C-section at St Georges - Who has had one here? Post Reply

[thelittlelegscompany]

It seems that my baby is breech - we find out for sure and get booked into for a c-section within the next week or so at St Georges. I was just wondering if anyone else has had one here (I am sure there are a few of you) and if you could answer the following questions:
How many nights are you in for?
Are you on a ward or do you get one of the single occupancy rooms?
How was recovery?
Are you allowed two people in the operating theatre (my Mum and my OH)

Sorry to ask such simple questions but my first was natural so this is all a bit new!

H

[AJ2012]

Hi there!

I had an emergency C-section at St. Georges after failed induction.

The surgery itself is ok. You feel nothing, and the surgeons are really excellent. People have commented on how perfect my C-section scar is! sorry if tmi. No complaints about the doctors / surgery itself.

However the after care is a bit grim. You do get put on a specialist ward, but the midwives (especially at night) don't really help you all that much with lifting your baby / breastfeeding despite the fact that you have just had major surgery. Also the staff is awful and very loud at night so it is not possible to sleep (this is probably the same for the regular ward). You have to stay in for 48 hours (I think), so best to arrange surgery for first thing in the morning and only spend one full night in hospital if it can be arranged!

[erinisle22]

Hi there
I had a planned c-section (for no 2) after an emergency c-section (for no 1 in Feb 2011) at St George's coming up to 6 weeks ago now.

OMG - the difference between the two surgeries was astounding - so much better recovery out of the planned c-section than the emergency. And better care on Gwillam ward too.

How many nights are you in for?
I was in for just the one night - they do a program called enhanced recovery - so if you are well and your baby is well, you can go home really soon. I went in on Friday morning at 8am, had my baby girl at 11:05am, was on the ward by about 1pm. Then on the catheter until 6am the next morning and shower around 11am (waiting on my husband to come and stay with my daughter and it was a bit harder to arrange with a toddler!) and out by 6pm.

Are you on a ward or do you get one of the single occupancy rooms?
I was on the ward - the hospital was full (closed) the weekend I gave birth (first time in a year, they said) and all the single rooms were full. Another mum I know who gave birth mid Jan was in a single room and said it was brilliant.

How was recovery?
Fantastic! But I am comparing it to an emergency c-section (which was a nightmare for me) not a natural birth. The lady across the ward from me wasn't recovering as well from her planned section.

Are you allowed two people in the operating theatre (my Mum and my OH)
Not sure - I just had my husband. I suspect just one as there are LOADS of people in there and they only allow one birth partner on the ward out of visiting hours anyway.

PM me if you want more info!

Good luck!
Erin x

[AliB144]

Hi

I had an emergency c-section at St Georges 8 months ago after induction and baby got stuck.

The operation itself is absolutely fine, staff /surgeons and anaesthetists fantastic . However the after care (in my experience) was a bit patchy. I was on Gwillam if i remember rightly and they are broken up into rooms of about 5 beds which you can draw the curtains around your area. i dont think i saw the same midwife/nurse twice.
I was in for 2 nights after baby born, the first on the ward which was horrendous! The other babies cried ALL night (whilst mine slept!) so i had another night with no sleep having been in labour the night before i was beyond exhausted by this point. The next day i asked for a private room. The only private thing about it(don't imagine a private hospital here!) is you have your own bathroom and a door! Much better sleepwise and i am SO glad we spent the money.( i think it was £100). I got out the next morning.

Recovery wise, as mine ended up being an emergency it wasnt great. Took 3 full months to not feel any pain when i walked and now if i walk for a very long time my scar aches. the scar itself though looks good and has really faded eve after 8 months so not long at all.

Best of luck and let me know if i can help anymore.

[SFMC]

Thanks everyone for the posts - this is all interesting to read (as am having to decided about planned c-section for number 2 following emergency c-section with first. quite the dilemma!)

For the single rooms you have to request one and pay 100quid per night? Assume you request one when you go in for surgery and if they have one free you get one? just wondering as aI had a horrendous recovery on a ward on St.Thomas following my emergency c-section. Comtemplating doing it all over again I can't bear the thought of no sleep (3 nights for me!) after the surgery.

