Should forceps be avoided?

Lalaladybird

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1253013/Forceps-killed-baby-doctors-using-them.html

This article has scared me and I am going to ask my midwife at my next appointment if I can choose to have a caesarian if the delivery is not going well. Sounds like they don't give you much choice though!

angelicmary85

The delivery doc shoved forcepts inside me before I got a chance to blink! I didn't know there was any risk using them.

I've just read the article all the way through and that wee baby is just so beautiful...must have been heartbreaking for the parents.

feelinggood_2

Lalaladybird wrote: »

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1253013/Forceps-killed-baby-doctors-using-them.html

This article has scared me and I am going to ask my midwife at my next appointment if I can choose to have a caesarian if the delivery is not going well. Sounds like they don't give you much choice though!

I thought that if labour was advanced enough for forceps, a c-section wouldn't be an option.

There are a lot of risks to c-sections too, and it shouldn't be treated lightly. There are also risks to future pregnancies and deliveries. C-sections often affect breastfeeding too.

Evansangel

Eep! Might state ventouse only on my birth plan now

brians_daughter

I saw this in the mail the other week, it has been an ongoing topic for quite a while now. There are also some medical prof's that will not use forceps, but on the other side of the coin many lives have been saved by using forceps to intervene.It has a lot to do with experience of the medics using the equipment (sad, but true)

My 1st was born with help of forceps because there wasnt enough time to get me to theatre, it was basically a now or never type situation. I have done lots of reading/research into this.

Please dont worry about it - equip yourself with knowledge and speak to your midwife about your concerns and your PCTs views on using forceps. Put it in your birth plan you do not want them used, and if possible want a section if it is looking like you have problems in labour. Many trusts use a vacuum instead/as alternative to forceps and there are different types of forceps that are used. A section is a mjor op (i am sure you dont need telling that) and forceps do cut out some of the risks involved in major surgery and general anesthetic (if a spinal block cant be used) Often,if forceps are needed that means baby is already started its journey far down the birth canal and a section isnt always possible- or rather as straight forward

Although i am not making light of some of the true and awful stories concerned with forcep delivery but please rememebr that the outcome that the article talks of are very, very rare. It is a medical proceedure, and unfortunately, as with any emergency medical proceedure it comes with risks- however remote.

As i say, please dont worry - but do educate yourself as to the pros and cons, adn remember they dont use them for fun, it will be in the best interests of mum and baby.

When is your bundle of joy due? good luck!!

honeypop

feelinggood wrote: »

I thought that if labour was advanced enough for forceps, a c-section wouldn't be an option.

I was prepped for c-section but they attempted forceps first, that failed so I got c-section straight away. They told me this would happen, so I assume it was very much an option to try the forceps first then do c-section if it didn't work - in fact, I thought that was how it worked, they tried everything else first and c-section as last resort.

clairec79

There is a big difference between kjeillands forceps and 'normal' lift out forceps -there would be no harm in specifying no rotational forceps (aside from the fact most docs would look at you and go 'do you think I'm nuts those things are lethal I'm not touching them' - we have one consultant who is skilled in them and all the midwives and runners know he is the ONLY one we will give them to and wouldn't get them for a junior doctor)

winnie81

Interesting but in my case when delivering my daughter it suddenly became a class 1 emergency and the keillands forceps were used as well as 2 sets of hands (LOTS of stitches for that one!) as were told afterwards if DD wasn't born within 30secs she would've suffered brain damage as she was oxygen deprived there was no time for caesarean. I didn't care what they did to me as they got her out without any lasting damage although the birth did cause problems for her (mostly rectified now thankfully).

I would've loved a caesarean rather than go through a horrendously traumatic delivery myself and a extremely traumatic birth for DD that resulted in a SCBU stay but there was no time it was lie or death for her so for that I am glad of the forceps unfortunately sometimes (all in my case LOL) births don't go to plan and we have to let the professionals do the best for us and our babies I am sure I could've suffered complications with a c-section or ventouse etc etc

Good Luck with your bump

I was lucky as the very top consultant was in labour ward at the time so he performed the keillands delivery and he is well known for his skill with them after many years using them as it was a difficult birth as it was.

Ms_Piggy_2

I said in my birth plan that I'd accept ventouse but not forceps. The doctor tried to use forceps - without permission - DH said no, I said no and I managed without. Personally I'd rather have a section. Forceps are safe in the hand of experienced doctors - but you are unlikely to know how experienced the doctor is.

The DM story is extreme - most cases of damage are to the mother - bowel, bladder or vaginal.

loopy_lass

i had forceps without them asking me but hey my daughter was at risk... also it did more damage to me than her. everyone is different and parents will do anything to save their children x

hth loops

kindofagilr

I dont like the amount of people here who have had them without being asked, I would hate to think they do that to me!

I was a forceps baby however.