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

Original poster

When was your elective c-section booked in for?

32 replies

Suprima · 16/05/2022 18:42

I’m technically having an elective c-section, but it’s on mental health grounds (psychiatrist ordered!) due to OCD and anxiety.

I have just moved house from a trust where it was booked in at 38 weeks- but I don’t know if that’s the case at my new trust. Meeting with the consultant tomorrow to book it all in and I’m terrified that they will make me wait until over 40 weeks. (The reason being I have got much, much worse as the pregnancy has progressed and it shows no sign of letting up. I can’t be on any more medication.)

When was yours booked for?

OP posts:
LunaMoonHare · 16/05/2022 18:43

I've had two, and both were booked for exactly 39 weeks. 7 and 9 years ago now, mind you

mynameiscalypso · 16/05/2022 18:44

Mine was 39+1. Also for MH reasons.

Mrsbrooks1 · 16/05/2022 18:50

Op how many weeks are you now? Are you on any medication at the moment? I hope they don’t make you wait longer than necessary 💐

Original poster
Suprima · 16/05/2022 19:07

Mrsbrooks1 · 16/05/2022 18:50

Op how many weeks are you now? Are you on any medication at the moment? I hope they don’t make you wait longer than necessary 💐

Yes, but I really don’t want to take any more. All perinatal mental health is doing is getting me to increase my doses, but it triggers thoughts about birth defects. I was happy taking the smaller doses, but I still haven’t settled in or found contentment in the larger doses. It helps with my depression but my anxiety symptoms are still worsening. I have another ‘as and when’ to take at night to help me sleep but then I will spend all of the next day in a thought loop.

The psychiatrist wants to send me to a mother and baby unit in the lead up to my birth if the medication does not help which scares me.

I’m just 34 weeks. I know I’m going to be better as soon as she’s here, I know it.

OP posts:
nearlyspringyay · 16/05/2022 19:27

1st September to try and them over the line for school,

They turned up eight weeks earlier.

You can have a plan but be prepared for it to not result!

Tabin · 16/05/2022 19:35

38+5

Vsirbdo · 16/05/2022 19:37

39 +2 days

Mrsbrooks1 · 16/05/2022 19:38

Suprima · 16/05/2022 19:07

Yes, but I really don’t want to take any more. All perinatal mental health is doing is getting me to increase my doses, but it triggers thoughts about birth defects. I was happy taking the smaller doses, but I still haven’t settled in or found contentment in the larger doses. It helps with my depression but my anxiety symptoms are still worsening. I have another ‘as and when’ to take at night to help me sleep but then I will spend all of the next day in a thought loop.

The psychiatrist wants to send me to a mother and baby unit in the lead up to my birth if the medication does not help which scares me.

I’m just 34 weeks. I know I’m going to be better as soon as she’s here, I know it.

Show quote history

Oh bless you! The way I look at it is, if you had diabetes or a broken leg then you may need to spend a bit of extra time in hospital and that would just be expected. And the fact that both you and your doctor are being so proactive is amazing. I too suffer with anxiety and OCD but not yet pregnant. These tings have put me off ttc for a long time but if I had the care your currently receiving I’d be very happy that people are doing the absolute best.

Can I ask is it just the birth defects theme that your thoughts have and is it that that sets off the anxiety? I’d love to follow your updates over the next few months if you’re in a place to give them. Feel free to pm xx

NC10012 · 16/05/2022 19:42

I have one booked as well. Mine is for 39+4.
I'm a little worried it's cutting it a bit fine really.

ivfbabymomma1 · 16/05/2022 19:46

Ivf baby - 38 + 2 weeks due to lack of movement

NamechangeFML · 16/05/2022 19:47

39&1

Peppapig7262662 · 16/05/2022 19:47

39 weeks for me. Was told that's the earliest they would do it.
Due to previous PPH and 'big' baby.

underneathleaf · 16/05/2022 19:50

Not had one personally but know my local hospital only do from 39 weeks. Based on other women in my family, I was pretty sure I'd have delivered by then and was correct every time. A midwife friend said this didn't matter and the earliest they'd book is 39 weeks, which seemed odd to me if 37 is term.

jackstini · 16/05/2022 19:51

39+5 for ds

Dd went to 41+6 by hosp dates, 42+5 by mine so maybe they thought they would definitely have time, but I would have preferred it at 38-39

pumpkinmash · 16/05/2022 19:52

38+5, offered 37+5 onwards. Felt I was doing best by baby to get close to 39 weeks.

