Would anyone mind sharing their knowledge / experience of forceps ?

[howardsway]

This evening I have been filling in the NHS birth plan in my notes. I've never bothered with this in previous pregancies (this is no 3) but having had 2 very different births so far I have a few specifics this time.

I found myself writing that I was open to ventouse and CS (in an emergency) but would not agree to the use of forceps.

As I wrote it I realised I am basing this on 2 friends experiences, both of whom have ended up sustaining prolonged damage to themselves following forceps birth. Is this a reasonable request or is it just ignorant, are there ocassions that forceps are the best course of action ?

There's no reason to think there will be a problem - its a 3rd birth and the last didnt require any intervention but have to say I am obsessing and worrying about this birth FAR more than either of the others.

Hi Ruby

Just to say hopefully the feeling will come back.. I had similar issues for a long time but it did get better and functioning is normal again. I know some people are less lucky and require intervention but fingers crossed it is just still all healing down there.

I had Rhodes forceps (not sure what type they are) with my first. No pain relief, a third degree tear and a PPH. But I wouldn't change it as thats what was needed at the time.

I would not want to go through labour, get to the pushing stage and then end up with a c-section unless it was absolutely vital. I think recovering from labour and an emergency c-section would be much harder.

My experience was: I'd been pushing for a while, baby was getting distressed and the midwives asked me what I wanted to happen forceps or push for longer. Stupidly I thought I'd get an epidural if I said forceps (it was far too late for all that). The most painful part was the forceps being 'placed'. Ouch! The pain finally went when I had a spinal block and was being stitched up in theatre afterwards. (bliss ironically!)

DD1 had a bit of a funny shape to her head but that soon went. The tear healed fairly well, and I had to go to physio and do lots of pelvic floor exercises.

I was pregnant again by the time DD was 9mths and due to the third degree tear I was under consultant care. By the time I was 36weeks my pelvic floor weakness was really showing and I was advised to have an elective c-section. It was a wonderful experience by comparison!

Forceps with both of mine, 1st time, 3 days in labour, 2nd time, cord round neck.

Loads of stitches both times.

No problems afterwards.

My eldest was delivered using Neville Barnes forceps after a 50 hour labour and what seemed like a lifetime pushing. They did try ventouse twice first but he wasn't budging! I was extremely sore for a week or so and DS has been left with a very small scar below one of his eyes but there has been no lasting damage and I went on to have an extremely quick and totally natural birth with my DD. It was not a pleasent experience at all but for me was preferable to a section I think.

I had this with DS who is now five. He had a cord wrapped around his neck, and was sort of bouncing up and down the birth canal everytime I pushed. I was rushed to a bigger hospital. They tried everything to get him out. I was in utter agony, scared not sure what was going on. They said they were going to give me a spinal and take me for a section, I was so relieved as the pain would stop. However they changed their minds and decided to give me an episiotomy and forceps. I must add my son was in a lot of distress at this point and they had to get him out as soon as possible. I felt the episiotomy, and the forceps were the worst pain I have ever felt. I would have opted for a section had we had foresight. But the priority was my son, my pain was secondary and passing. It was all a haze, it was traumatic, but he was fine and lovely when he came out. I took two weeks to heal, though longer to completely get over it. It didn't help that my then partner had walked out 6 weeks before his birth!

I wouldn't want forceps again, but they were right for me at the time, there was not another option that would have gotten him out as quick. So I suppose if I needed them again, and there was no other option, well then of course.

DS had some bruising that went away within a day. I was so scared for my second baby that it would happen again, but she was an utterly enjoyable water birth and I loved every minute of it. Goodluck!

I have had a forceps delivery 10 days ago - baby was back-to-back, I had been in labour for around 27 hours and wasn't dilating beyond 7 cm. I started off in the birth centre, just wasn't dilating, gas and air were not blocking any of the pain so I asked for an epidural and then got transferred to the labour ward for this, and a hormone drip for induction. This helped but by that time I was getting very dehydrated (went through 4 bags of saline), developed a fever and by the time it was time to start pushing I just didn't have any strength in me left at all. After pushing for 2 hours doctors said they wanted to perform a forceps delivery. I really, really didn't want this, was almost begging for a Cesarian which they were really reluctant to recommend. In the end I signed a consent form for a manual rotation + forceps delivery. Baby was too low down the birth canal for a Cesarian (would have had to push him back up and then down again) so this was the reason I consented to forceps. And the cord was getting wrapped around his neck as I was being wheeled into the operating theatre where I was drugged up to the eyeballs and a lovely doctor (registrar) performed forceps delivery under the supervision of the senior registrar.

Baby had to be rubbed a little bit after he came out but quickly gained good colour and everything went well. I am still quite sore and tender and am taking paracetamol and brufen (+ iron tablets as my iron levels sharply dropped after the delivery) but at the end of the day I am so glad I have a healthy baby, no matter how he came out. He had a red mark or two on his cheeks after the birth for about 24 hours, that was all.

If I ever get pregnant again I would do the same if it meant that my baby would be born OK like this one.

I hope this helps.

I had Kiellands forceps delivery in January 2010. DD was not coming down (I think it's called failure to descend), despite 72 hours of labour and having all the right support around me. I was exhausted and so we had to get DD out quickly. From what I understand, Kiellands are only used when absolutely necessary. I had a spinal block and an episiotomy.

It wasn't pretty but I did my pelvic floors, discovered the healing power of witchhazel and had an uncomfortable few weeks. But the important thing was that DD was okay. My placenta had started to break down so it was a good thing we got her out when we did.

My DD was born by forceps delivery in November last year. I was pushing for around 3 hours; she was quite low down - they could see her head- but kept sliding back after each contraction.

After some time a 'compound' presentation was spotted; she had her hand up by her face, slowing progression. I was taken to theatre and given a spinal and an episiotomy. 2 pulls on the forceps and she was out.

I had a major PPH and despite the cut also sustained a tear - 3rd degree (borderline 4th). I was automatically referred to specialist gynae physio team whilst still in hospital. The pain relief offered in hospital and discharge was very good. I never felt in pain and by the time the meds had run out over the counter paracetamol was enough.

During initial weeks, incontinence was a problem - bladder but mostly bowel. Over time this has much improved as damaged muscles have healed up. I have had ongoing physio for pelvic floor, consultant follow up for tear, an ultrasound to ensure rectal and anal muscles had healed and referral to a Pilates course. In fact, I've just been discharged from follow up this week!

I guess for me it took about 4 months to start feeling back to some normality regarding the damage caused to pelvic floor and bowel. However I agree with rocksandhardplaces; by the time the prospect of forceps were raised during labour I just wanted it to be over and a good outcome for the baby. I would be ok with forceps use again in any future pregnancies because of how well the team handled my aftercare in this instance.