Forceps delivery question

[Ola85]

I'm only 13 weeks pregnant and stupidly watched a birth video (no details shown) with forceps being used...
I now have two questions but don't want to google another scary story lol
Can a woman refuse forceps delivery and ask for c-section?
Is episiotomy part of forceps delivery? I can imagine the damage is substantial after such intervention and recovery takes longer?
It's my third pregnancy and I had two straightforward deliveries but that was 11 & 14 years ago. I am now older and fear things might be different this time ...

Don't watch videos like that!

I think you can put in your birth plan that you refuse consent, some forceps are worse than others - I think Gaillard are the worst? But they're very rarely used. If it came to it and the midwives said it was necessary and there was a risk to the baby, it would be hard to say no. A c-section might not always be feasible if there is limited time.

Let's hope it doesn't come to that though!

In my experience when forceps are used there isn't time to get you for a c-section the head is too far down/almost out, baby is distressed and needs to be out.

I had an episiotomy and 3rd degree tear and was fine. No long recovery or lasting damage. Although I avoided forceps.

Remember a c-section is major abdominal surgery and has its own very serious recovery time. I don't think that would be any easier than a forceps delivery.

Forceps was my worst case scenario delivery plan.
Baby was in distress and was back to back and not shifting so got rushed into theatre. I begged for a section but they were like look we are sure we can get her with forceps - section is more risky and tricky to recover from for you both.

I had forceps with spinal block, episiotomy and small tear. I had next no pain for 3 days, no prob moving or sitting or opening my bowels. My stitches started dissolving on day 5 and one of the knots was poking my perineum and that was excruciating. Midwife removed them day 8. Absolutely fine after that.

Not have a bother at all. Was a bit nervous about having sex for the first time but it was fine.

I don't think I'm "lucky" I just don't think people share the stories about when it's ok!

To sum up: it was absolutely fine. You can ask for section if you want though I didn't fancy my belly being sliced and having to heal from major surgery whilst managing with a new born!

Use your BRAIN to decide what's best for you at the time: what are the benefits, the risks, the alternatives, what does your instinct say, and what if you do nothing. B R A I N x

*c section recovery is longer than forceps - you're not allowed to drive for weeks or lift heavy things

It’s not quite true you aren’t allowed to drive - you can judge it for yourself. I was driving two weeks after an emergency c section.

I had birth phobia, referred to specialist counsellor but DS came early. My worst fear of all was episiotomy. I ended up having ventouse, forceps and episiotomy. When it actually came down to it I honestly wasn't bothered. Well, I had plenty of pain relief. I just wanted baby safely delivered. Recovery wasn't exactly a picnic but not that bad either, easier than cesarian. I wish I hadn't wasted all that time and energy worrying about it.

I wouldn’t worry too much!

If the baby is engaged and very low, then it can actually be better for both baby and mum to have the forceps.

Don’t watch anymore videos! When you’re giving birth, you don’t see what’s happening! I had an episiotomy and ventouse with first, nothing with second. Both were totally fine! Good luck!

I had a back to back baby ,in distress, and out came the forceps. There wasn't time for c section and my baby was wedged far down after hours and hours of pushing.
An episiotomy was done first. What can I say none of it was pleasant at all. However, recovery was ok even though I managed to burst my stitches.

I then had a C Section for my second child. Who decided to hide under my ribs, out came the forceps again....

I had forceps when 10lb son got stuck. I was told I had the more difficult forceps as baby was still high. My problem afterwards was piles, horrific piles but then I had piles after all of them so that wasn't a surprise.

I could have had a planned C Section, I nearly had an EMCS, definitely preferred the forceps but felt guilty as baby very bruised.

I started the same thread back when I was pregnant 😂 usually by the time forceps are needed the head is too low to go to a c section and/or there is no time to prep for a section. My son was born by forceps and I went from 2cm-born in 40 mins so absolutely no time for any other options (I couldn’t feel when to push and he was in distress as he was coming so quickly). So I’m glad that forceps were an option but yes I had a very very very long recovery. Elective C Sec for baby 2 was great but also had a massive haemorrage so never guaranteed straight forward as I’m sure you know by now on baby number 3!

I had forceps and my recovery was okay. As mentioned above, there are different types of forceps depending on how far ‘up’ they need to reach (I think.) I had an episiotomy but was only on gas and air. I think they did give an injection to numb me down there though (from what I remember) By the time I needed the forceps I was just glad they were getting him out as I was exhausted and I really didn’t want a c section after 4 days of labour!

For a few days after I felt like I’d been run over and one of my stitches popped but everything healed fine by about 3 weeks later and I’ve had no lasting damage thankfully.

And yes my c section baby was forceps too. Which is apparently more common than not in c sections (or maybe just elective ones)! Who knew!

