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Original poster

What are your experiences with an ELCS?

17 replies

Ridingthestorm · 11/01/2015 16:42

I am having an ELCS in 9 weeks due to medical reasons. The last one was an EMCS and very rushed!

Wondering what everyone's experiences are with ELCS from the moment you arrive at the hospital to the end of the day basically!

We have been asked to arrive for 7:30am, can I delay this to 8am for childcare reasons?
Can you wear your own nightdress for the surgery (I did with the last one but it was an emergency)?
I have been swabbed and found to have MRSA. Does these mean, like my friend said, I will be last on the c section list that day?
Will the MRSA mean I need a private room or will I be in a general ward (no infection, just colonised)?
Do you take in baby's things (nappies, vest, sleep suit) into theatre with you?
How long will it be after surgery before I am taken to the antenatal ward?
Can I eat afterwards?
How long sfterwards will I be up and walking about?
How long was everyone's stay?

Thanks in advance. Not panicking but I like to be in the know beforehand!

OP posts:
rubyboo2 · 11/01/2015 17:21

Hi OP you will be required to wear a hospital gown . I dont think they willl allow you to arrive later maybe you can ring to ask ? Yes you will be later on the list if not last due to your MRSA status . Usually Mrsa patients are barrier nursed in a side room but I am not sure how it works in midwifery only nursing . Thats as much as I know . Good luck x Smile

WilsonWilsonWoman · 12/01/2015 18:50

I'm having an ELCS this time after an EMCS seven years ago so very interested to see other posters on this too. Smile

Due2015 · 12/01/2015 18:56

Sorry to gate crash I'd also like to know as I think I will be having a section

TK1930 · 12/01/2015 19:17

Hi...
Here's my experience (of one planned CS)

We have been asked to arrive for 7:30am, can I delay this to 8am for childcare reasons?
Not sure- this prob depends on consultant/hospital

Can you wear your own nightdress for the surgery (I did with the last one but it was an emergency)?
I didnt... Had to change in to hospital gowns...DH too

I have been swabbed and found to have MRSA. Does these mean, like my friend said, I will be last on the c section list that day?
Not sure about this

Will the MRSA mean I need a private room or will I be in a general ward (no infection, just colonised)?
Not sure about this

Do you take in baby's things (nappies, vest, sleep suit) into theatre with you?
Yes I think I did

How long will it be after surgery before I am taken to the antenatal ward?
Recovery ward for a while... Think about an hour after I left and went on to ward

Can I eat afterwards?
Yes

How long sfterwards will I be up and walking about?
Depends on person. I was up later that day.

How long was everyone's stay?
I chose to stay for 4 days(private) not sure about timings on nhs.

Hope this helps.
Please PM me for any further details as I know it's daunting!

TK1930 · 12/01/2015 19:19

P.s there are lots of really great threads with LOADS of advice on this site. That's where I got most of my info... Google it x

Fluffeh · 12/01/2015 19:29

hi I had an elcs in April 13. It was so calm and pretty perfect. Here's what I'd answer below :).
We have been asked to arrive for 7:30am, can I delay this to 8am for childcare reasons? You can only ask, if your later on the list I can't see why not. I was first on the list and had to be on the ward for 7am.

Can you wear your own nightdress for the surgery (I did with the last one but it was an emergency)?
No I had to wear a gown and dp had to change into scrubs.

I have been swabbed and found to have MRSA. Does these mean, like my friend said, I will be last on the c section list that day?
I don't know sorry.

Will the MRSA mean I need a private room or will I be in a general ward (no infection, just colonised)?
I'm guessing private room but not sure.

Do you take in baby's things (nappies, vest, sleep suit) into theatre with you?
We were just asked to take a nappy and hat. We dressed dd when back at the ward.

How long will it be after surgery before I am taken to the antenatal ward?
Around an hour after I got out of theatre but I don't know if that's usual. Dd was born at 9.30 and I was back on the ward by 11am.

Can I eat afterwards?
I waited until lunchtime but yes I could've eaten as soon as I returned to the ward had I wanted to.

How long sfterwards will I be up and walking about?
I had to wait until the next morning but mainly due to them being understaffed and unable to remove my catheter.
How long was everyone's stay?
7 nights :( that was the worst bit.

TK1930 · 12/01/2015 19:39

Not nice about the catheter removal Shock
How come you stayed for 7 days ... If you don't mind me asking

Meplusyouequals4 · 12/01/2015 19:49

Sorry to gate crash. But I'm also having an elective section in 4 weeks. (got my final consultant appointment in 2 weeks)

I only have one question I'm wondering about.

When I had an emergency section with DD the hospital (different to the one this time) didn't have scrubs to fit my DH so he wasn't allowed in the theatre Sad . DH is a theatre technician so he wears scrubs to work (his own, I wash them.) do you think they will allow him to wear his own work scrubs in the theatre?

