Planned C-Section NHS

Hello,

Has anyone here had a planned C-section with the NHS? Can anyone have one or do you have to meet certain criteria?

What was your experience with a planned section?

In general, what is the recovery period like?

How long did you and baby have to stay in hospital afterwards? What was your care like?

Thanks!! Xxxx

I’ve had all planned but due to medical reasons.

first was breech, second was scar tissue problem and 3rd twins.
I have 2 friends who had planned without medical reasons.

recovery varies.

it was over really quickly, feels very uncomfortable but the anaesthetist will stay close to you and if you feel you need more spinal just ask, I had to have a double on my last one because I could feel them prodding!

Was out of hospital after 2 days. Care was brilliant. The night midwives are really good at helping you feed, it’s difficult to sit up!

go for a wee as soon as possible, you’ll have a catheter so the sooner that comes out and you can go for a wee the sooner you can leave.

take big knickers and the biggest pads you can find, you will still bleed after a section

I asked for strong pain killers and got liquid morphine.

only advice is rest!! Don’t invite loads of people over for the first week. Sleep is needed for recovery.

Hello, I had a planned one. My baby was breech but he turned a couple of weeks before he was born, however my husband had been in hospital when I was pregnant so they kept the c-section slot meaning he could be there from start to finish.

We were told to be at the hospital by 7am and my son was born at about 2.45pm so a lot of sitting about. It wasn’t bad though. The staff in the theatre were amazing and kept me calm. It all went to plan and was over in a flash. I didn’t feel anything and there was a screen up.

I wanted to breastfeed but struggled and the hospital were not in any rush to put me home so I ended up being there for six days (my son had to go to neo-natal for the first three days too - apparently when you don’t push a baby out, secretions can build up in the lungs). I couldn’t fault our care, the nurses, HCAs, everyone was brilliant. I was so emotional when my son wasn’t with me and the woman from Bounty would come round and sign you up for all sorts (coupons etc) - I was inconsolable when she asked for five minutes of my time .

I had a decent recovery but the big pants I bought weren’t big enough! I had to go into real big ones because the waistband sat on my scar. I didn’t have any issues and feel my recovery was good. Be careful when you’re shopping though, even now if I’m pushing the trolley and it jolts and hits in the scar, it’s still uncomfortable (6 years on).

It was absolutely the best decision for us. And I would do it again. Good luck

I’ve had 3 sections, 2 planned. They do generally advise against sections as recovery may be longer, higher risk to mum, better for baby to be birthed vaginally however more and more people are having them these days if there is a risk at all in your pregnancy but I’m not very qualified to comment on this!

My 2 planned sections were fantastic. Very calm but surreal but also amazing. They get you gowned up on the ward then when it’s baby time they walk you down to theatre where you meet the operating staff (you’ll have already met the consultant/anaesthetist doing the op beforehand generally to go through paperwork, questions etc). They sit you on the operating bed where you’ll have a cannula inserted and then they will either administer spinal block or epidural but generally they chat to you the entire time to make you feel relaxed. Sometimes there’s music playing and you can request this or your own music but most of the time they will ask. Your legs will then go tingly and warm from the waist down (my numbness came right up to my boobs) and they’ll lay you down and start prepping for the operation. The anaesthetist will spray some cold stuff on you to make sure you’re numb. They’ll then put some wires on you for blood pressure etc but you can ask to have these on your back so they’re not in the way of holding the baby when they arrive.

They go through all the operation bits and then within about 10 minutes from first incision your baby is here! You can ask to have the curtain lowered so you can see them being lifted out, this part is amazing and I wish I’d asked for my first 2. They then cut the chord and place them straight on your chest/clean them and pass them to you for skin to skin. They then sew you back up which can take about 40 minutes. It feels like someone is actually washing up in your stomach, at times it can feel very weird and forceful but it’s a very disconnecting feeling as you’re numb. The consultant usually then tells you how everything went when you’re sewed up and you’re wheeled into recovery where they keep an eye for about 30 mins and then you’re put back on the ward, done and dusted.

My 1st (emergency) section I was up in about 12 hours, my 2nd about 8 hours and my 3rd it was within 4 or 5 as they encourage it straight away and my partner couldn’t stay so I did most stuff myself. I was in for 24 hours following all of them. Care was mostly great. Stay on top of your pain relief even if you don’t think you need it, and ask for stronger stuff if you feel it’s unmanageable even if you’re breastfeeding.

