Elective c section- advice and questions I should ask

[ohfunnyhoneyface]

Hi

I have known from the start of my pregnancy that due to my ulcerative colitis I may have to have an elective c section, but I've not really sat and thought about it until this week.

I have my appointment with my consultant tomorrow, and want to go in equipped with good questions so I can make an informed decision.

Basically, my concern now is I will flare following the birth, and if there is damage/tears it's going to be risky with infection/cleanliness/pain. I know I will lose blood anyway with a c section, BUT obviously there is the possibility there will be more blood loss with a natural birth, combined with the heavy blood loss I experience with a UC flare, and I don't want to be anaemic, massively bleeding both ways (sorry if tmi).

Any advice on elective c sections? Questions I should ask?

Thanks in advance.

Watching with interest as I will be having one later this year too.

I'm actually most concerned about the technicalities of the process. And about breastfeeding afterwards.

I don't really have any advice, as I too am probably having an elective c-sec this pregnancy (but will be interested to read replies for when I see my consultant!), but I know how hard UC can be as my FIL had it (before having an op to have his bowel removed), so I really sympathise with you having it during pregnancy .

Good luck with the consultant and the birth, and hope it doesn't flare up too badly for you afterwards

No good advice here just reassurance. I've had one for similar reasons and it went better than I expected. All I can say is just take the hygiene and safety advice given to you seriously and you will be fine. Good luck

I had an elective c section with dc1 and 2.7 years later had a vbac so it's doable. The csection went v well (I had placenta preavia) and frankly was v calm and v pleasant experience (well bloody painful afterwards but that's surgery!!). I bf for 2 years. It can be done.

I had an elective c section with dc1 and 2.7 years later had a vbac so it's doable. The csection went v well (I had placenta preavia) and frankly was v calm and v pleasant experience (well bloody painful afterwards but that's surgery!!). I bf for 2 years. It can be done.

Hi
I can't help much but following as also expecting elective c section feb/march

Found this thread last week seems to have some good advice so thought I would share here

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childbirth/217414-if-you-are-having-a-caesarean

Hope it works I am on phone

Good luck with consultant hope they put any worries you have at rest many people I know were happy with ELCS x

Sorry link not working try again-

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childbirth/217414-if-you-are-having-a-caesarean

Thank you everyone for reading and replying.

Breastfeeding is a real concern for me- I need to know how easy it will be to breastfeed as I plan to EBF until I wean and want to be prepared for any challenges.

I had a serious flare during morning sickness, then it calmed, and now have awful piles due to constipation (nice) and light bleeding.

I think I've avoided thinking about it due to overly positive thinking. NCT labour day class put everything in harsh light when we had the 'cut or tear' talk.

Are there any factors that effect c sections success? I'm a relatively fit and healthy, pretty fit 28 year old- does this make recovery easier?

I have no experience of some of the things you're asking about, but with regard to breast feeding- I've had 1 vaginal delivery and 1 elcs. Establishing bf was no harder after the elcs, just make sure you have lots of pillows to get in a comfy position. The midwives told me it needn't make any difference to feeding and it didn't.

I had an elective section (transverse huge baby!) 10 weeks ago and have bf very successfully. In recovery straight after the op ask the mw to help you get baby latched on. I did with the support of a lovely mw. DS took to it straight away and we haven't looked back since :) it can be done. Just make sure you get baby with you to feed ASAP. Wishing you lots of luck x

Sorry for disjointed post, posting from phone....
Regarding bloodloss: it can vary a lot. I lost 500ml with my first (slightly above average), and less than 200ml with my second. Make sure your iron levels are as good as possible before hand- get a supplement that agrees with you (I like Galfer). I'm not sure how UC manifests for you, but avoid getting constipated after the CS. as with all surgery get yourself as fit and well before hand as you can.

I chose not to breast feed. If you want to though there's no reason why not. Get advice on good positions etc. your milk will come in as normal. Be aware that babies born by CS are more prone to sleepiness which can make it harder. Provided you and baby are well enough you can have skin to skin and put baby to boob on the operating table while they close you up. I did with my first (2nd baby not well enough initially). I'm not sure what medications you take long term and with acute flare ups (if any), but you need to discuss their compatibility with breast feeding. I also don't know how BF impact on the likelyhood of your baby developing UC (I can't imagine it increase the risk but it might reduce it).

CS increase the risk of baby having breathing problems at birth as the fluid is not squeezed from their lungs during labour. DS2 had this and ended up in NiCU. Ask for a tour of NiCU and SCBU before hand if possible.

My first (emergency) CS was lovely. My 2nd (sort of elective) one was horrible. No ones fault, and it could have been worse. I still think it was better than a VB! I had a very painful hand and horrendous nausea for about 45 minutes. Much better than the alternative! I healed really well both times, paracetamol and nurafen for about a week, driving after 2.

