Hi All, I am scheduled for the above in a few weeks time on my 39th week, i have an appointment with my consultant tomorrow but was just wondering if any of you knew the answer or experienced it?
If i go into natural labour they have said they will operate straightaway so no risk of me going into full labour (I have had a very bad pregnancy) but i was wondering what if i have just eaten? With my 1st son i had an emergency section but had to wait 6 hours as i had a cup of tea in hospital (i wasnt in labour tho i had haemoragged).
Sounds very trivial but will they risk waiting for food to digest or can they operate on a full stomach?!!
Thanks in advance!
Update:Thanks everyone, you have all reassured me! Seems such a daft question under circumstances but i was lyin in bed thinking about that at 4am this morning!! Xx
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
I had a crash emergency section which is very fast, i wasn't in labour i had only gone in to be monitored due to reduced foetal movements. I had eaten my lunch a couple of hours before so the anaesthetist held his fingers on my throat to stop food coming up, it was a little uncomfortable but i was under in seconds. Don't worry, the emergency teams are excellent and very well trained in this. I am sure everything will go to plan and you'll get your section before you go into labour. good luck xxx
Are you definitely having a general? They usually avoid that like the plague! I had a planned c-section booked but went into early labour. I was rushed in and had an emergency procedure very quickly - but this was using a spinal block, not a general.
I'm quite certain, if it's a matter of life or death, they're not going to worry about whether you've eaten or not.
We can and do operate on a person with a full stomach. The risks are greater, but an experienced anesthetist can compensate. You probably would be a bit more uncomfortable for a few hours after awakening, but hey - that's a small price to pay for a healthy baby! And you'll quickly begin to feel better.
I would wonder why they are doing a planned c-section under general anesthesia as the standard protocol is usually to do a spinal block instead. Anyway, if they can wait they will. But if they can't they will go ahead and do it. The concern about operating on a full stomach is that you could vomit and aspirate it into your lungs (which often results in pneumonia) because your swallow/gag reflex is suppressed by the anesthesia. If you are going under general anesthesia they will intubate you. With a tracheal tube in place your airway will be protected if you do happen to vomit and they will not remove it until you are able to swallow and protect your airway on your own.
my mum had a section with a full stomach, and i had a section even though i drank in labour and ate toast but difference was i threw everything up.
though i had to be rushed into a section as i was 7/8cms and they didnt want me getting any further as i would have started pushing and nothing would have happened
With my daughter, I went in for my pre-admission testing. They wanted to schedule me for an induction. During the heart monitoring and ultrasound, they realized that my daughter breech and had the chord wrapped around her neck several times. They kept me for a c-section and within 4 hours, my baby had arrived.
They never asked me if I had anything to eat or drink or anything like that. I'm sure it's probably because of the fact that they numb you from like the armpits down. You'll have no control over your functions. I wouldn't want to go all over myself by accident. Like I'm sure it's no big deal, but it's probably easier for every one if there's no risk of a bm or something.
im sure they would operate. but i dont know how your hospital is. both of my scheduled csections ended up getting done in emergency cuz i went into labor early. they never let me eating stop anything. they make sure your comfortable. i wouldnt worry about anything especially if you have a good doctor.
if they need to operate they will. just to everything u normaly do and the docs will take care of u
good luck and take care