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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Why do forceps hurt so bad?

51 replies

Beryl98909 · 23/11/2017 20:20

I've heard a lot of women talk about how badly forceps hurt and I'm trying to understand why. The forceps are much smaller than the baby's head yet women describe the pain of them being inserted as excruciating. It can't be as bad a pain as the "ring of fire" when the entire head is crowning, right? So I'm wondering if the pain is in the perineum or in the pelvic bones? It seems to me like maybe the forceps bump or at least slide between the baby's head and the pelvic bones and that the pain is actually from the pelvic bones being hit?

OP posts:

usernameinfinito · 23/11/2017 20:23

I haven't had them but I have seen youtube videos of them being used. It looks painful.

BabyOrSanta · 23/11/2017 20:25

Could it be that they're going the wrong way?

usernameinfinito · 23/11/2017 20:25

See above. Things are meant to come out, not go in.

littlemissalwaystired · 23/11/2017 20:27

They're also not that much smaller than baby's head. They're quite large and there's 2 of them to fit in.

OpalIridescence · 23/11/2017 20:33

I had forceps after miserable four day labour with back to back baby.

No pain relief so felt the full experience.
Was truly awful. I don't know that it was the pain of them going as much as them and the baby coming out at once.

It felt like it pushed my pelvis to breaking point and I have never actually been aware of my skeleton if you see what I mean.

The pressure against my bones is not something I can quite explain, I could feel the pressure and pain and it felt inhumane and brutal.
May have been worse as back to back baby present biggest part of head first, plus apparently I have something called android pelvis (more narrow like a man's )

Disclaimer: I know women who have had forceps and did not find it as bad. I believe pain relief helps with this! I am Def not trying to frighten anyone

ZigZagandDustin · 23/11/2017 20:35

The forceps require a nice big cut to get in there then your vagina is treated like it's hip surgery under general anaesthetic. Then they try to mechanically drag the head with increased width of metal prongs down your canal and out, so that's WIDER than baby's head coming out. They dragged me down the bed using them on me so that gives you some idea of the force.

It's not that the use of them is more painful necessarily, it's the often permanent damage they leave after.

You asked.

Passthecake30 · 23/11/2017 20:39

I had them, after an epidural. I had a diagonal cut and didn't feel a thing.
Dp on the other hand looked mortified and burst into tears once it was all over

BeanoNoir · 23/11/2017 20:41

Opal that sounds awful
I had forceps but was prepped for c section so felt nothing, which I’m very grateful for. It looked brutal though - was behind a curtain thing but could see the person doing it tugging and slipping on the floor (blood?) and needing other people in the room to hold on to her and help her tug . Beautiful baby at the end of it obviously, but it can’t be very nice for them either, can it?

I suppose they’re only used when they need to be and we Are lucky that they exist, but I’m now feeling v sorry for those who experience them without pain relief.

Joinourclub · 23/11/2017 20:42

I found forceps to be excruciating. I thought I was going to be ripped in two. Absolute agony. Far worse than my second non forceps delivery. And I was in pain for weeks after. It hurt to walk for at least two weeks, I was so bruised.

Original poster

Beryl98909 · 23/11/2017 21:22

But can you tell me where the pain was the worst - in your vaginal opening or in your pelvic bones?

OP posts:

NapQueen · 23/11/2017 21:23

Forceps are way bigger than a babys head! They are the BFGs salad tongs.

ZigZagandDustin · 23/11/2017 21:23

I had an epidural so it wasn't 'painful' while happening but I knew I was being treated like a piece of meat on a slab.

It was painful for months after, pressure and pain around my pubic bone and vagina.

Worriedobsessive · 23/11/2017 21:25

I had forceps during a c section and the consultant said he used them more during CS than VB. DS was wedged up tight under my ribs.

MyBrilliantDisguise · 23/11/2017 21:27

If forceps were smaller than the baby's head, they'd be inside their head! Of course they are bigger and they're metal, so there's no give.

Nicketynac · 23/11/2017 21:30

I had them after an epidural so obviously nice and numb! However I think it depends on exactly why they need to use them - I think DS was quite far out as it didn't seem like a brutal experience to me in terms of bleeding/ swelling afterwards.
If baby is wedged somewhere tight then the forceps need to get in somewhere tight and a lot of force is needed to get baby out.
Although BFG's salad tongs is quite an accurate description! Perhaps I have blocked out the horror!

OldWitch00 · 23/11/2017 21:32

well forcept's aren't generally used when there is ample room and things are moving along smoothly are they??
visualize the baby's head jammed tightly between the two pelvic outlet bones, not squeeking past. mom's tired and has been pushing for a while with a swollen bottom end....then the dr. has to push the baby back up a bit or shove it to the side often with their hand first to then make room for a bit of metal that is at least 1cm thick per forcept...so an extra 2cm of stuff around the baby's head.

Addictedtothisbloodyforum · 23/11/2017 21:34

Forceps are bigger than babies head ! Of course a cold metal instrument that is shuved up your faj is gunnaHURT

SparklingSnowfall · 23/11/2017 21:36

I had them, absolutely horrific. So much so I had an elcs the second time, it felt like a holiday!

MilkRunningOutAgain · 23/11/2017 21:41

I had them, was prepped for c section and so no pain at the time. Had massive haemorrhage afterwards. Bled after the birth for 6 week’s heavily, was massively torn and it took about 6 to 8 weeks to be able to sit and move about comfortably. It was horrible. DS had a huge gash on his forehead, though basically he was fine and the gash healed well and left no scar.

Usernom1234567890 · 23/11/2017 21:45

But can you tell me where the pain was the worst - in your vaginal opening or in your pelvic bones?

IMO it was impossible to determine; the overall pain was excruciating- never experienced anything like it. I had a local vaginal anaesthetic but it didn’t seem to do much. Like others said, the force used was brutal- the male obstetrician had his back braced against the wall at the foot of the bed. His (white) surgical welly boots were completely red by the end.

Both my birth experiences were traumatic and I was so bruised (& infected) afterwards but it was worth it!

OpalIridescence · 23/11/2017 21:46

Specifically where was the pain?

I had the drip to strengthen contractions as was so exhausted, plus an episiotomy, plus the bfgs salad tongs where they were never meant to go, plus a stuck baby. I felt like I LIVED in the land of pain at this point and I was never getting out. It would have been hard to point at where it hurt. It all hurt!

I hate to think what all of this was like for my Dd, the consultant had his leg braced against the bed. My husband is in emerging services but found it really difficult.

Yes to PP who had forceps in a section. I lived in fear of forceps so when I had second child I fought for an elective section. Baby legged it up under ribs and the salad tongs were back. This time I couldn't feel the pain but my hips and lower back were being lifted up with the pulling force.

Again, hope no one is being scared by this thread, I don't think my experiences are typical.

TheFaerieQueene · 23/11/2017 21:46

I really don’t understand your inability to read some of these posts and still not understand. Are you being deliberately obtuse?

SparklingSnowfall · 23/11/2017 21:48

My whole body hurt!!

skunkrat · 23/11/2017 21:54

I was left doubly incontinent after them but having said that I am the only woman I know who didn’t have them in theatre. No epidural no nothing - next birth was a planned c section - due to medical reasons. Much more positive exp

willisurvive3under2 · 23/11/2017 21:56

My forceps delivery actually wasn't that bad. No pain relief apart from gas and air as there was no time.

When the ventouse slipped and snapped I felt it - ouch. But after that all I felt was the 'fishy' slippery feeling of DS coming out. I'd been given an episiotomy of course.

For me the initial contractions were far worse. Once it got to the pushing stage, pain seemed to 'change'.

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