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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

FORCEPS - A little poll

112 replies

JacksFirstChristmasMama · 03/12/2008 18:59

(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?

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storkycake · 05/12/2008 15:49

A more fascinating poll would be whether the children, from births where forceps were used, have movement difficulties.

Original poster
JacksFirstChristmasMama · 05/12/2008 16:01

That's a good question too, I am going to see how many more answers I get on this thread before it wears out and then I might post that question - unless you beat me to it

OP posts:
Oumasrusks · 05/12/2008 17:55

I had a failed ventouse then forceps delivery with DD1 and I agree with those who say it is barbaric. I would, without any shadow of a doubt, have been better off having a CS. I never had an episiotomy (the registrar told me there wasn't enough time?) and ended up with a 3rd degree tear, lost a lot of blood and now have a complete fear of being anally incontinent later in life. Fortunately with DD2 I did not repeat that awful experience and had a lovely vaginal delivery.

Original poster
JacksFirstChristmasMama · 06/12/2008 19:06

Bump.

OP posts:
Antdamm · 08/12/2008 11:11

I had forceps and episiotomy. I thought it went fine, DS was born after two pushes. I had been in labour for 25hrs and he had descended very well, but had become distressed and turned and got stuck. They told me to have the epidural - after 24hrs of doing it on g+a only

I had no problems with it as far as i can see - couple o stitches and I never even notice the scar. I was more annoyed with the epi which had given me one hell of a sore back and serious headaches.

I was 20, and my son was 7lb 12oz

dinny · 08/12/2008 11:19

what is the alternative if they start saying forceps are necessary? ask for an emergency section instead?

Lotster · 08/12/2008 12:58

Think so. I had to sign the C/S concent form before the ventouse/forceps started.

Depends on whether they give you the option / think forceps might not work I suppose. Given that my baby had a good heartbeat throughout, I can only imagine the rush they all seemed to be in was down to getting the theatre cleared ASAP, as oposed to what was best for me. It certainly wasn't forceps.

wb · 08/12/2008 18:22

I had forceps deliveries for both ds1 and ds2.

The first time was fine - better than fine in fact cause I was sooo close to a c-section (didn't realise that forceps deliveries weren't usually carried out in theatre with a full epidural ). And I healed really fast afterwards.

With ds2 (big baby got distressed at the 11th hour) the experience itself was fine but healing is taking a lot longer. 4 months for the scar tissue to stop being really quite sore and 9 months down the line am still not really back to normal but am getting there.

I would not like another forceps delivery (quite a lot of scar tissue now) but have no issues with the 2 I have had.

KristinaM · 08/12/2008 18:28

my sister, sil and best freind all had horrific experiences with forceps.

one never had any other children because she coulnt do it again

2 had surgery later

the 3rd had to have cs for all her subsequent babies.

i refused to have forceps because of this

WG · 08/12/2008 18:36

Hi I'm a newbie here

I am so glad I found this post. I have just spent the last half hour sobbing away at your stories ( I don't know why )...good and bad ones. When the doctors describe the birth as a traumatic birth, that is exactly what it is, isn't it.

My forceps birth ( 11 wks ago )still seems to be a complete blur, like I was there but not there if you see what I mean. Baby would not come out after 1 hr of pushing and heartbeat was dropping. They tried the ventouse and that did not work, then they said they would try forceps and if that did not work then I would have to have a c-section.

I just remember the midwife coming into the room with a selection of forceps, held them out to the doctor and said "which pair would you like". I also had an episiotomy, did not tear but the doctor said I had 4 stitches but it seemed like he was stitching me for ages and also had an audience because he was showing a trainee what he was doing.

The next day, one of the midwives said lucky I had an experienced doctor for my birth otherwise the inexperience ones would have opted for c-section straight away rather than forceps...well I don't know if that was a good or bad thing.

When baby was delivered, her head was a strange shape, had very bad bloodshot eyes,a big red mark down the whole side of her face and skin was 'dented', about 1nch long. The mark and dent has slowly got better and is nearly cleared up after 11wks but still a very small 'dent' which I hope will clear up.

When the midwives came to check me they said I had healed very nicely. I have not checked 'down there' for ages but I am going to later. I have had no bad pains but sometimes when I am standing for a longer period of time, it feels like there is some pressure and an 'aching' feeling down there, or if I sit for too long on hard surface it starts to feel uncomfortable. Not sure if it is due to forceps but I think it will never be the same down there after the birth.

If I have another child, I will not opt for forceps, I will go for c-section without a doubt as I do not want to take risk that the baby will come out with marks on the face that will not go or have damage to the head.

Lotster · 08/12/2008 18:56

Hi WG, hope you feel a bit better after your cry!

WB - you can really help to reduce scar tissue and sensitivity at any time, by massaging it daily with a good oil containing vitamin e (wheatgerm is good). Use small, firm, circular movements.

Original poster
JacksFirstChristmasMama · 08/12/2008 20:06

Oh WG sweetie... (((((HUGS!!!!)))) I'm so sorry you joined the traumatic birth club. I never got to see the forceps they used... good thing, I think, my head would probably be even more messed up than it is. My baby's birth is a blur, too - a confused image of the operating theatre, lots of yelling, shouts at me to "push, push, PUSH"... I have no actual memory of him leaving my body, only a weird flash of something blue and white and covered in blood being put down on me for a second and then whisked away and me screaming "is he ok, is he breathing, I can't hear him, I can't hear anything" ---ok, before stop I make myself fall apart ... anyway
There are a couple of threads around about this sort of thing. Since you seem to have healed well, you probably don't need to visit the TMI threads (the ones about incontinence etc).
Just wanted to add, the ache and pressure you're feeling is normal after forceps. It can last for months, sadly. Mine went away after about 6 months, I think, not completely but enough so I don't have to think about it all the time.
Congratulations on DD's birth, BTW!! I hope the rest of her dent clears up quickly.
xxx

OP posts:
JollyPirate · 08/12/2008 20:09

Having been a midwife I wrote "I will not consent to a forceps delivery" on my birth plan - didn't half cause a fuss with my consultant. Ended up with a caesarean at 43 weeks for failed induction and huge baby anyway.

