Tell me your positive elective c section story

[anonny55]

I have my consultant appointment to book a c section approaching very soon..currently 33weeks

After reading SO much over the past week to help me decide between induction and elcs I've finally made my mind up. I'm SO bloody worried! I've never had a surgery before let alone awake!

I'm confident this is the right decision for me..please help me relax and tell me your elcs experience😅

I had an ELCS with my first in 2023 and am about to have another in a couple of months. Both by maternal request: I simply wasn’t up for risking injuries from vaginal birth or the stress and recovery of an EMCS. I had also never had surgery before and was a bit paranoid about the whole process.

Ultimately, it was totally fine. The spinal took effect very quickly and they triple check to make sure you really can’t feel anything. Much easier for to do the spinal as well if you are nice and still and not jumping off the bed mid-contraction!

The baby is out within minutes. I felt pretty nauseous while he was coming out, but it was over very quickly and it totally distracted me from anything else that was happening. Then the baby was placed on me and I was completely distracted with him and didn’t give the fact they were sewing me up a second thought. He was born at 38+1. Came out both screaming and weeing so clearly in good health!

Recovery was easier than expected. I had less than average blood loss and they scooped out all the blood lining inside my womb so I barely bled post-birth either. First few steps around 6 hours after the birth were challenging but pain wise I didn’t need anything more than ibuprofen and paracetamol at any point. I was gingerly walking down corridors and up and down stairs from 48hours after the birth and could more or less look after the baby by myself. By day 4 or so I was capable of moving around the house pretty much fine. By the second week I could do a short walk outside. By week 6 I was back on the wall at the climbing centre and by week 8 I was back running.

overall an ELCS was totally the right choice for me. While the first few days might be a little harder to recover from than an easy vaginal birth, the truth is that a minority of first time mums are blessed with those, and recovery after that point was very easy for me. ELCS healing is generally very predictable. I would have really struggled with an injury that may or not lead to health complications for the foreseeable future: I would have spent all maternity leave worrying about that and whether it would resolve rather than enjoying time with the new baby.

The scar healed up fine, I did Pilates and got my abs back - I don’t feel I am compromised in my abdominal area due to the CS. I didn’t have a problem establishing breastfeeding or bonding with the baby - things that people say are associated with a CS.

good luck with your birth x

Mine was an ELCS but I didn't have a choice it was urgent but planned if that makes sense.

Recovery tough but birthing experience absolutely fine

I had an ELCS with DD1 in 2020 (covid times).

Overall it was a very positive experience. Very calm and relaxed, I was kept in the loop of what was happening so felt in control. I got skin to skin after and my birthing partner cut the cord.

I was discharged within 24 hours and recovery was a lot better than I had anticipated.

I'm 29+3 now with DD2 and having another ELCS

I had a lovely experience with DD, they even let me choose the music that was playing! I got to hold her straight after while they were stitching me up and it was all very calm and nice. Recovery was fine, make sure you take your stool softeners though because poops are quite tricky (mostly because I just couldn’t engage any muscles)

I had an elective last time (2023) and I had such a lovely time that I'm having another in a few weeks. It was so calm and peaceful, we had a playlist on shuffle and even though my baby needed some support with his breathing there was no panic. It genuinely was magical and exactly the birth I wanted.

My recovery was nice and straightforward, we were kept in for 3 nights because of baby's blood sugars (I had GD and he had a tongue tie which was not an ideal combo) but the evening we got home I felt up for a walk around the village. It was all lovely.

I hope it all goes super smoothly 😊

@Strugglingat29weeks at how many weeks did you have the cs? X

@claudiawinklemansfringetrimmer did your hospital provide the stool softener..did you have to go a number 2 before you was discharged..if they don't provide what would you recommend I bring to the hospital? X

38w2days - a bit earlier than they normally like to do it but all worked out beautifully.

I had a (technically) elective c-sec after 3 days in labour - as a pp put it ‘urgent but not emergency’

Tbh it was great - the epidural was like magic and then I had a spinal for the actual surgery. I have the most beautiful photos of my baby being born and then on my chest with me and my hubby (a staff member told my husband to take his phone and offered to take photos! We hadn’t even thought about it!)

The recovery was honestly fine - I went for a walk after 4 days and regretted it so definitely don’t rush to do anything active but you’ll find your rhythm if you take everything slowly.

