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 ...

I had a huge fear of forcepts after my friend had a horrible experience and put in my birth plan I did not want them. But after a very long labour I was so exhausted so when they suggested it I agreed. They did say I could have a c section if I wanted but clearly they felt forcepts was worth a try. To be honest I was half asleep when they were asking me and high off of all the pain meds so not sure I was in a great frame of mind to make the choice! I had an epistemology which was sore for a good few weeks after but manageable. I found tea tree oil baths really helped. I can occasionally feel a twinge in my scar 9 months later but overall recovery was fine and the scar is not noticeable. From what I understand the more attempts at forcept delivery the more harm that could cause and I was lucky baby came out on 1st try. Its really hard to know what you'll want at the time. I would just say go with what you feel is best for baby and getting them out safe and if it's forcepts so be it.

I'd be wary of trying to request a ventouse if a doctor recommends forceps. This is one thing I'd take their clinical expertise on. If they thought chances of delivery are high with ventouse they would choose that because they know the risks are less to the mother in terms of pelvic floor trauma, and that's what my obstetrician reccomend and I had. However I was acutely aware that if that hadn't have been successful there was a high likelihood that they'd then want to try forceps afterwards anyway and then risk to me and my baby have increased significantly by having two interventions. I don't think I'd risk pushing for a ventouse if the obstetrician is not confident of success. I found my delivery horrible but it would have been even worse if the ventouse had failed and I'd had potentially had to have forceps on top - which came close to happening, as after two pulls DD hadn't descended as much as the obstetrician was expecting so called the consultant into the room to be on standby as she didn't think delivery would occur with the third pull. Thankfully it actually did so I didn't need any intervention after that.

In answer to your question though, of course you can refuse consent to forceps. You can refuse consent to anything you want. However depending on the situation it may be the safest option for you and your baby.

I had forceps and my recovery was horrendous. But the horrendous recovery was all because I developed a pretty serious uti because I had been catheterised because I couldn't pee!!

The birth itself was actually a very positive experience for me!! I remember thinking: not what I'd wanted, but wouldn't have changed a thing!! Probably more positive than ds's birth with just gas and air... which was my second birth. The episiotomy did ache for quite a while and sex was pretty uncomfortable/ off the cards for a good 6 months...

The one not so pleasant part was that I was on blood thinners and so bruised almost to my belly bottom... arnica was my friend!!!

Aww I used to watch OBEM on continuously before DS1 was born; I will never ever watch it again.

I had forceps & episiotomy, nothing bad happened. Tried sex 3 weeks later felt hanging so waited until 6 weeks but all was normal by then.

Nobody is going to need support with a perfect birth so your less likely to find stories about it. My birth wasn’t ‘perfect’ in the sense of no intervention, hell.. pass me that epidural huns, but I was looked after and communicated to very well.

I had a forceps delivery, I am assuming I had an injection before they performed the episiotomy. I felt everything and it felt as if I was being cut in half with a red hot poker. This would be 25 years ago now, talk about traumatic.

I had a forceps delivery - little other choice as she was so far down it could have damaged her pulling her out through a c section.

Episiotomy wasn’t done correctly meaning it still wasn’t healed 2 years later and it took another 6 of different gynae attempts to sort it well enough that climbing 3-4 flights of stairs didn’t have me howling in pain. I still can’t ride a bike, probably never will.

Extreme case, but very very real. And without it my 10 year old would probably still be inside me.

I had forceps as my first was back to back and kept going back up the canal- haha sounds awful about myself that!! They did cut me and that was abit tender for a few days but he was fine. Had 2 little red marks on his face of the forceps but they soon went and was home next morning , he was born at night though!!!! Xx

I would refuse forceps, I think they are nasty things. I have had vontouse used on our eldest because she was in distress which didn't harm her, left me quite bruised though. Our 2nd and 3rd I had unassisted natural deliveries with and they were quite large. I had a cesarean with breech twins, it was much better than I expected and I would happily have one this time if needed but hoping for a vbac.

Can a woman refuse forceps delivery and ask for c-section?
You can yes. But forceps are only offered when you're fully dilated. If there's even a small cervical lip, they'll do a section instead.

Is episiotomy part of forceps delivery?
Usually yes. This is to make more room for the forceps since the forceps + baby's head > 10cm, and hopefully prevent worse tearing. I have seen a few forceps delivery without an episiotomy though, so it can happen.

Her baby was also bruised and there was a cut on the little boy's face right over his eye
Bruising is very common unfortunately, but it does fade fast.

