Anyone had forceps and it not been awful?

[Methenyouplus4]

Everyone I've spoken to in rw described it as pretty awful with a long recovery. I've had ventouse twice previously (once awful, once fantastic), I'm expecting twins now and want to go for a vaginal birth if possible and while I don't mind the idea of ventouse again I'm terrified by the prospect of forceps, to the point where I think I'd rather have a C section if ventouse didn't work.

Any experiences?

Ive had a forceps delivery and while the labour was difficult, I ended up with an epidural and prepped for csec. Forceps were the last thing on the list before csec and they worked.

I had a short recovery period, however I now need to clench a bit extra when I sneeze

Im pg again and wouldnt think twice if forceps were used again. Unlike other aspects of my labour.

I had a forceps birth. It was fine, had a spinal block so didn't feel it. Was on painkillers for a couple of days after. Episiotomy healed fine and didn't find recovery much different to my unassisted birth.

I had a forceps birth that went very wrong, although they did deliver my son. I had a very very long recovery but I had other complications such as SPD.
It's one of those things, everyone will have had a different experience and sadly no one can predict how it will work out for you!
I'm pregnant with dc2 and I'm having a c section this time, largely due to the damage done through a forceps birth. But like I said, I had other complications.
Good luck!!

I had forceps with DC1 - recovery was much quicker and less painful than my tear with DC2, who slid out like a greased piglet. Although I feel like a bit of a fraud complaining about either recovery really, was running around a few hours later and just took paracetemol for a few days. Back to normal service in terms of shagging after four weeks or so.

I had a forceps delivery with epidural after being out on the "drip" for 20 hours! I had 10 stitches and struggled to go the toilet for a week but after the initial week to 10 days it started to get better! Wouldn't scare me if second time round it were forceps again My son had a tiny cut on his forehead which cleared after 2 weeks and disappeared in his hairline after 12 months (it's hardly noticeable) Xx

Not sure if you only want good stories. I had ventouse and it was fine with DS1 then forceps with DS2. Wasnt sore while they did it due to epidural but needed loads of stitches afterwards and couldn't sit down or walk normally for at least 2 weeks. With DS3 they said I needed forceps and I said I would rather have a CS. Luckily the one more push did it and so I didn't need either. I would dread.forceps again.

I had forceps, it really really was fine. Walked a bit slowly for a few days afterwards and had some paracetamol for a week or so. I look back on my daughters birth with very fond memories, it wasn't in the least big traumatic (disclaimer: I had worked my way through the drugs menu) ??

Ditto fledermaus post. :-)

There are different kinds of forceps deliveries. There is the Kielland forceps which is for a high-up delivery where the baby is stuck up in the birth canal or needs rotation. I would never consent to the use of these as they are associated with birth and baby injury. Then there is the more common Wrigleys forceps or lift-out forceps which are used to just lift the baby out when it is already almost out of the birth canal.

I had the latter used while giving birth to my son and it was fine. Before I gave birth I was very anti-forceps and really didn't want to consent to them at all but then when it came down to the wire, a simple lift-out procedure seemed better than an EMCS (which might not have been an option anyway since my DS was so far down he was almost born, his head was already showing). And I was right. It was quick in the end and I barely noticed the forceps being used at all. Less traumatic than an EMCS would have been.

Recovery was fine. Biggest issue was the episiotomy, which some women have anyway even in a non-instrumental delivery so can't really blame the forceps for that. The scar tissue still itched and burned for quite a while afterwards but it is fine now, 2+ years on.

No incontinence issues at all either, by the way.

I had a forcep delivery with DD (she was huge!). I don't dread the thought of having another this time round. Not ideal, but not terrible either. It was uncomfortable for maybe 10 days and quite itchy while healing, but no lasting effects to report. Id rather that than a CS as recovery really wasn't that bad for me.

I had a forceps CS! Which was fine other than a mark on DD's cheek where they slipped.

The CS was great and the recovery was fine BTW.

