Time between pre op & c section…

GeorgiaP88 · 2022-10-15T18:11:02+00:00

Hi everyone just after a bit of insight really, I have my c section booked in for the 8th of November & just got my pre op appointment booking which says it’s for the 31st October! Seems like a big gap between the two, I also have a consultant appointment booked in & growth scan anyway for the 1st of November too (due to gestational diabetes and being high risk) how long between the two appointments was your pre op to c section? I thought it happened a day or two before but clearly I’m wrong on this one!

7Worfs · 15/10/2022 19:13

My pre-op was two days before, they swabbed me for Covid and took blood to check my iron levels, nothing else.

7Worfs · 15/10/2022 19:17

Oh it is extremely likely you’ll be among the first of the day to go into surgery because of the GD, so follow the instructions to the letter re food and drink. I was asked to arrive at 8am, surgeon and anesthetist spoke to me at 9am and I had my baby before 10am.

Suprima · 15/10/2022 19:24

What’s going to change in 8 days? They’ll literally do your bloods and give you your consent paperwork, antacids and run through the OP. It’s not massively time sensitive. Mine was 5 days before.

Original poster

GeorgiaP88 · 15/10/2022 19:26

Suprima · 15/10/2022 19:24

What’s going to change in 8 days? They’ll literally do your bloods and give you your consent paperwork, antacids and run through the OP. It’s not massively time sensitive. Mine was 5 days before.

That’s the thing I don’t know do I, first time doing this whole having a baby thing, just seems like a big gap that’s all

OP posts:

GAW19 · 15/10/2022 19:33

I had to go in on my birthday on the Monday for my pre-op, all they do is talk to you, get you to sign stuff, check your bp etc I had her 3 days later on the Thursday
I also had GD, I was in hospital for 3 days before my birthday due to needing steroids because she was a big baby, 8lb 10oz at 38 weeks

Hugasauras · 15/10/2022 19:36

Mine was by phone a week or so before. I had no in-person pre-op. Covid test was offered but not mandatory so I didn't go in. So I wouldn't worry about the time between.

Weathergirl1 · 15/10/2022 19:50

Suprima · 15/10/2022 19:24

What’s going to change in 8 days? They’ll literally do your bloods and give you your consent paperwork, antacids and run through the OP. It’s not massively time sensitive. Mine was 5 days before.

Depends really what they're doing at the pre-op! I had most of the meeting by phone a week before but then had to go in for bloods, MRSA swabs and consent form 24-48hours before. I know from what the midwife said on the call that the bloods can only be done (at our trust anyway) within 72 hours of the operation (op on Monday, need to go for bloods on the Friday) and they prefer the shorter timeline.

MrsSamR · 15/10/2022 19:51

My pre-op is on Monday and my c-section is booked in for Thursday so a couple of days before as you say

sunflower198 · 15/10/2022 19:55

My pre op was on a Saturday, they did Covid swab, gave me the tablets to take the night before/morning and a body wash/scrub thing to use.
C section was Monday morning - I also had GD and was expecting to be first in queue but didn't go down until 11am 😊

Original poster

GeorgiaP88 · 15/10/2022 20:01

sunflower198 · 15/10/2022 19:55

My pre op was on a Saturday, they did Covid swab, gave me the tablets to take the night before/morning and a body wash/scrub thing to use.
C section was Monday morning - I also had GD and was expecting to be first in queue but didn't go down until 11am 😊

I’m not fussed on where I am in the day to be honest, I can’t imagine I’d be near the front. Even though I have GD I seem to be managing it well according to the diabetic nurse and my section is down as maternal request so if anything I think I’ll be at the back of the queue :)

OP posts:

Original poster

GeorgiaP88 · 15/10/2022 20:02

GeorgiaP88 · 15/10/2022 20:01

I’m not fussed on where I am in the day to be honest, I can’t imagine I’d be near the front. Even though I have GD I seem to be managing it well according to the diabetic nurse and my section is down as maternal request so if anything I think I’ll be at the back of the queue :)

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Just to add to this though I do have a latex allergy which they know about so I don’t know if that has any impact on placement, I wish I had a clue what I was doing you know haha

OP posts:

Eek3under3 · 15/10/2022 20:07

Pre op was Wednesday morning, C section booked for thurs afternoon. I had Gd and pre eclampsia and ended up not going home in between…

sunflower198 · 15/10/2022 20:10

@GeorgiaP88 my consultant said they like to do GD babies first as you won't have eaten since the night before but it depends on who else is booked in / emergencies.
My planned c section experience this time around was superb, they give you as much (or as little!) info as you want to know on the day. It was a calm environment in theatre.
My first baby was an emergency section so I was really glad my 2nd and (last experience) was so good!

