Planned C-Section Date

handbagsandholidays · 2022-07-15T10:56:26+00:00

Hello all, I've had a number of inpatient stays due to pregnancy complications and have been told on multiple occasions that I will be having a planned section at approx 34 weeks. I'm currently 29wks +2. I was just wondering when those of you who had planned sections received a date for your surgery? How far in advance were you told about your c-section date? I'm only just over 4 weeks away from the 34 week milestone that everybody has mentioned so far and it doesn't feel like very far away but I still don't have a definitive plan. The consultant I have been seeing at my antenatal appointments have been pretty useless but the ones in hospital have been wonderful!

SunshineAndFizz · 15/07/2022 12:07

I got my date about 2 months beforehand (although mine is planned in for 39 weeks). Came through the post.

I'd ring and chase if I were you, they should be able to have the date by now.

Original poster

handbagsandholidays · 15/07/2022 12:11

SunshineAndFizz · 15/07/2022 12:07

I got my date about 2 months beforehand (although mine is planned in for 39 weeks). Came through the post.

I'd ring and chase if I were you, they should be able to have the date by now.

Thank you. I will chase it up! I have a growth scan and review on Monday so will see if I can push for a date then as I doubt I'll get anywhere with it today. Also glad I'm not being unreasonable in thinking I should have some idea of a date by now. Being left in limbo is really tough x

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theotherfossilsister · 15/07/2022 14:49

Mine came in the post today for fourth of August

Original poster

handbagsandholidays · 15/07/2022 14:56

theotherfossilsister · 15/07/2022 14:49

Mine came in the post today for fourth of August

Ahhh good luck! Will it be your first section?

I hit 34 weeks on 17th August but have a consultant app booked for 2nd and 8th August so wonder if given your timeline I'll also be made to wait until then. 🤔 x

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April88 · 15/07/2022 14:57

I got mine 2 weeks before (planned for 39 weeks)

serafinarose · 15/07/2022 15:17

Got mine at 36 weeks planned for 39. Consultant was ready to give it at 34 but was talked out of it by a particularly bossy midwife, but that's another story..

Can sometimes be a battle with hospital politics.

Tell them on Monday you need the date.

Hugasauras · 15/07/2022 15:20

I got my date at 36 weeks consultant appointment and it was for 39+2.

theotherfossilsister · 15/07/2022 15:54

Thank you, it will. First baby too, at thirty seven weeks. Having the letter has made me feel lots better.

GaslighterDenier · 15/07/2022 16:05

Completely opposite ends of the spectrum for me got my first date two days before it happened, and for this one I got my date for 39+2 at 12 weeks. Both ELCS.

Jaaxe · 15/07/2022 19:10

For mine I got the date for elective sections 2-3 weeks before….around 36/37 weeks for 39 week section x

Original poster

handbagsandholidays · 15/07/2022 21:41

theotherfossilsister · 15/07/2022 15:54

Thank you, it will. First baby too, at thirty seven weeks. Having the letter has made me feel lots better.

Bless you! This is my second, my first was an emergency/crash due to foetal distress but process and the recovery wasn't half as bad as what I had expected. Many have said that the recovery from an elective is much smoother so I hope yours follows this path! X

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Original poster

handbagsandholidays · 15/07/2022 21:45

GaslighterDenier · 15/07/2022 16:05

Completely opposite ends of the spectrum for me got my first date two days before it happened, and for this one I got my date for 39+2 at 12 weeks. Both ELCS.

12 weeks! That's so organised... I think the worst part of not having a date is being unable to plan and prepare things like meals, childcare, annual leave, maternity leave etc. I suppose it's not too dissimilar to those who have vaginal births as they are on edge for the last few weeks of pregnancy not knowing when their baby will arrive. In some ways they may even have less certainty as there is no certainty as to how either whereas at least we know it will be a CS on a set day. I still would expect more than a few weeks notice for a surgical procedure given the level of planning involved but it looks like being given a date approx 2-3 weeks beforehand is fairly common x

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arecklessmanor · 15/07/2022 22:26

I was given my ELCS date for 39 weeks before my 20 week scan.