Original poster
JacksFirstChristmasMama · 09/12/2008 02:36

And I'm betting you were the lucky one at that!

Can you tell us what you've seen regarding forceps in your professional career?

OP posts:
JollyPirate · 09/12/2008 08:19

I always just thought they looked a bit brutal and the thought of trying to care for a baby while nursing a sore and torn fanjo did not appeal.
Lots of blood loss, usually a big cut plus horrible metal object being inserted. Baby with a forceps mark (and sometimes an injury).

I have to say they do not always cause such problems but I would much rather have a caesarean or a ventouse (suction) type birth than a forceps one.

The key is in having an experienced operator of the forceps - one who knows when to use and when to say " this will be a difficult birth and a section would be better".

I did not have faith that I would get such a person - more like an exhausted doctor whose good sense had been knocked out of him/her by lack of sleep.

No way would I have consented.

JollyPirate · 09/12/2008 08:20

Oh and I agree with the OP - some doctors see their word as gospel and we are mere women - stupidly pregnant and having to be told "be a good girl".

liznay · 09/12/2008 11:27

jollypirate I too have got 'NO FORCEPS' written on my birth plan. What will happen if I don't consent to them being used? Will it affect them giving me an epidural in the first place? Would I automatically be sent for CS at the first sign of the baby not descending properly?
I can just see the situation in the delivery room with the doctors saying 'ooh your baby will die if we don't use forceps to get him out now' in some kind of vain attempt to overide my wishes. Is this likely to happen?
Sorry for al the questions!

stiggywiggywoo · 09/12/2008 18:19

I had a forceps delivery 16 weeks ago and have to say I found it ok. I had just had an epidural however which made things less traumatic, but then the baby's heartbeat disappeared and they had to get him out fast. Luckily I was fully dilated so it was a forceps job rather than a c section. This meant he was born within 5 minutes and avoided any further delay and I am very grateful for this. He was fine - only a funny bruise on his face which faded in 2 days and so far I have been fine and my episiotomy healed well. I am very sorry to hear all the horror stories out there but thought I would post my positive experience.

meep · 09/12/2008 20:27

liznay I had "NO FORCEPS" on my birth plan - it went fine - i did end up with an emergency c-section but dd was back to back and I had been going on for 55 hours and put on a drip so it wasn't as if they hadn't tried to get me to give birth naturally. I was lucky in that I wasn't really in an emergency situation so it was all very calm and straightforward.

I think the tricky bit is if the baby has descended quite far - it really then has to be a matter of medical judgement whether it would be nore risky to go with a c-section or to try forceps.

FelB · 09/12/2008 22:23

I had a forceps delivery after 2 days of induction. I was pushing for over 2 hours and she was nearly out. No idea why they decided to use forceps (much too out of it to know what was going on) but she came out in three pushes with them. That was the good bit - and I am so grateful I didn't end up with a section at 43 weeks and after all that time in labour. Less good was that despite an episiotomy, I ended up with a third degree tear, big blood loss, rush into theatre etc etc. I was on a cocktail of drugs for ages afterwards and took me ages to even vaguely be able to think about the birth without breaking down. My GP told me that it takes 3 months minimum to recover from forceps - that was at 8 weeks and no one had told me anything like that up to then. Instead I got a look of pity from the woman at my 6 week check when I said me and DH hadn't had sex yet. She said "oh, are you scared?" More like I can't even sit down properly.

JollyPirate · 10/12/2008 07:22

liznay talk this over with the consultant - they won't like the fact that you've written "no forceps" but stick to your guns.

It should not affect any decision about an epidural.

TheCrackFox · 10/12/2008 09:34

Felb, is good that your GP told you the "3 month minimum" thing. when I told my GP at the 6 week check that I was finding it hard to recover she launched into her spiel about how they only do forceps when necessary. I hadn't questioned why they used forceps, I just wanted reassurance that I would be OK. Felt like I had been patted on the head. Grrr.

And breath ......

noiamnot · 10/12/2008 09:44

I wouldn't let them near me with forceps for all the tea in china. More worried about possible damage to baby than myself though. I know how easy it is to break someone's neck. Wouldn't trust someone to put forceps on a baby coming through birth canal and pulling. Too much risk.

slug · 10/12/2008 10:42

I had a badly mismanaged delivery. Forceps after a failed ventouse, second degree tearing, episitomy, the lot, all without any painkillers of any kind (They had 'run out') and, according to my midwife, "God expects you to suffer in childbirth to pay for Eve's sin."

I was hospitalised for a week afterwards, I lost dangerous amounts of blood as they couldn't stop the bleeding and the scar still gives me trouble seven years later. I was so traumatised by the whole experience that I have refused ever again to even think of having another child.

KristinaM · 10/12/2008 12:43

because i had written " no forceps" they tried with a ventouse first. After a lot of complaining by the Doctor who shouted at me that there was no chance that it would work. She also tried to get DH to over ride my wishes. Baby came out on the second attempt with ventouse.

baby was fine except for big bruise. I was torn but not as badly as forceps I think

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