Jump to content

Caesarean at Kings


devsdev

Recommended Posts

Hi all,


Just looking for some advice on having a c-section at Kings Hospital whenever we have our second child ? am curious and can?t find any similar threads on here (unless I?m not searching properly). I had a very difficult recovery after my first child last year and I am definitely not risking another ?natural? delivery when we have the next because of the potential lasting damage I could suffer. I?d much rather take on the known risks of a c-section (and I hope I'm not tempting fate!).


I wanted to check how it works at Kings ? are you assigned a consultant who will operate on you and do you get to meet them before hand? Or is it pot luck on the day that is chosen (and I know that emergency sections will always go ahead of you, which is why a friend actually had to wait for hours during which her waters broke!)? Do you have any recommendations or any consultants you had not-positive experiences with (again, I know I probably can?t request anyone, but it would be great to get an idea). PM me if you prefer of course ? no libel! Any suggestions on how best to navigate the system? I?m now in Lewisham, but still under the care of Kings for post-birth follow up (a year later!) and also had a Kings midwife last time which I plan to do again. Did you request a c-section from the midwife? Any personal experiences to demystify the process would be really appreciated.


Any other advice/thoughts on c-sections themselves would be very gratefully received so I can store up the information!


Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I requested a C Section from the midwife who referred me to see an anaesthesist to assess whether I could have an epidural due to some spinal surgery I had had a few months before getting pregnant. I went for the natural birth option in the end but it was an emergency C after all!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are now 2 teams on any given day, one for the emergency c-sections and one for the elective ones, so your procedure should run on time, the only reason you would get bumped behind emergency sections is if there were suddenly loads at once and the elective team had to step in to help out in this situation.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi devsdev. I have had 2 sections at Kings. The first was an emergency after prolonged and failed induction and the second was a planned section. Like you I felt more comfortable with the known risks of a section that would be carefully planned as opposed to a natural birth that might be complicated and end in a section anyway (given the difficulties I had with no.1). You first of all need to discuss it with your midwife who will then refer you on to the midwives at Kings who should go through all your options and the risks/benefits so you make an Informed choice. You may also see a Consultant, who will discuss things further. Be aware that London hospitals are under pressure to reduce the number of c-sections they do, so depending on who you see, you may be encouraged towards a natural birth as I was, but it is ultimately your choice.

In terms of who does your operation, you get to choose the day, but the operation itself would more than likely be a registrar and not a consultant, and it would be whoever was on shift that day so may be difficult to meet them much earlier - but you can certainly ask to see them before the operation itself. Consultants only do the operation in certain circumstances. Registrars do c-sections day in day out, so I felt safe in their hands.

The planned section felt calm, controlled and safe. Of course there are risks, but for me, it was the better option.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Devsdev I hope you don't mind me hijacking your post but like you I had a traumatic time giving birth to my last baby (I've had three and am expecting number four) and I just wanted to ask what the follow up care was like following a C section on the ante natal ward?

I am contemplating a C section after over a year of treatment, repair surgery and physio etc and I just wonder what the pain relief given post c section is like? I have heard stories of women being left to wait for pain killers for hours and hope this is not true but knowing how busy Kings are, I wouldn't be surprised.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After 2 emercency C-Sections at Kings, my 3rd C-Section was planned. During the pregnancy my midwife made an appointment to meet with one of the consultants at Kings regarding the birth. They discus with you the usual factors:- previous pregnancies/births, current medical conditions etc. & discuss the risks involved with C-Section v's V-BAC. Ultimately their priority is safe deliverly of baby & mum. When I came do discuss delivery dates with my midwife, she advised me who would be the surgeon on the days surrounding my C-Section dates. In the end I didn't have my consultant as theatre was already booked up for that day. So you can choose your surgeon if you know what days they are rostered in theatre. The more complicated pregnancies have the more senior staff assigned. But these are all things you can discuss with the consultant when you meet them. I met the surgeon in pre-op when I signed the waiver forms (always a scarey moment!) All the consultants & surgeons I met over the years have been fantastic. Right before thay take you to recovery you are topped up with pain killers & on the ward I had no trouble needing meds outside the meds dispensary round. What took ages was getting the release forms signed to go home - nothing ever gets done close to shift change!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you all for the responses - it's so useful to hear from people who've had experience of the process.


