Tell me about your ELCS

[Sparrowlegs248]

I have been booked in for next week due to baby being breech. What do i need to know? I have to phone at 8am on the day.

Is there a lit of waiting around?
How long did you stay in?
What type if anasthetic did you have?
Recovery?

Thanks. :-)

I had an elcs in Dec 2013, my dd was also breech. I had to be at the hospital for 7 and just wait for my turn. As it turned out my dd wasn't born untill 3:33pm because there where a few emergencies, so quite a lot of waiting around which wasn't nice having not been aloud to eat or drink except water from 9pm the night before, but it wasn't too hurendous. I had a spinal block, personally I didn't like the feeling of not being able to move, I kept trying to move my toes to see if it was working and it made me feel claustrophobic, but once I gave up trying and trusted the nurses I felt much better. When I was in recovery after I had quite bad shaking but I was told that's normal , I just didn't know before hand.
I had my op on teusday and was told I could go home Thursday morning, but by 6am Wednesday I was up, washed , dressed, make up on and painting my nails waiting for my dd to wake up. I didnt have any painkillers except paracetamol for the 1st day and had an easy recovery. I was in the supermarket 3 days after I came home.
I found it really easy, so much so I'm having another one in 4 weeks for dd2. The worst part for me was laying in the theatre waiting for the spinal block to work, the nurses kind of just carried on around me and I had a bit of a last minuite panic but as soon as my dh came in I calmed down. I expected the theatre to be like you see on telly buts it's a lot more relaxed , it's more like a dentists room, nurses were just wandering in and out chatting about the weekend.
Make sure you take a camera into the thetere, being the patient you miss a lot my dh and the nurse took photoes for me of my dd getting weighed and dressed ect and I'm so glad because I missed it.
You'll be fine,

My dd was born.in October via ELCS as she was footling breech. Loved the whole experience (first time was traumatic ventouse ventouse). Went in about 8am, changed into gown. Dr scanned to check still breech. Went to theatre around 10.30-i was second on list. She was born around 11.
We had a gentle section birth plan (Google it if interested). DH was in whilst I was cannulated and had spinal, when baby was born he announced sex and they did delayed cord clamping, he cut the cord once she was with the midwife and I had immediate skin to skin and fed her in recovery.
Recovery was fine, catheter for 24 hours so dependent on MW for help but they were lovely. Felt a bit groggy in evening but otherwise OK. First poo was a bit scary but got there with lactalose! I just asked for regular pain relief so didn't get much pain.
Just remember to hold pillow over tummy if you cough/sneeze and when you can get out of bed stand up straight.
When I got home I stayed in bed for a couple of days and rested-grateful my MW told me to do this. Then just took it easy.
Was a lovely experience and recovery easier than an episiotomy !!
X

Thanks both, both positive stories. I am hoping i have such a good experience!

These are good to read. I've an ELCS in 5 weeks.

Glad it makes you feel better, the hospital tends to tell you all the scary risks and bad stuff. One midwife actually had the cheek to tell me I was in for a shock because I thought I was taking the easy option, she wanted me to have my dd turned.
I had forgotten until I read above but my hubby cut our dd's cord too. I've never had a vb to compare but my section was a lot better than I expected

I'm scheduled for my C section on Thursday morning. Anyone had experiences with both emergency and scheduled C sections? DD was born via emergency CS, had to be resuscitated when they got her out, and spent a week in the NICU (she's almost 3 and fine now).

I had an elective section 4 years ago for my breech DD. I had to go in for 7am and she was born about 11am. We didn't have to wait long as I was booked in on a sat when they don't normally book people in then.

Atmosphere in theatre was relaxed, it really was. All staff v friendly and explaining what was happening. I did haemorage but I have been assured since then that it was nothing to do with the section and would have happened whatever the delivery, so I think perhaps being in theatre was best place to be! DH went with DD when she got weighed etc and held her all the time they were sorting me out. I did get some skin to skin too.

I was up and about the next day (despite no sleep that night!), showered etc. I stayed in for 3 nights, but I think that was in some way because I was having real difficulties with breast feeding.

I really don't remember recovery being so bad. Obviously there was some pain etc, but not awful.

One thing that did really bother me was the trapped wind post section. Get some peppermint oil tablets! The trapped wind made me cry.

I had anelcs due to breech last year. Was told to be in at 8, but wasn't seen till 5:30 due to emergencies. Long day...you probably won't feel like it, but take a book/magazines to read.

Worst part for me was the spinal, but once it was done everything else was good and I recovered quickly. No shakes which is actually quite common side effect.

They pull the cover down and don't announce the sex if you want, so you can visually see for yourself. That was lovely, and I recommend you have that.

I was out in 2 days. Took ibuprofen and paracetamol for a week. Took about 6 weeks to stop feeling the pulling sensation, but actually pain went quite quickly.

