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I had a planned one in the us...I don't know how different it would be in the uk...this was my experience: I was told not to eat or drink anything after 8 pm. I went to the hospital the next morning 3 hours before the surgery was scheduled. They did the admissions paperwork, then had me change into a gown. A nurse asked me a lot of questions, then started an IV and gave me that antacid to drink (just pretend it's a shot and gulp it!). When it was time for the surgery, they took me into the operating room and started the epidural, then put in a catheter. Then they let my husband come in, and he stood beside me while they did the actual surgery. As soon as Sophia was out, they cleaned her up a bit, wrapped her in a blanket, and let my husband hold her while they sewed me up. After that, they rolled me to a recovery area and my husband followed with the baby. We had a while to hold her, then they took her to the nursery to be weighed and cleaned up, and took me to a room. Unlike my first c-section, I was allowed to get out of bed about 8 hours later, and to start walking around the hallways about 12 hours after the actual surgery. They kept the catheter in until the next morning.

awwww thats dosn't sounds too bad. i ust like to know whats coming heehee. your lucky in the us you have nursaries, we dont get them, baby is left with us all the time, and we are expected to run around and get bottles and all sorts, even after a c section, grrrrrrr.

They only kept her in the nursery for a few hours, then I had her in the room with me the rest of the time. I couldn't really keep her with me until I was able to get out of bed. I healed up a lot faster after my second c-section, maybe because I didn't have days of induction first.

Hey Jen, thanks for posting this thread! I'm waiting with baited breath for any experiences and comments people might have that can prepare us for what is to come!! I'm in Australia but I don't imagine it to be much different than what Jbear explained - Thanks Jbear, you do make it sound not so frightening...!! I was curious as to whether or not the recovery was easier or harder after a previous c-section... I'm going to have three children under 3 to look after and am very worried about how I will recover..!! (I am looking forward to a 6 day rest in hospital though.!!) Do you know when your c-section will happen jen? mine is booked for March 21! Certainly takes the spontaneity out of it..!!

i have a long way to go yet bec, im only 7/8 weeks pregnant, will be late july i think though. yeah i will have a very lively lil boy of nearly 3 to look after also, but he will be going to nursary in the september, and my partner will be off work for a few weeks after to help out, thank god!

Hi, I'm from the UK and have had 2 sections. One emg and one planned (although it didn't quite turn out that way). What happened with me was that I had to go to the hospital at 36 weeks to dicuss the best mode of delivery. We decide don another section which was then booked for 39 weeks. You have to go a week before for a pre op a__sessment with the theatre nurse and the anaesthatist (sp?) they tell you all what will happen, give you your lovely white socks and some antacid tablets. I was told to keep eating until midnight as although I was to be there for 8am, if emergencies come in you will be put back. Also to have one drink at 7am in the morning. they talk you through things like tilting the table and exactly how the spinal will be put in. I didn't get to put all this into practise as my waters broke 2 days before I was booked in. Still had a section though as once you're booked in for one that's what you'll have. I found the recovery easier second time around. Don't know if that's having a 3 year old to run around after and having to walk to school twice a day or whether it's knowing how to deal with it better. I have a very bad back and also suffer with SPD and still found the recovery easier this time. It's fine honestly, you'll have more energy to cope as you won't have been through failed labours/inductions etc. Good luck!

wow thanks for the info, i jsut worry mainly of infection, but im going to ask if i can have some anit bois before the c section. il nag and nag till they give in, and if that dont work il cry at them lol. x

the midwife told me that they give you antibiotics automatically during the op. I found out after the birth that i was positive for strep b but that as she was a section and i had had antibiotics anyway, my daughter would be fine. best to ask though....