Please tell me your ELCS stories!

[MyGrassIsBrowner]

Just that, how was your experience(s)?
I'm due to meet with the consultation on Monday with my request for one. I'm currently 22+4 with baby no.2. My DD is 14 months now, my birth with her was on an MLU. Midwife at the time was not supportive, I pushed at all the wrong times, didn't get any pain relief (G&A) until the last minute when at that point I couldn't focus on it as I was in so much pain, she was back to back also (contractions were off the scale pain wise) ended up with 2nd degree internal tear and graze on labia.
Pretty sure I've got a mild prolapse now, rectocele and I'm fairly certain as I have had a good look down there (okay, it hasn't been formally diagnosed but was dismissed by the nurse when I had my smear after DD) so haven't bothered to follow it up. Took me months and months before I could sit down normally without being in agony. Now I'm getting heavier it's exacerbating all my previous symptoms (especially feels uncomfortable when I sit on the loo and sometimes find I have to manually remove stool as I'm too fearful of pushing.
Anyway, midwife pretty much said no off the bat, straight onto me with the risks etc (which I have made myself fully aware of through my own research) must have then felt sorry for me as I cried down the phone to her she then arranged for me to meet with the consultant on Monday which I am so happy about. I know I may have a bit of a fight on my hands for one but I just want to get myself prepared!

So... did you have one? How did you find it? Am I being daft? I look forward to reading your replies! 😊 x

Mines was a video call but the next one will be in person.

@sarah13xx would you prefer it in person?

Don't worry about the catheter. You won't feel it with a spinal, even when it's worn off you don't feel them taking it out. The worst part was being worried about moving it, it didn't happen.

@Peach01 the consultant certainly made it sound like our second appointment was in person and sent me out a pack of forms that I presumed we were filling in at the appointment. The letter I was sent said I was to attend in person then I’ve had a message on the badger notes app saying it’s a telephone appointment so I called the number on my letter to ask which one it was and they confirmed it’s a telephone appointment. I’m now thinking what if she’s expecting me to turn up and I miss the appointment now but I have asked and they said she would phone me 🤔

You would think you had to attend to return the forms, unless they're asking you over the phone and the forms are to prepare you. That's generallywhat's been happening with child assessments.

I had another appointment and in the letter it said to attend hospital, I then got a text saying it was a telephone appointment. I found when I was in the hospital it was very disorganised compared to last time. Think it's down to covid.
I prefer telephone appointments. Mainly for childcare.

@Peach01 I’m happy for it to be a telephone appointment if it actually is one, I’m just scared I now miss the appointment because I’m going by what the receptionist said. Really feel like I can’t wait any longer for this date to be booked in 😂 I have no clue what I’ve to do with the forms unless I don’t return them until a pre-op appointment or something. The woman on the phone said the rules change all the time so that’s why my letter would have said it was in-person 🤔 I was just thinking the rules haven’t changed since I spoke to the consultant 3 weeks ago 🤷🏼‍♀️ You’d think it can’t be that hard to at least make it clear which one it is

Does anyone know what happens if you go into labour before your c-section date? Will they still perform c section?

Thank you

@sarah13xx I completely understand that, it's such an important appointment. It seems like it will be over the phone but there's no harm in calling again even just to be re assured. I've had letters that state not to attend hospital and that one that said I was to and I got a text a could of days before followed by a phone call the day before to tell me not to attend.

@jessicakxx I'm really not sure. I thought you would need to go give birth vaginally unless there was a medical need and it would be an emergency.

@jessicakxx I asked my consultant this and she said I could still have my section. She said if it was before 37 weeks she’d recommend not having one because it’s better for the babies lungs to be born vaginally at that stage but if I was adamant I still wanted one I could have it basically x

@Peach01i know, I think if I was to phone tomorrow it would just be the same receptionist who would probably say yip, I told you yesterday 🙄 but it’s just strange if I hadn’t noticed that app message I would have turned up. Kind of wish I had just in case!

Hiya ladies!!

Well, had my consultation this morning and I can excitedly say I'm booked in for my section for the 4th October! 🙉 The consultant was absolutely lovely, understood my reasons and said basically it's my right to decide how I birth my child. We briefly went over the risks but think it was clear to him I did my research, we really didn't go over much to be honest it was quite to the point. I'm booked in for 13th September for my growth scan to determine position of placenta and baby, but until then it's just a waiting game! X

Fantastic. Not too long now. Are.you elated it's all in place?

@MyGrassIsBrowner eeeeeep so pleased for you! And you have a date! Amazing xxxxx

@Peach01 I'm absolutely elated! I even asked him before he left the room, am I really booked in for a section? He laughed and said of course and I'll probably be there! I could have cried to be honest.