Overall the experience was fab and I wouldn’t change my births for the world. I would say though recovery with my third has been the hardest, my scar has played up a lot and still is 6 months on BUT this didn’t happen with my older 2 so I think I’m just unlucky.

sorry if this is more of an answer than you bargained for but I wish someone would have laid it out to be before my first! Xxx

ETA: my first planned section my baby was actually got out with forceps, I think he was wedged right into my pelvis. He was unfortunately cut by them and had a really bad mark on his face and nose for a couple of weeks which sucked but this is a risk with sections along with all the other ones, thought I should go full disclosure!

Anyone can have an elective caesarean should they so wish, however obstetricians don’t always make it easy to do so. The NICE guidelines (which they are supposed to abide to) however say if they’re unwilling to support you in your request for a maternal choice caesarean, they need to refer you to a different obstetrician who will. I have put a copy of these guidelines below in case you need to quote them at any point to a less than keen obstetrician! I will also add the earlier you start this discussion in your pregnancy the better

Thank you so much for your in-depth replies. I had a terrible labour 2 years ago. I’m crying now just thinking about it. I’m trying to think what to do.

My hospital stay was not good, but that was during the pandemic so hopefully it will have improved since then.

I am edging towards a c section but I’m scared of that too. I found giving birth so traumatic and overwhelming

Dianne said:

Thank you so much for your in-depth replies. I had a terrible labour 2 years ago. I’m crying now just thinking about it. I’m trying to think what to do.

My hospital stay was not good, but that was during the pandemic so hopefully it will have improved since then.

I am edging towards a c section but I’m scared of that too. I found giving birth so traumatic and overwhelming

Click to expand...

I haven’t had a section, but just wanted to say I will be asking for one when (if!) we have a second baby. I was already apprehensive about giving birth because of some childhood trauma and I considered asking for a section but to be honest I wasn’t confident enough to discuss why. I gave birth with just gas and air but found the whole thing really traumatic and I wish I’d just asked for the section. My baby is 10 months old now and I still haven’t processed it all, I definitely need counselling but haven’t been able to arrange anything yet.

It’s completely your choice, but I understand it’s so overwhelming. Have you spoken to your midwife about it at all?

Dianne said:

Thank you so much for your in-depth replies. I had a terrible labour 2 years ago. I’m crying now just thinking about it. I’m trying to think what to do.

My hospital stay was not good, but that was during the pandemic so hopefully it will have improved since then.

I am edging towards a c section but I’m scared of that too. I found giving birth so traumatic and overwhelming

Click to expand...

A traumatic birth will definitely be taken into consideration, please don’t worry! Like others have said it’s not bad. Do What ever makes you feel the most relaxed and at ease.

xx

Dianne said:

Hello,

Has anyone here had a planned C-section with the NHS? Can anyone have one or do you have to meet certain criteria?

What was your experience with a planned section?

In general, what is the recovery period like?

How long did you and baby have to stay in hospital afterwards? What was your care like?

Thanks!! Xxxx

Click to expand...

I had one at the beginning of last year. A slightly different experience to normal because we were in lockdown but it was actually really lovely. I had the planned section due to trauma from sexual abuse when I was younger; everyone I came into contact with was great. I was the first on the list and the entire team came to see me beforehand- there was just one male in the room and he personally endured I was comfortable with him being there. With it being lockdown I was on my own until they actually began cutting into me which was when my boyfriend was allowed in. Baby was born absolutely fine; I was in hospital for 24 hours and both allowed home the next afternoon. My recovery was really speedy and bleeding was not as heavy as expected; by the end of the first week I’d say I was really on the mend. The only issues were with getting out of bed and sneezing! I’d really recommend the planned c section- it helped me manage my anxiety in relation to the birth and the entire experience was so positive I can’t praise it enough. Good luck!

My planned section was a really great experience.
I chose one because of mental health reasons and I find internal examinations quite traumatic so I know I wouldn’t have coped well with any interventions during a natural labour.

Please look on birth rights.org and maybe drop them an email about it, they are really helpful! Anyone is entitled to a C section. My consultant was happy for me to have one as I’d read and understand the risks of having a C section and I’d decided it was still the right choice for me and baby.

