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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Anyone had an elective section recently?

25 replies

Funinthepark · 03/04/2023 19:02

Just wondering how much choice you get over your child’s birthday. Probably a silly question but our toddler is in nursery 3 days a week so would be preferable for the section to be on one of those days!

OP posts:

Twizbe · 03/04/2023 19:05

Not at lot unless you go private. The lists are usually drawn up considering clinical need. The more elective you are the more likely you'll be bumped for emergencies.

BadgerFacedCoo · 03/04/2023 19:06

My elective was booked for a date and time that meant I wouldn't be alone. We have no family here.

However we were told that there was a possibility that we would get pushed down the list and it would be a choice between a later slot meaning I was alone or trying again the next day.

In reality he needed to come out before that date so it was as spontaneous as a 'natural' birth. My section although an emergency was a nice experience and there's lots of people there and I felt very cared for.

Original poster

Funinthepark · 03/04/2023 19:06

Thanks … seems to be a bit ‘luck of the draw’ then!

OP posts:

Twizbe · 03/04/2023 19:06

The other option is to find out from nursery if they have space to add a day / change a day if needed.

Original poster

Funinthepark · 03/04/2023 19:10

Possibly - when do you get the date? Childcare is a huge issue round here at the moment.

OP posts:

prawnring · 03/04/2023 20:12

DD2 was an ELCS after an EMCS with DD1. I chose her date of birth - I had a conversation with the Consultant about when he recommended she came out, and we opted for 38+6, which was a Tuesday. DD1 was at nursery Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday so I knew impact to her would be minimised. It was also a round date which pleased me.

DD1 came home from nursery on Wednesday and found me and baby DD2 waiting for her.

Original poster

Funinthepark · 03/04/2023 20:39

Thanks for that, this is what I’m hoping for!

Daft question: what’s a round date?

OP posts:

GodspeedJune · 03/04/2023 20:41

In my trust there’s no option to select an exact date - the consultant puts through the request and it’s booked elsewhere.

April88 · 03/04/2023 20:45

I didn’t get to choose, it was booked for 39 weeks

Original poster

Funinthepark · 03/04/2023 20:46

I know it’s usually 39 weeks, but I suppose I was wondering if there was flexibility with a day or so on either side?

OP posts:

QuinnofHearts · 03/04/2023 20:47

We chose my child's birthday. We needed it on a Friday, to help with childcare and for my husbands work.

Totalwasteofpaper · 03/04/2023 20:50

I had a baby last year.
Zero choice re:day

QuinnofHearts · 03/04/2023 20:50

Ps had my baby on 24/03/23 so recently

TheCraicDealer · 03/04/2023 21:01

I got mine booked by the consultant when I was 28w, they’ve just moved to an electronic booking system that the consultants have access to. She just booked me in on 39w on the dot. I asked about the possibility of getting “bumped” as I’m on blood thinners that I need to stop 24hrs before- she said yes, there was a chance of that happening for an emergency but if I get to the morning of without it getting postponed then we should be good to go due to the risks of my clotting issue. Basically even if you do get your preferred day there’s no guarantee it’ll go ahead as initially planned, which could be very stressful if you find out at short notice.

If I were you I’d get on to the nursery now and ask if they have space for five days at 39 and 40w. Assuming you get that confirmed you know that you’ve got childcare covered for both delivery and the first week after when you’re in the acute stage of recovery.

JenniferBarkley · 03/04/2023 21:03

I was given a choice in summer 2020 - 39 weeks was a Friday, I asked for the Monday so we would have childcare and that was no problem. Probably depends on the hospital, ours is pretty good, I suspect the other main maternity unit in our city just wouldn't have the capacity to prioritise preference.

Sleepy86 · 03/04/2023 21:17

I had my ELCS booked and the day before the procedure I was called and told I'd been bumped by 2 days. It meant that my DS was born on my DD's first day in reception. I was absolutely gutted that DH and I missed her first day at school, but there was nothing I could do.

Bumbers · 03/04/2023 21:25

My hospital allowed me to book the day of the week in my 39th week, so I booked the Monday so my DC1 would be at nursery. Almost got bumped to the Tuesday though!

Someo · 03/04/2023 21:27

No choice here, soonest date available from 39 weeks onwards. Turns out to be 39+2. Hoping I hold out that long, previous DC all came at 39. 🙈

NadjaCravensworth1 · 03/04/2023 21:32

Not much, they scheduled mine on my due date but I managed to push to get it at 39 weeks through my consultant. They have limited spaces though so if you want to change it you'll have to ask asap. Can't hurt to try though!

NadjaCravensworth1 · 03/04/2023 21:34

I should add - when it got to the day they had too many emergencies to do it anyway and I didn't end up having it until 3 days later so you can never guarantee anyway

davegrohll · 03/04/2023 22:44

Well I went into labour naturally a week before my booked date... so it could always be taken out of your hands anyway!

ohfook · 03/04/2023 23:14

I did! Not a huge choice but there was a few day window that I could pick from.

They did say though that obviously we might get pushed to the following day if there was a lot of emergencies or something.

AcceptYourself · 03/04/2023 23:35

Probably depends on area/hospital - ours only do the electives on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I did get to choose x

Heath2330 · 06/04/2023 07:43

Think it depends on how your hospital works mine do electives 2 days a week with a dedicated team in main theatres so not disrupted by emergencies they run on Tuesdays and Thursdays consultant booked mine in at 35 weeks said I could pick any Tuesday or Thursday from 39 weeks so I picked bang on 39 weeks as it's a Thursday

MadamMaltesers · 06/04/2023 20:14

I was sat with my consultant as she booked it and offered me some dates and said when she's doing them next and I went with a date she was performing the csec. She gave me any date within 10 days or so.

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