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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Has anyone ever gone into labour before a planned C section?

18 replies

dropthedeadhorse · 16/03/2021 11:25

Due to needing an EMCS last time, I have spoken to lots of midwives and decided to book in for a planned C section at 39 weeks.

The consultant midwife asked me to think through what would happen if I went into labour naturally before then- I decided that if in early labour I would still want to have the C section if possible. She said that sometimes if you arrive at hospital in the later stages of labour they might advise me to go ahead with a vaginal birth.

Has this happened to anyone here? What was the outcome? Were you happy with it?

OP posts:
WalkingMeAway · 16/03/2021 11:39

Hi. My waters broke before my planned CS and I went straight to hospital as my baby was breech, I’d had a previous CS and didn’t want to risk waiting for established labour to start. My waters also had a lot of blood in them so I was advised to come straight in.

Got to the hospital and had baby by CS within 2 hours. Was just waiting for a slot to open up. It was classed as a Category 3 emergency caesarean.

Cyclingforcake · 16/03/2021 11:43

Same as PP. planned section at 39 weeks but waters broke at 36. I phoned the labour ward and they asked me to go straight in. They checked I still wanted it and then we went ahead when a slot was available. And it topped me over into the magical 37 weeks so apparently she wasn’t premature!

BuggerBognor · 16/03/2021 11:47

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Dinosauratemydaffodils · 16/03/2021 12:00

Went into labour at 39 weeks exactly with my 2nd, section booked for 39 plus 1. 1st was a section at full dilation because ds got stuck. Because I dilated last time they did try and get me to labour to see if a vbac was possible. I told them I didn't want to but the hospital was really busy so I was there 5 hours in labour I think. Around six centimetres the trace started to look off and so I ended up with a semi emcs with my elective birth plan. Not sure what would have happened if she wasn't so tangled in the cord.

SnooperTrooper12345 · 16/03/2021 12:06

As far as I'm aware, if you do go into labour before, as soon as you know you're in labour, call them and they will tell you to come in and get you in for a csection

StarsOnAMat · 16/03/2021 12:16

I was booked for an elective section with my second because I had a third degree tear and shoulder dystocia with my first. I went into labour a week before the date in the middle of the night. When I arrived at the hospital, the only surgical team had just started an emergency section. By the time they came back an hour later, baby was born. My first labour was fairly quick as well. So it’s not a guarantee you’ll get it - it depends on the situation in the hospital as well as how fast you progress.

Original poster
dropthedeadhorse · 16/03/2021 15:52

Thanks for the answers everyone. With DD I never went into active labour despite being 42+1 and having been given induction drills twice. Her heart rate dropped suddenly and I ended up with a cat 1 C section. So part of me thinks there is no way I will go into labour naturally but I then feel panicked at the thought of it starting and me not knowing what decision to make.

OP posts:
Original poster
dropthedeadhorse · 16/03/2021 15:53

Drills?! Drugs!

OP posts:
Screwcorona · 16/03/2021 15:57

I'm 30 weeks tomorrow and worrying about this too.
Had a horrendous birth last time, baby got stuck after 47 hours of labour and emcs.
Makes me really anxious. Although I'm lead to believe the chances of early labour are lower if you went over term, as I did and you. Fingers crossed you just dont go into labour early

Sceptre86 · 16/03/2021 19:04

Thanks for this post because I have been wondering the same thing. Looks like it depends on how far into labour you are, risk factors and your hospital policy.

MrsColinRobinson · 16/03/2021 19:14

I went into labour at 37 weeks with dc2 before my planned csection. I went into hospital and was asked a couple of times if I still wanted the section or try VBAC. I proceeded with the section and the midwife afterwards told me she thought I'd made the right choice. I appreciated that after feeling I'd failed in my first EMC.

Went into labour with dc3 at 38 weeks, so again before my planned date, but no question is asked once you've had two previous sections.

Baubles2020 · 16/03/2021 20:44

I went into labour with my DS at 37 weeks, planned section was booked for 39 weeks due to previous complications with my DD. I rang delivery suite letting them know, got told to go straight up and just waited for theatre to be free and he was born later that day

KJB2020 · 16/03/2021 21:52

Yes my waters broke 2 days before my planned c-section. My baby was Breech so I had an emergency C-section on the day my waters broke.

Alternista · 16/03/2021 21:57

I went into labour at 37w (elcs planned for 39w after traumatic first birth). They told me to come straight in; when I got there they gave me the choice. I chose the ELCS but had to wait a few hours for a theatre slot, which was fine. A few hours of labour was easy compared to the first time around! Then got my elcs.

So glad induction drills aren’t a thing. I had visions of a midwife making you hold plank or do star jumps Grin

Taswama · 16/03/2021 22:02

Went into labour at 39 weeks. C section was booked for 40 weeks as DS was breech.
Went to hospital, explained, they said they would monitor me and do the operation in the morning. My waters hadn't gone. It was the evening. Around midnight, a consultant checked me, discovered my waters had in fact gone and he could feel the baby's feet, so I was taken off for the c-section pretty quick.

Babyjune21 · 16/03/2021 23:18

Thanks for this post OP Iim 27weeks pregnant planned c section first time
Round and booked in for another in June , the only thing is a keep having a very vivid dream that I go into labour quick and give birth in bed or car I know it’s probs just the pregnancy’s that’s making me dream this but it’s so vivid that when I wake up it takes me a couple of mins to realise it never happened and that I’m still pregnant sometimes I even check for a baby between my legs ! X

Humpf07 · 17/03/2021 08:40

I had requested a c section and it was booked for today. However we went in to hospital for monitoring Friday 5th due to reduced movements (all was well). We returned home and 11:30pm that night and my waters broke. I felt fine so went back to bed and called the hospital's labour ward in the morning who advised us to go in. We took everything (baby/hospital bags) with us just incase and once they had tested to see if my waters had actually broken (pretty obvious the amount of pads and tena pants I was going through! Grin) they gave us the option to go ahead with section that lunch time or return tomorrow. We went ahead with the section that lunch time as I was anxious about labour and leaving it too late reducing my options to a vaginal birth.

C section was amazing - planned, calm and pain free.

I understand that the hospital where I had my baby have certain days for planned sections... as I was in on a Saturday I seemed to be the only one unless any labouring women needed an emergency. Once out of recovery we had a bay to ourselves.

We seemed to have had a really positive experience. I hope this is the same for you. X

Anotherdayanotherdollar · 17/03/2021 11:37

@Cyclingforcake

Same as PP. planned section at 39 weeks but waters broke at 36. I phoned the labour ward and they asked me to go straight in. They checked I still wanted it and then we went ahead when a slot was available. And it topped me over into the magical 37 weeks so apparently she wasn’t premature!
If she was born at 37 weeks or after then she wasn't premature...
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