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.

Ventouse, only went to 1 NHS antenatal class.

DS1 - unassisted, unplanned homebirth

Planning homebirth this week (please?)

Of friends locally: 2 unassisted, and one Emergency CS (protracted labour)

4 of us that I am aware of from NCT classes - 4 natural births with no assistance .

I didn't do classes but my first was a ventouse delivery due to OP baby not turning. There are some amazing statistics on here, I thought hospitals were supposed to do everyting they could to keep intervention to a minimum?

NCT class of eight, I think it was:

Four without intervention
Two c-sections (one emergency under GA, one planned but happened a bit quickly due to waters breaking)
One forceps
One ventouse

interesting read!

our nct ha just finished.
6 couples - 3 deliveries to date.
2 cs - one due to cord being round neck 3 times, other breech
i natural - no intervention (not even gas & air!)
3 reamining - 1 to have cs - baby due 2 weeks and already 12lbs to 5foot 2 mum!

i am in glasgow - our hospital has a rate of 32% cs, 24% assited with forceps / venthouse. i have been told - no 2nd stage is allowed to last longer than 90mins. not hopeful for a natural one!

nct group
6 women
one induction (moi) vaginal birht no forceps etc
one emergency caesarean
one vaginal with forceps
three non-assisted vaggies, gas and air

this was in scotland also.

weeonion, if it's the royal they are deeply fab imo.

aitch - is indeed the royal. my antenatal mw has been great - really attentive, personal care. did you go there??

yep in fact the only CX in my group took place at the QM. the Royal was one forceps and episiotomy (cord round neck so quite a panic) and the three were unassisted. dr mathers is a god, imho. although his jokes are chronic.
all my friends were impressed with the royal, the pair at the QM were not...

and i asked him about the cx rate and he said that a lot of it is because they get complicated medical cases that push the stats up. he's a very good first principles doctor, doesn't do anything without thinking it through and from what i understand he teaches his staff to do the same.

oh, mathers is in charge of the hosp, btw.

ta! i am with dr duncan - met her about 3 times and found her incredibly patronising but really just ignored her "we'll just do this" attitude.

i agree that royal seems to get fair share of complicated cases so that could be why intervention rate seems to high. on final countdown here to 2 weeks and keeping focused on why shouldnt mine be fine..

aitch - this may seem like a strange question but you didnt happen to bump into a german newish mum last week in a west end park with a baby girl and talk about BLW??

Another one with very small NHS class - 2 of us. Both first babies, both natural although both of us induced due to tardiness of our little men.

Second ds - I didn't attend classes but again had to be induced due to raised BP, but nothing else required.

Both babies delivered at Princess Royal Glasgow. DS1 - roughly 2months after it opened. Sorry Rotten Row, but boy was I grateful.

i sure did, weeonion. i've been thinking about her every time the 'what the hell do i do with a didymos sling?' thread gets bumped into active convos. she's very good at hers. perhaps you need to be a willowy german rather than a dumpy jock?

Can't really remember much about my NCT group other than one baby sadly died at birth, although don't remeber any c/s

Ist first birth

Preeclampsia so induced, with attempted ventuese followed by forceps.

2nd
No assistants or pain relief

My friend just gave birth last week.

one more ventouse

No intervention for DS1 (or DS2). Stitches with both (worse tear with DS1 - he had a 37cm head).

DS1 induced, 18 hours of labour, inc 2 hours 2nd stage, emergency c/s after his heartfate dipped dangeroulsy

1st birth - 6 hours, no pain relief, no assistance, no tearing.

2nd birth - 5 hours, no pain relief, no tearing, shoulder dystocia though (resolved with mw throwing legs over shoulders)

Induced, ventouse.

I can't rem much about antenatal class (so long ago) only went to them with my first.

However my first birth was non-assisted.

2nd birth was induced albeit very slightly with one proglastin dose and the rest v easy.

3rd was a complete shock as it ended up as a c/s

Scotland also (Aberdeen). I think we were supposed to meet up just before our babies were due if you remember?

6 in our NCT class (SW London) for first births:

1 home birth, non instrumental
3 non instrumental
2 ventouse

Eulalia, I remember but dd decided to come early. Cat me and we can meet for a coffee.