Positive planned section stories please - special scar

[Married2019]

Following a traumatic EMCS in 2020 which resulted in a special scar (extension left and inverted T) I was left unable to BF and had to spend time in HDU. This was during covid times during which the midwives were too busy and understaffed, I went through induction and early labour by myself, dilated to 10cm and had failed forceps (twice) and then the CS. Post birth my husband wasn’t allowed in more than 40 minutes a day to help with baby and my pain medication was routinely missed. My hospital experience overall was not as I’d imagined it would be.

Ive never had a debrief with the hospital, wanting to focus on the fact that our daughter is here; she’s beautiful and bright and healthy.

However I am currently 38 weeks pregnant with our second and the panic is starting to set in (recently elevated due to them losing our paperwork and my elective section not being booked, despite being consultant led and told I’m not allowed to go any later than 39 weeks due to increased risk of uterine rupture if I were to go in to natural labour) My confidence in the care I’m about to receive is shaky at best and I feel like I’m having to prepare myself to go through it all by myself again.

Can you share your positive elective section stories?
I have no birth plan, I’ve not been told what we can and cannot have (music? skin to skin? screens up/down?) and I won’t see my midwife again until baby is here (we have never discussed birth options or choices as it was just told that I would need to elect and I’ll be given a date)

TIA ♥️

I had a planned c section a week ago. This was my first baby. It was the most lovely experience, so lovely in fact that when I hopefully do this again, I’ll be electing to have a c section from the outset.

At my hospital I had to go in the day before for about an hour to have a pre op assessment - they took some blood and gave me some medication to take the night before and morning of the op. On the day I turned up at 7.30am with my husband. I was taken to the theatre around 9.30am, it didn’t seem like 2 hours had passed though as the surgeon came to talk to me and also the anaesthetist came to talk through the whole thing. I was asked if I had a playlist or anything then.

When I went to theatre it was the most calm experience. Although there were lots of people in the room it was so calm. The thing that took the longest was having the spinal cited, once it was in, baby was out within the first 10 mins! I was in theatre for a total of an hour start to finish so super quick. I was up and about having a shower by 6pm that night and home the next day!

Good luck!! ❤️

Hi, I'm also 38 weeks and due to have a ELCS next week. This is my second cesarean after my first was breech.

A planned section is so much more calm and pleasant then an EMCS, during our first the staff were happy and telling jokes, we had heart radio playing, my anaesthetist was chatting away to me whilst I was being operated on and it's just a whole different vibe in the room. We were in the Op Theatre at 10am and baby was out at 10:16, the final 45ish mins is spent putting you back together and sewing you up. The team usually talk you through what they're doing though, especially if you're starting to panic or feel sick.

I literally just had me "pre-op" appointment yesterday where they do the run through of everything, every hospital is slightly different however, I am allowed to have music (either CD or radio), you can have skin to skin but make sure you let the nurses know as you are going to theatre. The screen is up whilst they do the incision but is lowered for the birth, it's then raised again whilst they sew you up. Birth partner can take photos, cut the cord and be with baby whilst they weigh them etc. All jewellery must be removed or taped if you cannot remove it, nail varnish or acrylics/gels must be removed and you need to have a shave the night before/morning of.
You can't eat from midnight the night before and they should give you some omeprazole the take one the night before and one the morning of the op to settle your stomach, although they'll tell you the exact time (I have to have mine at 6am)

As with your previous experience, make sure that your anaesthetist, nurses etc KNOW that you had a previous traumatic EMCS and that it's possibly given you PTSD, it can prepare them to deal with a possible freak out (don't feel any shame about doing so either!) Also as your hospital doesn't sound like it's the most organised, fully prepare yourself for this next week to be a nightmare of trying to get things sorted, I always find if I expect it to fuck up, it's always a pleasant surprise when it doesn't lol "hope for the best, prepare for the worst!"
Don't be afraid to voice your grievances about their lack of organisation so far, they need to know they've let you down and it should hopefully give them the appropriate kick up the ass!

My first birth was a forceps delivery after a 36 hour labour. My husband and I were so traumatised we said we would'nt have another child.

We just celebrated my second child's 1st birthday 😊 he was an elective c section, and it was THE BEST decision Ive ever made.

The birth was so different to my first, The staff took care of us and explained everything, they prepped me for the op and then DH joined us. My baby boy was out within minutes, I was then stitched up, taken to recovery room and given lots of tea, toast and juice and then I was wheeled to the maternity ward and given a bed. Had a shower that evening, drank lots of water to make sure I could wee properly and was allowed to go home after 2 days of rest. The recovery was fine, the worst part was the blood thinning injections (I'm a wimp with needles) but I was given codine (def ask for this) and I took it VERY easy for a couple of weeks and was fine, I've got a neat scar where my bikini line is.

Any questions, just ask. Best of luck!!

I’ve had an emcs and 2 elcs. I didn’t make a birth plan because I was traumatised from the emcs and my only focus was having a healthy baby (dd1 died, unrelated to the cs).

One thing that stands out for me - in a planned cs each member of the team will go round and introduce themselves. Both times I found this overwhelming and wonderful that all of these people were there for me and my baby.

You can choose the music. Let them know you want to have skin to skin, or whatever your preferences are. We had a nicu team in both elcs so I wanted the babies to be checked first before I held them.

Tell the obstetrician and anaesthetist about your prev experience when they come round in the morning to discuss and get you to sign the consent form. They will make sure you are ok.

good luck!