Advice nedded re timing of c section

[srv]

I am having an elective c section. I am going to see the consultant at 36 weeks to book a date. The doctor at the hospital has told me that they do c sections at 39 weeks - however this would fall on 3rd April - Easter saturday.

Do hospitals carry out elective c sections at the weekends and on bank holidays?

And if not are they likely to do it slightly earlier i.e. before the Easter weekend(1st April!!!) or later i.e. after the Easter weekend 6th April. This would take me quite close to my due date of the 10th.

One of the reasons I am having a c section this time is because my first labour was so quick I am terrified that this time I may not make it to the hospital in time so don't want to risk going into labour before.

many thanks

I think it depends on the size of your hospital. I was told elective sections were done on Thursdays at my local hospital!
I would guess electives are unlikely to be done at the weekend but I'm sure you can discuss your concerns with the consultant at your appointment if you feel it's getting pushed too close to your due date.
I had an induction booked for DD (which I didn't need in the end) and 10 days over fell on a Sunday but they wouldn't induce me at the weekend so the appointment was made for the Monday at 40+11.

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Gosh, after 40 hrs of labour followed by a c-section which went wrong, followed by 5 days in hospital in a high dependency unit and then the weeks of recovery and weakness a section can bring about, I would love for my next baby to be born so fast I didn't even have chance to get to hospital!

It probably depends on the hospital as to whether they book electives for holiday weekends. The operating theatres will be open, but they may have reduced staff numbers and keep space for emergencies. The only way to find out is to ask them.

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I wasn't really asking for opinions about elective c sections.

For information the labour was so quick there is a real chance I would not make it to hospital this time. My son was not breathing when he was born and had to be resucitated - not something I would like to have to do myself at home. I was also so badly damaged that I was cathaterised for 2 weeks after and had to have over 20 VE by 14 different people. I am sure that a quick labour is the envy of many - for me it was the most terrifying experience I have been through that nearly resulted in the death of my son.

I'm sorry for your bad experiences but please don't make assumptions about my choices because of it.

Realistically, only your hospital can tell you whether they do elective C-sections on Easter Saturday.

Were you early last time as well as quick?

I think it depends on the hospital. I'm sure my friend had a planned cs on Easter monday last year.

Can you 'haggle' them down to doing it on the thursday instead of maybe having to wait for the tuesday after easter?

lucy and pandora I think you are both being very harsh. The OP didn't ask for opinions on ELCS just about the timing. She didn't have to explain about her previous experience.

Thank you so much for those last three messages.

I was 10 days late last time so hopefully it won't be an issue - but when I talked to the doctor about it she said that if I did go into labour before the section I would probably be too far dilated even by the first pain for them to do it. So just a bit nervous really.

Thank you again.

Agree much will depend on your hospital. My local hospital is a fairly major London maternity hospital and they don't do electives at the weekend or on friday 13th as I found out whilst joining the back of the queue on thurs 12th for a semi-emergency (found that amazing that they didn't schedule for 13th) !!.

I was due on a sat and for my elective C-section (after 2 nightmare natural births) and so they did it on the following mon so I was 39 + 2.

For anyone's information my C-section was the best of my 3 births and if we go for dc 4 then I will be having another one.

Please lave the op alone to make her own choices.

My local hospital does electives at 39 weeks as well.

Elective with DS2, I had it the day before his due date.

My due date with DS3 was a Sunday, and I was taken in on the Monday, but I had to beg for it. I wanted it done earlier (won't go into it), but it was against their strict policy and that was the earliest available day after the start of my 39th week.

Maybe speak to your consultant, as I would think that you would be right about it being the Tuesday after Easter.

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from my pov I've found it interesting the contrast between natural/c-section. I feel I have to justify why I had a c-section to people as they assume I'm too posh to push. Either that or people are quite happy to tell me how they would never have a c-section and then I feel I have to tell them that having had a too large baby that was delivered by forceps that caused a 3rd degree tear and how I had months of incontinance (from both depts) that an elective c-section was the best option for me to prevent further damage.

I suppose you just need to be very careful and not assume that just because naturals are what you would have wanted, this may not be the same for everyone.

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In response to the OP - I was in my local hospital today to discuss my c section. They explained they will have a skeleton staff on over Easter and the only c sections they will do will be emergencies.

Following previous uterine surgery I have been advised to have a c section at 37- 38 weeks. This seems very early to me and I wondered if any mumnetters had an opinion about this.

Today I was offered a section at 37 weeks. If I wait until after the Easter weekend it will be closer to 38. Presumably the OP has even more reason than I not to want to start labour. But if I was offered it at 37 weeks, would that appeal to you?

At my booking in appointment with the MW at 9w she told me I could have an elcs but it would be on a Thursday at 38w. When I said that sounds quite early she said I could ask for it to be later eg 39w. I think the advice seems to have changed relatively recently from 38 to 39w hence her confusion.
When I spoke to the consultant she said elcs were performed at 39w. At my 12w scan appointment with the consultant I was given an appointment for 38w. I am going to go for VBAC but I suppose at my 38w appointment I could still change my mind and get booked in for 39w.
What I'm trying to say in a long winded way is that 39w seems to be the norm now unless other medical reasons indicate that baby would be better out before that.
I think OP needs to discuss her own situation with her consultant but agree that the Bank Holiday will most probably make a difference to the theatre schedule.

I am having my section at bang on 39 weeks which is just after the Easter BH. DS was at 39+1 which was just after the New year BH.

I had a similar experience to the OP with a fast first labour which meant us nearly not getting to the hospital in time. Fortunately my baby was fine when she was born but I still feel traumatised by the whole experience. It hadn't occurred to me that this might be grounds for having an elcs second time around. If the OP is still lurking I would be keen to know how easy it was to persuade your consultant to go down this route.

Does anyone know if a 37 week c-section carries additional dangers?

Or where I can find info about this?

I am also having an ELCS this time and totally understand your reasons. The research I've done suggests 39 weeks or later is important in minimising/avoiding some of the risks to the baby if you do have a choice. Found a very helpful book that debunks some of the anti-c section myths but did highlight this - will try to find title and link

Zombie thread doh

Oh well now that you've brought it back to life I'd like that link if you can find it change!