Had a show, got some pains, and have ELCS booked in in 15 days, what to do???

[feelingratheroverwhelmed]

Morning ladies,

After a frustrating admission last week which what turned out to be false labour, probably just very painful braxton hicks, everything had slowed down so I thought maybe I may get to my section date (20/10). Am 37+3 today.

Last night my belly just felt really uncomfortable, not contraction-type pian like last week, but just very achey so not much sleep was had! For the last couple of days I've had a bit of gunky discharge but it's either been clear or very pale green. This morning, however, there was a lot more and it was definitely blood tinged so I'm pretty confident it was a show.

I'm sat here now and my belly is really aching, and I've got some period type pains too. The baby is moving quite a lot, which I though was a sign that they were not on their way, but am I wrong? Also, (and sorry TMI) I'm really windy!!!!

So, I know I should probably just sit here and see what happens. But I really want my ELCS so am worried I'll wait too long and end up getting to hospital and having to go through a totally unprepared VBAC! I'm just not convinced my symptoms will be enough for the MW's to be willing to examine me though, as everything is a bit "wolley" at the moment.

This is exactly the time that DS turned up too, though I know every pregnancy is unique....

Call the MW and see what they say.

Yeah I would say call the midwife. Especially as your DS arrived early too.

Does sound like a show. What to do may depend a bit on why you have an ELCS booked. Eg if it is because your placenta is in the wrong place - ring MW NOW

If you are medically fit to try for VBAC you could see how you go for a little while. But if you do not want a VBAC at all I would speak to MW as they would fit you in for an earlier CS if needed.

Oh that was quick, thanks ladies! No there's no medical reason for my ELCS as such, I just had a very traumatic birth with DS that ended in EMCS. In theory I could have a VBAC but I don't want one, largely because I don't trust the staff at the local hospital to actually listen to me (big part of the problem last time).

I've actually got a cleaner here this morning for the first time, my preparation for having two under two, y'see. So I think I'm going to wait until she's finished at about 11.30 and see how I feel then. If I feel the same then I'll call the triage dept.

When I was in hospital last week they were really vague about what signs they'd need to see before they'd consider rearranging the CS which was annoying, though they did assure me if I still wanted a CS I'd get it however early I went into labour.

TBH I haven't actually stood up from the sofa since I posted the OP (lovely mat leave and DS at nursery!) so I'm not 100% ihow I feel now, but belly is definitely still achey...

I would defo call labour ward to discuss with a midwife... if they have agreed that you can have an ELCS, then it shouldnt make a difference if you go into labour early - they should still be able to deliver by CS & not put you through a VBAC.

I am booked for ELCS this friday, I was told that if I was to go into labour early then call labour ward as they will still perform the CS anyway, just not on the booked date. They also told me that they'd rather know sooner than later that i had gone into early labour - its easier to perform a CS if baby isnt right down in the pelvis / fully engaged / heading out the vaginal exit, if you know what I mean!!

I was in hospital this past weekend because they thought I was going into labour (mild uterine contractions) plus baby is lying transverse & they were muttering about keeping me in until ELCS date due to risk of cord prolapse. Fortunately been allowed home, but was told to call immediately if I had any labour symptoms. Funnily enough, my baby is mega active too, plus I've been having very loose bowel movements. They told me that this is just your body 'gearing up' for labour, but it wont necessarily happen any day soon.

COuld be nothing & might all settle down, but if in doubt, then they can hook you up to CTG & monitor your uterine tightenings to see if you are having contractions. Good luck!

Thanks Icrave. You've only got a couple of days to go then? How exciting! So are you into week 39 then? I've just had an, ahem, pleasant trip to the loo too, lovely!

Just been for a walk and am still feeling achey, with a pressure down on my pelvis, and really don't feel like I could actually do very much today. Still not having the contraction-type pain I had last week but there is definitely something going on down there. The cleaner is still here, so once she's done I'll reassess and probably call the ward and see what they say.

It's so much more difficult when you've got a toddler to consider too. I ended up on the ward without DH last thur night / fri morning and got really upset! MIL is going to look after DS but she's an hour away so I don't want to drag her over here for no reason, but on the other hand need to give her enough notice if she needs to get him from nursery later.

Will keep updating!

yes, only 1.5days left!!! Am totally paranoid that baby will arrive early (i.e. pre ELCS) which is silly really as i'll still only be 38+5 on c-section date & both of my previous children arrived naturally, bang on due date so I don't have any history of early delivery. I still sit around worrying tho'!!

I too have aches / pains / creaky pelvis / period type cramps on a daily basis, but I wonder whether it is more me unconciously worrying about friday rather than anything major starting to happen. I lay awake in bed last night for ages - baby was majorly active, I thought she might kick her way out! And I think i was basically laying there worrying. Silly really - its been nice having an ELCS date 'set' (never had a c-sect before) because we have been able to arrange child care / school run for friday, but I think I am deep down worrying about the whole thing more than I realise. Just can't wait for friday!!!

I too was on my own sunday night on the ward - DH brought the kids up at 7pm to say goodnight (luckily we only live 2 mins from hospital) but I did lie there after they'd gone & had a mini cry!

Anyway, lots of luck, hope baby stays in til c-section, & keep us posted!

Icrave how come you got booked in so early? Here they won't book you in until 39 weeks, so I've ended up with a date that's only 3 days before my due date which I've never been confident of reaching!

I think how it works at our hospital is that each consultant does one morning per week in theatre doing ELCS's. My consultant's day is a friday, and if they waited until the following friday, I would be only 2 days away from due date, which I guess they deemed too close to due date. My ELCS was originally booked because I have had 2 previous 3rd degree tears (I pushed for c-section this time because I didnt want to risk more / worse tears and potential incontinence issues forever more!!). However, I needn't have worried about asking - because baby refuses to stay head down & is lying oblique / transverse most of the time, the registrar I saw on sunday on the ward said I'd be having ELCS anyway due to her lie!

