Elective Ceasarean..??

[Lovelylace]

Seeing this phrase on a few threads and are just wondering a bit more about it.
I have always thought that a ceasarean was an emergency procedure when things didnt quite work out as they should..or that people opted for the same as baby was not positioned correctly for a smooth birth etc..Or can you just choose it as a preference? even on the NHS? what are the benefits to choose it over a vaginal birth? sorry dont want to offend anyone, just really curious.

It just means planned. I had one for DD1 as she was breech, so it wasn't an emergency. I was given a date.

There are other reasons for elective caesarians, but I certainly wouldn't say it was a good thing to just "choose" over a vaginal birth.

Due to problems caused by a previous birth (too bleugh to go into) I was given the option to have an elective caesarean last time round.

I had to get my preference (which it was, because technically I could have given birth vaginally) passed by my consultant.

Now I'm pregnant again, I will have to state my case again, as I've been told it will be the default option to have a vaginal delivery.

Having done it both ways, ELCS is no easier than vaginal, even given the complications I had.

I THINK though I may be wrong, that you can choose a section on the NHS now. That's what I heard anyway.

any caesarean that is booked in advance for any reason is called "elective"
any caesarean that is done after labour starts naturally is called "emergency" even if it isn't really

is it true that if you have one ceaserean you HAVE to have the following births by ceaserean too?
I can see if you have a breached baby or as you say previous complications that this would be the road taken, but just wondered if some people just wanted a c-section, have heard the phrase "too posh to push" being branded about as well..I am sure that a C-sec is not particularily easy though, as it must be a fairly invasive and major type of surgery...thanks for your answers..

Lacking- ahh I see so the phrase elective doesent just mean that you choose it as a preference..

nope if you are booked in in advance for medical reasons it is still an elective

noone would choose a knee replacement for fun but they are usually elective in that they are planned and booked in in advance!

If you have 3 CSs its not advised that you attempt a VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarian) although people do

you can certainly have a vaginal birth after one CS if everything else is normal, although it is advised that you are monitored during it

You don't have to have c-section for subsequent births if you've had one before.

It depends on your birth history and I expect each case is looked at on it's own merits.

Are you expecting your first lovelylace ?

I had a vaginal birth (VBAC) after s Caesarian. So no.

Actually you can choose to have one for a non medical reason including not wanting a vaginal birth but it depends on whether your consultant will agree. If they won't they have to refer you to someone who is sympathetic to your wants.

I know because I chose to have an elective c 9 weeks ago with my ds on the nhs. I had a normal (but long) labour with my dd now aged 8 and basically I didn't want to have a vaginal birth again - I liked the element of control and managed pain relief with c section rather than waiting for an anaesthetist for an epidural and quite frankly I didn't fancy my vagina being pulled apart again, I'd rather my tummy be cut open and stitched up.

My consultant agreed after a few appointments and me not budging and he booked me in. Oddly enough it turned out I had silent placenta previa (no symptoms!) So thank god I did have a c section as I would have needed an emegency one had I gone into labour! Scary!
Personally I found the c section recovery much better than my vaginal birth and I was back to myself within a few days.

and say you are booked in for an elective CS, say for breach, then you go into labour before the booked date, then you have an emergency CS instead

I had one emergency caesarean.

I was "heavily encouraged" to try a vaginal birth for my next baby but I said I wanted an elective section and I got it. Doctor sort of sneered at me for not wanting to try a VBAC.

For my third DC, saw the consultant as worried about growth and while I was in there he said, in that very quick breezy consultanty manner: "Having another section, yes?" clearly believing that I should do. I said, just as quickly: "Yes please," and he replied "Gooooood" in an approving fashion and that was that, all discussed and decided in about 7 seconds.

So I have had 1 emergency, and 2 electives.

DC1 Vaginal birth. DC2 EMCS for being breech in labour. DC3 Was a heavily encouraged elective CS.. (So one of each kind of birth) .DC4 I am going for a VBAC against consultants advice because I am in dread at going through such huge abdominal surgery again and the hideously slow recovery afterwards ( PS I hate the phrase...Too posh to push...it makes my blood boil...there is nothing posh about being unable to change your own sanitary towel for the first 24 hours :)

dd was an emergency section in the true sense of the word. My 2nd was a vbac which ended in an emergency section although only emergency as during labour. This time I have known since 9 weeks that i will be having another section. I don't really like word elective either as it's not really me electing to have a section. (obv know i could push for vbac but just couldn'r risk it against medical advice)
Agree too posh to push is a rubbish phrase. If it wasn't for my csection under GA my dd may not be alive today.

there's also crash caesareans, they are the emergency ones that have to be done NOW!

some emergency caesareans aren't so urgent, DHs have time to change into scrubs and it can all be very calm, can wait for a gap in the list etc. Crash caesareans need to be done that instant as either mother or child is at immediate risk

Yes I am expecting my first and have NEVER been much of a baby person , so it is literally a jungle out there with so much new information and choices that I have at times been fairly overwhlmed, but then I try to think that we have managed to have babies and bring them up for thousands of years previously and with a little luck hormones and instinct will kick in and I will become a bit more maternal me too...eventually I do not know much about C-sec at all and have always been abit flabbergasted by the term "too posh to push" as well as I after having operations,( screwing broken pelvis together, metal plates inserted in feet after bones being crushed, eventing can be a dangerous business) realise that it must indeed be a serious operation with a substantial time in recuuperation. Not exactly just something you do willynilly so that you can be free for a ladies lunch the next day...But wondered in regards to the term and how common it was to opt for a c-sec out of choice rather than a medical necessity.. Thank you all for your answers, yet another little mystery cleared up and solved...I am slowly getting there and will hopefully soon be fluent in this mum lingo.. it is an exciting journey i have to admit..