Planned C Section vs Emergency C Section

[Birchgirl]

Hello

I'm currently pregnant with baby no2. My first birth wasn't very nice (failed induction after being on the drip for what felts like day). It then ended in an Emergancy C Section.

I found the recovery very hard both physically and mentally.

So flash forward to this pregnancy. I've said all along that if I don't go into spontaneous labour I'll have a planned Section (which has been booked) vaginally to avoid induction again.

Part of the reason for this is that I read that the recovery of a planned section is 'nicer' than an emergency Section.

I'm over due and the Section date is getting closer which is making me nervous.

So what I'm asking for is advice / stories from anyone who has had an emergency and planned section and we're the recoveries any different?

Sorry for waffling on but I'm desperate for some advice.

Thank you in advance ☺

I haven’t had a planned section so not really able to answer fully, but had an emergency one after a non hormonal induction which was complicated and difficult.
This was after having a great vaginal birth after a simple hormone induction (no need for the drip).
Not having anymore and if I did due to medical scars I would have to have a section. If all options were available to me I would request a hormonal induction because that worked so well for me, although everyone is different.
Good luck OP.

I had an emergency section first time due to dd being breech. Recovery was hard. Partly because I ended up staying hospital for a while due to feeding problems and baby's jaundice. Partly because as a first time mum, I didn't take it easy afterwards and ripped my scar open.

Second time round, I booked in for an elective section. I had a feeling things would be similar to my first birth. my waters went early so I went straight in for an elective section. Much better recovery, they had an enhanced pathway this time. I was up and out within 24 hours. Surgeon did a tidier job of sewing me up too!

My first was an EMCS after three failed inductions at 42+1. Despite some drama over getting the cannulas in and some more about getting the spinal block in round my curved spine, physical recovery went well, it was just the trauma of the week itself.

My second was planned and I went in at 38+6. Very different. In by 8, in theatre by 9, baby in my arms in recovery by 10. My second incision is bigger and above the original - and even with a bigger hole, they needed to use forceps to bring him out - but I was back home 25 hours later.

Honestly for me the biggest difference was my mental state rather than my physical one. Not being in hospital a week being poked and prodded made it much easier. There wasn't really a choice for me- I can't give birth vaginally so it was always going to be a second section - but it was so much better to be in control and not left waiting.

My first was en emcs due to failed induction and I really struggled.

Second I said the same as you, wanted an elcs if I didn't end up going into labour naturally. I actually ended up going into labour the day before the section but got to hospital and wasn't dilated at all so went ahead with the elcs as I had a few other issues and was already overdue.

I felt a lot more with it for the section, it felt more like birth than surgery this time. I was a lot less tired as I hadn't had days of being induced. I knew to take my pain relief regularly so didn't struggle as much with pain, and was able to stop with the strong stuff within a week compared to using it for around 3 weeks the first time. Was much better than my emcs

I’ve had both and found the recovery from the planned one much better in part as I didn’t go into it totally exhausted, and stressed in the way I did with the emergency one. I also found that it helped that I could plan for the recovery - made sure we had baby changing things upstairs and downstairs so I wasn’t up and down, planned for family to help once my DH was back to work, pain relief at the ready etc. I also learnt from my first one not to push myself too much and to be on top of pain relief

I had both and recovery was much the same at the beginning. Although with the emergency c-section the baby was discharged from nicu on day 5 which made things so much easier. I actually preferred the emergency c-section because with the elective I had to wait aged and it was really nerve wracking. With the emergency they just shouted "theatre, now" and he was out within a few minutes.

I had an emergency C section with my first after a 5 day failed induction in which I didn't progress, despite 4 pessaries, 24 hours on the highest dose of the drip and having my waters (very painfully) broken. I was in hospital for 4 days after the birth and struggled at home for a couple of weeks.

I asked for an elective with my second child at the first appointment with my consultant, and they agreed after looking at my notes as they thought the same could happen again. I found it so much easier as I hadn't been messed with for 5 days previous and could organise childcare for DS1. I had him on the Thursday, stayed one night and was walking around my local park on Saturday morning. The only difficulty was they struggled to site my spinal block, but that was completely individual to me.

I was the same as you OP. I had EMCS with DS1 after failed induction. I was advised not to have another induction with DS2. My contractions on the drip had been too strong with DS1 and his size and position made it very dangerous.

The recovery with my elective was much better than with my emergency. Like others said, I wasn't exhausted from being in labour for 12 hours beforehand and being awake for over 24 hours beforehand. I'd also been pumped full of the drip and diamorphine while in labour with DS1. I had morphine after he was born and then spent the first 48 hours of his life being violently sick from all the drugs.

I was also mentally better prepared for it. I have never needed to go to hospital for anything in my life before having kids and had no experience of healing from surgery. So I didn't rest properly after DS1. Didn't take my pain relief regularly and generally just felt physically broken. With DS2, I put plans in place for their dad to take longer paternity leave and I kept DS1 in with the childminder for a month after DS2 was born. After DS2, I rested properly, took my pain killers like clockwork and actually looked after myself. Unsurprisingly my recovery was much quicker.

I found the elective far worse.

the emcs was over quickly and done.

the elcs they took ages to site the spinal. My back was a mess and I still have scarring. Mentally I found it tough as even last minute I was feeling horribly guilty for not having a VB and worried about it negatively affecting the baby.

recovery was slow as well as I kept vomiting the pain relief. I also had a reaction to the spinal and had to be kept tilted head down to stop me fainting. Felt incredibly dizzy and sick.

I had an EMCS with first and an elective with second. The elective was an absolute breeze. I was back driving 10 days later, I didn't need any pain relief after discharge, which was 24 hours later exactly (they won't let you leave before then but I was ready to go hours before that!). My EMCS was fine but the recovery was a lot longer and having gone through failed labour I was totally exhausted. With the elective I was well rested and far less stressed, and it made the first night with DD2 far easier.

Same as above, elective a million times better than my emcs. Possibly because I hadn't laboured for 12 hours and was exhausted before I had elective helped! Mentally too - I was prepared and clam for what was about to happen. Found I was much more mobile the second time around.

For me the recovery was the same, but the difference being there was no emotional recovery required.

I had an emergency C-section for my first pregnancy which almost ended very badly so opted for a planned C-section the second time. It was certainly easier and much, much faster!