FORCEPS - A little poll

[JacksFirstChristmasMama]

(This may have been done before, if so I apologize for not searching the archives first.)

I'm just wondering - is there anyone who had a reasonably positive experience with a forceps delivery?

I'm asking because I got into it with a consultant last week - I will be having a repair on my bits in Feb from DS's birth. It was pretty horrible, ended in a forceps delivery which caused a massive tear, hemorrhage etc... hence the necessity for a repair. We were discussing the upcoming surgery, and while I am of course looking forward to being (hopefully) pain-free in the future, I'm not too excited about having to have surgery. So I made a comment about the mismanagement of my labour (there really was complete fuckwittage by my midwife) and how several doctors after said that I ought to have had a section, and that I think forceps are barbaric. The consultant told me that there are many times when the use of forceps is appropriate and that they often (in fact he said in most cases) don't cause too much damage. He was being pretty snotty about it, actually, and the conversation ended up deteriorating to the point where I told him that he really wouldn't know, would he, seeing as he was a male and would never have a set of salad tongs shoved up his fanjo... anyway, he stuck to the point and said I should ask around, and that lots of women have "good" forceps deliveries. I find tha a bit hard to believe but am willing to be surprised.

So --- anyone? If you've had forceps, was it awful or a "good" experience? Have any/most of you had complications after or been ok?

I had a positive (?) experience with the forceps. Not one mark on DS from the forceps, I had an episiotomy and some 2nd degree tears, but these healed really quickly.

However, his head was massacred by the bloody ventouse that they persevered with for ages as it pulled off a chunk of his scalp and he still has the scar two years later! Next time, just shove the freakin' tongs up my fanjo without faffing with that horrible ventouse......

I had forceps with ds when i was 24 and was fine but took a while for the stitches to heal which became infected.
Had natural births with both dd's following!

I had "no forceps" too, but was so over it by this point I agreed. Had 4 ventouse attempts, the female doctor's hand up me to turn him, and finally the forceps (no idea which ones, she didn't make much conversation with me).

Maybe it was the sight of the C/S team (none of them introduced themselves) also in theatre all scrubbed and ready to go if I'd said no to the forceps all staring at me, that made me just wanted it over with ASAP.

I didn't say this before because I didn't want to scare anyone but some of you already have now, but I felt completely butchered. And my son looked it. Forceps marks on face, cephalhematoma from the ventouse resulting in a three day stay so he could be monitored and have a brain scan.

I have urged my friends to refuse forceps at all costs. The only one who allowed it was ironically the one who was fine thoguh.

I was in theatre to have my forceps under a spinal as c-section was the next step. My friend had a planned c-section and recovered very well and just had the inconvienience of not being able to drive. I, on the other had, had incontinence of faeces and urine. Couldn' go out for ages as I had to be near a toilet. When I did start to go out I had to take spare underwear for me just in case. I had a urine infection which was agony and I still pass wind from my vagina despite havin a scan and a barium enema to see if I had a hole between my vagina and anus. My forceps was performed by a senior consultant who is apparently fantastic at repairs. (My midwife friend tells me)

I also too expressed concerns at forceps and said I was worried about tissue damage. I felt I was dismissed as a silly woman and he said it would be fine. It wasn't.

I am 10 weeks with no 3 and after having ventouse with no1, forceps with no 2 I really just want a c-section.

I had a forceps delivery with dd1 was a very bad experience for me as had no pain relief so found it excruciating had an episiotomy but when they pulled her out also got a 2nd degree tear and I felt myself tearing was hideous.

Couldn't sit down or drive or barely walk for nearly 2 weeks after delivery as I was so bruised and swollen.

Haven't really had any physical complications after the initial recovery but still can't talk about my birth (over 2 years ago) without crying and I have seen a counselor but still can't seem to come to terms with it.

Saying that I have had dd2 since then which was a lovely birth and all happened just as it should have first time but even that hasn't put to rest what happened first time.

Am really at some of these stories.

Surely there has to be another way?

You'd think there'd be another way.
My (admittedly very biased opinion) is that forceps are barbaric. I, like muppetgirl and some other posters, had faecal and urinary incontinence after DS was yanked out with forceps after I'd been pushing for FOUR HOURS --- it really made me want to ask my fuckwit idiot of a midwife and consulting OB at what point they failed to realize that a "natural" birth wasn't going to happen to us... bitter, bitter, bitter. Ditto on PND/ PTSD after the birth (as others have reported), and I still have trouble when reading some of the births-gone-really-wrong stories on here.

Please keep the stories coming, my ideal would be to have hundreds of posts to refer to when the panel is put together. If you know of anyone who has had experience with forceps, please encourage them to post here (bad or good - and I do want to hear about the good as well because what I'd like to present is a balanced point of view that incorporates appropriate guidelines.

