1st Birth Statistics

[Rochwen]

I've just been reading the forceps vs ventouse thread and have thus been wondering just how often intervention is needed during first births.

So, let's start a poll.

In my NHS ante-natal class there were 9 women (including myself).

3 c/s
2 forceps assisted births
3 ventouse assisted births
1 non-instrumental birth

In my NCT ante-natal class there were 6 women.
2 c/s
1 forceps assisted births
3 ventouse assisted births

I'm no expert but it seems just from this small sample that the odds of having a totally non-assisted birth for your first child are very small. We can't all have been just unlucky.

The hosptial concerned is in Scotland and about average in Scotland in c/s etc.

I'll be interested what the stats were in your ante-natal groups and/or just your own experience for your first birth.

[mumzarello]

7 of us in NCT class

3 CS (all emergency)
2 Forceps
2 non-instrumental

[ScottishMummy]

antenatal group 12

6 C/S
2 non assisted (1 in birth centre)
2 ventouse
2 forcep

only 1 went to birth plan

hope i am remembering right

[pigletmaker]

Only 3 of us in the antenatal group

1 vaginal birth no assistance instruments
1 vaginal birth ventouse
1 long labour ending in emergency Cs

[Ico]

me; ventouse

[Sparkle123]

DD - Born at 33 + 2 No assistance, even the gas and air got taken away from me!

My antenatal classes started the 2 days after she was born lol so never actually got to go!!

[lailasmum]

I didn't go to an antenatal class but out of me & 2 close friends:
I had unassisted straight forward home birth
One friend had emergency c section after a planned homebirth didn't quite happen
the other had hospital birth with ventouse & forceps.

[inkstigmata]

Me:


DD1: Home water birth, pool, no assistance, no pain relief, 6 hours in labour

DD2: Home birth, no assistance or pain relief (no midwife!), 70 minutes labour

DD3: home birth, no assistance or pain relief, 90 minutes labour.

[Lyndag]

My Antenatal Group NCT:-
1 assisted Forceps (ventouse was tried twice but failed) - this was me, my waters broke on Wednesday at 5:30am and it wasn't till the Sat at 00:07 I had DD - she was in distress by then ;(

2 water births
1 unassisted
1 c/section - had diabetes through pregnancy and had a planned section because of diabetes..but they started induction and after 3days they finally after she and her hubby argued asked for the section...

By the way both the lady with the section and myself had epidurals that didn't work she was given a general and I was given an spinal block...

[Gemmitygem]

very very long labour and slow progress so synotocin plus epidural. but then popped out with no tears..

this was in Belgium, great MWs and brill after care (4 days in hosp for everyone with help breastfeeding whenever you need it)

[grouchyoscar]

Forgotten the stats of my classes but I had a natural birth in a midwife lead unit with my one and only DC.

One MW was getting twitchy that it wasn't progressing quickly enough (eh...didn't realise it was a time and motion exercise!) and wanted me rigged up to a drip but I was arsy and demanded more time as my bump wasn't distressed...Funny thing is, 4 years on DS still does things to his own agenda andwon't be hurried

[orangehead]

6 in nct class
3 emer csection
1 forceps
2 normal

[Highlander]

of all the friends I know:

I don't know anyone who didn't have stitches, ventouse, forceps etc........

apart from 1 girle I knew years ago who had a home birth (in a pool).

My community midwife is completely scathing about hosital births. Bizarrely she was very, very supportive of my decision to have a (2nd) elec CS.

[yelnats]

Did NHS class - no stats.

Induce with both of mine but no further interventions.
Diamorphine and gas and air with No1 and only gas and air with No2.

[Idobelieveinfairies]

doh! soory-was meant to be first birth thing wasn't it....

sorry

[Idobelieveinfairies]

didn't go to classes

natural labour, gas and air, stitches (8lb11)
induced, gas and air (8lb 14)
induced, gas and air (10lb)
induced, g&a, pethidine, epidural (8lb 5)
planned c-section (6lb 13,7lb 12)
planned c-section (7lb 5, 7lb 12)

inductions were due to non-arrival of babies after 2 weeks

1st c-section was because of position of babies
2nd because no signs of babies arriving and not allowed to be induced because of bleeding

[Gobbledigook]

In my NCT group (blimey this is going back a bit) out of 6

1 induction, epidural, ventouse (me - wouldn't you blardy know it!)
5 spontanous labours, vaginal deliveries (not sure about intervention)

My second two births were spontaneous with no intervention - just a tiny bit of gas and air for pain relief.

[LadyOfTheFlowers]

ds1 waterbirth at hospital - 9lb9.5
ds2 waterbirth at hospital - 10lb12.5

Dh and i went to the birth and hospital tour thing but couldnt get onto the nct course.

didnt attend anything like it with ds2.

my friend had her first baby 3 months ago and had:

entonox
pethidine
epidural
sleeping tablets
episiotomy
ventuose

baby was 6lb8 and they attended the same course at the hospital as we did.

[hoolagirl]

Didnt attend nct class.
1st birth was unassisted, although wasnt allowed off my back due to hbp.

[Princesspowersparkle]

I can add to this now!

Induced- 2 pessaries and then drip
Gas and air then epidural
They cut me so I didn't tear- 10 stitches
Baby 6lb 7

Was only induced because waters broke and then nothing happened.

[ExpectingKat]

I didn't go to any classes, but with my first my waters went at 39+4 so I ended up having syntocinon drip suppose to have epidural (docters advised)but because was busy didn't get one! not to put people of lol but was hell labour I begged for cs, and came very close to having one (they thought baby was in distress) but DS came out after 5 and half hours of labour gas and air and pethadin also with only 8 minutes pushin, no other intervention and a tear on the inside that didn't need stitches.

Second, 12 hour labour just gas and air

[Habbibu]

Think I was very lucky. Didn't go to classes, and had delivered before (at 21 weeks - little one lost to anencephaly) - however; 2nd stage labour was going on quite a while. Baby was quite happy, but mw said they'd have to get me ready for forceps. OK'd this, but then our consultant (lovely man) came in, rolled his sleeves up. Said "You're 9 cm dilated. We can wait, or I can try to stretch you a little". Me "i DON'T KNOW" - so he went ahead and did it. Took away the gas and air (I called him some names at this point) - shifted my legs about, and I delivered at 10lb 11oz girl (head circ 36.9) with a 2nd stage of 1hr 50 mins. Had 4 stitches, great recovery, and am so so grateful to the consultant. MW was great, don't get me wrong, but maybe more cautious than cons.

[ZoeC]

First birth (posterior presentation)

syntocinon drip,
gas and air,
'lucky' (?) to get away with forceps and third degree tear and avoid c/s in the end.

Second, home birth no assistance at all (no tear either

[mumtoone]

My first was a spontaneous labour, I had gas and air, TENS machine and pethidine for pain relief and a non instrumental birth with no stitches.

[Daisypops]

My DD was:

induced
epidural
gas and air
episiotomy and ventouse!

[EscapeFrom]

My first child was

Induced
Epidural
No other assistance