Forceps first time... what happened 2nd time?

[noname55]

Just curious now that I'm trying for my second baby. Hope to avoid forceps this time!

Textbook pool birth for my second (following hideous first instrumental delivery).

Textbook ‘normal’ delivery just with gas and air, I was out of the hospital 7 hours after giving birth. Great experience, hope all goes well OP.

That's good to hear. Haven't even managed to conceive yet but birth is definitely on my mind after a rubbish experience first time.

Due date birth, arriving in the birth pool 25 minutes after arriving at brith centre. I did need stitches again, although the recovery was significantly easier than from the forceps delivery.

Not forceps but ventouse first time and natural vaginal delivery with no interventions second time.

1. Forceps
2. Ventous
3. Natural birth no intervention
4. Forceps.

Pool birth and no stitches. Far more pleasant than the episiotomy and forceps of birth number one!

Had forceps + episiotomy and 3rd deg tear with no. 1. Then home birth with no. 2 - 2nd deg tear which they didn't stitch, healed fine on its own.

I bet you'll be fine. Second time around everything tends to be easier somehow. I started a couple of threads just like yours at the time!

I had ventouse first time, nearly a c section, veeeeerrrry long 52 hour labour with my first. 6 hour labour (only 1 hr in hospital) all natural in a birth pool with my second. I recommend looking at a lady called lucyflowyoga on YouTube. She talks about fear of a second birth after a horrible first birth. I really believe that her techniques were what made my second labour ten times better.

Thanks everyone! Did anyone have a big gap between 1 and 2? It'll be at least 9+ years for me. I'm not sure if that'll make much difference. A friend of mine has a 12 year gap and still said her second birth was much easier.

Forceps and two full days of general hideousness, with all interventions imaginable, 1st time.

2nd time was a textbook delivery in the birthing pool. Less than an hour from start to finish, and no pain relief.

I had forceps for both of mine and in fact, DC2 was overall quite a rough birth - ventouse, forceps and shoulder distocia (needing dislocation to get him out of me!) But that was due to his broad shoulders and as soon as the consultant saw him, he said he wasnt surprised he'd got stuck

Every birth is different and I had some issues after DC2 as everyone told me how much easier it would be and it just wasn't (although I bounced back a lot quicker physically, mentally was much harder!) I know why you're asking but, like all births, anything can happen

Elective C section for the second one- best decision I ever made. Was totally right for me but know it wouldn’t be the right choice for some.

Hideous forceps delivery first time.
Super quick and straightforward second time.

Ventoused and 3rd degree tear and episiotomy with first.

2nd (9yrs later) vaginal delivery, 2nd degree tear, 3rd and 4th also needed no instruments.

Quick normal birth without time for pain relief. The midwife did have to cut me a bit along the previous episiotomy scar to prevent it from tearing open but this was only minor.
I have heard that a lot of second births tend to be quicker and easier.

I wondered what would happen with the scar. Thanks everyone!

I had a 9lber for my first who required forceps! He stubbornly lay on his right side from about 36 weeks onwards. I'm hoping for a smaller one this time (maybe should lay off the chocolate).

I am also slightly concerned about a second birth, but I would maybe be quicker to request a c-section this time.

The ladies that managed a pool birth after forceps, how big were your respective babies and what position were they in?

@soughsigh I never got a pool birth but all of mine have been straight forward vaginal after a back-to-back, ventoused, 3rd degree tear and episiotomy and minor pph with my first.

All of them were back to back in late pregnancy but 2-4 all turned before or during labour, dc1 did not.

Dc1 was 8lb11
Dc2 was 8lb15 (6hrs established labour)
Dc3 was 9lb10 (2hr labour)
Dc4 was 9lb5 (4hrs established labour)

I did write however in all my birth plans for 2, 3 ,4 that I didn't want instrumental again, because with dc1 I signed consent for an EMCS, taken to theatre, and they did manage to ventouse her out but it was scary and traumatic, so I said, and whether they'd actually have listened I don't know, that is rather just go straight to section if another baby didn't descend.

Forceps & 3rd degree tear for first
Perfect waterbirth for second, 2nd degree tear but in different place.

I'd pick birth number 2 to relive any day

Very straight forward twin delivery second time. No forceps.

First baby was forceps
Second baby was c section due to being footling breech
Thirs baby was very quick vaginal delivery with no intervention

Planned home birth. Quick and as easy as a birth can be.