@jessicakxx Thank you!! 🤭 I was shocked theu actually gave me a date already, thought I'd have a few other appointments to attend before then but they said I've basically been discharged now! I just hope to god she stays put until my date haha! Xxxx

@MyGrassIsBrowner aw amazing news! It will be a huge weight off your mind 😊 are you going to tell people the date or keep it a secret? Did you sign the consent forms or are you doing that at an appointment nearer the time? I’m supposed to have my appointment today which seems to have been changed to a telephone appointment so I’m patiently waiting on her phoning. She did promise me last time I’d get a date today but she posted out all the forms so I’m wishing it was in person so I could actually sign the consent form and hand it in now 🙈

@MyGrassIsBrowner our dates won't be far apart I don't think I'm due 16th October so I will be a week after you 😀😀 so happy for you xx

@sarah13xx Aww thank you! Massive weight off but I hope she stays put until then 🙈 basically if I go into labour before then I have to quickly decide emergency or try for a vaginal and on that front I'm quite unsure at the moment. I didn't sign any consent forms but they said I would do that when I get my pro-op appointment. But my name is on the list and I'm all booked in!
I've told close family and a couple of friends but otherwise people will find out when she arrives hehe!
Oh bless you I hope they call soon!!!

@jessicakxx my actual due date is 9th October so we certainly wont be far apart! Thank you chick! 🥰 xx

@MyGrassIsBrowner will be! They phoned eventually, was one of the doctors in her team instead of my own consultant. I won’t say the date because I’m not telling my mum or anyone, just in case she’s somehow found me on here 🤣 but it’s a few days before my due date so I’m just hoping I make it! Think it’s to do with them not planning them over weekends. She said I could have the section if I was in early labour when I went in. I think I would still go for it, unless obviously the baby was already half out or something 😂 she said they’d phone me nearer the time to arrange the pre-op and I’d sign the forms on the morning of the section. I’ve to be in there for 7am then the afternoon lot come in for 11am so my section must be done by lunch time in that case. I do think il be last on their list anyway because other people will have medical reasons so might be a few hours of waiting about 😬 I weirdly feel more excited than anything now, such a weird feeling! Will be petrified when it comes to the final week before it I’m sure, counting down the days. So odd because people who give birth naturally don’t have that. Between not telling anyone the date and not even telling some people it’s a section I’m going to have to keep my mouth shut til then 🤣

I’m due 13th October! Xx

@Cafeaulait27 eep exciting, we're all around a similar date, be good to keep up with you all afterwards so we can see how we're all recovering. X

@sarah13xx congratulations lovely, fantastic news!!! Yeah mine is scheduled for a Monday, I'm guessing that must be a running theme for most hospitals, besides, they surely need a break lol! My hospital is relatively small so I'm hoping I'll be first in 😆
The consultant said to me it's more risky doing a c-section when you're over 2cm dilated. Reason being it is more likely they can damage you during the surgery and the blood loss can potentially be servere, but hopefully it wont come to that for us. I'm slightly worried though as this is my 2nd and 2nd babies do tend to come earlier, although tbf I was 40+6 with my DD. I'm going to have to start packing a hospital bag 🙈 xx

@MyGrassIsBrowner yeah it must be! Just glad they have two theatres so shouldn’t be any emergencies in the way as long as I make it to the date 🙈 I hadn’t panicked too much about going early til I got the date and now I’ve been Googling the chances of me going before that date etc 😂 they do say about half way through the 40th week is about average. From what I saw online second baby’s on average are just after 40 weeks so you’ll hopefully be fine! Need to just try not to think about it, stress is probably the number one thing to bring labour on! I’ve got my bags all packed 😊 so exciting! I have all the hypnobirthing for a c-section tracks on my phone.. might need to actually start preparing and listen to them 🙈

@sarah13xx Hopefully it'll be straight forward for us lol! I think we just have to accept that they will come when they come, there's literally nothing we can or can't do to change that, lol. I genuinely want to experience a c-section as this is going to be my final baby, but if I had to give birth naturally because she decided to come too quickly, then I'll have to come to terms with it. I've been so laid back this pregnancy, haven't bought a damn thing yet but then again I pretty much have everything 😂 xx

Hey ladies, how are we all doing?
I've written a checklist for my hospital bag, the sudden realisation hit me yesterday that I have done absolutely nothing to prepare for this baby, with it being my 2nd I have everything I need already so have been rather laxed this time round! 😆 xx

@MyGrassIsBrowner I’ve got my hospital bag packed. Just tried to include everything anyone on here mentioned. It would be so much easier if there wasn’t such strict visiting restrictions at my hospital or my partner could just nip home and come back in with stuff. I think I’ve got the basics at least 🙈 had a midwife appointment yesterday and don’t have another one now til 38 weeks.. the week before the section! The realisation of that as I left was weird 😂 Just trying to take it as easy as possible now, scared to do anything in case I put myself into early labour haha. How are you doing?

@sarah13xx what's your section date? I'm hoping the partners rules aren't as strict by the time our sections come, I think it's really mean that there are so many rules about partners being in hospital for the birth of their child, I can't comprehend it. But can go and sit in the pub with 5 other people that they don't live with....?