If we have another child I’ll definitely have an elective c-section. Bonus of no vaginal tearing (silver lining to a major surgery!!)

All the best with your surgery and newborn! X

I got given it in the hospital, you don’t have to go before you’re sent home though, just wee. I was only in for 24 hours

I'm just after a horrendous time of emergency c section and severe postnatal infection after accepting induction (at 40+3). Honestly I regret accepting the induction as I believe it caused the domino effect of interventions.

If I were doing it again, I would definitely just do elective c section - they are so much easier, more relaxed and you have a planned date. My first was an ELCS and it was so much easier recovery wise. Don't be afraid of the recovery, you'll be surprised at how quickly your body recovers x

@T2024 Thankyou for your positivity..I'm sorry your birth didn't go to plan. I don't personally know anyone who's not had an absolute horror story of an induction and it seems the recovery of an emcs and elcs are worlds apart hence my choice of going straight to an elcs. I'm gutted as would've absolutely loved my first birth to have minimal intervention and labour spontaneously/water birth but my little chunk has other ideas clearly!

I don't personally want to try or feel safe to not accept an induction or section as I'm now in the negative mindset of I can't birth him he's too big and I'll find that hard to snap out of! Also don't want to be left traumatised and this seems the less traumatising option from what I've read

How comes your first was an elcs? And why did you decide you'd try for a vbac and not another elcs? Obviously if you don't want to answer those that's fine!

Mine admittedly was years ago but I had an induction at 40 weeks which after 36 hours failed to progress and baby got distressed so had am emcs which was absolutely fine.
My second I chose an elective cesarian as I couldn't face a natural birth and baby was big so no regrets whatsoever.
Make sure to keep on top of painkillers and don't overdo anything and good luck

Honestly it's fine! I've had a spontaneous labour and delivery, an induction turned emergency c-section and an elective c-section and I would choose the elc Everytime no hesitation!

I got up at 5:30 got ready, got to the hospital for 7:15 am got checked in at reception, went into a room with 4 beds, waited 10 minutes for the other ladies to turn up, then a nurse came in and talked us through the events of the day, told us the doctors were gonna come and speak to us individually and then decide on an order. We were given our gowns and socks asked to change. Did that. We spoke amongst our selves for a bit and just waited.

then a consultant came in the room and spoke to all 3 of us one at a time went through the entire procedure, answered any questions we had then we waited about 40 minutes while they went downstairs to prep the theatre,

the same nurse from before came back up and said I was going first, I took my consent form and pillow and walked downstairs to theatre she spoke to me the whole time to keep me calm but I was anyway.

got into theatre and sat on the bed for about 20 minutes while they got everything ready around me, a nurse came and double checked my consent forms and then I was asked to put my chin down and hug my pillow and a nurse held my shoulders to keep me still while the doctor did my spinal. Literally took 5 second and I hyped it up so much in my head and it wasn't bad at all!

7 minutes later my daughter was born, 9:40am 2 and a half hours after arriving at hospital. It was absolutely amazing, the recovery took around 3 weeks for me to feel good again, but it starts to get better everyday after about day 4. The first week is the hardest but it's over so fast and you have a beautiful baby to dote on in the meantime.

honestly you'll be absolutely fine. I know my reply is pretty detailed but I just wanted to ley
you know exactly how mine went so you know what to expect, although I know all hospitals are different

My first was an elective for breech baby. I was offered the catheter before the c section, without the spinal with just me and the midwife. Or in theatre, with the spinal in and more people. I chose to have it put in before - it was fine and id been really worried about that.

One of the staff told me it would feel like someone was washing up in my abdomen but I wouldn't feel anything. That's exactly what it felt like!

I didn't realise at the time, but most of my pain was when I was breastfeeding and having after pains. I was told next baby that the after pains aren't as bad if you pass urine before you feed the baby. And I found that to he true.

You need one of the hospital cribs that attaches to the bed. The other type are hard to get the baby into post section.

I didn't find the experience stressful, and I'm generally very stressy. I hadn't had a night in hospital before having a baby.

@Stressed199401 thanks for sharing your experience☺️ note to self - bring a pillow!

you take the pillow off your bed in the triage room don't worry!

4 kids, 3 sections, only one was elective. It was a fantastic experience. The worst bit was getting the spinal, after that it was great!

I’ve only ever had c sections (years ago now) and I really can’t imagine giving birth vaginally (although that ship sailed a long time ago 😂).

