Are forceps commonly used in C sections to get the baby out?

[blessedatlast]

Holy crap! I just watched a c section on you tube and they used forceps to reef the baby out! I was HORRIFIED! Please please tell me that's not common practice? I hope my babies weren't reefed out like that! Then the baby was just placed somewhere while they cut the cord. Wasn't held or anything.. Oh dear.. This is so scary! I wish i didn't watch it.. I hate the thought of little Button reefed out then cold and alone.. This is going to bring up so much trauma, and thinking what my twins went through With the twins i didn't know better. Now I am far more educated. I wish I could have a peaceful homebirth and have no one touch my baby but ME!!!

[wysiwyg]

My DD was c-section and forceps were used, I was given the impression that they aren't used that commonly in c-sections only when bubs is really stuck - my DD was so stuck you heard the pop when they pulled her out. The forceps was noted on all my birth notes and a few people commented so I assume it isn't common but I could be wrong.

[starangelk]

Forceps were used in my c-section too but I also got the impression that this is def not the norm. The ob explained to us why he used them and then came to see us in the hospital and checked for any marks on DD and explained again why he needed to use them. DD was also in a strange position and had a really massive head, big enough for him to exclaim in surprise and the midwife to come over and comment the same.

[Saffy]

it definately is the norm sorry girls, its usually done because its too hard ( and slippery)to grab the baby's head with hands, also the cut isn't very long and too small for the dr to get their both hands in (sorry if this is tmi). The just gently lift the babies head out rather than yank if it is any consolation xx

[blessedatlast]

it definately is the norm sorry girls, its usually done because its too hard ( and slippery)to grab the baby's head with hands, also the cut isn't very long and too small for the dr to get their both hands in (sorry if this is tmi). The just gently lift the babies head out rather than yank if it is any consolation xx

It didn't look gentle.. The forceps scare the life out of me.. Their heads are so little, how could it not hurt and damage them??

[wysiwyg]

I know with DD - it wasn't gentle because she was so stuck - but she was fine and they had to get her out - maybe the birth you saw today was similar and the bub was very stuck. I myself was a vaginal birth but with forceps and my head according to my mum was shaped like a banana for a few days afterwards - but all was good.

[{sarah}]

No forceps for either of mine.

[RainbowBrite]

it definately is the norm sorry girls, its usually done because its too hard ( and slippery)to grab the baby's head with hands, also the cut isn't very long and too small for the dr to get their both hands in (sorry if this is tmi). The just gently lift the babies head out rather than yank if it is any consolation xx

That may explain a discussion i had with some prem mums...they all said (me included) that their scars are really long I wonder if that is because they do use their hands instead?

[Arimeh]

They used forceps to get DS out. I'd have to double check with dh if my OB with dd1 did cos I can't remember and don't have that bit on video.

You would be horrified to see the birth of DS, my then OB yanked him out with the forceps then turned his head to see the camera - it is just gruesome. DS needed 9 months of chiro to fix his neck up after his birth.

[Danielle_NZ]

I've had three c-sections and they were used in my second because he had descended and was stuck *birth canal doesn't fit my babies large heads*

The other two didn't need forceps, so no I don't think it's common practice unless needed.

[RainbowBrite]

Forceps when not used for either of my c-sections.
They where very gentle getting them out...DD3 was stuck (footling breech, foot in cervix) so they gave me a classical rather than pull her out....once they where out they where handed to the MW while the cord was cut then taken to the table to be worked on (XDH saw not me).
I would think that they would be less inclined then normal to use forceps on such a prem baby.
Their sculls are still so soft and skin is so thin and prone to abrasions.
I think you can be quite confident that your boys where handled with care.

[black_rose]

Dd was breech and pulled out by her feet. She was 34 weeks and placed straight under warming lights in a crib while dh cut her cord and the pead gave her a check before I cuddled her.

[aussienic]

I had 3 c/s and 1 natural.. for my 2nd c/s Ds3 was breech. Forceps were used to guide him out. No forceps were used on my head down bubbas.

I saw a vid on youtube once for a breech c/s and I actually cried watching it thinking of what my little man went through. But I have seen other videos where they use forceps for head down as well.. Maybe ask your Dr what they plan on doing..

I think it looks rough either way they do it.. forceps or not..

[blessedatlast]

Thanks for the replies everyone.. I don't know if I want to know what my doctor does. They say knowledge is power, but maybe ignorance is bliss?? No seriously, I will ask, even if I am afraid of the answer.. I would DEFINITELY prefer to have a longer scar than forceps used.. It's just so clinical and cold.. I guess a c section kind of is anyway, but I hate the thought of the 1st thing touching my baby is metal..

[Gigi]

It's just so clinical and cold.. I guess a c section kind of is anyway, but I hate the thought of the 1st thing touching my baby is metal..

i felt the exact same way. i remember having stuff explained in the antenatal classes, and it made me feel so glad that i was having a homebirth, so i kept thinking "this will never happen in our situation", so i kept myself ignorance about the c-section stuff, as i was so focused on our homebirth. then in the situation, the homebirth had to be transferred to hospital via ambo, then EVERY medical intervention you can think of, was done.

So after 29 hours of labour, i was being asked to make decisions, using jargon i had no knowledge of, for 7 hours of medical intervention, before i was finally badgered into an emerg c-section, which again, when i was asked "do you want x or y", because i had not educated myself about c-section stuff, i had no knowledge of the jargon, the implications of my choices (made at the 37 hours of labour mark, so i was sooo tired).

I really wish i had learnt about all potential parts of having a baby, instead of ONLY about homebirth. I wished my midwife was there to guide me thru the hospital part. so many decisions (so i could have had an empowered emergency c-section). i didn't have a clue and was so ignorant of what they were talking about, and so exhausted.

i wanted the first thing to touch my baby, to be MY hands, or her daddy's hands. For her, to do the breastcrawl on my body, to get her first drink. Warm up using my warmth. But her first touch was forceps, vantuse, hands of strangers, then resus equipment, then the ICU isolette.

[Me+him+bub]

forceps were used with my son's c section too, i only know this because I heard him ask the nurse for them! then it took a lot of pulling and pressure for about 10 mins and he was out. he did have a mark on his head and his hair grows slightly funny in that spot now but I had nurses take the photos for me the minute he was born and he was ok he had 2 nurses cleaning him off and swaddling him, He hardly cried! I honestly didnt mind. the visual picture can be disturbing but so can the visual picture of some vaginal births!

[ferrals5]

My C section the specialist went to use the suction cap(venthouse) but little miss was so compacted in my belly as i had a little tight belly that when they pushed on the top of my belly to move her down she popped out all by herself i only had a little cut and bub was handed straight to the midwives to be cleaned up before going to DH.
I dont see the use forceps to bad if used gently and i was told that the doctors are a little rough as it helps bub expel the fluid in them that is normally squeezed out during birth through the birth canal natural birth can be pretty truamatic on bubs head also and all bubs heads settle down after a few days.

[entreat]

They were on hand in my c-section (I can see them in the photos laying on my leg...) but they weren't used. Jack was partially descended, so I guess it's a matter if they have room to get their hands in there to move the baby where they need.

ETA: I think the middy pushed jack back up into my uterus with her hand.