If you go into labor before your scheduled c sec

court1703

I was hoping for a VBAC this time around but this LO doesn't want to go head down either.  (I know I still have some time but I'm not too optimistic since I have a bicornuate uterus) Any ways my doctor said I can schedule it anytime.  And I would like to go pick my date and get it on the books so that I can hopefully pick whatever time I want since its so early.  I kind of want to wait till a couple days after my 40 weeks.  But at the same time I'm worried about if I go into labor before that.  Would they just have me hang out till the alloted number of hours went by since I have eaten last?  Then give my my spinal and business as usual? Or could it go another way?  Like GA or something?

americana

of course they "prefer" an empty stomach but it depends on how far along you are. if you come in fully dialated or close to it, they can't really wait. I don't know how it was for your last one but towards the end your stomach can't hold a lot of food anyway. But then again they don't even want you drinking water. I think they want you to have fairly clear bowels and bladder just for the nausea the numbing meds cause and since the meds shutdown your digestive system (leading to some serious constipation post c/s).

I went into pre-term labor almost 2 weeks ahead of my scheduled c/s. Fortunately I didn't eat much before I went to the hospital for what I thought would be a good "practice run" since I had just a paper cut amount of spotting. Turns out I was 7 cm, had no idea I was in labor, and was rushed straight in for an emergency c/s.

FemShep

I AM NOT A DOCTOR-but I would guess that your OB's decisions about what happens if you go into labor early would depend on your individual circumstances, including how quickly your labor is progressing and why you're having a c-section.

When I went in to labor, I spent the 12 hours before my water broke throwing up and having diarrhea (not uncommon before active labor), so having a full stomach wasn't really a concern for me.  Also, FWIW, my OB will only schedule c sections for the week before your due date. 

2mommiesinoh

I went into active labor and my water broke about 16 hours before my scheduled c/s. I was eating dinner when it happened. We rushed to the hospital and I was 6 cm and almost fully effaced, there was no waiting. I got a spinal and was told "You will probably throw up but don't worry its normal." We had Ky about 12 hours before my scheduled c/s and I did not throw up..ha take that doctor.

My OB knew I was in labor that morning I had called the night before because it had started then. He was not concerned and told me unless they are timeable contractions, I start bleeding, or my water breaks he does not want me to go to L&D.

court1703

Thanks ladies! I'm so torn... The first time around it was scheduled at 39 weeks.  And this time I have been having lots of pre term contractions.  I'm thinking if I do make it to 39 weeks I should probably schedule it for then.

americana

Sounds like a plan! GL!

Jenny952

I had a scheduled c-s and went into labor 4 days early.  It happened first thing in the morning so I hadn't eaten yet.  I wouldn't worry too much about it.

aubreyalise

my water broke 2 weeks before my scheduled c-section. by the time i got to the hospital, got checked out, got put on the schedule for a c-section that day,  enough time had passed that my stomach was empty. 

katmacwv

We were in the process of scheduling my c-section when my water broke at work.  I had been to lunch with my husband about 3 hours before my water broke, so I had to drink some really, really nasty tasting liquid before my c-section that I believe was to neutralize whatever was in my stomach.  I wasn't allowed to have any water or other liquid to wash away the nasty taste, and I wasn't allowed to have anything to drink between the time I went to triage and the time of my c-section.

GE

My baby was breech and my water broke before due date, hadn't decided whether or not to schedule section as I was only 37 weeks at the time. I had just eaten a huge lunch so after checking to make sure I wasn't dialated they said Id have to wait six hours for the surgery...to let my stomach empty. In the end they ended up doing the section after I'd been at the hospital about two hours b.c DS heartrate kept dropping. I didnt get sick, it will be finr if you don't schedule it, the only thing that sucked was that my dr was not on call that day and didn't do the surgery.

2mommiesinoh

katmacwv:

We were in the process of scheduling my c-section when my water broke at work.  I had been to lunch with my husband about 3 hours before my water broke, so I had to drink some really, really nasty tasting liquid before my c-section that I believe was to neutralize whatever was in my stomach.  I wasn't allowed to have any water or other liquid to wash away the nasty taste, and I wasn't allowed to have anything to drink between the time I went to triage and the time of my c-section.

I had that crap too! They told me it was for nauseua. And wouldn't you know DW thought it would be funny to take a picture of my face while drinking it...

Ardmhs83

They obviously prefer an empty stomach, but I started having contractions a week before my breech son was scheduled to be born.  They did wait, they gave me a shot of some nasty kind of medicine that was suppose to keep me from getting sick, and it did work.  Then they went about their business as usual. 

capulet

My water broke an hour after I ate dessert on Thanksgiving, five days before my scheduled RCS, so I had a non-emergency c/s a few hours later.  I was given anti-nausea meds in my IV before surgery and I didn't throw up, which was pretty cool considering I did get sick right after my first c/s and I'd gone longer without eating.  I mean, if you have an emergency c/s, which I did with DD, they're not going to wait around for you to digest.  I had a spinal both times.

jjhp2018

Mine was an emergency c-sec and they gave me the liquid everyone is speaking about. What they told me was it was a liquid to help break down anything left in my stomach. I wouldn't worry too much about it though. I would bring it up with your doc so you know their procedures if you do go in early. I have already been asking questions about my RCS and i'm only 10.5 weeks LOL. They probably think i'm nuts!

MrsCali_Bride

I went into labor three to four days before my scheduled c-section (around midnight) and I had just had a glass of chocolate soy milk righ before my water broke. I waited a little bit to go in and then they just had me hang around in bed, started my IV and fill out all of the admittance paperwork. There was another mom with a RCS checking in when I came in so they took her first and then reset the room for me. I delivered about 7 hours after I had that drink and they still made me drink that bitter medicine. I didn't throw up, so it must have worked.

TheLovingWife

I was in the same situation, DD breech and I had already had a c/s for my son also breech b/c of bicornuate (sp?) uterus.  My water broke at 37 weeks with DD and when I got to the hospital, I was told that with my situation-ruptured membranes, breech, and previous c/s, that we had to be in the OR within 15 minutes of the doctors arrival at the hospital.  They wanted to know when I had eaten, but just warned me that I might throw up, which I didn't thankfully

LaurMoore

With my first, I was admitted to the hospital and told I would be having a c/s. I was not in labor and the c/s was scheduled for 6 hours after I got there because I had just eaten breakfast. Things went downhill very quickly and I was rushed into an emergency c/s within an hour of being admitted. On a full stomach. I did end up having a spinal not GA. hth

bulbasaur359

I don't believe I was in labor when I went in for my scheduled c-section. I was having non painful good size contractions on the moniter but that was it. I just wanted to say that I had to drink the funky chalky liquid too and it had been at least 12 hrs since I had eaten last.