Planned C-Section NHS

[Borntorun]

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

 

[maytoseptember]

Just to ease your mind a bit, because c sections get such a bad reputation about recovery, and blah blah.. but if your having an elective section it’ll be a lovely experience for you. You’ll be looked after from start to finish, and the recovery isn’t as bad as people like to make out (emergency sections can be traumatic & recovery is apparently harder) but elective ones are smoother as there’s no rush etc.

I totally agree. The NCT / natural birth proponents talk SO MUCH about c sections being major abdominal surgery (which it is, not disputing that) it’s like a mantra you hear from all sides.

Guess what? Natural birth is a traumatic process for your body to go through as well, but no one talks about all the problems and complications you can have during and after (especially after).

It’s very disingenuous. Women should be allowed to make an informed choice. And I hate the way the cost is mentioned. The NHS is so mismanaged - if it was managed better, no one would be worried about the extra costs incurred by so-called too posh to push women asking for elective sections.

 

[Pacho]

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 .

 

[judgejohndeed]

Guess what? Natural birth is a traumatic process for your body to go through as well, but no one talks about all the problems and complications you can have during and after (especially after).

Every time I've said to a midwife 'natural birth has risks too'...if looks could kill! I guess now we just have to pretend there aren't any? Yeah, natural birth is fine when everything goes smoothly...and what about when it doesn't? I'm not intending to ever have children but I deal with a lot of professionals through work and I would go for a c section every time, I feel like a lot of them are an outright danger to women with the way they will push and push and push all this 'natural' stuff and at what cost. Makes you wonder how they respond if a birthing woman is having difficulties, you only need to read Nadine Montgomery's story for it to put you off tbh.

 

[Sailorontheseasea]

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!

 

[taurus_gal]

Hi @Dianne just wondering if you have an update? I’m having an elective section after a traumatic first birth and a few other risk factors in 4 weeks so loving these positive stories

Just to ease your mind a bit, because c sections get such a bad reputation about recovery, and blah blah.. but if your having an elective section it’ll be a lovely experience for you. You’ll be looked after from start to finish, and the recovery isn’t as bad as people like to make out (emergency sections can be traumatic & recovery is apparently harder) but elective ones are smoother as there’s no rush etc. i scoured the internet for positive stories & watched a million YouTube videos before my section, and I’m so glad I went with my gut, I don’t regret it one bit, I was home 24 hours later

 

[Definitelyme]

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.

 

[Rocket Queen]

Hi. I had a planned C section because for the last few weeks of pregnancy my blood pressure was all over the place. I was absolutely terrified both ways too. The section was quick. Got there at 8am and she was born at 11.31am. 2 nights in hospital. A couple of weeks proper recovery then I was out and about. So pleased I had a section. Birth trauma is absolutely awful. I spent 9 months in utter terror too but the section was better than I thought. Good luck and hope all goes well xxxx

 

[MrsJones83]

I think this should come with a trigger warning, but not entirely sure how to do it.

My first was a traumatic labour that ended in emergency c-sec, post partum haemorrhage, blood transfusion and a 4 night stay in hospital but quite a long recovery afterwards, physically and mentally.

It was important for me to try again so my second was a VBAC attempt, but that also ended in emergency c-sec, and a 3 night stay in hospital. I had an ok recovery. The staff were keen for me to try naturally.

My 3rd was a planned caesarean, a much, much better experience. I was home in 24 hours and had a pretty good recovery. Back doing the school two weeks later. I asked for this c-sec and due to my previous two c-secs, they were very happy to go with this.

My 4th was also a planned caesarean, made a little more complicated by my previous surgeries but a very lovely experience. I didn’t have quite such an easy recovery but I was still back doing the school drop off two weeks later. We all agreed that this c-sec was the only option.

I do feel like I missed out on a very important event though, 4 kids but never “given birth”. This does upset me a lot.

I’m lucky that my recoveries have been fairly straight forward, but it still is major surgery so don’t go into it thinking it’s an easy option.

 

[Dianne]

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

 

[delightfullyfuked.]

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.

 

[Dianne]

Thought I would update this thread as the OP.

I ended up choosing to have an elective c section if the baby wasn’t born by 1 week past her due date. This was decided at 37 weeks and prior to that it was all up in the air! I’m happy to say I never had to fight for what i wanted, my consultant actually said to me ‘you can have whatever you want’. I did have to advocate for a growth scan though which helped me decide what to do (she was quite big).