AllyMcB - not a problem. I really hope you're healing well and that the planned section goes well. I realise it may not be possible with 3 other little ones, but if you can have your partner stay with you at Kings for the first night or two on the post-natal ward then that may also be a great help (and allow you to feel more confident about pain management and taking care of the little one). I would choose Kings over Lewisham for a number of reasons, but one of the most important is the fact that your partner can stay with you at night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Devsdev, I did not know that your partner could stay overnight with you at Kings, that sounds fantastic. Well as fantastic as can be giving that you / I would have just undergone a C section ! I have an appointment with the Midwife Consultant at Kings next month to discuss what has happened previously and what my options are after my Midwife at my Booking in appointment (at Midwives House) told me to make an appointment with them.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

AllyMcB - my husband definitely stayed there (after the first night when he didn't and I had a bit of a meltdown - clearly hadn't taken into account just how traumatic the birth had been!) for 2 nights. I'm presuming nothing has changed, but definitely ask about this. Also, and I don't want to open up a can of worms here, but it's good to have a buffer/liaison with the night midwives. We were at Kings for 3 nights and at Lewisham for 4 nights (failure to thrive, won't go into details) and I found that the night midwives seemed to be far less pleasant and helpful and, most relevantly, kind, than the day midwives. Maybe I was extra vulnerable and have a clouded memory, but this was my experience. Having someone with you is really good - especially as you're not supposed to pick up the baby yourself for at least the first 24 hours!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks again devsdev, sorry to hear you had such a tough time of things before and hope your next experience will be much more positive. Also thank you Vanessa3 for the meds info. I am so anxious about 'THE BIRTH' it is always good to hear reassuring feedback.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

I had a planned c section at kings almost exactly a year ago and was really impressed. I was seeing the consultant anyway and after I explained at my first appointment what had happened with my first (very difficult) birth he just agreed that I could choose vbac or c section this time and wrote that in my notes so I could decide nearer the time. his registrar told me I'd be fine to have a vbac but was almost apologetic about it and said he had to say that.


I didn't meet the surgeon in advance but on the day he came to speak to me before I went into theatre where he also had a consultant with him. They were rather buisnesslike once we were in theatre but my husband and midwife ensured that everyone introduced themselves, that the screen was lowered as my daughter was born, and that my gown was arranged so that she could be placed on my skin within moments. The whole thing was so calm and controlled, incredibly different to last time.


On the ward I ended up on the antenatal side as post natal was full so perhaps this alters how I was treated, the midwives there didn't have so many babies to fuss with! They were really nice though. I was more scared of this than the surgery after a really horrible experience at st Thomas' last time with night staff but the staff at kings were lovely. I would recommend making a note of when you are due medication and pushing the button a bit in advance as these things can be a bit slow and pain meds work better if you don't let them tail off between doses. But I really felt I was treated with care and respect.


My husband did stay, he brought a camping mat for the floor, but then slept so soundly I had to resort to thrownng things at him to wake him up! When I was there they were trialing a system to get people home after only 1 night if the c section was pretty routine. Although I stayed 2 in the end and was glad of the moving bed! Have people bring you food though! It was rubbish and not nearly enough!

K

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had an emergency section at Kings and apart from a couple of rubbish midwives everyone was great. I have no clue whatsoever who did the actual op! Only the anaesthetist spoke to me beforehand. I had no issues with getting access to pain meds. (Don't recommend the morphine-based one though - I was a complete wreck until I stopped taking that. It was a syrupy liquid called Oromores or something. The little white triangle one was good!)


The first day of recovery was horrible but it got better really quickly. Top tips - get someone to tie a dressing gown cord to the foot of your bed to pull on when you want to sit up. And I definitely agree about getting someone to bring extra food. And peppermint tea & dried fruit to help avoid constipation. And those hideous giant string knickers are really good for letting air get to the wound. And a rigid breast feeding cushion is really helpful for keeping the weight of the baby away from it if you're going to be breast feeding. http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=my+brest+friend&tag=hydrukspg-21&index=aps&hvadid=16940038047&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=561639623369553421&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=m&ref=pd_sl_jjgwhfm77_e

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi - I had a fantastic experience at Kings. It was a planned c (breach) and like others on this post I did feel a little bit of pressure from the midwives to turn the baby rather than having the op. They tried to turn but it wasn't successful.

