Elective C-Section Harlow Hospital

I was due a c-section at PAH on Tuesday. Monday afternoon I got a call to now say it’s now cancelled due to overbooking. The last update I had was at 6.45am Wednesday morning to tell me there was no update. It’s now Thursday and I still don’t have a new date and my due date is in 3 days. My emails and calls are all being ignored. Has anyone else had this issue with Harlow and how did you manage to get it resolved?

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I can’t help as I went to triage and ended up with an emergency c section, but from past appointments I’ve found it easier going in and talking to them face to face otherwise they never listen 😂🙈

Absolutely just to triage and your there then they can’t turn you away without an answer x

Hi Christie, Hope you’re doing ok? I had discussed an Elective C-Section since early days with every professional i have come into contact with. Only to find out 2 weeks ago that PAH had never referred my request for an elective c-section and then asked me in my third consultation why i had left it so late?! My due date is the 29th January (so i’m 39 weeks today) and i am now on a waiting list for c-section and simply waiting for a call but i suspect it will now be nearer 40 weeks…. just hoping i don’t go into labour between now and then. x

I already tried triage, antenatal, labour and all of them have said they can’t help me, it has to come from the elective team who are ignoring my emails and aren’t answering the phone. My midwife has also been trying and not getting any luck.

I also contacted PALS yesterday afternoon who forwarded my email to the maternity team but haven’t received anything from them either.

When did you find out your date? Im ear marked in the calender week of the 9th but no confirmation. Midwife said i should get a call a week before. Ive seen so many negative reviews about elected sections at harlow. I had an emergency with my first and i just dont want that trauma again 🫣

in our community

Oh my God, oh my God I hope this is not true!!!! I’m kind of scared

I’ve been throwing up and taking a shit all night!!! I just hope that it’s not what I think it is

Small head reported following 20 week scan

Has anyone else had it flagged that their baby is in the bottom 5th percentile for head size?

They said everything was fine whilst we were in the scan and then I got a phone call the next day saying that it’s on the small side and we’re being referred to a paediatric specialist at St George’s. Has anyone else had this and how did things go??

Would you bring 9 week old to a family party of 35+ people?

These are also people who will want to pass the baby around and get a turn to hold him. He just got his 2 month shots two days ago

Exercise 6 weeks after c section

What movement did people start to introduce? I won’t do anything too vigorous until I’ve seen the pelvic physio as I don’t want to compromise anything that may have been extremely weakened through pregnancy! But just wondering what types of classes/movement people started off with?

Induction experience

I just wanted to share my experience with being induced as I wasn’t sure what to expect and thought it may help others.

I opted for the foley balloon which was inserted at 8am Saturday morning, I had to stay in hospital due to hypertension and protein urine however usually you can just go home once this has been done. The insertion of the balloon was not painful, was slightly uncomfortable as there was slight pressure. I actually found having the cervix checked prior to be worse (again not painful at this point just uncomfortable) The balloon had little effect and after having it removed I was still only 1cm. Removal also was pain free and hardly even noticeable.

I then had my first dose of the gel and definitely noticed a difference, I started experiencing period like cramps almost immediately however they were light and manageable. After 6 hours I had another cervix check and although my cervix was soft it was still only 1cm and was only open at the front. I had another dose of the gel and felt an increase in pressure and more intense cramping where I now required pain relief (codeine). After another 6 hours I had another cervix check and I had now dilated to 2-3cm however was still quite difficult to get all the way through so a third gel was recommended which I agreed to.

Almost immediately I noticed the difference and was in considerable pain, I had paracetamol and codeine however the contractions had now become intense and a lot closer together (around 3 minutes apart). After a couple of hours I had my last cervix check and was 4cm and taken down to the Labour ward to have my waters broken and an epidural.

I had been in my room for approx 20minutes when my waters broke by themselves and I was now 10cm and actively pushing…. There was no time for the epidural and my beautiful girl arrived into the world within 2 minutes of pushing.

All in all I would say the cramps/contractions were manageable up until the third gel where it became pretty unbearable however it was for a very short time a gas and air helped take the edge off. The worst part about any of it was actually the later cervix checks where after stimulating the cervix my contractions were at their most painful.

If I had to be induced again I would skip the balloon and opt for the gels immediately as thy had a quicker effect and I would have been out a lot sooner if I had done this to begin with.

One more thing, I’ve never believed when people say “you forget the pain once they’re here” but I can honestly say this is true. It’s been 4 days and I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

Scan needed at 33 weeks

Hi ladies! I just had a midwife appointment (I am 33+5)..the midwife was different to my usual midwife. She's requested I have a scan within 72 hours as she said baby is measuring a little small, however, she did say that it's likely nothing to worry about and it's probably just her measuring me a bit different to my usual midwife. Has anyone else had this? Am a bit worried although babys heartbeat and movements are completely fine.