Thank you for replies- lots to think about and good advice and very useful to know others experiences.

I had to have a blood transfusion with my second birth which was the vbac. With the elective I lost blood but not much. Thinking about it now, the second birth was definitely worse. I'm still bf the second child, she's 2.4 years old!!

Wrt what you can do re recovery, I strongly suggest getting help in. Start making meals to freeze or getting lots of ready meals that you can bung in oven. Rest. Take your pain relief (there are no prizes for not taking the ibuprofen or whatever!!). Don't drive till 6 weeks post c section. You need to give your body and scar time to heal especially if you already have UC.

Drink plenty of water and eat regularly and as far as possible healthily. Nothing wrong with chips etc just in balance.

When getting ready to feed, have a tumbler of water/juice by your side, tv on and remote controls near by! It may take some time.

I had an elective c-section and was amazed at how quickly I recovered. I seemed to have a much better time of it than most of my NCT group in fact. My section was late afternoon, I was up the next morning and home the day after that. Needed a bit of help from DH getting in and out of bed for a few days but was amazed at how much I could do straight away. I would say it was a really positive experience.

As for breast feeding, I was really worried about this beforehand too but it's been absolutely fine. I got to cuddle our baby in theatre while they stitched me up etc and then had skin to skin as soon as we got to recovery. Our lovely midwife helped me to get the little man latched on straight away and he has fed well ever since. He seemed to get the hang of it really quickly.

I feel very fortunate to have had such a positive experience. Really hope all goes as well for all of you with an ELCS coming up as it did for me.

Thank you again for the replies! I wasn't expecting so many!

Optimism that is a lovely positive story (suits your name!) I was starting to really panic and feel like every option is going to inevitably end up with me in bits but actually, it could all be ok. Got to hold onto that!

I had one and was absolutely fine. I recovered well and could bf. my advice to you is to think about how you will cope afterwards. You will be sore and bending and lifting things, even getting off the sofa and out of bed will require help. My poor DH even had to help change my maternity pads as I couldn't bend! But although I was a bit sore I certainly wasn't in pain and hardly needed the painkillers they have me.

So, the things I found useful were:

Big granny knickers. Get plenty 2 sizes too big so they go practically up to your armpits. I took regular knickers to hospital not realising the elastic is exactly were the scar is. Oops.

Get family and friends to help. Basic things, both my mum and mil were amazing and came over everyday for the first 2 weeks to keep me company and help with the bending etc.

Get plenty of easy food in. My mil brought food for the freezer.

Please don't drive before 6 weeks, even though you'll feel like you can after 2. You'll have many layers of stitches and driving over even a small pothole or speed bump can be disastrous.

Also, and I hope this doesn't scare you but I wished I'd known, you'll probably get send home with syringes of anti-clotting stuff to inject yourself at home. 1 a day for 6 days. Think who can do it for you. I thought I could do it myself but chickened out. Luckily my DH is find with it otherwise it would be a trip back to the outpatients or doctors surgery, which would have been impossible. Btw, it doesn't hurt a bit.

Good luck! I had a great experience. You'll be fine. X

Yes, it really could be ok, Honeyface! I was really worried about the whole thing beforehand too but it was so much better than I thought it could be. Good luck.

Thank you! You've really reassured me.

I think I know it's the right thing to do. Both ways are painful and unpleasant, but at least with a c section I'm avoiding long term health problems and I am less likely to worry the same way in the next few weeks about 'the worst' happening.

Re medication and bfeeding, most drs are pretty clueless so ask around and tiktok is a poster on here who will prob be ablw to point you in the direction of good advice re meds and bfeeding. If you.need advice do a thread in the bfeeding section on here and put a shout out for tiktok

Never had section so cant help with that tho i did see an amazing film of a lasy having a planned c section and the dr delivered the head of tge baby and then guidex the mums hands down and helped her to hold the baby and she then.liften tge baby up and out and straight onto her chest!! As i said it was amazing but not standard at all.

You will be able to get skin to skin and midwife will help you hold the baby straight away providing thre are no complications.

Good luck :)

I had an ELCS as DS was a whopper at almost 11lb, and despite 4 days of induction, dynamite wouldn't shift the lazy little thing, thank goodness! I had a marvellous experience, and I had planned a water birth at home, so couldn't have been further from what I intended. They key I found was to take all the painkillers they offer and get up and moving as soon as possible, I was home after two days and out for lunch with DS and friends in the pub on day three . Good luck, my CS was certainly not the awful experience I imagined it would be before hand, and if I am ever lucky enough to have another DC, I would chose to have another section.

Oh and I BF the mahoosive DS with no problem....until the teeth started but that's another thread