Elective section choices

[Newmumma516789]

Hi all,

Just had my date booked for my ELCS, I was just wondering if anyone could share experiences of when they discuss how you'd like the section to go presumably this is on the day?
All being well I am desperate to have skin to skin immediately as this is baby no2 and with my first had an EMCS which due to not being too well I didn't get to hold him for 2hrs.
Would love to hear some stories?

I can't answer your question but I'm also curious, as I am due to have my c section in 3 weeks and so far I've not been given any info or asked for any either.

@Luna222 I'm booked in for the 9th March so if there's no responses I'll update you with my experience.
I got all my paperwork today at my appointment and it mentions in there about options but isn't clear when it'll be discussed. I'll be asking at my pre op on the 8th just to be certain but seems every trust have different ways of doing things.

Skin to skin is standard so long as the baby’s ok and you’re feeling ok. If you want photos there’s often someone with free hands who can get some snaps and if you have a playlist of music many places have a speaker (so long as things are going smoothly and it’s not a distraction). It’s major surgery though - most places have a routine that works and is safe for the set up they have - there aren’t that many things that can be modified.

I think it depends on how everything is going on the day. I've had 2 ELCS. The first one we were given the option of music and that was about it. The second was much more relaxed - we also had the option of lowering the screen to see the baby being born and DH cut the umbilical cord. I don't know what other options you could have really but you will certainly be able to ask on the day. Both times the baby was put straight on my chest after the initial checks and basically stayed there until we went home! They were both very positive experiences. Good luck!

I had emcs first time and elective 2nd. I didn't get asked about any preferences to be honest. But skin to skin would have happened I think automatically if I'd have wanted (I didn't feel comfortable doing this so dh held baby). There was music already playing when we got into theatre. It was all super relaxed. We had a good amount of time before going down to theatre with the midwife, so I think we would have been able to discuss preferences at this point and she would have helped with those. A midwife took photographs for us too.

I was dreading my elective section after having an emcs, but have to say was a really lovely experience. Hope you find it that way too!

Thanks for all your replies and hearing about your positive experiences it's really helpful. My only want is for skin to skin as I didn't get this with my first born, as for the rest I'm happy with the surgeon's set up it's much more important for them to be comfortable haha.
My EMCS wasn't awful but took along time to get to hold DS and after a 3 day labour I was so exhausted in recovery I could barely keep myself awake once I could hold him.

Hoping this experience is as lovely as all of yours sound ☺️

Had a elcs (it was definitely better than the previous birth) and they didnt ask me anything apart from would I like catheter before or after epidural!!! Silly question at that!

It was a lovely experience anyway and the anaesthetist was just the best guy in the room. Gave me antinausea something and another painkiller when I needed it. Very kind and explained everything.

I had an ELCS 15 months after my EMCS.

The experience was totally different. So much calmer and nicer. We didn't get much chance to 'tell them how we wanted it to go' as such. It's still a bit of a conveyor belt of sections and you can't really plan ahead much, but you can ask for music to be played (I just let them have the radio on!) and they handed baby straight to me when she was born. Honestly, the difference between an ELCS and EMCS is huge and I'm really pleased I chose that option.

I had an ELCS 10 months ago and I loved it! I would do it all again tomorrow.

I was asked what kind of music I wanted, they automatically did the catheter after the spinal and DD was put on my chest after the initial checks and stayed there for all the time I was being stitched up and in recovery. We got her dressed once we were back on the ward, bar a nappy and hat which the midwife put on her in theatre. They asked if we wanted the curtain dropped to see her being born, which we did - DH filmed it at my request and I've extracted an amazing still photo fron the video. I would have loved to have seen more, but they were very careful to make sure we couldn't see too much - much to my disappointment! It was such a positive experience. I was up and about 6 hours later and discharged exactly 24 hours after DD was born. Recovery was a breeze. I know it isn't like this for everyone so I do count myself lucky. Hope it all goes well OP!

I had an elected section 3 months ago. I wrote out my birth preferences and put it in my file at the top for everyone to see. Then the midwife who was going to be with me during the surgery went through it with me that morning. I would say its much more clinical than what I know of a vaginal birth and I found it was up to me to ask for things. They should always promote the golden hour immediately after birth but it depends on how your surgery goes. So I really wanted skin to skin immediately and they did facilitate this I also asked for ds not to be completely cleaned down. I asked to play music which we were told dh could do on his phone (we forgot lol) and I asked for quiet voices as baby came out and to see him coming out which they did. Cord is cut fairly quickly because the longer you're open the higher the risk of infection but they wait for cord to stop pulsing anyway. They put him on my chest when they were closing me up and then towards the end he was brought out to recovery and did skin to skin with my dh while they finished up with me. Then i got him back and got help with breastfeeding when I was in recovery and the golden hour started then with uninterrupted skin to skin. The midwife will just do your obs every 15 mins to check you're OK. Then it was back to the ward. Anesthetist is your best mate through it, he sat by my head, explaining everything that I could hear etc and monitored me closely and adjusted the meds if I felt nauseous etc. You'll want to have a dressing gown and slippers for walking to the theatre (gowns are open at the back). I was a little daunted going in but everyone was so so lovely and it was a wonderful experience and baby was out in less than 10 mins.

For recovery honestly limit your visitors, do not push yourself and when your dressing comes off air your wound as many times a day as you can. I've had recurring infections in mine (nothing too serious just annoying) and I think that's where I went wrong.

If you are planning to try breastfeeding I'd recommend looking into colostrum harvesting if it's something you're interested in. Babies can be sleepier after a section because it's a fast birth and meds etc and at one point I really struggled to get ds to wake up enough to eat so midwives were really encouraging formula at that point. I'd been lucky and was able to harvest a bit of colostrum which I brought frozen in a cool bag and was able to give him a little of it which gave him enough of the taste to encourage him to latch and feed so I was really glad I had that.