Panicking about ventouse/forceps

[skimmer]

Hi,I'm new to mumsnet and have already found it really useful, but this is my first time on here. I'm due to give birth for the first time in a few weeks and I'm terrified by the whole natural birth thing but particularly scared of the idea of having the baby wrenched out by forceps or ventouse - both for my sake and my baby's sake. I may have been talking to the wrong people (none of them had actually had either forceps or ventouse) but I've heard all sorts of terrible stories about mr whippy ice cream heads, babies being badly bruised (or worse still brain damaged) and also implications for the mother - episiotomy, legs up in stirrups etc. When would they decide to use forceps or ventouse? Has anyone here had it? Is it as bad as they say? Why one and not the other (or do they use both) Is there anything you can do to avoid it (can you opt for a cesarean at that point instead)? Am I being a total wuss????I don't have that many close friends with babies and the people I do know just seem to enjoy giving me one horror story after another. Any helpful information or reassurance welcome!!
Thanks

Cheer up - you've more chance of not having an assisted delivery (esp. if you don't have an epidural too early - however if you aren't coping then don't feel bad about having one early). I did most of my labouring at home in a pool (your hospital may have pools in their delivery rooms you can use or allow you to hire one - they are fantastic for pain relief I found and you can get out of them to deliver on dry land - if you're interested you'd need to check now as usually you have to go to a class about it). Anyway after quite a while and a lot of pushing the midwife decided we should go into hospital for a ventouse - it wasn't what I had hope for but by that stage I was very tired and wanted some help. Baby came out fine and my episiotomy (also something I didn't want) healed well too. Something to bear in mind if you have a ventouse is that it's not unusual for the vacuum seal between the ventouse cap and the head to be be broken which makes the most terrible noise and sounds like something ghastly has happened but its nothing at all to worry about - they just have another go! Good luck and try not to fret.

Thank you all sooooo very much for taking the time to respond - although some of it still sounds a bit gruesome just the fact that you've all done it (and sound reasonably happy, sane and healthy, with healthy babes) is reassuring. I'm sure you're all right and when it comes to it I will just want the baby out (getting a bit to that stage already and have a few weeks to go yet!)

Anyway thanks again. If any of my horror story "friends" pipe up again I shall direct them to mumsnet!

I had a ventouse with dd - had been in labour 37 hours, she was posterior (came out face up!), and when she was born she was 9lb12oz. The ventouse was an alternative to a section and in the end I was so out of it on the gas etc that they could have done anything to me. I just wanted her out! I di dhave to have my legs up but I didn't care by then! I had requested no episiotomy (preferred to tear) and the tear ended up being smaller than the epis would have been. The ventouse did give dd a bit of a cone head but it was gone in a couple of days and anyway, you dont care, your baby is sooooo gorgeous nothing matters at all.
My second birth (ds) was 10 hours, no bother, no interventions at all.
I think the ventouse was marvellous. Without it I would have needed an emergency section so I LOVED it!
The horror stories about brain damage etc I think come from the days when 'high' forceps were used to 'pull' a baby out - these days they dont use those, you would need a section instead if the baby is stuck high up. Modern foeceps are just used to 'guide' the baby and give a little bit of traction to stop it sliding back.
Hope you have a great birth, and enjoy your baby!

I had forceps delivery - after a 2nd stage lasting 12 hours I was ready to try anything! I was very pleased to be given a choice though - did not feel forced into a decision. I was full of epidural and didn't feel a thing though stitches were pretty uncomfortable day 4/5 after birth. DD was also fine - she had little spectacle bruises on her cheeks but they faded within 36 hours. Good luck!

Just skim-read this thread... Very similar to SusanMT - big baby, face up, 24 hour labour, so out of it I never noticed the ventouse, episiotomy or tear DS1 didn't have a mark on him and I had no ill effects from it (other than the stitches, obviously but with a 10lb-er I'd probably have ended up with a few anyway).

This was the last step on the way to c-section I think so I was more than happy to have a ventouse. It's infinitely better than major surgery IMHO! I think you just get to the stage where you want them to get the baby out however they can!

Good luck!

My dd was a ventouse too. After 36 hours start to finish an an epidural I didn't have the strength for the final push. In fact I couldn't even tell if I was. But they placed the little cap on her head and before having a chance to use it I managed to push, so there wasn't really any pulling. I didn't have an epi. In fact for most of the pregnancy I rubbed a coconut based cream from Neals Yard into my perinium (right spelling?) every day. It was so soft that it stretched completely.

As it was such a difficult labor I took dd to a cranial oesteopath who was able to stop her colic in 24 hours.

Last time I had a birth plan, but this time I don't even want to write one. As long as the baby is safe I will go through whatever needs doing...

When I had my ds I ended up getting everything apart from cs. I would go back tomorrow and go through it all over again as there isn't a feeling in the world when you are handed your lovely new baby. It is definatley all worth it.

All the best

Hi skimmer

To cut to the chase - I had both ventouse and forceps as my DS was arm and head presentation (arm tucked behind his head) and I had been pushing for 6 hours. It wasn't that dreadful as I was relieved the doctor was going to get 'the baby' out and that it would be over quickly. Like others have said, you really don't care by that point.

I had an episiotomy and a lot of stiches afterwards in theatre while my DH held our son outside. I felt a bit envious of this at first but it was a very special time for him (DH) and we were given time to be the three of us before I was taken into theatre.

My DS was beautiful, clean, not stressed, slightly long head which went in a day (but I think they tend to have that anyway). He had 2 scratches on the side of his face from the forceps which disappeared within a few days. He did have a nasty blister on the back of his head from the ventouse which had gone by 10 days (babies heal amazingly quickly).

I'm afraid I haven't read all of this thread so I may be repeating what others have said. I think the best thing to do is make a birth plan but be open-minded and make sure your DP knows what is in it too. In the end I was saying 'yes' to things I had been adamant I wouldn't have done but you have to have faith in the midwives and doctors.

My DS was absolutely fine following his birth. We did take him to a cranial osteopath to get him checked out but he hadn't suffered any ill effects. He was a good feeder and a fantastic sleeper.

Try not to worry. Most women find childbirth tough but the end result is amazing. 5 minutes before my DS arrived I was really upset (although I couldn't express it) that 'it' was going to be an only child. 5 minutes after he arrived, I knew he could have siblings! It's not always that quick but most women do have more than one!

I hope your birth is easier but ultimately it is the most fantastic experience. Enjoy your last few weeks and good luck for the big day.