Put it in your birth plan that you would prefer ventouse by tried first. May still require episiotomy. www.mumsnet.com/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/forceps-and-ventouse-delivery

I had forceps after an episiotomy having feared that scenario all the way through- in the end it was fine. I did have an epidural in already though so that probably took a lot of the fear out of it.
It healed really well (although I was on a boat load of antibiotics so I'm sure that meant there was almost no chance of an infection), I sat on a donut cushion for a week or so and there were days where the last half hour before the next set of painkillers was a bit tense but it was so much more straightforward than I imagined it would be. Felt 'ok' after four or five days and 'good' after a fortnight. They do advise you to take it steady in terms of going for walks etc but the recovery is nowhere near as restrictive as a c section because that really is significant surgery. All I had to do was take my tablets, keep it clean, and not overdo it.

@Ginfilledcats

*c section recovery is longer than forceps - you're not allowed to drive for weeks or lift heavy things

I was driving 2 weeks after an emergency c section for twins

With my first pregnancy I specifically wrote in my birth plan that I would refuse any kind of forceps delivery (a colleagues child suffered life long disabilities after a forceps delivery)

I had a forceps delivery for DS1 and it was that or a crash section under GA. Neat episiotomy, no tears, healed up a treat, home that afternoon. I’m really glad they got him out that wayas the ventrouse had failed.

@Ginfilledcats

Forceps was my worst case scenario delivery plan. Baby was in distress and was back to back and not shifting so got rushed into theatre. I begged for a section but they were like look we are sure we can get her with forceps - section is more risky and tricky to recover from for you both.

I had forceps with spinal block, episiotomy and small tear. I had next no pain for 3 days, no prob moving or sitting or opening my bowels. My stitches started dissolving on day 5 and one of the knots was poking my perineum and that was excruciating. Midwife removed them day 8. Absolutely fine after that.

Not have a bother at all. Was a bit nervous about having sex for the first time but it was fine.

I don't think I'm "lucky" I just don't think people share the stories about when it's ok!

To sum up: it was absolutely fine. You can ask for section if you want though I didn't fancy my belly being sliced and having to heal from major surgery whilst managing with a new born!

Use your BRAIN to decide what's best for you at the time: what are the benefits, the risks, the alternatives, what does your instinct say, and what if you do nothing. B R A I N x

Exactly the same experience for me, although I didn’t ask for a section because I was more terrified about that.

I had an episiotomy with forceps too, but unlike alot of pp, my recovery was horrific, and I would have recovered quicker with a section! My stitches burst and I was left with a gaping hole - approx 12 weeks until I could wee sitting down and walk comfortably! Not sure how it works, however I was told if the forceps was unsuccessful after 3 contractions, I would have the section there and then - so in my case, baby was far down the canal enough for forceps, but was also not far down enough for a section!

The problem with watching videos like this is that you see the horror without the euphoria of having a newborn baby to coo over at the end!

I had two pretty traumatic births but truth is, I didn't really care. My babies were delivered safely and that's all that mattered. I wasn't in a position to plea with the doctors. I had to trust them to know what they were doing.

As Louise said, a ventouse first may be a better option to try.
My first baby was back to back and she turned in the birth canal and got stuck. The doctor wanted to use forceps but my husband has a friend who was delivered via forceps and it caused him some damage so he asked if they could try a ventouse first.
I had an episiotomy, which healed well and the ventouse was successful.
I'm not saying I would refuse a forceps delivery, but I am glad that we had the option of the ventouse.

Birth trauma does matter, though.

Of course we all want a healthy baby but that doesn’t mean pain and lasting damage, physical or emotional (or both) on the mother aren’t important.

Honestly, I think that any birth plan beyond you both being safe afterwards is kind of daft.

I had a failed ventouse followed by episiotomy and forceps. It wasn't fun, not least because the pudendal block didn't work so I felt ALL of it, but DD was stuck an inch from crowning - why go for a C-section at that point? It would be insanity.

The episiotomy hurt for about 10 days. I was taking DD out by myself - on the bus, because I can't drive - after three weeks. By my six week check, I was fine. Don't rule anything out.

Please stop watching these videos, for your own sake! I read stories before giving birth becsuse I was too scared to watch videos, and that was enough to make me terrified of forceps. However, for me they really weren't that bad. Like a PP, it was trial by forceps, dk I had 3 pushes to get him out, then it would be a section, which I was more worried about when the time came.

I healed fine and 2.5 years on have no issues luckily.

Thank you all for your replies. I regret watching that video although it was part of one born every minute and there was a happy ending but I could see the mom was absolutely petrified and shocked.
Her baby was also bruised and there was a cut on the little boy's face right over his eye :( so it's traumatic for both I guess. I think if the worst happened I would go with my brain as one of you said and just trust the doctors. I'm scared of c-section, too. I have never ever in my whole life had a single stitch, no surgeries, broken limbs, my labours were natural with no intervention hence the fear! I'm off to do some relaxation lol and practice positive thinking ;)

I had forceps and an episiotomy due to needing the baby out quickly.
In some situations there is no time at all and you need the baby out ASAP.
I had an epidural so didn’t feel a thing, I was in pain for about 7/9 days after but your usual painkillers helped.
My stitches were fine.
I was more scared of having a section tbh!
Please don’t watch videos 🙈🙈