Elective C Section / Family Planning

[BoosterBoots]

Not sure if this is a bit of a bonkers question but please humour me thinking out loud.

I am pregnant with my first baby, who is due the last week of August. I am in my mid 30s. I am very keen to try for a second baby (I realise I might feel differently in the future) when possible but wouldn't be able to afford having 2 at nursery/childminders.

If my baby arrives before or on their due date they will be able to go to school aged 4, if they are overdue they won't go to school until they are 5. This is the difference of me trying for a baby when I'm at the tail end of my 30s or starting my 40s.

If this were you, would you consider an elective C-section to allow yourself a bit more certainty / potentially another year to help with with longer term family planning? I appreciate there are sooo many other considerations and uncontrollable variables and that surgery is no mean feat.

We are in a similar situation with our second due end of August but we won’t be planning a third so won’t affect future planning. With an elective, there is still no guarantee of date and I’ve been told any time between 39-40 for an elective which could push us into September. I didn’t want to read and run but I guess I’m just saying it still doesn’t offer guarantees xx

We do also have more options with 30 hours of ‘funded’ childcare and tax free childcare. Getting my second through to the term when this kicks in balancing maternity/the need to return to work is going to be tough but once that kicks in, having two in nursery will be more affordable x

Thanks for your reply, wishing you all the best with your little ones arrival!

I really wouldn't. My category 3 emergency c-section was pushed back to the next day and I think it's quite common for electives to be pushed back a couple of days. Plus it's really not good for a baby to be born before it is ready unless circumstances mean they are better off out than in.

Yes I would go for an elective c section in your case as long as you’re otherwise happy having a c section. It’s usually done around 39 weeks and rarely do they let you go over 40 weeks. You can also push for it to be done closer to 39 weeks - I did this and they ended up offering to do it at 38+5.