A few questions

[proud_mama]

I had an emergancy c-sect with DS and after long hard thinking i have decided to elect a c-sect this time.

And well i have two questions...

what happens with an elective? do you get to choose the date? when do they usualy prefer to do the c-sect? i don't want it to be so close to my due date incase i go into labour.

Also..I had to get a general with my last c-sect because the epi's and spinals didn't work for me. So i wasn't awake last time..and i guess i'm a little worried that it might be scarier than i imagine it to be? Is it? can you see what's actually going on?

[zenifa]

what happens with an elective? do you get to choose the date? when do they usualy prefer to do the c-sect? i don't want it to be so close to my due date incase i go into labour.
In terms of date, most obstetricians will prefer to deliver the baby between 38 and 39 weeks, and you should have some say in the date, but it will depend on availability of the OB and booking theatre time. Having it before the due date will lessen the chance of you going into labour before the birth, if you do, they will do the c/s there and then.


Also..I had to get a general with my last c-sect because the epi's and spinals didn't work for me. So i wasn't awake last time..and i guess i'm a little worried that it might be scarier than i imagine it to be? Is it? can you see what's actually going on?
I had a spinal block for my c/s and will do so again in October for my 2nd baby. You are awake and you can feel a tugging and like your insides are being moved around, its not painful but is weird. You don't see what is happening, only the baby being lifted out of your uterus, if you want, then they will lower the drape/curtain for you to see the baby. If you don't want to see, you just have to tell them. Its not scary, but it is a surreal experience and a wonderful one too, try to be awake if you can, depending on what anaesthetic works for you.

Good luck!!

[SassyMummy]

I had what was classed as elective, but only because I was overdue and wouldn't go into labour... so I had my caesarean at 42 weeks. I think, generally, they like to have it at 38-ish weeks.

As for being awake - it's not scary. I mean, I HATED having a caesarean, and never want to have another one in my whole life... but it wasn't scary. It was actually kinda interesting. I found I wanted to know EVERY TINY DETAIL about what was going on.

It's a very odd experience, being able to feel a numb touch but no pain. Also to feel people moving your body around, but you have no control over any of your muscles (below the breasts I found). It was very odd indeed - but kinda interesting.

So, if it's not scary coming from someone who HATED that she had a caesarean, then it's probably safe to say that a straightforward caesarean section is not very scary at all...

[TickledPink]

I had an elective caesar in March, my ob originally decided that it would be done at 39+3, but then closer to the time she changed it to be done at 37+6.
So no I didnt get to pick the dates, all obs have a preference of when they like to do electives, I was told that they like to do them around 39weeks as this minimises any problems with the lungs not being completely ready.

The reasons that I was allowed to go so early is because we knew that the baby was a healthy size (she was born 8lbs8oz @37+6), and because of her position, she was posterior straight down my spine which is a very uncomfortable position to carry a baby in. Plus I had already started to lose my plug and my bh's were increasing in strength so it was decided that I would be allowed to go early as the chance of me making it to my date were pretty slim.

I cant help you with what you see and feel, as exactly like you I had to have a general as they couldnt get the spinal in.

I was always told that if I happened to go into labour on my own before my scheduled date that I was to get to the hospy as quickly as possible and a 'non-emergency' c/s would be preformed on me.