I had a traumatic birth first time round and my midwife referred me to a consultant at my booking appointment because of that. I was also under the mental health team so I had support in the early appointments with the consultants.

 

[LennyBriscoe]

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

 

[HoGi]

My local trust include a leaflet with your notes etc that states that they will not do elective c sections where there is no need. I have sent the NICE guidelines to a couple of friends thanks to this thread. Hopefully the trust will listen.

ETA it states where there is no medical need

 

[taurus_gal]

My local trust include a leaflet with your notes etc that states that they will not do elective c sections where there is no need. I have sent the NICE guidelines to a couple of friends thanks to this thread. Hopefully the trust will listen.

ETA it states where there is no medical need

Hi there, my trust also included this leaflet with my notes, but I stood my ground & quoted the NICE guidelines & there’s absolutely nothing they can do. They make you jump through hoops, have various meetings with the obstetrician etc, but you just have to stay confident in your decision & not be pushed to give in (a c section costs the NHS a lot more than a vaginal birth, which is why they hate agreeing to it) but it’s your right, should you want to birth that way. I chose elective section & it was the best decision ever, I don’t regret it one bit & I will 100% do it again if I’m lucky enough to have another baby in future

 

[Blair-Waldorf]

Hi, I don’t have a consultant appointment until early January to discuss the possibility of a section. I worry that she’ll say no if my pregnancy is going well etc. , or that my reasoning for wanting one isn’t ‘traumatic’ enough.

When is your section booked in for? X

In precisely 26 days not that I’m counting I’ll let you know how it goes!

my Baby was breech until recently and my placenta was low lying which all tilted towards a section. I also have polyhdramnios which is excess fluid, again another reason for me having an elective section x

also they can’t say no, I’m sure there is now a new law which came out last year around birth choices, every woman is entitled to an elective section regardless of reasons why - I’ve got a leaflet which I’ll dig out later and post here x

 

[Barbie2020]

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!

 

[Sailorontheseasea]

Yeah I know what you mean. I suppose what would stress me is if I went through a long labour again, stuck on my back for 26 hours on the labour ward, to then have forceps, an episiotomy, to be told that isn’t working either so I need an emergency section. (Which was my first labour minus the c section but I was close to having it).

Everyone I know who’s had a baby had a short labour and a baby was pushed out at the end and they trotted off home taking pictures of the dad carrying the baby in a car seat. I know my labour won’t be unique, it’s just hard when I’ve mentioned it to other new mums and they can’t relate to my experience.

And to reply to another post about hypnobirthing, I just don’t know if I can override the anxiety in my brain. I had a panic attack at the beginning of labour and after the birth, and that’s something I feel embarrassed of . I don’t know why I couldn’t handle it. The second I had contractions I just couldn’t deal with it. But I will certainly look into a calmer approach is I’m sure it’s beneficial.




Congratulations on booking in your section! Post here all you want - I’ve had lots of great replies to my initial questions now. Xx

I had PTSD and subsequent pnd + anxiety following my first birth so I totally get the not being able to calm your anxiety with anything. I found the hypnobirthing techniques I learned for my first (not so great) birth beneficial even pre and during my elective sections. Breathing techniques generally are brilliant for keeping focus, knowing that part of your birth will be over by the end of the next breath and calming yourself when you feel like you want to run a mile - the extra oxygen circulating your body with a deep breath does wonders for keeping your nerves down! Never feel embarrassed or ashamed about any of it. Birth trauma is very real and very debilitating, don’t let anyone tell you differently. I really hope your next birth begins a healing process for you. Xx

 

[judgejohndeed]

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?

Midwives as a profession are under fire fairly regularly at the moment for being overly pushy with natural birth. Focus on the discussion with the doctor.

Here is the relevant NICE guidance. It would be good to familiarise yourself with this: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng192
Essentially: NICE say that where a patient requests a c section and that request is an informed one, it should be respected. Particular doctors are under no obligation to provide a c section to you but if they refuse to do it then they should refer you to someone else who would be happy to provide the c section for you.

I would recommend reading as much as you can and showing in particular that you understand the risks of a c section as that's the part they're going to focus on when checking you're 'informed'. Best of luck.

 

[maytoseptember]

I requested an elective section for my second - and last - child due to a birth injury and trauma with the first. The consultant obviously tried to talk me out of it but I was firm.

It was a fantastic experience. Healed so well (quicker than the vaginal birth) and no complications at all.