For anyone having an elective...

[Nessicle]

...my baby boy was delivered by elective c section at 39 weeks after an awful delivery with my first that ended in an emcs.

I have to say it was absolutely brilliant! I was scared to death on the day as my emcs wasn't a great experience.

I'm now 5 weeks post surgery and a am pretty much back to normal. I was up and about a few hours after surgery and was sat at a soft play centre 6 days after surgery lol

 

[hulagirl]

Thank you for posting this.
I had an Emcs in April 12 as I had failure to progress and bubs decided to be awkwardlol the whole experience was scary and stressful
I am now pregnant again and am going to request an elective as I do not wish to have an emergency section again or failed vaginal birth.
Can I ask how were the midwives when you said you wanted an elective and also how long were you kept in after x

 

[Scuba]

I also had an amazing elective c sec.. Loved every minute of it, was the perfect birth for me! The midwives were fantastic about it, treated me no different to anyone else.. I had my daughter on the Monday morning, stayed in for 2 nights, my BP dropped and I passed out on the Tuesday when I first tried to get up so I had to stay the second night - but it was lovely experience xx

 

[hulagirl]

Thanks scuba.
Another quick question did you get skin to skin.
X

 

[Nessicle]

Thank you for posting this.
I had an Emcs in April 12 as I had failure to progress and bubs decided to be awkwardlol the whole experience was scary and stressful
I am now pregnant again and am going to request an elective as I do not wish to have an emergency section again or failed vaginal birth.
Can I ask how were the midwives when you said you wanted an elective and also how long were you kept in after x

Thanks scuba.
Another quick question did you get skin to skin.
X

No one questioned it at all they were very respectful especially as my daughter was 9lb and got stuck so I was expected another biggish baby (he was 7lb 11oz!). I didn't want to risk the same thing happening again and risk pnd and PTSD. It was a beautiful birth I cried my eyes out when he was born! I felt so calm and relaxed throughout and I had a student midwife who held him next to my head while I was stitched up (hubby nearly passed out so left the room lol) the radio was on too!

The worst part for me was feeling the catheter once the epidural and spinal had worn off!

I got skin to skin in recovery within 40 mins of delivery and breast fed him then too x

 

[hulagirl]

Thanks so much for your answers.
My lo was 8lb 14oz so this one may be big too.
Your elective sounds just how I would like mine to be, maybe apart from hubby nearly passing out. Lol.

Glad you are doing well, well amazed actually seeing how close they are. In age but it gives me a bit more hope that it will all be fine
X

 

[Scuba]

Hi! They offered skin to skin while I was stitched up but because the table was tilted quite a lot to the left (for blood pressure I think but not 100% on that) I let husband do skin to skin - he was sitting right by my head - and I held her and had skin to skin for a couple of hours when I was in recovery.. Only in recovery that long as that's where they have me my transfusion! It was lovely and I bonded with her instantly which I was also worried about but no need! Honestly it was a beautiful happy relaxed birth which is have no hesitation about doing again!xxx

 

[Nessicle]

It's not been mega mega easy with a toddler too but tbh it would've been harder if I'd needed an emcs x

 

[kellyrae]

so glad to be reading this......I will be having an elective due to diabetic eye complications and emcs previously, my emcs was awful and scary, I hardly remember the first few hours now
The recovery was fine, my only concern is having the epidural put in, I dont know why but I have got this fear for what its going to feel like.

 

[Nessicle]

so glad to be reading this......I will be having an elective due to diabetic eye complications and emcs previously, my emcs was awful and scary, I hardly remember the first few hours now
The recovery was fine, my only concern is having the epidural put in, I dont know why but I have got this fear for what its going to feel like.

I was the same even though I had an epi during labour the first time I was scared of the spinal and epi this time. But it was fine bit of pressure and pushing sensations but it didn't hurt x

 

[Annie77]

Great post - my elective section was wonderful and was trailing round museum 6 days later and hosted a massive BBQ when lo was only 10 days old. I got to see her and kiss her straight away, DH held her until recovery room then she went skin to skin and then latched herself on for a feed.

 

[Rowan75]

Thanks for this post - had 3rd degree tear last time and took 8 weeks to recover and been left with continence probs so Ive been debating section and have come to the conclusion Ill go for a section -this is really helpful x

 

[RebeccaG]

Thanks so much for posting this! How long after could you lift your toddler? That's my main worry about it all, not being able to lift my son up to put him in his cot or high hair or lift him in the air and give him cuddles.

 

[Annie77]

Thanks so much for posting this! How long after could you lift your toddler? That's my main worry about it all, not being able to lift my son up to put him in his cot or high hair or lift him in the air and give him cuddles.

Nearing the end of my pregnancy I would get my toddler to climb up onto the sofa/bed and lift her from there or encourage her to climb onto my lap as opposed to me picking her up. As I did this prior to baby being born, she didn't see this as a negative new thing the baby had caused! My one problem was that 1st dd was toilet trained by the time the 2nd baby came along but being only the size of an average 9-12mth baby she couldn't get onto the toilet, even with a step. I bought her a 2nd potty with a lid and popped it next to toilet and she used that until I was about 4 weeks post op when I started to lift her again (she was only about 16/17lbs)

 

[aimee-lou]

Thanks ladies - I'm seriously considering an elective this time. The recovery and the epi are both putting me off though. I have noticed that ELCS seems to have a better recovery than EMCS - I suppose you have 2 lots of trauma (labour and surgery) to recover from in an EMCS rather than 1 for elective,.

Still not 100% as I have done it naturally before, twice in fact, and will probably be able to do it again. Kind of hoping that the decision is made for me but don't want complications either.

Grrrrr why is it so complicated lol

 

[Rowan75]

Ive got my section date 4th April - can look forward to meeting my son now instead of feeling anxious all the time

 

[Hispirits]

good thread

i have epilepsy which has been inactive for ages, but at 12weeks it kicked up.

i no its not set in stone, but as its my 1st, i'm terrified of going over, being induced, getting stuck in hospital waiting for labour to start for up to 2 days, then having a long hard labour that ends up leading to emergancy c section anyway. tots up to a weeks in hospital, by the time i get home i'll be dead to the world, won't be able to look after my LO properly and being that exhausted means my epilepsy will go bananas.

i mentioned this concern to my midwife, and asked if it did pan out like this could i be booked in for a c section at 42 weeks instead of being induced, she said given my circumstances it wouldn't be a bad idea, but they won't wait til 42 weeks, they'll do it at 39.

i'm so conflicted now what to do.

i don't know weather its societys view of elected c section influencing me, but i feel like i'm cheating myself booking it in and not giving him the chance to arrive on his own, and give birth naturally.

but from your stories it sounds like such an easy stress free way, knowing when he's coming, knowing you wont have to suffer any complications, the dreaded epiostomy, quite frankly i'd rather have the stitches in my tummy to downstairs.

oh i don't know whats best

i wish someone would just tell me "this is the way its gonna happen, and thats thats"