Good, luck, you'll be fine, it's very calming. It's also better for birth partners because they won't have to witness you in agony. X

Elc a few years back felt like there was a lot of waiting around - hospital asked us to be there for 7 am ds was born at 11 ish. But I also remember it all feeling quite sudden when they came to get us. The hospital booked 3 elc a day all arrived in the morning and we chatted in the reception before being put in separate areas. I think I was the 2 nd done ( ds was breech I think the girl who went first had previously had a still birth) the whole experience was lovely the 3 of the Drs had babies themselves who had been delivered in the same theatre. Spinal was tough. DP decided not to cut cord as it was a bit meaningless and just a gesture as ds was already detached. Our hospital also let you take a cd of music in if you wanted.
I have clear memories of ds being taken to be weighed and measured and craning to see him with DP him whilst they began sewing me up then ds was put straight on my chest

I healed quickly hardest part was not being able to move much on first night with catheter still in.

Thanks ladies. Its really good to read so many positive stories.

I certainly don't consider it to be easy option, but given my family experience of ecv and vaginal breech birth, it really is the only option for me.

I am incredibly nervous, I have never had surgery before and hate the idea of the spinal. I suppose the way it could be considered the 'easy' option is that it really takes away a lot of the unknowns of labour.

I haven't really been told anything much, Mw later today will hopefully fill me in!

I felt the same , no way was I having my baby turned so I felt it wasn't a choice. I had never had surgery before either, I have since though, and it sounds silly but it's not like having surgery it's more like going to the dentist because your awake and chatting and I found the nerves were over taken by the excitment of knowing I would come out with my baby

I had DD by ELCS in April and it was a very relaxed experience. At my local hospital they only do 3 per day in the morning and the EMCS are dealt with in a separate theatre so no getting bumped down the list. We arrived at 7am and sat on the bed in the ward. DH had to force my compression stockings because my bump was in the way and I couldn't reach! Cue us laughing our heads off and trying not to wake up the sleeping mums in the beds next door! The midwives came in and did BP and bloods but I'm not sure if this is standard as I was being treated for high BP and suspected pre eclampsia.

I was second on the list so we went to theatre around 10 and DD arrived at 10:50. In the interim we sat and chatted to the theatre staff who were all so friendly and they were trying to take my mind off the spinal (it was a bit uncomfortable but not too bad). Once that was in it all happened quite quickly, catheter in and then 2 surgeons performing the CS. The anaesthetist and midwife were standing next to the bed and chatted to me throughout. DH was also with me the whole time. When DD was born the midwife carried her over to scales and DH cut the cord and took photos. She was then bought to me to hold whilst I got stitched up. A lovely nurse took a few photos of the 3 of us. Then went to recovery and started BF.

I had a couple of moments where I felt sick but the anaesthetist adjusted something and the feeling went away. I also reacted a bit funny to oramorph which they gave me in the evening, which is apparently quite common so keep an eye out for that. The catheter came out next morning and I was then told I had to pee a certain amount over the course of the day into a jug to be allowed home. Glamorous!

I was only in 1 night but that's because I begged to go home! I knew I'd be better at home with DH to help me lift her, change her etc. Apparently it's usually a 2 night min with first though.

Recovery was easy peasy and I only took paracetamol and ibuprofen for a few days. I was also given blood thinner injections to do at home which was scary at first but I got the hang of it quite quickly. I was also told to keep my compression stockings on for a week. This was probably the worst bit because they were so gross by the end of it! I was so happy when I got to bin them!

Scar has healed up really well and is barely visible already. I still have a bit of a numb patch of my stomach but I think this will go back to normal at some point.

Hope that helps and hope your ELCS goes well!

I'm getting hung up.on the waiting about/being bumped down the list. Was hoping to discuss with MW yesterday but she seemed disappointed i refused ecv then BP was high so was sent to hospital for monitoring and pre eclampsia checks. She did say 'expect to be put off' which doesn't fill me with joy. Esp as i am booked for a Friday.

I dint know if it's the same everywhere but I know my hospital only book 3 electives per day so even if your bumped it's only going to be a couple of hours. The thing I kept in mind while I was waiting for the emergencies that got me bumped, was if they did me first that baby might have died. When you think like that waiting doesn't seem like a big deal.

I had ELCS after problems with a previous birth.

I found it all very quick and calm. Got there for 8am. A lady who was more anxious about is went first. A nurse came and got me at 8.40 we walked down to theatre. I had a spinal Block which I didn't particularly like but it was ok really. They then laid me down quickly and I assume opened me up then ta-dah Ds2 was born at 9.36. It was an extremely calm and positive experience. Unfortunately I was quite sick afterwards and so they kept me monitored for a few hours. But I was so excited about ds and so relieved that I didn't mind.

I found recovery much quicker than VB- I was comfortably walking wothin a week. I was driving within 3.

I'm pg with dc3 and am looking forward to the ELCS.

Best of luck with it all! Xxx

Just read your concerns re the waiting list/being bumped. There was only 2 of us who had cs that day. They said it's very very unusual for it to be so busy with emergencies that a planned one would be bumped into the following day. Speak to your midwife but try not to worry.

I had my ELCS for breech July last year. It was on a Thursday and I was third on the list. We got there at 7am and I walked to the operating theatre at about 11. Baby was out very quickly! It really was a very relaxed experience and I would gladly have one again, hopefully this December! Don't worry about unhelpful comments by MW, they have no way of knowing how it'll turn out on the day. She shouldn't even offer her opinions, I refused ECV too and at the end of the day it's your decision.