Annoyed at Elective c-section date- will be overdue

[sarahken]

Hi, everyone. I have just had an appointment with my obstretican at the hospital for my 34 week anti-natal check. I am having an elective c-section due to complications in my last labour which resulted in me needing an emergency c-sec. I was told at my 12 week obsetrician appointment my c-sec would most like be 12th May (39+3 weeks), and so my husband has booked his paternity leave at work from 12-26th May to coincide with this.

However today when I went to be formally booked in for my section I was told that they are now not doing sections on the 12th May for some reason I don't know, and all the places have been taken for the week before (5th May), so I will have to have my section on the 19th May, which will make me 3 days overdue.My local hospital only performs elective c-sects on Tuesdays! When I asked what would happen if I went in to labour before then or if my blood pressure went sky high again, I was told not to worry and they would simply perform an elective c-section. I just accepted what they told me and agreed, but now I have got home I feel really annoyed.

I don't want an emergency section, with all the problems last time, and the fact that this baby is also breech, I don't want to go into labour.Plus last time I had an emergency c-section I had to be put to sleep as they didn't have enough time to keep trying to get the spinal block in, so me and my dh missed the birth. Plus, I will not get out of hospital till saturday 23rd, which means I will only get 1 day of help from my hubby before he is back at work. This happened last time, and it was very hard work after a c-sec, this time I have a toddler to look after also.

What really annoys me, is that a lady I know had a section at 37 weeks, last month at the same hospital, just because the day they had given her clashed with her step-son's birthday. This lady happens to be a midwife. It seems totally unfair that someone can choose like this for non-medical reasons just because they know the consultant. I have booked to see my community midwife on Wednesday to see if I can get it changed to 28th April (37 +3 weeks) as this is still classed a full term isn't it? but I wasn't given this option at the hospital. Sorry for the long rant, just feel really het up after having this date in my head for the best part of 6 months. Anyone any experience of this?

I have been to see the midwife today for my 'polite tantrum'. She phoned up the hospital to check why they weren't doing sections on 12th May, and apparently its because they are having a theatre audit- wtf!! She queried why another day hadn't been allocated, and they also confirmed that the 5th was fully booked up. So didn't get any new information, it like she was just checking everything I'd already told her.

She has taken my mobile number and is going to my consultant to see if they can possibly squeeze me in on the 5th (38 +3 weeks) or put me on stand by for the 5th, should somebody go into labour that is due for a section that day. Hopefully I'll have an answer tomorrow. Didn't ask about having a section at 37 weeks as don't want to risk any breathing complications. Don't know how I would feel being on 'stand by' cos I wouldn't want to get my hopes up and all prepared to then have a further 2 weeks wait, or to not be prepared then have to go in all of a sudden, ooooh tricky. Think I should have stuck to my old decision of a home birth.