I don't want to go through it on my own again Sad

Chewbecca · 12/01/2015 20:03

I had a planned section & I loved it! It was so calm and relaxed, I wandered down to theatre with DH, the staff asked what station I'd like on the radio, everyone was so nice. I don't know all the answers to your Qs but just wanted to tell you how pleasant it was!

Do you take in baby's things (nappies, vest, sleep suit) into theatre with you? we handed ours over the the midwife before going into theatre
How long will it be after surgery before I am taken to the antenatal ward? i lost all sense of time at this point, I have no idea how long it took!
Can I eat afterwards? i had my section at about 11 (after going in first thing, they had a couple of emergencies before me). I was given a light tea.
How long sfterwards will I be up and walking about? i had to wait until the next morning for the spinal block to fully wear off
How long was everyone's stay? i stayed 3 nights, first night in the ward, then, thankfully, 2 nights in a side room which was fab, my own tiny little world. I think I'd have campaigned to have left sooner if I'd stayed on the ward, so noisy.

Missmidden · 12/01/2015 20:59

I was found to be colonised with MRSA but only after the op, so my position on the list was not affected. However I was barrier nursed in a side room once they found out. Thought that would be better than the ward but actually it was just horrid in other ways as I felt isolated and ignoredSad
I am not the greatest advert for ELCS however; I found the op itself fine but the hospital stay was dreadful- they let me out after 2 nights but I would have self discharged if they hadn't.

Alyx80 · 12/01/2015 21:28

I've just had my 4th section last week.
We were asked to arrive at 7.30am too, I'd ask if you can get there slightly later, they may allow it depending on where you are on the list.
Not sure about the MRSA Q's.
I went down to theatre in a hospital gown, they then pinned this up to create the screen so we couldn't see! I stayed in the gown until the next morning when I had the catheter removed and got showered and into my own PJs.
We took a nappy and hat with us to theatre and then had skin to skin afterwards so he wasn't actually dressed until he was about 7 hours old and back on the ward.
He was born at 9.45am and I was in recovery about 10.10am and back onto the ward by 11am. I stayed in for 2 nights (have done each time apart from my first)
It was an amazing experience, would love to do it again!

Fluffeh · 13/01/2015 08:50

TK - they wanted to keep an eye on baby's feeding and dirty/wet nappies as it took my milk a while to come in. i have managed to get them to agree to a 24 hour discharge if I need a section this time. The thought of another week in there worries me more than the recovery at home.

Number3cometome · 13/01/2015 09:15

I had an EMCS with DC1 - I won't go in to that one.

DC2 was a planned C-section at 38 weeks due to pre-eclampsia.

Arrived at the hospital at 7:30am (this is usually early so they can book you in and also make sure you do not eat and drink - you can ask, but they may say no and if you are late may cancel your operation)

I had to wait in a room until about 9am and was 2nd on the list.

I was put on a fetal heart monitor to check that I was not in labour, then the anaethetist and nurses came to see me. I was a slightly different case as due to previous spinal surgeries I could not have an epidural and was told they would only attempt a spinal block once before putting me asleep (my EMCS was under a general)

They walked me in to theatre, explained the procedure and introduced me to the staff who were absolutely lovely and friendly.

They attempted the spinal block and woohoo it worked, 15 mins later I had my baby next to me.

Not sure about the MRSA stuff, give them a call.

Best of luck and don't worry Smile

Number3cometome · 13/01/2015 09:16

p.s. was home after second night

freshlysharpenedpencils · 13/01/2015 09:30

Thanks for this thread. I had an emergency one with last baby so this one will be planned and reading this has made me feel better about it. Good luck to everyone x

2blessed · 13/01/2015 10:06

I had an emcs in 2013 and an elcs in 2014. Definitely my best decision.

We arrived at the hospital a little after 8am. We were late so it automatically meant I was last of 2. I was taken to a room, changed into a gown and had bp checked. The anaesthetist came to speak to me and recommended a spinal and epidural due to my history.

Walked into theatre at 10.30 and met the team which felt great. Dc2 born at 12.20. Curtain was lowered at pointof delivery and I was told I had a girl. We were back in the room by 13.00. Beautiful sunny daySmile.

Original poster
Ridingthestorm · 14/01/2015 16:00

Thank you for all the answers. It has helped a lot. It seems one sling to others in RL that I may end up being last (boring long day I bet!) and in my own room and barrier nursed.

I was in my own room last time for 6 nights after being on a general ward and high dependency and it was so lonely. I only ever saw people when they came in to give me drugs, change my water jug or for other medical reasons. My DH couldn't visit until the evening, DM and DF lived over 100 my mils away, PIL were elderly at the time (just MIL now but she won't visit as she is unable to) and friends 'stayed away'. I had no entertainment at all.

This time I am paying for the Tv that comes with the bed. Don't care about cost but I am not climbing the walls again!

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