ELCS Daft Questions

[m33r]

Hello lovely MN-ers!

Had my MW appointment today at 32 weeks (but measuring 34) and little one was breach. I was told that if LO didn't turn I'd be an elective section. I have two questions which I forgot to ask the MW:

1. if I go into labour before my date, would I phone maternity right away, then would they bring me in and give me a section even though it was before my 'section date' or would they have me labour the breach baby?

1. do you bleed 'intimately' after the birth if you have a section? I had just assumed that the bleeding after birth was to do with a pushing a person through you but then today it occurred to me that it might a hormonal thing?

Its obviously quite early days but just wondered about these things ... and of course any experiences of a 32week baby turning or not so that I can conduct my only like statistical experiment to see the chances...

Thanks!!

I can't answer your first question, but yes, you will still bleed after - pack pads!

Good luck

Pack pads and my dd was breech and turned at 38 weeks, she weighed 10.9lbs.

Hello

My dd was breech so I was booked in for an elcs. My waters broke early and I rang the unit. They called me in, checked she was still breech and then it was just a matter of waiting for the theatre. It took about 7 hours from water breaking to baby, with a bit of a flurry in the end as she was footling breech but it was all fine and pretty relaxed.

The bleeding is from the wound left after the placenta is removed. You will bleed heavily regardless of how baby exits.

1. if I go into labour before my date, would I phone maternity right away, then would they bring me in and give me a section even though it was before my 'section date' or would they have me labour the breach baby?
They will scan and assess the position of the baby, if you are still breach you will have an emergency section. Best thing to do is call the labour ward if you suspect labour has started / waters break.

2. do you bleed 'intimately' after the birth if you have a section? I had just assumed that the bleeding after birth was to do with a pushing a person through you but then today it occurred to me that it might a hormonal thing?
Yes you bleed, immediately so bring lots of pads.
Also holding a pad on your c-section scar really helps when coughing or laughing!

Not sure on 1. But surely it would depend on why you were having an elective? I was told with my elective that I would have an emcs if I went into labour before my op date, as the health issues I had meant vaginal birth was out.

Yes, you do bleed lots afterwards. Pack those super maternity pads!

Sorry, missed that it was breech!

I had two ELCS and I didn't bleed much with either actually (never laboured). Just less than a normal period. For ELCS you can use normal san pads though as you don't need extra long ones or extra thick for comfort.

Was driving again after 4 weeks both times (less painful than trying to push a double buggy up the hill to our house...)

And yes, you will still have a section if you go into labour although you need to go in quick as they won't want the baby stuck. Having said that, breech babies do still get delivered so...

I wondered the answers to those questions too as I am booked for a section!
I have a question that may also be silly... What would warrant a call to maternity - as in would it take waters breaking to be in labour?

I agree with Stubbed, I used normal 'night' maternity towels and was fine (i've had two c-sections, one EMCS one ELCS) I will also be having an ELCS this time (i'm 14+3)

If you feel any form of labour (regular contractions, waters breaking) you should call labour ward and they will tell you what to do.

My first (EMCS) was done at 10cm dilated after a 30 hour labour, I had a seizure (eclampsia) and there was no way I could continue (was unconscious) second was at 38 weeks so didn't labour.

Someone said you don't bleed much with a c section... Not my experience so pack maternity pads just in case!

Thank you all very much!!

My DS2 was footling breech. I was told to get on all fours with my bum in the air and call for an ambulance if my waters broke or I went into labour before my section date, because of the risk of cord prolapse.

When I went in for my section, they did a scan and it turned out he had flipped the right way around, so they can turn at the last minute. DS1 was also breech for most of pregnancy but flipped a few weeks before the end.

My daughter was breach, I went I to labour before planned date so had an emcs.

I bled loads afterwards, definitely needed maternity pads and lots of them.

7 weeks bleeding!

welsh did they still do the section or did you push because he's flipped?

Both my sons were breech and I went into labour early with both. I rang maternity ward and told them my waters had gone, we went down (same parking spot for both births! ) and my bump was felt to see if breech, then when they checked for how dilated I was they could feel DS1's bum and i was scanned with both to confirm still breech.

Three weeks of bleeding post ELCS for me. The woman who was scheduled in theatre before me was told off by the mws as she'd been contracting since the night before and hadn't rung them and gone in earlier, just turned up on the next day as scheduled.

If you go into labour before then yes, they'd take you straight in for an EMCS.

You do blred yes but in my experience not that much really compared to a natural birth. It was like a period for a few days then reasonably light. I found if I did too much though, the bleeding would increase.