Waiting on my ELCS, help please!

[FebMama]

Currently 38+2 and have been booked in for my ELCS in 6 days time when I'll be 39+1. Finally got my date yesterday.

6 days is not a long time away but still somehow feels like FOREVER to go!

I'm feeling very anxious most days as I don't feel like baby will wait another 6 days and worried I will go into labour spontaneously.

Anybody been in a similar boat and have any tips or advice to get through the next 6 days without constantly worrying? 😬

This was me recently! I was booked in for last Friday, 20th and knew nearly 3 weeks before. It was a loooong 3 weeks that is for sure!

I've no tips really for surviving the next 6 days. I tried to do equal amounts of nesting/resting/time with my 3 year old. The ELCS itself was really pleasant and calm, so nothing to worry about in that regard.

If there's anything you'd like to do for yourself do it over the next few days. Pamper/shopping/lunch with friends etc. try to keep busy and you'll not fret so much. Good luck!

I had my ELCS at 38+6.

Could you ask what will happen if you go into labour before then? I asked my consultant and he said I’d be brought straight in for my section but I’m not in the UK. Knowing what the plan is might settle you.

Hi OP! I'm 37+5 so a couple of days behind you, and my ELCS is booked for 39 weeks (6th Feb) and I'm feeling quite similar to you! My waters broke the day after my due date with my first baby and he was born the day after so I totally empathise with feeling worried and anxious that baby will come earlier than scheduled. Has your hospital advised you to ring if you go into labour and they'll do your section then and there?

Oh sorry yes the plan for me if spontaneous labour started was either I could choose to labour naturally and go for VBAC or I would be brought straight in and the section done that day.

I was scheduled for c- section on the 16th and on the 14th my water broke. I went straight to the hospital and they did my c- section 10hours later. I was very scared lol. Everything went well. Don't worry too much about it

Hi everyone! Thanks for the replies.

Yes if my waters break before my ELCS it'll just be a matter of going to the labour ward and being taken in straight away for a section.

I had quite a traumatic birth with my first and ended up with an emergency section and every form of pain relief available so the thought of going into labour spontaneously and contractions again really worries me.

I do have my almost 3 year old to keep me busy 😂 but I get more anxious at night and have a reoccurring thought of my waters breaking during the middle of the night whilst I'm in bed. Every morning I wake up and breathe a sigh of relief that I've made it through another night!

I'm not so worried about the section itself having had one before. I just need to manage my anxieties over the next 6 days and keep myself as occupied as I can so I'm not fretting too much!

I’m booked in for the 13th and know
exactly how you are feeling! Time seems to be going so slow. I don’t think I’m going to make it to my C-section date x

@Eagtess3 in some ways I'm glad I only found out my day yesterday as I would be definitely running out of patience by now if I knew so far in advance! When is your due date? Are you getting any particular feelings that make you think you won't make your section date? Keeping my fingers crossed for us both! X

@FebMama my due date from scans is the 18th.
Im just really struggling now, lost my mucus plug a few weeks ago and have been in and out of hospital due to bleeds. I just have a funny feeling that I will go into labour before the 13th I was induced with my little girl nearly 3 years ago so have never gone into labour naturally without induction .

@Eagtess3 I was induced the first time around too so likewise never gone into labour spontaneously! Don't know why I'm so convinced it will happen this time lol.

Sorry to hear you've been experiencing bleeds. Must just add to the worry.

I think I lost a bit of my mucus plug a few days ago and then also had some brown spotting but nothing since.

Keep your legs crossed and stay anxious, babies come when you’re nice and relaxed 😂 I was in the same boat and was booked in for 39+4. I was so certain I wasn’t going to make it.. I did! But I just stayed in the same anxious state you’re in and baby didn’t even go head down 🙈 I don’t think he’d ever have come himself when I was that nervous.. you’ll be fine!

And omg yes to the waking up each morning relieved your waters haven’t broken 😂 that was totally me too! I can only laugh about it now I’m out the other side. That was when I heard everyone else would go into labour so if I woke up to pee during the night even I’d be walking into the bathroom like ‘oh please no’ 🙈 I think you’ll find the experience of the section this time much better when it’s nice and controlled. Mine was the best day of my life and other than the nip of the cannula going into my hand, the rest of it was virtually pain free! I expected it to be awful but it so wasn’t

@BCxx glad someone else knows how it feels 😂 the middle of the night pee is the most anxious thing! I stand up, pause for a second, then gradually waddle my way to the bathroom hoping that it is just a pee and nothing more 😂

I'm glad your little one hung on for your date though! Fingers crossed mine does the same. I'm planning a proper pamper day and domino's pizza night on Thursday so I'll be even more disappointed if baby comes sooner haha