C-section

[Mnnat21]

Hi I’m due to have my third c-section in February. This will be my first time booking in for one. My first was emergency and second was a failed vbac. I have a consultant appointment booked in for next week but was just wondering what to expect!
Eg how far gone when you have one? When do you book?
Thank you!

Depending on why you normally have them at 39 weeks. Planned is so much better than emergency but you may get bumped down the list on the day for emergencies!
Wishing you a speedy recovery when it comes!

I got mine agreed at 12 weeks which I think is unusual, I'm consultant led for other things and had the backing of midwife and GP, so had the opportunity to demand it early on. The chat with the registrar was just a very long form-filling/ box-ticking appointment. She said they would do it at "term", I pushed her to clarify and she said 39 weeks onwards.

They may refer you to an anaesthetist to plan ahead, but AFAIK you won't get an exact date until much later.

I’ve had an awfully long and arduous process attempting to have an elective c-section but I think considering the fact your second was a failed vbac, it may be easier for you.

I didn’t get a date until last week when I was 35 weeks and I had five consultant appointments in total before they were convinced enough that they weren’t going to scare me off it .

I had a consultant appointment at 12 weeks after my scan, I was basically told the choice is mine and unless I have any questions and want to see them again, just come back at 36 weeks to let them know my decision. I have an appointment next week to book in and they have said they like to do this as close to 39 weeks as possible, but yes, there is a risk of being bumped on the day depending on the other cases that come in.

Thank you for your replies! I was told after my second section that I would be encouraged to have only further sections. So everyone is on board! Just hope I can book the date so I can get sorted Because at the moment I hit 39weeks at the start of February half term so not ideal!

I went to see the vbac midwife with my second around 20 weeks and then it was left up to me to decide. I think I had a follow up around 32 weeks to get my final decision and get booked in. I was originally booked in for 39 weeks. I ended up in hospital at 37 weeks with pre-eclampsia and bells palsy, so they decided to move it forward to 38 weeks.

If for any reason you need to have baby earlier than 39 weeks, then you need steriod injections. If I remember rightly there was something about a pre-op but obviously that all went tits up and I never got that far!!