Namechangedforspooky · 16/05/2022 19:53

Mine was bang on 39 weeks too.
it depends on the reason though. For truly elective (so previous birth trauma, previous sections etc) they will do them from 39. They used to be routinely 38 weeks but there were cases of respiratory distress so it was changed to 39 in the early 2000s (I used to work in O&G).
if it’s a problem in this pregnancy they might do it before 39 though, it all depends on the reason for the section.
I hope you get the timing you want

WorryMcGee · 16/05/2022 19:55

I had an elective section for tokophobia and severe anxiety (turns out DD was breech anyway so she did me a favour- had severe fear that I would go into labour and they would make me give birth vaginally) it was booked for 38+6 - I couldn’t have gone on much longer than that! We are only having one so v relieved it’s all over (it was a very calm and happy experience despite me being terrified!) Good luck x

Scotintherain · 16/05/2022 21:13

I had one for my second baby. Scheduled for 39+3 although baby came at 38+3. Still had a c section though.

JennyForeigner · 16/05/2022 21:21

37 weeks for similar reasons, but transverse/ breech twins.

Posting because my reasons were taken very seriously and everything properly talked through. One thing that made a big difference to me was that my consultant requested Monday morning. We were the first elective birth of the week, and I knew that the chances were of an extended stay to keep an eye on us - but also that we had a very good chance of being home by the weekend.

Rrrunrunrunrunrun · 16/05/2022 21:25

36+5 (twins).
27 weeks now and my consultant has said she will deliver at 37 weeks on mental health grounds. I would actually rather wait but will take her guidance.

From what I’ve read, 39 weeks is normal in singleton pregnancies.

Original poster
Suprima · 16/05/2022 21:32

Thanks all, it’s really helpful to see.

I am terrified of going into labour naturally. I have spent my entire second trimester onwards having extremely graphic thoughts about everything and anything that can go wrong. They all revolve around having a natural labour that results in a stillbirth, or a catastrophically injured baby through intervention.

If they can ‘do’ me at 38 weeks before that can happen I will feel like I am avoiding the danger zone entirely. Any later and the risk of her coming increases. I believe my fear and panic attacks will stop me from labouring effectively and this will put her at risk.

I just hope I can communicate this to the consultant. I still don’t believe she will be born alive, it just feels ridiculous typing it all down.

OP posts:
Chrestomanci3 · 16/05/2022 21:34

39+1 and 39+2 (same trust)

SisterAgatha · 16/05/2022 21:46

Mine would have been 39 on the basis of the MH, but as it turned out they did it at 38 as she was far too small according to their chart.

they measured wrong tho, the fools, someone had consistently filled out a graph incorrectly! Anyway worked in my favour as I was also terrified of going naturally. I could not have done another natural birth.

Mrsbrooks1 · 12/06/2022 21:00

How are you doing @Suprima

InvisibleDragon · 13/06/2022 08:54

Mine is scheduled for 39+6, was originally for 39+3 (which would have been today!) but got pushed back because of capacity constraints.

Try not to worry about going into labour before the date. My ELCS is also for mental health reasons and they have told me that if I start having contractions / waters break etc that I will be put on the Emergency list. They won't insist you go through a vaginal birth just because you start labour.

Also - if you are 34 weeks already your baby is fully formed. All that happens between now and giving birth is that s/he gets bigger and plumper. If there were no birth defects at the 20 week scan, I can't imagine taking extra meds would have any bad effect now!