Birth plan said no ventouse or forceps

[LouM10]

I gave birth in September and in my birthing plan I said I would rather have a CS than forceps or ventouse. I had an awful experience. Was meant to be having a homebirth but could not get in touch with mw. Ended up getting to hosp when I was 8cms with no pain relief. After a while on gas and air at the hosp. I eventually had an epidural. My husband couldn't even keep his eyes open so he didn't realise what was happpening. Had major bp issues so they said if I hadn't delivered within an hr they would take me in for a cs. I was in no fit state to tell them I didn't want a ventouse but it was in my birthing plan.

I ended up with an episiotomy and ventouse and am quite upset that they did this. Are they allowed to do what they want regarding your birth plan?

Has the ventouse been followed by a physical problem for either you or the baby? (This is not to diminish the psychological impact, I'm just wondering if you had a specific problem after the procedure.) You said you'd read up about ventouse before the birth and decided against, but I'm wondering what you read that put you off, and if the outcome you worried about is what came to pass.

I hope that made sense!!

You poor thing. It sounds like an awful and extremely distressing and traumatising experience. You must have felt terrified and powerless when you were at your most vulnerable. I think that you are completely normal for feeling the way you do about it. I had a traumatic birth in September last year and like you the birth I got was very different from the one I had planned. The shock, the stress, the trauma and the lasting effects (physical and psychological) mean that you cannot just move on. I'm not surprised that you feel that you don't want any more children right now. Even though I will be ELCS for any future pregnancy, I can't imagine being able to face pregnancy and birth again right now. Birth Reflections has been suggested and the opportunity to go through your notes with someone and understand why things happened the way they did might really help. Some specialist birth trauma counseling might also help. XX

With my first birth they used emergency high rotational forceps (leaving me with lasting damage) rather than a c-section because it was safer for DD. I was 10cm and had been for hours (mw error), she was malpositioned so never coming out and in serious distress.

It was later explained that a c-section (which they prepped me for in theatre as they prepared to try forceps in case forceps failed) would require DD to be pulled back up the birth canal to come out which was riskier than turning her and yanking her out.

I was offered an elcs before I ttc again and I took it. Great birth, simple recovery and no more childbirth for me ever again please.

I'd second again getting someone to go through your notes. It's usually not what happened as much as not being listened to, feeling very vulnerable and utterly uncared for and perhaps let down by your DP. I saw a maternity psychologist before my second birth but really needed that support straight after my first but the consultants suggestion to my GP was never put to me by the GP.