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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

What happens if u start labour early when booked in for ELCS?

23 replies

uglynakedguy0808 · 23/09/2021 07:09

Hi ladies

Just as title suggests really. I think I'm going to be booked in for ELCS at 39 weeks, what's the process if labour starts naturally before then?

Thanks

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MyOtherProfile · 23/09/2021 07:15

Happened to me. You just go for the natural birth. Unfortunately that didn't work out for me so I ended up having an emergency section anyway.

Svensk10 · 23/09/2021 07:17

My consultant told me to go in as soon as I'm in a labour. They can still do the c section as long as you are not too far gone!
Midwife also advised me that if I think I'm in early labour that I shouldn't eat anything because it's nil by mouth before the surgery. If I have eaten something they'd delay the c section which potentially means a vaginal birth depending on how quickly labour progresses

Lsjdjfjdh · 23/09/2021 07:21

You can still have the c section. You'd just ring them and tell them you're in labour as soon as so it's not too late.

Evesgarden · 23/09/2021 07:40

They will try and make you go in to vaginal Labour.

LeroyJenkinssss · 23/09/2021 07:44

I think it might depend. I had written in my notes and was given strict instructions that if I were to start going into Labour to attend my nearest hospital with the plan that I would have a csection rather than risk natural delivery.

Oblomov21 · 23/09/2021 08:09

Nothing. They start on trying for a normal birth. Then if you insist, and there's space they'll put you in for a cs. Or if things develop and you then need a cs, like happened to both my ds's, you get sent to theatre.

bengalcat · 23/09/2021 08:17

If your waters break or you’re getting contractions and think you’re in labour you ring the hospital , go in and they’ll get on with the caesarean .
If say for example it is safe for you to attempt a vaginal delivery and you wish to then you can carry on in labour .
@5% of women labour before their section date so the risk of this happening is small

Arecklessmanor · 23/09/2021 08:19

My hospital have said if I go into labour to come to the hospital, whatever time of day or night. They would still do the C-section unless labout had progressed very rapidly.
I'd be behind emergencies but before that day's planned C-sections in the queue for theatre.

llol031 · 23/09/2021 08:30

I'd double check with your midwife or hospital but I think it might depend on your reasons for the c-section

I am going to be booked in for a c-section based on medical grounds (can't have a spinal block/epidural) and because of this was told by my consultant to ring up the hospital if things happen naturally as soon as I knew labour was in progress so they could get me in as soon as possible for an emergency c-section

The way she said it to me suggested for my hospital this isn't the normal way of doing things so I'm not sure if you have a c-section for personal reasons whether if labour happens, they just let it happen!

Hope you get the birth you want anyway

MamaTutu2 · 23/09/2021 08:32

@uglynakedguy0808 I think it depends I was booked in for section at 39 weeks but said I’d labour before then. Went into labour and triage fetched a consultant to sort out forms for a section I didn’t want! They very much expected to go ahead with the section

MissSmiley · 23/09/2021 08:42

Section booked for the Monday, went into labour Friday night, I progressed really quickly, I'd been told I needed a section for big baby so I hung on and refused to push, had my section at 10cm dilated, first baby, I was scared, wish I'd had the confidence to go for it

WheelieBinPrincess · 23/09/2021 08:47

They would not necessarily under all circumstances, ‘try and make you’ go for a natural birth, and saying so is a bit scaremongering for the OP when you don’t know her situation!

I was booked in for an ELCS at 39 weeks due to a foot long breech- no one was making me deliver naturally if it could possibly be avoided, it would have been an EMCS.

FluffMagnet · 23/09/2021 09:14

I'm counting down to ELCS no.2 and for some reason am really convinced I'll go early this time around. My consultant and midwives have all been really supportive, and keeps saying if my waters go or I think there is ANY chance labour is starting, to get myself to hospital ASAP so I can have a CS there and then. As the midwife said to me this week, the worst that will happen is a wasted trip for me if it turns out I'm not in labour, but I've been assured they will not push me towards a vbac until I really fanny about at home and come in far too gone to take me into surgery.

Anon08 · 23/09/2021 09:21

Unless labour is advanced they will still do the section.

WheelieBinPrincess · 23/09/2021 09:25

When I went in for mine last week I asked what they’d do if they discovered he was no longer in a breech position on the day- the consultant said they’d be happy to still go ahead, as I’d psyched myself up for surgery- not just send me home to wait it out. It really does depend on your circumstances.

Original poster

uglynakedguy0808 · 23/09/2021 16:37

Thank you everyone for your replies. It does seem quite a varied response. I will speak to my hospital to see what their policy is on this thanks.

OP posts:

Luckyme30 · 23/09/2021 18:19

I had an elcs booked for 39+4, went into labour at 37 weeks. My waters broke and my labour progressed very quickly but when I phoned the labour ward I told them I wanted a section and they said I would go first on the lost the next day… too late my labour had progressed so it ended up being an emergency csection in the end - no issues at all.

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 23/09/2021 19:15

No one ‘tried to make me’ have a vaginal birth. I called labour ward and they told me to come straight as it was my second and contractions were intense. I still got the CS.

sarah13xx · 23/09/2021 20:14

I was booked for one due to the most enormous fear of labour so going early was my absolute worst nightmare! They told me they’d do the section as long as I got there in early labour and the baby wasn’t on its way basically. So I didn’t go further than 5 miles from the hospital, barely even went a walk, avoided sex or anything that could even maybe cause labour and sure enough I made it to my date 😂🎉

TisTheSeasonToBe · 23/09/2021 20:24

it completely depends on the reason for c-section, the stage of labour, the stage of pregnancy, the labours/deliveries of other women in the unit, and the availability of staff/theatres.

A labouring woman with a potential breach delivery on a tuesday morning with theatre space and a full quota of staff is a very different scenario to a 'maternal request' at 3am who's 2cm when i have one theatre running and 4 other woman labouring, 2 of whom are complicated and may need emergency c-sections.

ThePoint678 · 23/09/2021 20:28

Happened to me and I was very far along very fast. They simply asked if I wanted to try for a vaginal delivery, I said no, c section proceeded. No one put a time limit on whether I was allowed to still have it or not and I had just eaten and it was still all very straightforward and doctor said it’s not unusual.

fabmaz · 23/09/2021 20:59

@uglynakedguy0808 I never even made it to getting a date for my elective section as he decided to turn up at 34 weeks! All that happened is when I was in and we figured out I was in labour I said I was meant to have a section and they just took me for one then and there - no dramas! All worked out perfectly for me so don't stress too much 😊

LunaDreams · 23/09/2021 22:01

I went into labour 4 days before my ELCS date.

They offered me the choice of continuing in labour or having a section. I went for the section and was 5cm dilated at point of delivery. No problems at all (apart from the fact they had to wait for staff/theatre to be free so was in labour for 7 hours before I could have my section!). Most places seem pretty willing to still go ahead with a section as long as safe to still do so and there is availability

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