If you had a forceps delivery first time, what was your second experience of childbirth like?

[BosomForAPillow]

Just that really. I had an episiotomy, failed ventouse then a forceps delivery for my first birth and wondering if that means my second birth is likely to be difficult.

Second dc just flew out. 2 pushes. No comparison to first and she was 2 pounds heavier!

I had forceps first time, mid-cavity forceps.

Second time, I had a very short labour, gave birth on my knees in record time with no pain relief, and had only a graze.

First time difficult labour with failed ventouse then forceps. Second time around labour was totally different, only took 6 hours and no need for intervention.

First delivery not great - ds heartbeat dropped and had forceps delivery. Then 1500ml pph and sewn up in theatre for 2 hours. Transfusion the next day.

With DD pushing still took a while but then she popped out and only had a graze. Was really good experience.

I had same as you OP.

My second was natural birth tiny tear which they didn't stitch.

Oh thank you so much ladies, just what I wanted to hear!

As a Mum:

First - 19 hours, epidural, ventouse, episiotomy.

Second - 4 hours, no pain relief, normal delivery with episiotomy as DS 2 lbs bigger than my first. The most positive, amazing experience ever.

As a midwife:

no two births are ever the same! Very common for second births to be much quicker.

DD1 - 5 hours of pushing before spinal block, epi and forceps
DD2 - only one hour of pushing, just G&A and the only reason I tore was because she was doing her superman impression on the way out...

This thread is bringing tears to my eyes. I had same experience as you OP with DS and DC2 is due in 4wks and I had resigned myself to it being just as difficult. Great to hear from others who have had a better time second time round.

Another positive one from me! Both mine were induced, first delivery ended with high forceps in theatre, catheter for 2 days etc etc. Second delivery was a relative breeze, I only had gas and air and had a really good experience. She was a nearly 10 pounder too :) Good luck!

Would add that, as laluna said, I found my second labour to be a really positive experience. I was surprised to find I was on a real high immediately afterwards. Emotionally it was totally different to after the forceps delivery when I felt a complete wreck.
It was also lovely to give birth with just my partner and a midwife there, rather than the cavalry of medical staff and students who seemed to all appear at forceps time with my first!

Another positive one from me. DD1 was induced, ended up with epidural and forceps. DD2 was a very short labour with no pain relief (other than a few tokes on the gas and air when I got to the hospital to get over the stress of the car journey!!) and a normal delivery with no tears.

Would third what laluna said - was on major high after DD2 (even talking about DC3 immediately after ) and even though I still got taken off to theatre as I had a pph and needed a transfusion, I found the whole experience waaayyyy better than with DD1

first baby forceps and manual rotation,2nd shorter labour and no forceps..

Hiya,

with dd1 I was dilated quickly, but pushed for 3 hours, had an epidural, forceps and epesiotomy. I also lost quite a lot of blood and felt shit for a month after.

DD2 was 8 days early and was born in our lounge with no pain relief and no midwife- just next door neighbour who was there to look after dd1 while we went to the hospital!!! Best experience ever.

Lots of luck x

As a midwife looking after someone who has had a previous ventouse or forceps birth, if they are in spontaneous labour without an epidural I anticipate a normal birth and that is what usually happens.

Thanks again for all these lovely birth stories, wish I had asked a couple of years ago now! Anyway 5 months until baby 2 is due so will have a more positive outlook now.

Maxbear, if the women have an epidural then are forceps quite likely if they were used first time?

Caramello, good luck for 4 weeks time - hope you have another "just popped out after 2 hours" story to add then!

ds - episiotomy, failed ventouse, forceps
dd - pushed her out myself in 2 minutes, small tear (and a pph but we won't mention that )

epidurals both times. dd was a lb lighter. good luck!

ds1 - induced - high forceps in theatre 6 and half pound baby
ds2 - induced - epidural, small tear, all in all much better
ds3 - came on his own - 2 hours start to finish - a couple of pushes and a 10 lb 110z baby, small tear.
ds4 - induced - much shorter labour, small tear. 10lb baby.
They have all been very different.
Wishing you all the best.