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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you had a forceps delivery wit 1st baby did it mean the same again for subsequent deliveries?

82 replies

Bippitybopityboo · 25/09/2017 12:27

Had a slightly traumatic birth with my 1st that ended with forceps in theatre as he was stuck and heart rate dropped but everything was fine in the end.
Noone knows what will happen next time but just looking for abit of advice or your experiences if you had forceps with your 1st delivery was the 2nd any easier or did it end the same way?

OP posts:
BelindaBlinked · 25/09/2017 12:31

My 2nd came out a hell of a lot easier than the 1st.
Everything was looser, I was more chilled out. It was a completely different birth.

Allthebestnamesareused · 25/09/2017 12:32

Hi there.

I had a forceps delivery with double episiotomy traumatic birth for first DS (ol' big head he was).

I was very nervous for the birth of my second son and the Consultant did not want to do a c-section as there was no medical reason to put me through major surgery. He was however prepared to induce me at 37 weeks to make sure delivery was easier/baby smaller etc.

I had an entirely different really "pleasant" birth with just gas and air and no stitches and a regular delivery.

My midwife was great and took my fear seriously and that is why we had Consultant involvement.

Calvinlookingforhobbs · 25/09/2017 12:33

No forceps the first time but birth 2 compared with birth one was much easier. Birth one = 2 hours of pushing birth 2= 5 pushes. Anecdotally I don't know anyone who has had forceps both times. One person of about 8 who have had forceps the first time did need help from the ventouse thing the second time, but the other 7 were fine.

sunshinestorm · 25/09/2017 12:34

I had emergency forceps in theatre due to the heart rate dropping after a really long labour.
Second DC really straightforward, 5 hour labour on gas and air, no stitches at all!
I had been reassured that quite often second labours can be more straightforward if you've had a bad experience first time round.

Puffthemagicdragongoestobed · 25/09/2017 12:34

My first baby had to be coaxed out via induction, syntocin drip, failed ventouse and finally forceps.
Second baby was a couple of weeks early, gas and air only and out in about 3 pushes after about 30 minutes of actual pain.

firawla · 25/09/2017 12:35

Not for me. My first was forceps in theatre like yours but the next three came out easily no intervention needed!

ElizabethShaw · 25/09/2017 12:38

Forceps for my first in theatre. Second was easier but still quite a long/hard birth - he had a particularly big head and I needed an episiotomy but no forceps or anything. Third had a completely average head and weight and slipped out with no problems, not even a graze.

Issummeroveryet · 25/09/2017 12:40

I had assisted delivery with my first DD, lots of stitches. 2nd came much quicker with just gas and air, didn't even need a stitch

FurryGiraffe · 25/09/2017 12:42

Emergency forceps in delivery room (no time to get to theatre), episiotomy and nasty internal tear requiring lots of stitching for DS1. Very easy water birth for DS2.

SandBlue · 25/09/2017 12:42

DS1 was ventouse.
DS2 was very nearly an unassisted delivery (paramedic got there with about 30secs to spare) after a 2 hour total labour, and 2 pushes.

PickAChew · 25/09/2017 12:45

Completely the opposite. I went to the loo after a few random contractions, my waters broke and out DS2 popped!

SusanChurchouse · 25/09/2017 12:47

Forceps with first after a loooong labour (latterly with drip and epidural so not active). None required with second baby (shorter more active labour) but I did end up with 2nd degree tear. In fairness he was a big baby with a massive head and his shoulders got a bit stuck on way out.

HeteronormativeHaybales · 25/09/2017 12:47

Not forceps, but:
Ventouse delivery with episiotomy after v long and at one point stalled labour for no. 1.
Quick labour (wandered into hospital at, much to my shock, 9cm and baby born half an hour later) ending in ventouse after heart rate dropped and cord round neck for no. 2.
Induction followed by VERY precipitate labour and delivery for no. 3. She pretty much fell out, in the caul, after 2 pushes.

Ellendegeneres · 25/09/2017 12:47

Forceps baby 1, nothing baby 2.

KarateKitten · 25/09/2017 12:48

No, there is really and truely no reason why your second would be foreceps. You will increase the risk of foreceps with an epidural but not because you had foreceps before. My first was a long exhausting labour, I eventually got an epidural and ended up with foreceps as a combination of being too exhausted and the epidural making pushing hard to feel and judge. Plus lots of inexperience thrown in. #2 flew out in the water, my biggest baby bully far. #3 came out in the water after a long pushing phase due to her being back to back. I was close to heading towards intervention on that one so may have ended up with foreceps but my experience having given birth twice before and fairly recently helped me do it myself, though it was the hardest work I've ever done in labour.

It would have to be very unluncky to need them again.

2kidsandoneintheoven · 25/09/2017 13:02

First was drip, epidural, episiotomy, forceps. Second was bigger (10 pounder) but got him out after two hard hours of pushing, just gas and air (still needed an episiotomy though). I stayed at home through most of labour and arrived at hospital at 9cm dilated which I think helped things progress smoothly.

willowtree62 · 25/09/2017 13:05

Ventouse, Forceps and episiotomy with the first. 2nd and 3rd didn't need stitches and both came out without any intervention. Even the midwife checking to see how far dilated I was with the first was horrific. The other two I didn't even feel them doing it.

FuckingDiet · 25/09/2017 13:05

My 2nd dc child was a forceps delivery due to his shoulder being stuck. My 3dc was born in very easily without intervention or stitches.

flufffypinkrug · 25/09/2017 13:09

Forceps delivery for my first

Completely normal straight forward delivery for my second.

It all comes down to the position of the baby, whether the mother is exhausted from a long labour, whether the baby is at risk/in distress etc. I don't think what happened with the first labour has any effect on the second.

Original poster
Bippitybopityboo · 25/09/2017 13:10

Yes in the end I had the epidural. Labour started naturally but they wanted to speed it up due to reduced movements so I had the drip. Really want a more active labour this time

OP posts:
hiyasminitsme · 25/09/2017 13:11

I had a forceps delivery, decided I wasn't doing that again and requested an elective CS for number two. very civilised way to give birth.....

Dinnerfor1 · 25/09/2017 13:11

I had forceps and episiotomy after 2 hours of pushing with my first. Lots of stiches afterwards. Dd2 came with less than 5 minutes pushing, and no stiches needed. I was really worried about dd2 after my first but it ended up being such a positive experience!

Allthewaves · 25/09/2017 13:12

Ventouse with episiotomy for first. Bit if a mess, I was exhausted - nit great experience.

Second bigger baby but no intervention,and used gas/air. I read up on hypnobirthing, listened to dvd daily before birth it really helped me stay calm and relaxed as possible. Second birth was my best birth. Had small tear where baby decided to grab with finger nails but happily charring to mw with baby on chest while doctor gave a few stiches

Pithivier · 25/09/2017 13:12

My first was a very difficult forceps birth. The second was easier with 3 hour labour. The third came out less than hour after the first pains.

Stiddleficks · 25/09/2017 13:12

I had a vontouse, epidural and episiotomy after a 38hr labour with my first. My second was born in 45 mins no time for pain relief even other than a bit of gas and air! The midwifes examined me when I got to hospital and wouldn't let my husband get the bag from our car in case he missed it!