silly and slightly pointless question!

[clpsmum]

if you have an elective casaerean can you chose the date?

I have just booked the date of mine. They tried to offer me a date which would have been 39+4. I said that was cutting it too close to my EDD, could they give me an earlier date. They were a bit unhelpful at first but then said I could have a date which will be 38+6.

Basically I think it depends how full up their diary is and how urgent your need is to have it done at a particular point in your pg. Best to ask as early on as poss for them to set your date as obviously the nearer the time it gets the more full up their diary will be... although they won't set a date too far in advance (I'm 29 weeks now).

A colleague of mine at work insisted on having a particular date simply because she liked the sound of it... but I don't think that's the norm!!

its very silly but i lost both my grandparents very suddenly and unexpectedly this year and was very close to them, their wedding anniversary would have been on 10th october and i am due on 29th so was wondering if i ask for the 10th when i will be 37+2 if they will allow it or if that will be too early.

I think that would be too eary, they tend to go for about 39 weeks. I understand why you'd like that date but, medically, they'd see it as too early for your baby I think.

Sorry to hear that.

However I don't think it's likely you will be able to request that date for a couple of reasons.

Firstly 37+2 is very early, they won't do it before 39ish weeks unless there's a good medical reason to, because of possible respiratory problems for the baby.

Secondly 10th Oct is a Sunday and they almost certainly won't book a planned section for a weekend day.

(I am assuming we are talking NHS not private, btw.)

you should ideally be having the section as close to 39 weeks or so as possible

bigger risk of breathing difficulties for the baby if you are delivered at 37 weeks.

you cannot choose a date for a sentimental reason, it has to be a good date for the baby to be born healthy and to fit in with the hospital schedule

I'm really sorry to hear about your loss.

The baby's lungs are still maturing at that point in your pregnancy, so it is very unlikely they would agree to such an early date.

Also, as Jacks says, they book elective c-secs for office hours. Obviously emergency sections are carried out around the clock.

The reason I know this about Sundays btw is that the original date I was offered was Monday 11th Oct, then was given Wed 6th Oct instead. I jokingly said that 10/10/10 would have been a good date and they said, yeah everyone's requesting that date but we don't book ELCSs on weekends.

(NOT that I'm suggesting that that's your reasoning, clpsmum).

clpsmum I am very sorry to hear of your loss.

I lost my darling dad when I was about five months pregnant with my dd. It was a terrible shock and very sad.

I really think you need to come to terms with the death of your grandparents (gradually) and to find other ways to celebrate their lives and what they mean to you.

Why not spend these coming weeks compiling a scrap book to show your child when they are older.

Please try to come to terms with this bereavement and move on with your pregnancy and birth as normal. Perhaps some counselling or specifically bereavement counselling www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk/ may help.

I understand that you want to remember your grandparents in some special way, can I suggest something lovely may be to plant a tree in their memory, you can do this with a charity or other organisation. Have a look at www.carbonzerostore.com/?gclid=CP7XjLLYkaMCFdQB4wodVQwznA for info.

I am sure your grand parents will continue to be a warm and special memory in your life and maybe you could visit the tree with your baby.

Please do not think this is a flippant suggestion.

I really think for your own sake and your baby you should let your pregnancy continue as normal for the optimum health of the baby. I am sure you would not be allowed to do anything other than that but even if you could, it would not be what was good for you or the baby and I doubt your grandparents would want this.

Why not celebrate their special day with a meal out or something nice and then go on to enjoy the birth of your baby in peace.

All best wishes.

Jacksmybaby, can I ask if you had any trouble getting them to agree to 38+6?
My consultant is away throughout week 39. I am worried about booking in week 40 as I really don't want to go into labour, but he says week 38 is too early.
any tips?

I'm considering an elective-c. Are you ladies all going private? If not, how did you go about speaking with your obs/consultant? If private, how much approx does it cost and did you just approach the same hospital you were going to do the birth?

Thanks

Pixiecake the registrar agreed to 38+6 because the next available date would have been 39+4 which he agreed was cutting it a bit fine. I did ask whether it was adding any extra risk for the baby to do it before 39 weeks but he said no. I guess some hospitals will have an inflexible policy where they will absolutely not consider doing it before 39 weeks without good medical reason and some are willing to be a bit more flexible, especially when it comes to a day or two which I guess will make very little difference risk-wise.

seasister NHS for me, ELCS offered on basis of previous complications ending in EMCS. Have a look at the NICE guidelines on when c sections will be offered on the NHS - you need a medical reason basically, and you will need to get a GP referral to a consultant obstetrician.

I am having an elective c section due to medical reasons Seasister so a boit different for me

clpsmum

How are you doing?

Have you made any progress with your decision?

Just in case you did like my idea about trees, this site seems to be cheaper for planting a tree and has locations all over the country.

www.eforests.co.uk/INTERNET/efnews2.nsf/NewsWebDisplay?OpenForm&ParentUNID=203D6799DCC5C2B1802573F90 05FA241

All the best,