I wonder if they are waiting to see if there is any way to keep your baby in there a bit longer with monitoring? Sorry if that's not the case, but as your C-section is early maybe there is more scope for moving it if there is a balance to strike, compared to a 'standard' 39ish weeks ELCS.
In any case good luck and hope you have at least a provisional date soon.

squatternutbosh12 · 15/07/2022 23:59

@theotherfossilsister hello on a different thread! I’m 4th august too I didn’t realise we were exactly the same day!! Actually I suppose neither did you if you just got the letter! Yay x

@handbagsandholidays I actually had mine ‘provisionally’ booked at 28 weeks for 38+6, didn’t get a letter though and still haven’t - have just been told my pre-op and section dates and they just hand wrote them on the back of my notes! Each hospital /consultant different I guess. Sorry to hear you’ve had complications but exciting that you’ll get to meet your baby soon. Just ask them next time can you get a date booked in as you’re anxious to have it sorted- that’s what I did :) good luck!

Original poster

handbagsandholidays · 16/07/2022 01:08

arecklessmanor · 15/07/2022 22:26

I was given my ELCS date for 39 weeks before my 20 week scan.

I wonder if they are waiting to see if there is any way to keep your baby in there a bit longer with monitoring? Sorry if that's not the case, but as your C-section is early maybe there is more scope for moving it if there is a balance to strike, compared to a 'standard' 39ish weeks ELCS.
In any case good luck and hope you have at least a provisional date soon.

That's a really good point to raise and in all honesty if that is the case then I'd be really happy. I know the priority is a healthy baby but I do have some worries about baby being both prem and one of the youngest in any school year if he is born at the 34 weeks that has been suggested until this point. 1st September would bring us to 36+1 which means hopefully baby wouldn't need as much, if any additional support in hospital and takes away the anxiety of development during the early school years too! Either way, I think I'd just like to know where I stand and if I'm told that they will review it at say 32/33 weeks then I can work with that provided I'm kept informed along the way. It's the not knowing and being left in the dark that worries me x

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Original poster

handbagsandholidays · 16/07/2022 01:11

squatternutbosh12 · 15/07/2022 23:59

@theotherfossilsister hello on a different thread! I’m 4th august too I didn’t realise we were exactly the same day!! Actually I suppose neither did you if you just got the letter! Yay x

@handbagsandholidays I actually had mine ‘provisionally’ booked at 28 weeks for 38+6, didn’t get a letter though and still haven’t - have just been told my pre-op and section dates and they just hand wrote them on the back of my notes! Each hospital /consultant different I guess. Sorry to hear you’ve had complications but exciting that you’ll get to meet your baby soon. Just ask them next time can you get a date booked in as you’re anxious to have it sorted- that’s what I did :) good luck!

Thank you! How long have you got until your section?

I am definitely going to ask for some clarity at my appointment on Monday so I can try and make some sense of the situation. Im one of those plan and prepare for the worst but hope for the best kind of people and so being unable to plan or prepare is causing me more anxiety than the actual pregnancy complications x

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squatternutbosh12 · 16/07/2022 05:01

@handbagsandholidays mines in just under 3 weeks time now. I’m the same- to be honest if I hadn’t asked at 28 weeks to get a date in the diary, I don’t think I’d have had one until around 34/36 weeks, as that seems the norm for my trust but the consultant absolutely didn’t mind pencilling in something earlier since I was anxious about it. I think they can’t actually firmly book it until nearer the time (possibly because the relevant people’s rotas simply don’t exist that far back , or perhaps because they know things can change with baby eg. needing to come earlier ) but having a provisional date at least made me feel more settled and like I had a plan to work to. I’ve had medical issues during the pregnancy too (due to a pre existing condition) and that’s definitely factored into my stress about it as things haven’t always felt under my control, so they understood this was one way to introduce some certainty which really helped, and I’d hope they’d do the same for you. x

Goldfishmountainclimber · 16/07/2022 05:42

I was given the date the week before.

Eek3under3 · 16/07/2022 06:16

Mine was booked this week for 4th Aug. I am pretty sure it will get moved (it did last time!).

barneymcgroo · 16/07/2022 06:53

I got mine the week before - on the Friday, for the Tuesday. So 4 days. At my hospital they have a cs clinic on the Friday where they give you the dates.

theotherfossilsister · 16/07/2022 12:47

@Eek3under3 we're the same day provisionally

theotherfossilsister · 16/07/2022 14:45

@squatternutbosh12 that's amazing. I was twenty fourth or twenty fifth of August but they're getting baby out at thirty seven due to iugr. Three sections on this thread for August fourth. It must be a busy day for them.

I'm worried about the baby and also about recover but so so happy to have date.