Recovery was really good for me, you only ever hear the horror stories of how slow it can be. Listen when they tell you to rest and not do too much though. I was a bit sore and achey for a while but nothing that couldn’t be handled. We were out of hospital within 24 hours. I know if you are breastfeeding sometimes you have to stay in longer if you’re struggling but I assume you already know that if you’ve already had a baby.

Traumatic birth is definitely a very valid reason for a c sec. Please speak up at your next midwife appointment because you will need to be referred to a consultant. Just to warn you they might tell you to go down the route of speaking to a mental health midwife or have counselling etc before just outright agreeing to it. Stay firm in your choice if you decide to have a C section as it’s your body, your choice!

Hi, I’ve had two vaginal births - the second of which led to a very bad tear and so I was advised to have c sections afterwards. I’ve had two planned sections and they both went great.

Definitely raise it at your next appointment. I mentioned it at my 12 week, then at my 14-16 week hospital appointment. They basically said ok, we will ask you again at 34 weeks, and when they did and I confirmed I still wanted it they ran through all the information about section risks etc. Just be aware this isn’t to put you off having one, it’s just to make sure you have all the information you need (and they are legally obliged to give, I imagine!) I again confirmed I wanted one and they got me a date then and there.

Recovery wise, I had a two night stay with baby 3, and a 1 night stay with baby 4 (Covid times so they were keen to kick me out and I was keen to go)
Recovery can be annoyingly slow at times. I find you feel so much better than you’d imagine the first 2-3 days, then you plateau for a while and don’t seem to get much better. And it goes in fits and starts like that. That’s one thing I wasn’t aware of before my first section, I assumed you’d just get better but I didn’t find that in either case. A few times I was annoyed because my recovery seemed to have stalled completely, but then I’d wake up the next day and feel much more able.

Dianne said:

Thank you so much for your in-depth replies. I had a terrible labour 2 years ago. I’m crying now just thinking about it. I’m trying to think what to do.

My hospital stay was not good, but that was during the pandemic so hopefully it will have improved since then.

I am edging towards a c section but I’m scared of that too. I found giving birth so traumatic and overwhelming

Click to expand...

Just stand your ground! My first baby was overdue and I was induced but ended up needing forceps and ventouse but they were surprised I didn’t end up with a section and the midwives advised next time to request a section. So I did and was refused (by the Consultant). I should have stood my ground but he intimidated me and I ended up having an emergency c-section and a traumatic experience afterwards.

My third baby I stood my ground and demanded an elective but they kept trying to talk me out of it as I had delivered my first baby ‘naturally’ but I insisted and they allowed it.

I never went into labour naturally with my first two so they were both inductions and both overdue. Induction does hold a risk of intervention eg. F&V or emergency c-section, so I experienced both.

The elective section was a much better experience than the emergency one but to be honest, the natural birth was the best experience (and an easier recovery) but I understand it’s not possible for every woman to give birth naturally, so hopefully nobody takes offence.

But at the end of the day it’s what is right for you so if you want the elective then stick to your guns.

Good luck.

Also just to add, back when I had my first one you had to stay in for 5 days then 5 years later with my second one it was 3 days, so I’m amazed it’s now only 24 hrs when it’s major surgery when I had mine you had to stay in bed for the first 24 hrs!

So I won’t offer advice on recovery etc as times seem to have changed a lot from when I had mine but my recovery from the elective was much speedier than the emergency one.

Lulu Goss said:

I haven’t had a section, but just wanted to say I will be asking for one when (if!) we have a second baby. I was already apprehensive about giving birth because of some childhood trauma and I considered asking for a section but to be honest I wasn’t confident enough to discuss why. I gave birth with just gas and air but found the whole thing really traumatic and I wish I’d just asked for the section. My baby is 10 months old now and I still haven’t processed it all, I definitely need counselling but haven’t been able to arrange anything yet.

It’s completely your choice, but I understand it’s so overwhelming. Have you spoken to your midwife about it at all?

Click to expand...

No not yet. I wanted to get a bit more information about it first - it’s useful hearing personal accounts so thanks everyone.

I was with the mental health team with my first pregnancy and I had counselling after the birth. That was on the NHS and it was useful. Maybe look into that? You have to be referred though by your dr or midwife.