On the day, I saw my consultant just beforehand and he went through everything with me, I also saw him again on the ward which was nice. The midwives, anethastist, and whole team

were excellent and helped me calm down before the op. The whole experience was relaxed and as good as it can be in a bright room with quite a few people in it!

I found everyone to be relaxed (assuming its a different environment when unplanned)and so it all happened very quickly. My birth plan went out the window a bit but I actually enjoyed the experience for what it was. It's never going to be intimate but we actually had quite a laugh (ask for the radio on as that eases the tention somewhat).

My tips would be:

Get to the hospital really early so you're the first one in if possible (I arrived 40mins before as I think everyone is told to arrive at the same time)

Take lots of magazines as we still had a half day wait (due to emergencys and it being Xmas)

Psych yourself up - visualise what's going to happen to you and how you're going to feel before, during, after

After the op Try and ask for a corner / window area when you get onto the ward - its nice being by window just for some light but also because I got a few hot flushes

Don't worry if you're not ready to leave after 24 hrs.

I took arnica which helped

make sure you're pampered for a week after op as it is quite painful (good time to feel pampered and bark orders!)

Buy loads of really baggy comfy trousers and big granny pants - loose around where scar will be

I got hot flushes so was glad of some water spray

Agree re the food try and bring your own

Ok for partner to stay but bring a mat

I didn't realise but depending on the surgeons choice, they may use dissolvable or non dissolvable stitches. My pal from NCT had non dissolvable and the home visit midwives didn't check properly (they are supposed to take them out - doesn't hurt). This didn't happen so poor thing had to go back up to kings to get unstitched/ restitched which did hurt!


Good luck to you - try and enjoy the experience for what it is I say!


I am pretty much certain I'd go for another if I end up having another.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ive had 1 'Normal' delivery and 4 C/section (2 emergency and 2 planned) 3 of which were at Kings. I too was keen to know which consultant was delivering my babies but to be honest on the day it was pretty irrelevant. You have much more contact with the anethsatist, midwives and nurses. The doctor is down the other end of the table behind the screen and pretty busy so in my experience I didn't feel I needed to know them in the way you do a midwife in a normal delivery.


Re waiting, you may have a long wait, but your C section will be booked in weeks before you due date so you've got time on your side...and though on one of my planned C-sections I did have to wait a loooooooong time, it was nowhere near as long as my labour, and much more comfortable. Take a book and an partner/friend just in case.


Best of luck, and congratulations.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • Plenty for sale online from various ticket vendors but you'll need to part with £250 and upwards by the looks of it. Out of interest i kept an eye on the prices for the England and Italy Euro final. At one point they were on offer for a couple of grand each. On the day sellers were obviously getting itchy feet and prices dropped somewhat but never went any lower than £400. That was a few hours before kick off. There was plenty still available half an hour before kick off.   Having been to Wembley a couple of times for play off finals i found it to be not a great place to watch football. Sat three rows back from the pitch side advertising hoardings for one game and way way up in the gods for the other. We felt to far away from the pitch on both occasions. Up in the goods was just stupid because we felt cut off as well.  I don't think it was rebuilt with acoustics in mind either. Even with most of our 25k fans singing it never sounded loud because it's pretty much uncovered and too open.   Happy hunting!
    • It doesn't work as a commercial venture.  Bit churlish to say I told you so.  I told you so.  I'll send less greetings cards.  What pees me off is international postage where you can no longer send light letters at 10 grammes, normal ones up to 20g, now all at the much more expensive 100 g  Didn't we vote to take back control and price everything according to irrational units like ounces? That's some obscure humour btw   
    • Available from Monday April 8th 2024, 2on2Walkies take pride in doggie care and only walk 2 furry friends at a time. I make sure that they get plenty of doggie interaction and socialisation in the park as well as making friends. Back home happy and tired I always check that the water bowl has fresh water and always make sure the doggie is left comfortable before I leave. I'm fully insured and have a couple of slots available for local walks to either Peckham Rye Park or Dulwich Park.  Thank you!  
    • Why would they only send them recorded delivery? I used the signed for option yesterday.
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...