Should forceps be avoided?

claireac

kindofagilr wrote: »

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.

But when it comes to getting your baby out safely you do what you have to..................

My first was a forceps birth in similar circumstances to brians daughter. It was a case of he needed to be out, and he needed to be out now. Yes it hurt, yes I needed stitches afterwards but most importantly my son wasn't brain damaged or worse and is now a strapping 20yr old.

What you need to remember is that you only hear of these things when they go wrong.

ncsmummy

When I was in labour with my eldest he was in distress and needed to be delivered asap. They tried using a ventouse but it didnt work so he was delivered using forceps. He ended up with a nasty cut on his eye but other than that he was fine. I didnt really have a chance to think abot whether I was happy for them to be used - all I wanted was my baby out safely and quickly.

maryjane01

That is a tragic story, I feel so much for the parents.

My 7 month old son was born using kjeillands forceps. I didn't know anything about them until my 8 week check when the GP mentioned something about how it must have been a tough birth. I was preped for a section so had just been given a spinal so perhaps that was a good thing I didn't feel it after reading the article.

I can believe arrogance of the consulant contributed to the death. The midwives that attended to me on the labour ward were all fantastic, the consultants on the whole young and arrogant. There was one consultant who was very senior and spoke to us like intelligent human beings who we saw for 5 minutes, that is during 27 hours on labour ward. I had planned a home birth and the consultant who delivered my baby by forceps had earlier referred to me disdainfully as 'the home birth woman'.

Our story ended happily, healthy mum and baby. I will definitely consider a home birth again despite not getting the chance this time.

pukkamum

My Dh has two big scars on his head from forceps being used at his birth, admittedly it was a long time ago and hopefully the instruments aren't quite as damamge inflicting but it made me determined NOT to let them use them on my baby.

Jakesmummy

I had forceps and vontuse used on my first birth, neither worked and ended in an emergency section, the use of the instruments is the worst memory i have of the birth, it just seemed so brutal at the time, he was full of bruises and they had ripped his ear lobe as they were doing it too, my second birth was a planned section mainly for the reason i didnt want to risk needing these instruments tbh! but yes at the time you will do whatever it takes to get the baby out!

clairec79

maryjane01 wrote: »

I can believe arrogance of the consulant contributed to the death.

It wasn't a consultant in the story mentioned, that's what makes it worse

Sexy_Em

I don't know what I'd do if that happened to me...

With less than 4 weeks to go I'm now papping myself!

I'm going to talk to my midwife about this this afternoon, I would want to make an informed decision.

I can't believe the poor woman thought she was signing for a c section

Equaliser123

clairec79 wrote: »

It wasn't a consultant in the story mentioned, that's what makes it worse

In our (very recent!) experience, there wasn't a consultant anywhere near the non-SCBU maternity department. House Officers and Registrars. To be fair, they all seemed very competent if massively busy.

Bubby

feelinggood wrote: »

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.

I agree there are alot of risks attatched to a c section (more in the case of an emergency than an elective) but despite all of the evidence I gathered after my first traumatic birth which ended in an emergency c section I have never come across anything linked to breastfeeding? (and I breast fed for 6 months;))

kindofagilr

claireac wrote: »

But when it comes to getting your baby out safely you do what you have to..................

My first was a forceps birth in similar circumstances to brians daughter. It was a case of he needed to be out, and he needed to be out now. Yes it hurt, yes I needed stitches afterwards but most importantly my son wasn't brain damaged or worse and is now a strapping 20yr old.

What you need to remember is that you only hear of these things when they go wrong.

Yes I totally agree, I wouldnt refuse the forceps but it worries me how many people have had them and not known it, but at the same time I woild of coruse be very grateful if them doing that to me asap saved my baby