One of our local hospitals doesn't do them anymore - it might be interesting to find out how common it still is.

I had a forceps delivery with DD1, it was unpleasant and recovery was slow and painful. With my second pregnancy I had an elective CS due to my first birth and the fact it was twins. It was brilliant, recovery far easier and faster than first time and I could pick the babies up (something I couldn't do after the forceps birth). I've had lasting damage from the forceps - I must remember to clench when I sneeze too.
Whilst I know you asked for positive stories what I'm trying to say in a very roundabout way is don't be worried about a c section and I personally would definitely choose a section over forceps. I'm hoping for DC4 I'll be allowed another elective. I was also concerned that I'd give birth naturally to twin 1 and then twin 2 would get into difficulty and a c section would be required anyway.
Good luck - twins are amazing.

Yes, had forceps (probably the Wrigley's ones that Avery mentions as small child was quite low down) and no problems (previous ventouse attempt had caused a rather startling amount of blood to hit the wall though...). No marks on small child either.

Very best of luck with the impending arrivals too.

What hospital is that essexmummy?

I had emergency forceps as me and baby were both crashing no problems after or during and I had no painkillers for it as no time they did an episiotomy and whipped him out as quick as they could the only thing I regretted was how much I made the helpers hand bleed as he tried to be really nice and hold my hand as my mum wasn't allowed in unfortunately I have long nails I will cut those this time though :)

Yes, to be clear, we had forceps 'light' as my consultant called it. OH was under strict instructions not to allow forceps (thinking of various horror stories about babies with skull fractures and broken necks, not to mention injury to the mother) but when it came to it, DD was already so far down the canal after forty minutes of yanking with the ventouse, that the forceps were only used to apply a bit of extra traction right at the end. Only took five minutes once they put the forceps on (after we talked OH down off the table where he manfully leapt to prevent the evil forceps from touching us). I still wouldn't allow a forceps delivery for a baby high in the birth canal, although I hope to have another speedy delivery this time!

I had forceps with DS2. The midwife said that I was only about 10 minutes away from delivering him without intervention, but his heart rate had dropped so they insisted on the forceps. They talked about lifting him out.

I had an episiotomy, but apparently it was "tiny".

If hadn't been on crutches with a broken ankle, I would have been up and about the next day although the black and blue fanjo was a bit alarming!

My mother had forceps with twins (back in the day) and advised similar to a lot of ladies here: further down the canal 'normal' forceps required stitches but was an OK recovery, but she would be more wary of rotation forceps.

If the amazing registrar hadn't managed to yank DD out on the first attempt with forceps, I'm not sure she would have survived and, if she had, would probably have had some form of brain damage. She was crashing so I was rushed into theatre &, whilst I was being prepped for a c-section, he got her out. She had a couple of marks on her cheeks which disappeared within hours. I was very uncomfortable for a week or so but able to keep on top of it with painkillers, able to get around the house & drive etc, didn't get around to having sex for months due to general exhaustion (DD was ebf and fed every 2hrs during the night for months) but, when we DTD, all was well. Pelvic floor been worse since unassisted, flew out like a greased pig birth of DC2.
So, to answer the question, yes, I would choose forceps again. I realised I would choose anything likely to increase the chance of me having a healthy child.

I had forceps. It left me battered and bruised but DD was alive because of it. So, all in all, worth a few weeks of arnica cream and post-birth shuffle walking.

I had low use of forceps towards the end and the only damage to either of us was a tiny cut on baby's cheek. He's 2.5 now and the tiny scar will always be there but it's hardly noticeable. I did have an episiotomy, too, but that wasn't problematic either.

I would rather have a c section than full on forceps, I think.

I had a forceps delivery with DS3, I was bloody petrified due to reading too many horror stories. However, he was absolutely stuck and this was the last resort, 30 hours in. He was fine, and so was I, loads of stitches, but fine.

I'd had a previous section with my twins, and that was fine too, recovery was longer, but not unbearable.

Good luck OP, and congrats!