Mine were civilised, dignified, quick, calm. My recovery each time was ordered and without complications. I breastfed for 18 months every time.

I never saw childbirth as anything other than something that has to be done for the baby to be born. I didn’t and don’t buy into the whole natural/better/earth mama thing. Why take the stairs for 50 floors when you can take the lift is my general approach to things!

I could have written this myself! Exactly the same situation, agreed would have elective next time.

😊

Mine was brilliant compared to a horrific natural birth. Everyone was lovely, you don’t feel a thing and it’s over before you know it and you leave with a lovely new baby in your arms. I got the option of letting dc crawl out themselves but I thought that sounded alien-esque and asked them to hand my dc ti me, but if you fancied something more natural you could ask for that?

The recovery is tough. Go for the stronger painkillers if you need them….i say it’s tough but within ten days I was back walking around, and I’d say after 3-4 weeks resumed life as normal.

Way better than a natural birth in my experience. It’s more controlled.

I've had 3 c-sections, the first en EMCS following 24 hours' failed labour and the other 2 ELCS. All were fine, but the trauma of the first one led to PND and delayed bonding with my baby, which I didn't have after the other 2.

My first c-section was in my early 20s and my last was in my early 40s. The physical recovery was ok with all, I was up and about within a couple of days to a week - but fair to say it was a bit easier in my 20s than my 40s.

Don't stress. Do what you feel is best for you. When your baby is here, you won't be dwelling on the mode of delivery (I hope), you'll just be happy.

I actually quite liked my planned section. I had one during covid in 2020 and was particularly worried due to no visitors incl husband allowed. Operation itself thankfully felt calm and went according to plan, spinal was absolutely fine - weird sensation but not sore at all. In my head I felt like the theatre would be dramatic and intense but it felt pretty chilled, was filled with people busily doing their jobs and I just sat up/lay down/shuffled over when I was told. It also went SO quickly. Into theatre 9.45, baby born before 10. I think I was sewn up and back into recovery about 30 minutes after that. Got skin to skin immediately and then a lovely quiet couple of hours in recovery.

Recovery - wound is tender for sure but they keep you topped up. They're keen to get you standing within 12 hours of surgery. I had the op at 10am and 10pm they came in to get me up and walking around. My tip for after would be to drink loads of water - you need to wee a certain amount before leaving. And just take things super slowly.

I chose ELCS over an induction as well, no regrets! It meant I was reasonably well-rested beforehand, was able to eat/drink normally until around 6am on the day (for an afternoon CS - I woke up at 5am from nerves anyway so made sure to have breakfast whilst I could), and had time to read up a bit about what would happen, who would be in the room etc.

It's normal to be nervous, but they will do these procedures day in and day out, it's totally routine.

The waiting around was the most annoying bit, as I was booked last for the day (4pm), but had to be in the hospital a few hours beforehand so felt quite restless. But once things are underway it happens really quickly - I can barely remember what the spinal going in felt like, but don't think it was bad at all. They make extra sure you can't feel any pain, and you can tell the anaesthetist if you're feeling lightheaded/nauseous from the medication.

We had our playlist on, and it was very chill. Took around 20 minutes for DS to be born, and as per our request they showed him to us so that we could find out the sex for ourselves. DH stayed at my head the whole time; it was all such a surreal and special experience.

They did forget that we had asked for DH to cut the cord, and it was a bit of a blur and hard to know what was happening at the time until they gave the baby to me post cord-cutting, so if you have any requests like that maybe make sure to emphasise them more beforehand.

The one thing I wasn't expecting was the itchiness as a side-effect from the spinal block - came on soon afterwards and for around 24 hours, until they gave me some antihistamines. Not everyone gets this though.

I recovered really well - no problems with the stitches or infection, was able to take a few steps about 9 hours afterwards. I was in hospital for 2 nights, and on the second day I was able to go for a very slow short walk around the hospital grounds.

They told me I could request oramorph on the ward afterwards if I was in a lot of pain, but found I didn't need to. Took the paracetamol they offered but didn't really need anything at all by the time I got home. And I'm not brave, I will take painkillers for every little niggle usually!

By day 3, I was home and went for a slow walk to the supermarket by myself (1.8 miles total, up a hill) without problems.

After a week, I felt almost normal, and started running again after my 6-week check-up with the GP.

Good luck!