higher if you come in with a proper emergency that requires a GA. There are standard precautions that the anaesthetist would use if that were the case to bring the risk down as low as possible. If you were ‘just’ to go into labour before the new date the plan would usually be a spinal still so the risk of aspiration is basically zero because you’ll be awake the whole time. Understand that it’s unsettling to have to wait 7 more days, but it shouldn’t have a massive impact on your aspiration risk. The unit you’re delivering at seem a little old fashioned in their fasting policy though if they told you to be nil by mouth from midnight - the usual rules are only 6 hours for solids and 2 hours for clear fluids. Hope it all goes well.

PunchyPaprika · 26/10/2021 21:34

@Labyrinth86 My contractions started as soon as my waters broke so I was feeling pain prior to the surgery. I didn't feel worn out though. I was really worried about going into labour before my section date and was anxious about being in pain but I can honestly say that it wasn't as bad as I'd imagined it to be.

If you are anxious about it then definitely raise your concerns and request your date be moved forward. You shouldn't have to spend the last few days of your pregnancy worrying x

Original poster

Labyrinth86 · 27/10/2021 08:44

Thank you so much everyone. Quick update - I got a phone call at 8.20am asking if I'd had breakfast and to come in asap. Fingers crossed. I cried today and came clean about how I had struggled mentally so here's hoping today is the day :) will update later.

OP posts:

parttimemary · 27/10/2021 09:54

Exciting! Good luck OP!

QuackQuackQuacko · 27/10/2021 10:02

Good luck OP!

I have vaginismus and tried natural labour but it wasn’t progressing and being induced (42 weeks) was horrendous with a pessary. Basically they screwed me over considering my vaginismus. I didn’t allow any checks as it was so painful, especially after the pessary (I removed it after 4 hours). C-section was lovely, recovery went well and baby was fine.

Bennetgirl · 27/10/2021 13:52

Good luck op! Your not in Somerset are you? My hospital only does electives on Tuesdays! It’s ridiculous! Xx

User134342134 · 27/10/2021 14:08

Ohh gosh, good luck!! Hope things go ahead today. The cancellation experience sounds appalling. Gave me flashbacks of my ELCS which was also nil by mouth from midnight and coming into hospital at 6am. Mine ended up pushed back a bit due to an emergency and I was so tired/hungry/thirsty by the time it went ahead around 10. Would've lost my shit if I had to wait past midday only for it to be cancelled.

mummyh2016 · 27/10/2021 16:30

I was about to post saying YANBU but I'm loving your latest update! Hope you are now recovering with your beautiful baby.

sarah13xx · 27/10/2021 18:13

Awww no 🤦🏼‍♀️ Was hoping your little one would be here by now. I’m sure you will make it and it will all be completely drama free but why not contact them saying how anxious this has made you and you feel the stress of it can’t be good for baby? Maybe they’ll squeeze you in before then if you’re hard work for them

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