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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Forceps WTF?!

40 replies

victoriascrumptious · 05/02/2010 12:24

How the hell do they get forceps up you? Now I understand that things can stretch to accommodate babies coming down but....foceps going up there? Surely an epi is standard-isnt it?

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McSnail · 09/02/2010 14:23

"You do need an episiotomy."

I didn't have one.

Original poster

victoriascrumptious · 09/02/2010 15:23

Thanks everyone. Sorry to hear about so many unpleasant experiences

OP posts:

dotty2 · 09/02/2010 15:35

McSnail - I had the same experience as you - an attempted forceps, followed by EMCS, but no episiotomy. I think that's because (as someone else has said), they do the cut as the head gets to the perineum. But if they attempt forceps delivery and the baby is still well and truly stuck, you at least avoid the episiotomy.

Next time around, I had an episiotomy and ventouse for DD2 as the cord was round her neck and they wanted her out fast. I didn't notice the cut at the time, even though I only had gas and air. I have some continence issues but that might be because I am rubbish at remembering to do my pelvic floors - and I had internal tears as well, so was a bit of a patchwork quilt. But still much, much better than the EMCS.

slug · 09/02/2010 15:41

Am at all you lot who had any anesthetic before the cut. They just dived in and hacked me to bits. Have never been able to look a pair of salad tongs in the face since.

McSnail · 09/02/2010 15:44

Hey Victoria - I had internal tears (ie a mahooosive bleed) too. Horrid.

I was told by my partner (well after the delvery)in hushed and appalled tones that the forceps were the size of a garden spade.

It made my blood run cold, I tell ya.

Oumasrusks · 11/02/2010 06:13

McSnail - apparently they only do the episiotomy just before the baby's head comes out so that's probably why you didn't have one.

I didn't have one and was told it was because it was too late and my baby was in trouble by that time so they just had to pull her out.

notyummy · 11/02/2010 08:33

Well, I have learned something from this thread. Our NCT teacher (who evidently did not know it all!) told us that an episotomy was ' standard' with forceps, and as all the people I know (which is not many to be fair) who have had a forceps delivery have had one I assumed she must have been right....which is why I stated so confidently earlier that it was necessary.

You live and learn!

Despite the episotomy I still tore. After all the suffering I went through to avoid an epidural I ended up having one afterwards so they could manually remove the placenta (after the cord snapped) and give me 40 stitches.

Fun, fun, fun....

All fine now though.

bamboobutton · 11/02/2010 09:09

another one here who didn't get cut.

i had a spinal in place in prep for a cs if the forceps didn't budge ds so i was nice and relaxed and glad not to be in pain so they must have slid in nice and easily

FanjolinaJolie · 11/02/2010 12:03

I have had episiotomy without local and also no epidural, it didn't really hurt in itself as was done in the hight of a contraction anyway, you can't really distinguish the different 'pains' if that makes sense.

The thought of it is worse than when it actually happens.

I healed up afterward with no problems but took very good care of myself and was fanatical about keeping clean 'downstairs' I found that one drop tea tree oil in a large jug of water used after every wee helped a lot.

And millions of pelvic floors to speed healing.

ShowOfHands · 11/02/2010 12:27

I had a fairly extensive episiotomy, first for a ventouse attempt. 3 surgeons had a go, no baby, just pulled me down the bed. Then the first surgeon tried a manual rotation with some instrument or other and then his hands to move dd and push her back up a bit. No baby. So I had a spinal and an em cs.

My recovery was absolutely fine, no problems at all and no pain. It is very different for different people though. Have quite a scar where the episiotomy was and it was hard for a while but has softened over time.

After 6hrs of pushing, following a 2 day labour, I would have agreed to anything, having been adamant I wanted NO interference, in fact, up until 5hrs of pushing I was at home and in water. It went rapidly downhill after that.

DeSilva15 · 17/02/2010 20:12

dont get forceps unless u really REALLY have to!

its horrible... i had the epidural so i couldnt feel anything.. but my partner said they looked like salad tossers and they kept cutting me down there to accomodate (so i assume forceps and episiotomy go along together, and trust me, u dont want an epi, as its ridiculously painful afterwards!).

also, even though i was numb, i could feel the metal clanking together inside. its horrible just dont let them do it unless they really have to.
i had no choice as they induced me and i was on the drip, and got high temperature as a result baba's heartrate kept going up and up and they had to do an emergency forceps del.

and, if all that is not enough, baba's 3 weeks old now and he still has the scars of the forceps, one right next to his eye and the other on his hairline, and they dont look like their about to disappear anytime soon (could be coz baba is half asian, and scars on our skin just goes purple or black but point is their there and i dont like it! )

porcamiseria · 18/02/2010 09:19

sweet jesus this thread is making me WINCE! esp as the poor ladies that had both an episiotomy and a ECS...poor you :-(

I had ventouse, which is not quite as traumatic. But I was in agony from the episiotomy for ages, if I ever have one again I will get the drugs

Given how barbaric forceps are I dont really understand why they do them when they could do ventouse, does anyone know???

Hope you all heal asap xxx

Lovethesea · 18/02/2010 14:07

I think forceps can be better for turning a baby who is stuck in the wrong position - not sure on other pros and cons.

WowOoo · 18/02/2010 14:18

I had forceps, episiotomy and it wasn't a bad experience at all. Not being contrary just truthful! Baby was in good position too. Perhaps consultant wanted to go off for his dinner!

Think forceps is more reliable than ventouse. So, I was told. Also can give baby a funny thing on head if used for too long (not sure on this one but it put me off)

Bumpsadaisie · 18/02/2010 16:36

I had epidural, episiotomy and forceps. It was great - after pushing my head off for three hours and almost getting DDs head out but not quite managing, it was great to have a bit of help - two little pulls with each cx and out she was! I could have kissed them!

No probs with the episitomy or healing afterwards.

They can easily get them up there - my midwife had her whole arm up there, my DH says!

They put them up in two halves - meaning there was comedy value in my case as the registrar tried to get both parts up there and locked in position together in the few seconds between contractions! DH said she only just got them up in time ....

Moral of the story, much to my surprise (as someone who'd planned a homebirth and had the pool blown up in the dining room but then had to be induced on DDs due date due to low amniotic fluid) is that actually intervention isn't always dreadful. I'd dreaded forceps pre-birth - but actually they were brilliant and were a real help. And I dreaded episiotomies - but actually I don't believe I had a bigger healing issues than my friend who had a small tear after having her DS in the pool at home.

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