Perhaps your hospital is mega busy with booked ELCS, hence why yours is so close to due date? I do have friends who have had ELCS at my hospital & they were booked at / just after 39wks...guess I just got lucky with an earlier rather than later date?!

How are you doing feelingratheroverwhelmed? When you said you were windy, I was thinking that maybe it was digestive pain, but then I remembered that a 'big clearout' is all part of the early labour signs. I had a show and then non-specific cramps/period pains which started about 15 hours before DD was born. But then I was 11 days overdue, so I was pretty confident it was labour! I'd definitely speak to your midwife.
Good luck to you and Icravecheese!

In the same boat here...ELCS booked for next wk but just had what I think was a tiny show....what to do?? DH busy, toddler DD to look after. Some crampy pains but also suffering mega SPD & sometimes hard to distinguish between the two, altho I do think this is more like periody aches than SPD pain....ho hum...

Nothing going on at the moment. I've had a very lazy day, and haven't moved round much since I went for the walk earlier. The cleaner was here for 5 hours in the end (my house looks fab, so pleased that's done now!) so I've just hung around here, and then fell asleep for a while.

I've just got up and had a shower, and I've still got the achey tummy and the mild pressure but it's better than earlier so I haven't called the hospital yet. DH is going to call his mum to see if she can come over later if we need her too. One that's sorted then I can play it by ear. I'm fairly confident nothing is that imminent at the moment so if I can avoid unecessary time on the ward then I rather would.

Sooooo wish I had a crystal ball!!!

IWILL keep me updated, what are you thinking at the moment??

Pale green discharge? Have you mentioned this to midwife? Think it would be wise to call them.

I'm thinking yeah a crystal ball would be useful!! I want to avoid a wasted trip to maternity unit at all costs because SPD is so bad, the pain and effort of getting into the car alone is terrible. Need wheelchair to get me to the ward, need someone to bring me, dinner time not to far away, followed by DD bedtime, so would need babysitter(MIL), which would result in whole family knowing something is up and DH being hounded on the phone every 2 mins for an update..... :(

My ?show was a pinky colour, about the size of a fingernail so only tiny...

Oh the SPD sounds awful, you have my sympathy. Can completely see why you don;t want to go in unless absolutely necessary. The thing with the show is that that we have no idea how long things will start moving after it's happened, I'm just not convinced there's enough else happening to justify going to the ward. Certainly if there wasn't a section involved the ward wouldn't even be on my radar at the moment.

Grrrrrrrrr!

sleepvader the discharge initially didn't seem to be anything suspicious, infection wise, it's only that it then became pinkish that I think it's important. I can be a bit, er, "discargey" at times, if that makes sense!!!!

Yeah, know exactly what you mean about ward not even being on the radar only for ELCS booked. Otherwise would be happy to ignore this.

Should I charge my phone, just in case?

Lucky you having a clean house now....my house is a tip thanks to SPD and DD.

Well I now have cleaner envy...

feelingratheroverwhelmed - I went into labour pretty quickly after having my shows with last 2 babies (within 24/48 hours) - guess it depends how your previous labour went? Were you early? Did you get a show / waters breaking as first sign?

Good luck to everyone waiting for ELCS dates to arrive.... I am starting to cr&p myself about it now! No idea why - seemed a great idea when initially booked 4 weeks ago, now its only 36hours away, feeling very nervous!!!

My house is a tip too. I'm getting a cleaner for a few weeks before/after this baby (3rd). Did you sit and read a magazine only lifting your feet for the hoover to pass by? I hope so!

I'd waiting until you're having contractions or your waters break - that early phase could last days. Hope you get some sleep.

I sat on my laptop whilst she cleaned away. Rather strange experience to be honest but so worth it! She's moved lots of stuff in an attempt to make my very untidy house a bit more ordered so I've had to go round moving things back as things are ordered as they are to stop DS getting his hands on them!

Actually it's not all good, DH has just found out she's broken the overflow pipe on the bath and is not happy...

I don't remember having a show with DS, my waters broke (full gush!) at 37+3 (ie today), I had ctx but ended up being induced on a drip.
Icrave you'll be fine. There's a thread going atm about peoples experiences of ELCS and it all seemed very positive when I looked earlier. My recovery from my EMCS was actually ok, in fact it seemed better than friends of mine who had normal deliveries and stitches.

Still nothing really happening here so haven't called the hospital. MIL is on standby though.

Morning ladies, here's an update. Hope you're all ok. Crave just one day to go, wow! How are you feeling?

Well had yet another night when I was convinced my waters would go at some point but no. I had a few pains overnight but nothing major.
However I had a much bigger show when I went to the loo at 8.30 this morning. So, I persuaded DH to work from home (DS is at home today too). Since then I've had a few minor aches, but about an hour ago I had a pain that went all around my bump and literally brought tears to my eyes, and it lasted for ages! So whilst that was happening DH called his mum and she's on her way over. Since then I've just had very mild aches again. I've got a slightly dodgy tummy again this morining too.

That horrid pain earlier on has made me even more nervous now, I was supposed to take DS to playgroup but DH has taken him as I was worried it'd happen there, but of course it may not happen again for ages.

It just gets more and more frustrating!!!!

is it weird that I am totally envious reading this post partly because you have a cleaner and I would LOVE one and really because your at the stage where its coming!!! seems like a life time away for me at the moment, I hope today is the day for you good luck

Sounds like labour is not too far away now...I wen into labour just like u minus the show at 34 weeks. Upset tummy, achey bump etc....

Was in labour for 66 hours though.....sorry!!
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