Sorry you had a traumatic birth, I did find it useful to talk about it with someone. Xxx

Dianne said:

Thank you so much for your in-depth replies. I had a terrible labour 2 years ago. I’m crying now just thinking about it. I’m trying to think what to do.

My hospital stay was not good, but that was during the pandemic so hopefully it will have improved since then.

I am edging towards a c section but I’m scared of that too. I found giving birth so traumatic and overwhelming

Click to expand...

You have to be willing to stand your ground.
Read up on all the pros and cons so they can see you've done your research.

I had a traumatic birth with my 2nd which resulted in a bad hemorrhage and an almost 4th degree tear.

So for my 3rd, I requested a csection.
My first consultant rejected it.
I asked for a second opinion and he also rejected it.
After loads of back and forths, trying to get my points across, I just didn't have the confidence to fight for what I wanted!

Luckily my 3rd birth was really positive though and I'm glad I didn't. But you just never know and I didn't want to risk it!

I have had two sections, first was emergency and the second planned.
When I was pregnant with my second, my midwife asked if I wanted to have an elective section this time and I decided after speaking with a consultant that I would prefer it. There was no medical reason for me to need one but given my first child resulting in an emergency one, they gave me the option.

The experience was fantastic, so calm and I was looked after extremely well. They explained everything they were doing and when she was about to come out they dropped the sheet so I saw her being lifted out. Had skin to skin and breastfeeding soon as I went into recovery. The midwives couldn’t do enough to help me and would pick her up out of the cot for me as the first night I couldn’t move my legs still (I had her late afternoon) It was wonderful. I stayed in one night and went home the following evening. Recovery went well and I was out and about within a week (but taking it easy) Don’t get me wrong, it hurts, getting in and out of bed was the hardest/most painful thing. The scar becomes sensitive for a while once healed too. It’s major surgery, but as long as you follow the advice and don’t push yourself.
Would absolutely recommend if you can but I know everyone’s experiences are different

Hi everyone, back again. I saw my midwife today and she referred me to a consultant to discuss a c-section. I suppose what stuck out to me was she said it was to see ‘IF’ I can have a c-section. In my head I was a bit like ‘I thought if I wanted one it was my right to have one?’, so I’ll do my research before the appointment.

Im pretty scared of both vaginal and c-section births to be honest. Is there a third option?! A stork?

Dianne said:

Hi everyone, back again. I saw my midwife today and she referred me to a consultant to discuss a c-section. I suppose what stuck out to me was she said it was to see ‘IF’ I can have a c-section. In my head I was a bit like ‘I thought if I wanted one it was my right to have one?’, so I’ll do my research before the appointment.

Im pretty scared of both vaginal and c-section births to be honest. Is there a third option?! A stork?

Click to expand...

You are correct that it's your right to have one.
You just have to find someone that will say yes

Good luck! I hope you get your yes straight away! I know so many that have!

The way I saw it in the end was Csection is guaranteed major surgery. With a vaginal birth, there's still a big chance to be no issues at all.

Dianne said:

Hi everyone, back again. I saw my midwife today and she referred me to a consultant to discuss a c-section. I suppose what stuck out to me was she said it was to see ‘IF’ I can have a c-section. In my head I was a bit like ‘I thought if I wanted one it was my right to have one?’, so I’ll do my research before the appointment.

Im pretty scared of both vaginal and c-section births to be honest. Is there a third option?! A stork?

Click to expand...

Don’t be scared, I promise you it will be ok. Have you looked into hypnobirthing? Some of it may be a bit wishy washy for some but the main bulk I.e breathing exercises to calm you and clear your mind, positive affirmations etc all helped me so much during my first labour and all of my c sections. I really recommend if you’re feeling really apprehensive.

As for your consultant appointment, they will try and persuade you to have a natural birth but hold firm if a c section is what you want. Explain your fears and if they deny you then ask to speak to a second consultant. I’m almost 99% sure they have to give you the birth of your choice. Good luck xx

I know this wasn't my post but I just scheduled my section today & I appreciate all the positive comments. I know everyone is different but sometimes we do just hear the horror stories, it's easy to forget there are some really positive ones too .

Maybe a birth board on Babycentre would be a good support