Honestly, I've seen hundreds of C-sections and forceps deliveries. I'd sooner have a forceps delivery than a C-section.

I had a forceps delivery, with episiotomy. I also had a 3B tear.

I healed really quick and really well.

I was terrified of forceps at first, but I was grateful when they were suggested, especially as it meant that my baby arrived Earthside safely. My little one had a bruised ear but was absolutely fine other than that.

I said no forceps on my first birth plan. Probably the right decision as labour wasn’t progressing and it was one of things (DH insisting was the other) that made them do a emcs. Baby hadn’t dropped at all so for me it would have been failed forceps and then an emcs.

I had forceps & episiotomy, baby needed to come out quickly and I didn't have time to worry about any of it apart from hoping he was ok. I did sign the consent form for a emergency csection if the forceps failed though. I had a pph after but it wasn't because of the forceps x

I refused consent for forceps and baby was born via csection. Very happy with my decision as I only know people who have injuries from them.

Each to their own on preference but I was 100% sure it was best for both me and my baby

I was delivered by forceps as was my DC. It was fine. Not something I’d chose but I don’t remember thinking much about it. Traumatised my DH though as he had no idea what they were doing, I got antibiotics and stool softening liquid to take. DC had marks but they faded.

Only planned sections here, but honestly they were a walk in the park to recover from. As in I was literally walking in the park within a few days. Emergency ones are often harder to recover from, but from friends who had forceps and ventose, I was up and recovered an awfully lot quicker.

I had episiotomy, forceps and a lot of tearing. Lots of bruising and a cut on baby’s face. Lots of welling and bruising for me. The birth felt very violent and traumatic - I had to mentally check out and let them get on with it. I made very clear I didn’t want the forceps but didn’t really have a choice. It took about 10 weeks to feel anything like normal again and 6 months to have pain free sex. Took about a year for ptsd to subside, this could be due to lack of support (lockdowns etc).

However, I could do it again and wouldn’t be scared of giving birth again, I would just be mentally prepared for what could happen and how long recovery could take.

I had no forceps in my birth plan but my sibling had permanent damage caused to their eye at birth by a misplaced forcep. I stresed to DH in case I needed him to advocate for me, it was the one thing I wouldn't move on. We had one ventouse which was bad enough, they had to use a metal cup as the softer one wasn't getting baby out. If you feel strongly about it, make sure it's in your birth pla.

I had forceps, it was my worst nightmare pre birth. The actual procedure was fine, I had a spinal and didn't feel a thing. The recovery was horrendous though, my stitiches burst open and ended up with sepsis and a 12 week recovery. Luckily ive got no lasting problems. I have never looked down there, and cant really bare to think of it. Having said that apparently only 1-2% of women have those sorts of complications so I think I will still opt for a natural birth next time (hopefully) and if it ends in forceps ill have to pray im in the 98%

Bruising is very common unfortunately, but it does fade fast.

They said the dents in my DD’s cheekbones would go in “3 weeks”. She’s nearly 11 and they appear to be here to stay. They remind me how much worse it could have been.

Dc1 was back to back. I was in labour for ages, strapped to the bed with monitors - failure to progress. Then I pushed for over 2 hours. Ended up with rotational forceps and episiotomy and third degree tear with only a local anaesthetic. Could have an epidural because they were already busy seeing to someone else and no time. The delivery room was packed with various doctors and midwives. It was a terrifying experience and massively painful. I also lost loads of blood and was rushed off to theatre soon after birth. I was in there over 2 hours. Dh was left with the baby on his own totally traumatised in room resembling a murder scene not knowing if I was OK or not. I was very anemic for months and recovery was long, painful and slow. With dc2 I had a panned c-section. It was a doddle in comparison and recovery was much quicker and easier.

Please do trust the midwives and docs to know what they are doing. We’ve all had birth plans with ideas of what we want that then go to pot. All that matters is that you have a safe delivery. Often babies are too far down to try a C section and forceps or ventouse can get them out quickly. You do forget about it.. they hand you the baby and s you feel exhausted but elated. It takes time to recover from lots of different births.

I had a very similar experience to @Greyrootszerohoots. Horribly traumatic. Violent is a very good description. I lost 1.5l of blood. Took months and months to recover. Had elective c-section with baby no 2.

I had forceps and an episiotomy for DC1, healing was fine - easier than the 2nd degree tear & grazes I had with DC3.

Hated forceps btw. Had homebirth for DC2 and DC3.