[peasepudding]

I had an emergency c-section there a few weeks ago. I wish they had done an elective one when I asked (I'd been in labour for ages but I wasn't progressing) instead of trying induction "just in case it does work". The emergency section was rushed and scary and I had hideous complications afterwards. I had an elective section for my first pregnancy (breech) and it wasn't so rushed and definitely wasn't frightening. I can't say if the complications would have happened regardless, but I do wonder.

[AliB144]

Sfmc- i dont think you can pre book the single room. I think you just have to ask if one is available once you get there. Best of luck.

[erinisle22]

SFMC: On the single rooms, pretty sure that is the case. My husband asked if there were any single rooms available when we arrived - there weren't.

They do give them as a priority to people with babies in special care, twins/multiples or issues with their recovery (eg my friend who gave birth with a broken leg/leg in plaster was in a single room when I visited her).

If they are available, they will give them to you for a small fee though, you just have to be lucky!

PS - we PMed a little while back - I ended up with a planned c-section after preparing for the VBAC with absolutely no issues at all at St G's - in fact, I postponed it from the Tuesday to the Friday (mere seconds before the surgery...was in hospital all ready to walk down to theatre) and they accommodated me there too!

[MrsAmanda]

I wish they had more private rooms! After giving birth, I was on a ward in Carmen. My baby was poorly and in the NNU. I was surrounded by mums who had their babies, all I wanted to do was cuddle mine and I couldn't. Eventually, after 3 days, a private room became available and I was moved so the babies weren't so 'in my face' so to speak. But, I didn't have to pay. It would be so good if they could manage to create more rooms so we all got a bit more privacy.

[zaza107]

I had a c-section, though not at St George's, and in addition to the advice above here's a small thing that you may or may not have heard already: go buy a few pairs of cotton "granny" pants, a size or two too big. Most pants that women wear these days have a waistband right across the scar area, and for a few weeks it may be a lot more comfortable to have a higher waistband!

Good luck and all the best

[shaneleone]

I had a planned c-section at St Georges just in January, and I agree with Andrea J...

How many nights are you in for?
Only one night. The enhanced recovery worked quite well, and in some ways it felt quick to be leaving so soon, but in other ways I was ready to go and be back home with my family. I checked in about 7 a.m. the day of the birth, and was discharged at about 15:30 the next day.

Are you on a ward or do you get one of the single occupancy rooms? I was asked if I wanted a private room when we checked in, which I said absolutely yes to. It was £150 pn for ensuite, which was what was available on the day. It's £100 pn without private bathroom, and it just depends on what is available. You can't book this in advance, but we were advised to show up a little earlier (15 minutes or so) before our stated check-in, as these private rooms go very fast. You just have to get lucky with these. Although it's not cheap, I was in for almost two full days, and only paid for the one night.
I was on a ward with my first c-section in 2010, 4 women total with 4 newborn babies and had a LOT less sleep on the ward. Someone was always talking, crying, or being visited by family, friends or a midwife....

How was recovery?
Went really well. They get you up for dinner that night, to have a short walk around the room, even with the catheter in. Then the catheter comes out very early the next morning. Felt wonderful to have a shower, and I did really appreciate having the ensuite (£150 well-spent in my opinion if you can afford it).

Are you allowed two people in the operating theatre (my Mum and my OH)
Not sure about this one - you'd have to ask St. Georges.

Hope this helps, feel free to PM or email me if you want to know anything else!

[shaneleone]

ps - also agree with zaza107 - the net pants they give you in hospital are quite comfy, and I think you can buy disposable ones similar from Mothercare. After my first c-section experience, I also packed a nursing dress/nightgown as it doesn't matter how comfy your work-out trousers or yoga trousers are, you won't want anything near the incision for the first couple of days!

[thelittlelegscompany]

thank you so much for all your help. Having got my head around a c-section (and quite looking forward to being able to plan the day/arrive early/sort child care for our 3year old/have pain relief from moment dot....the baby has turned and is now engaged. Yes I know I should be delighted but now we are back on the dreaded waiting game. I know it is better in the long run but I was quite getting used to being too posh to push!!

Re. my stall - I will be down there every Saturday up until his grand arrival. I then plan on shutting for just a couple of weeks before returning with the little man attached to my front (I will have help for these early weeks) so if the lids are down...you know where I am !!