C-sections

Should I wait til I go into labor before having my elective C-Section performed?

Do I need to wait until my labor starts? I don't like the idea of my baby not getting every day possible to develop before being born. I know in the last days is when the brain and lungs develop most. I am pretty sure my OB miscalculated my due date because I got pregnant waaaaay after the first day of my last period and I dont bleed for 7 days, I only bleed for 4 max. I am worried that if I go ahead and schedule my C/S for the week I'm due I might me depriving my baby of those extra days to develop. If you had an elective C/S, what did u do??

Re: Should I wait til I go into labor before having my elective C-Section performed?

  • I delivered at 39 weeks.  However my doctors didn't want me going into natural labor because it would be extremely bad for LO.
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  • May I ask why you are having an elective c-section? When they go off of your last missed period they are assuming that you ovulated/conceived 14 days later.
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  • Can they do an amnio to confirm lung maturity first before doing your c/s?

    Ours is scheduled at 40 2/7...

  • I *think* they prefer you are not in labor for a planed c-section. Yes your right the closer you get to your due date the more the baby is able to develop. However the lungs should be fully developed by 37 or 38 weeks. I think most doctors schedule c-sections at 38 or 39 weeks so you can get as close to your due date as possible with out going into labor.

    The due date being based on your last missed period is just a way of calculating how pregnant you are. They know we didn't get pregnant the day your period started. So there are (on average) 2 extra weeks of pregnancy. When they said I was 4 weeks pregnant. I was actually only 2 weeks, because I ovulated 14 days after the first day of my last period. Since everyone's cycle is different the amount of time between when your period started and when you actually got pregnant can be  very different from one woman to another. 

    I don't think there is reason to worry if you are in the final weeks of your pregnancy. As long as the baby is considered full term. 

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  • It would be best not to go into labor before having a scheduled C Section. I'd schedule it for 39 weeks (which is typical.)
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  • imageCOmommy:
    It would be best not to go into labor before having a scheduled C Section. I'd schedule it for 39 weeks (which is typical.)

    That's not always true. It can depend on the reason for the c/s. Uterine rupture is generally quoted as the reason to not go into labor if a mom has had a previous c/s, but if approximately 0.7% of women who undergo a FULL VBAC trial of labor, it's pretty highly unlikely that you will have any complications if you go to the hospital soon after going into labor. Cord prolapse with breech position is another reason, but it depends on the baby's position (frank, transverse, footling). Mainly the reasons are mother's comfort and convenience.

    39 weeks is usually long enough, but many c/s babies have lung issues, even at 39 weeks. Even more of a concern if you are not sure of your EDD.

    OP, why are you having a c/s? I had one because LO was breech, and they were fine with me waiting to go into labor, as long as I came in relatively quickly. Is this your first? FTMs are likely to go to 41+ weeks, so I would probably be comfortable with either waiting or scheduling it on or near my EDD.

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  • Doctor's don't assume you conceived the first day of your period, they wait 14 days.  As far as scheduling goes, I'm scheduled for 39w4d so I could wait as long as possible that worked with my doc at my hospital (she works out of 2).  However, right now I'm sitting in l&d hoping the baby doesn't come well before that.
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  • Just wanted to share a story that relates to this.  A friend of mine was pg with her 2nd child.  1st was a c/s, so they scheduled c/s for #2.  All along, she thought her dr.'s estimate of her due date was wrong, but trusted that he knew best since he was the dr.  She went in for her c/s and it turned out she was right...she was about 3 weeks behind what the dr. thought she was and the baby had to be rushed to the NICU at another hospital b/c his lungs were so underdeveloped.  She has so many regrets about what happened, even though her ds is perfectly healthy. 

    Not saying that you should def. wait until you are in labor to have a c/s, but definitely make sure that you are certain you are far enough along before you schedule it.  Def. discuss your concerns with your doctor and if they dismiss your concerns, find a doctor who will take you seriously.

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  • But if you have had an ultrasound they date based on that not your last af.  my due date changed slightly based on the ultrasound measurements.

    I went into labour 3 hours before my schedule section.  It is not advisable. DD ended up being vacuumed out because she had ascended to far down the birth canal.  It was awful getting prepped for surgery while contracting and getting my epidural. If you just walk in ready for your surgery you will omit all of the unnecessary drama! I delivered my twins at 37 weeks, 6 days.  All was fine but would have preferred to not have shown up in the middle of the night and I lucked out that my ob was on call but otherwise I could have ended up with whomever.

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  • imageJocelbug:
    Do I need to wait until my labor starts? I don't like the idea of my baby not getting every day possible to develop before being born. I know in the last days is when the brain and lungs develop most. I am pretty sure my OB miscalculated my due date because I got pregnant waaaaay after the first day of my last period and I dont bleed for 7 days, I only bleed for 4 max. I am worried that if I go ahead and schedule my C/S for the week I'm due I might me depriving my baby of those extra days to develop. If you had an elective C/S, what did u do??

    You do realize how conception happens right?  I don't mean to be rude, but that statement makes no sense.  Your Dr. will also use ultrasound to date the pregnancy if your LMP is off.  Generally it is safe to deliver electively after 39 weeks because baby is full term.

     

  • I would wait until after EDD.  My baby was term, but very small (nothing wrong, just genetic)  If I had her any earlier, there could have been complications.  And about baby being low in  birth canal, mine was, and I was not in labor.
  • i guess i really dont know how conception works. we werent trying to get pregnant. this was a surprise. we had scheduled an appt with an OB to have a pre-pregnancy "talk" about trying to get preg NEXT YEAR. the first day of my last period was July 1st. I dont bleed normally i just spot for a couple days each month. before i met my hubby and we started having sex i only bled about 4 times a year. after we first started hooking up, i started spotting once a month like clockwork. i spotted until july 3rd then stopped by the morning of July 4th. I should have started spotting again the night of August 28th. But on August 29th I found out i was pregnant because i had to be rushed to the ER for severe back and chest pain that caused me to faint several times. turns out i had a ruptured ovarian cyst. and the ER doc discovered i was pregnant. when i went back for an u/s the next week the baby was too small to tell anything. i went back 2 weeks later and the doc gave me a due date May 11th. which he said should have meant i conceived August 18th. My husband went out of town May 17th and we didnt have sex that day, we didnt have time before he had to leave. BUT we did have sex every like day 2 or 3 times a day the whole month before that. THIS is y I am confused as to when I am really due. This is my first time being pregnant. Please dont be harsh. help me out. 
  • I was schedule for 39 weeks 2 days and my water broke at 37 weeks and my LO was fine and had no issues
  • I will be having my third c-section with this baby.  My first was an emergency c-section.  My second was scheduled, but I went into labor a week before (at 37 weeks).  I was in labor for quite a while because I was trying to slow things down and get the contractions to stop at home.  I'd say I was in labor for about 10 hours total.  

    When I got to the hospital they weren't in any rush, they didn't view it as an emergency situation.  They monitored me, had me fill out the forms I intended to fill out a couple of days later. Get some blood work done.  I was probably in L&D for a couple of hours before they actually did the c-section.  

    S did have complications at 37 weeks, that are common for babies born a couple weeks early (heart murmur, that resolved itself & fluid in the lungs).  

    I am going to the same doctor and I have requested to not have the c-section scheduled until 39 weeks, I'd like to go into labor on my own again.  I feel if it has to end in a c-section anyways, I'd like for some part of it to be out of my doctors control.   

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