I had forceps. Was cut across the side instead of between front and back ifywim, they wouldn't tell me how many stitches and I couldn't find it in my notes. Also had 2nd degree tear but not sure if that was a result of forceps or if I did that earlier (had pushed for 3 hours). After I couldn't stand up for long for a few months and I couldn't hold ds whilst standing as I felt I was going to pull apart. Bit scared what if any further damage this baby will do to the area

DS1 forceps delivery. 4th degree tear, repaired in theatre immediately and colostomy performed. I had the colostomy for 2 years. I'm ok now, but it's not perfect and It;s clear I will have continence problems later in life.

DS2 elective section on colorectial's insistence in a bid to prevent further damage to my pelvic floor. BLISSFUL by comparison.

I had Forceps and Episiotomy with DS(12) had a Haemorrhage after too.Scar got infected and had to have ABs and stitches removed (Ouch bloody Ouch!!)DS had severe bruising looked like he'd been in a Boxing Ring!

Ventouse with DD1,traumatic,but healed well afterwards,and quickly.

CS with DD2,Fantastic!! no problems or pain.

Spud - a colostomy????????????????
From forceps???????????????
Did you sue???

OMG. I am really shocked.

I had mid cavity forceps after becoming exhausted during labour (in hindsight, midwife's fault: she had me pushing during waht I now think was transition - I personally never felt the urge to push and ended up sleeping during contractions! ).

I was already on diamorphine (as they had induced me to move labour on as my waters had brokne more than 24 hours earleir) so they gave me a pudundal block. They told me "it would either work or it wouldn't" - but fortunately, in my case it did!

I was told ds was still too high to attempt ventouse.

I had an epistiomy and still tore a bit but apart form that it was fine. I do have some damage to my pelvic floor but how much of that was the birth generally (ds was 8lb 15oz) or the forceps, I don't know.

It was a female senior regsitrar and she seemed quite good.

I was told that if I had antoher child (unfortnuately have not been able to ) then the birth should be straightforward.

Ds was fine - a wee mark on his forhead, but I think that may have been due to the moitoring rather tan the forceps.

In fact, when I went to see the physion about the damage to my pelvic floor, I actually described the birth as a "natural" one - because it had been vaginal rather than a CS (which I really didn't want) and the interventions had been just part of the porcess. it was only as an afterthough that I said, "oh and I had to be induced after the labout hadn't progressed suficiently and ended up with mid cavity forceps" [

My stitches got infected too, big flippin boils before anyone noticed. Caused some stiches to burst, extra scarring - I think it was the main cause for the repair ops, the PTSD and general nightmare that followed the birth.

I don't understand why, when forceps give you a need for quite a few stitches, and the site of them being next to your rectum (or for some people in it) that we aren't given antibiotics. I will be given at least one dose after my c/s, which I know is a much bigger deal in some ways, but as the consultant said it isn't next to your bottom!

Given how run down most women are by the time it gets tot he forceps stage, not giving anti-biotics isn't very clever IMO & IME. (And I'm usually someone who avoids them TBH).

I don't know how much things may have changed over nearly 40 years (yikes!), but I was a forceps delivery. My mum needed a blood transfusion, many stiches and though she didn't receive it, would probably have benefited from some sort of trauma counselling. Sorry to hear you had such horrible experience.

First birth when I was 33, was long drawn out, unpleasant and ended with an episiotomy and forceps. Recovery was fine and it was the right thing to do. DS1 didn't look too pretty for 24 hours, but recovered quickly.

Was pretty worried when DS2 was coming...but he came quickly and naturally and was a "good birth".

Meant to say I was 39 when I had ds - so hardly a spring chicken!

I had forceps and although wouldn't do any cartwheels about the experience [especially right afterwards :0] it wasn;t too bad, with no longer term effects.

I had a postive experience of forceps. It ended my 4 hours second stage and got DS1 out.

I had to be cut obviously but the stitches healed OK and were taken out a week later as they were getting uncomfortable and I was pretty much healed anyway.

No complications at all. The birth of DS2 caused a minor tear along the line of the scar of the cut but not badly enough to need stitches.

No problems after mine, also had an episiotomy. And I didn't have a 'head honcho' perform it, just a very good registrar!

It really is the skill of the operator that will determine the outcome.

ihad forceps with dd1

was it a positive experience? yes - my baby was born alive

i had 3 stitches and a big haematoma - which healed well and ive had no other problems

had dd2 with no forceps and no stitches or tears

i remember 2 days after dd1 was born the physio appeared with an ultrasound thingy she had kept in the fridge - god those gentle icy cold vibrations on my sore bum were HEAVEN

had 3 stitches after episiotomy
didnt want to tear

forcepts delivery with ds1. Third degree tear. So pretty bad. baby had bruised arm as a result too

I had forceps with DD, I wont say it was a 'good' experience but it certainly wasn't a 'awful' experience. They gave me an epitostomy (SP?) and took ages to sew me back up but I never tore and do not have any problems now because of it.

I will, however, with this lo do things differently I am a bit more wiser and will not just do as I am told even if I don't want to as I did with DD.

I think some consultants like to think hat their word is gospel and we mere women should do as we are told etc. On the other hand I met some really nice consultants when PG with DD, who took the time to answer my questions and listen to what I wanted.