Good luck!

MummyJ36 · 15/10/2022 20:17

I had my pre ops done a week beforehand. I didn’t really think anything of it!
My ELCS was down as a maternal request but that was because DC was big (although not due to GD so I don’t know if this would affect things). We were third on the list and the last elective of the day. We arrived at 7am, chat with surgeon and anaesthetist, in surgery by 11am and in recovery by 11.45am. It was such a relief to have it over and done with by lunchtime so if you’re higher up on the list I’d say that’s only a good thing as it was quite strange hearing the other two ladies being wheeled back in with their babies whilst I was still sitting there pregnant!

CurlyNo2 · 15/10/2022 20:26

I have my pre-op booked for 14th and section booked for 25th.

Original poster

GeorgiaP88 · 15/10/2022 20:28

MummyJ36 · 15/10/2022 20:17

I had my pre ops done a week beforehand. I didn’t really think anything of it!
My ELCS was down as a maternal request but that was because DC was big (although not due to GD so I don’t know if this would affect things). We were third on the list and the last elective of the day. We arrived at 7am, chat with surgeon and anaesthetist, in surgery by 11am and in recovery by 11.45am. It was such a relief to have it over and done with by lunchtime so if you’re higher up on the list I’d say that’s only a good thing as it was quite strange hearing the other two ladies being wheeled back in with their babies whilst I was still sitting there pregnant!

I can imagine how weird it felt seeing people vanish and come back with a baby and thinking god I’m next! 🙈at the minute it all still feels fake to me! Like I’m dreaming and it’s not actually happening! I’m so excited I’m sure the nerves will kick in soon!

OP posts:

KitchenSupper · 15/10/2022 20:30

Mine was two weeks before the section. It makes sense, you might end up having it earlier than planned if labour starts.

MummyJ36 · 15/10/2022 20:33

It was bizarre but also so so special, I was itching to go by the time the second lady came back. I promise you there was nobody more nervous than me, I’ve never had any surgery before and even though this was my second child I was still just as scared (first time was a natural birth so a bit different but I was still shitting it). But everyone there is just so so nice, they’re just there to do their job, get the baby out and make it as stress free as possible. I was in the middle of joking with the anaesnatist when suddenly 5 minutes later the baby was out! I actually started crying I hadn’t expected to feel so overwhelmed and it was just beautiful. I held DS the whole time they stitched me up and didn’t feel a single thing during the whole procedure. You’ll smash it I promise!

ChickpeaPie · 15/10/2022 20:35

Suprima · 15/10/2022 19:24

What’s going to change in 8 days? They’ll literally do your bloods and give you your consent paperwork, antacids and run through the OP. It’s not massively time sensitive. Mine was 5 days before.

It is time sensitive. If they do your bloods 8 days before your section then they’ll need to do them again the day of the section. They won’t do it without bloods within the last 72 hours.

Seems wrong to me, I’d ring and question it. Our are done 24-48 hours early.

ChickpeaPie · 15/10/2022 20:37

You’ll be first on the list with a latex allergy

Loulou1712 · 15/10/2022 20:45

I have pre-op booked next Tuesday afternoon, c section booked Wednesday if I don't go into labour before then. I guess each trust will have a slightly different policy, in ours they test your iron levels etc which will need to be done close to the op for accuracy x

polkadotpixie · 15/10/2022 20:50

You'll 100% be first on the list if you have a latex allergy

AgathaMystery · 15/10/2022 20:51

ChickpeaPie · 15/10/2022 20:35

It is time sensitive. If they do your bloods 8 days before your section then they’ll need to do them again the day of the section. They won’t do it without bloods within the last 72 hours.

Seems wrong to me, I’d ring and question it. Our are done 24-48 hours early.

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It’s not a hard & fast rule. It’s 7 days for bloods where I work.

Hugasauras · 15/10/2022 21:09

I didn't have any bloods! Just a phone call with anaesthetist to go through process and check I didn't have any complicating conditions. So I guess this varies depending on area.

Dyra · 15/10/2022 22:05

You should be first. Second at worst.

Mostly due to the GD. It might be under control, but fasting still won't be good for you. Where I work, theatres (the maternity ones at least) are now completely latex free, so hopefully, your latex allergy might not be an issue. But from experience, it's far easier to prep a theatre to be latex free when they're the first case of the day. Especially if your colleagues already did it for you the day before!

I was always under the impression pre-op was supposed to be a couple of days before too. Maybe they'll call you back in closer to the time to do bloods? Can be done at an outpatient clinic.

Best of luck for the 8th!