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

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!!!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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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

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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??

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.

No forceps for either of mine.

No forceps used in mine either.

Forceps were not used in my c-section.

Janie xxx

They used forceps in my c-section. I think they were saying his head was stuck behind something...my placenta maybe? I had placenta previa though. Afterwards his head was a little mishappen but snaps back into place in no time since the skull is so soft.

I have a tiny neat scar, so I think it goes along with what saffy was saying as i was surprised at how short my scar was and found it hard to believe they pulled a baby out of there, but maybe thats another part of the reason they used forceps in my DS's birth cos the incision was so short.

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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

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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?

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.

Yes, forceps were used in mine.
And yes, 3 different obs (at different hospitals) have told me that forceps are somewhat a matter of routine, but I get the impression that is more to do with the Ob preferences and training themselves, than the procedure, itms.

I think what doesn't look gentle, in terms of augmented extraction, and what is actually rough, though vary largely from simply watching it. As in, although it looks hideous, sometimes it actually isn't that rough in respect to the pressure being used. My DH was horrified when they used the vacuum to extract DD2, although that was actually a very gentle extraction.

HTH :)

ETA: The incision for a cs is only about 4inches, and you are pulled open using retractors, so when you think about it, getting a full sized male hand in there, let alone two, to retrieve a very slippery, moving being, whilst being gentle and careful etc would be beyond difficult and may lead to tearing etc. Forceps are often a safer option I would imagine, and possibly a trade off for having a small, neat wound site.

i had an emergency c-section, bandl's ring was discovered immediately and then it was a race against time - in which time forceps were tried (failed), vantuse was tried (failed) and then much more robust methods were used to get bilby out by one limb (not breathing, immed to resus table). I was an invalid for months afterwards (could not stand up long enough to butter some bread), couldn't drive for six months. Took a year until i was strong enough to bathe bilby myself.

I have been in theatre for numerous ceaser's at the Royal Women's and Monash Hospitals and forceps were routinely used by all ob's. :dunno:

No forceps used in mine and DD was very transverse. When they opened me up, all they could see was her back and there wasn't much to hold onto. But they didn't use forceps at all.

My scar is tiny too. It amazes me that she even managed to get out of there!

I think it is a matter of training or more OB pride. There was a blog written by a midwife (anon of course) who went into detail about certain births. She hated one of the female OB's who prided herself on how all her patients only had little c-section scars even though this meant that she always had to use forceps. But there could be other reasons than vanity, like length of recovery and smaller scars might be less likely to rupture... :dunno: If the main reason is vanity though, I think given the choice, many women would choose to have the slightly longer scar with no forceps, than to use forceps to have a little scar.

Blessed - It might be worth asking your OB whether they do or not, and if so why. If it's simply for aesthetic purposes, perhaps you can put in your birth plan that you don't mind having a longer scar to avoid the use of forceps.

No forceps with mine BTW, and a do have a fairly long scar - about 6 inches.

My Ob used forceps to get DD out as her head was wedged into my pelvis and my lower uterine segment hadn't developed so she was tightly lodged. She had a graze mark on her right temple (just near hear eye) and a big graze on her head which took a couple of weeks to heal.

It didn't look pretty when she was born, but she had no ill affects from the forceps being used.

My Ob indicated that he thinks my c/s will be much easier this time for the twins as my lower segment is fully developed and hopefully Twin A's head doesn't engage before delivery.

I just checked with DH - no forceps used with dd1, however she was up pretty high so my OB was using her forearm to push down on my upper belly area to force her down. She also had another doc on the other side of me doing the same thing.

My scar for both were the same length though? Different methods of closure though.

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..

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..

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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..

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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.

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!

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.

DD2 was breech, and was literally pushing her way out (she'd had enough :lol:), no forceps or much assistance at all was required.

Ok I'm feeling a bit thick after reading this, i have no idea if they used forceps!:redface:
How do you know? Did they tell you, did you ask, did you see them...?

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Ok I'm feeling a bit thick after reading this, i have no idea if they used forceps!:redface:
How do you know? Did they tell you, did you ask, did you see them...?

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DH watched the procedure, we have photos....

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DH watched the procedure, we have photos....

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Oh wow! I didn't think they let partners see past the screen. How cool for you :)

Just wanted to update that with the c/s for the boys last week no forceps were used as they were in good positions for the Ob to just put pressure on the top of my tummy to get them out.

We also have photo's of the whole procedure which one of the theatre staff took for us, it is awesome as in one shot you can see Rhys being delivered (Twin 1) and Liam's membranes bulging out of my tummy before he was delivered. If you can get pic's it is a fantastic thing to have.

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.

They were used for my c/s with DD and I was not happy when I found out. She had distinct marks on her face.

I was a vaginal forceps delivery myself and I still have the dents in my head as an adult. So I'm not sure how 'pliable' a baby's soft skull really is and how much it bounces back. A permanent change to my skull is not something to be disregarded. I also have astigmatism in one eye and was told this is more likely with a forceps delivery (I do have other eye issues though).

There is no way I want forceps near this baby's head, no matter how it's delivered.

Have you had a look at my c-section photos? I love them! The link is in my sig.

How you feel about a c-section is totally up to you. I could mope about how my birth was nothing like I wanted, and all my reading & planning was for nothing. But I don't want to feel that way. Yeah, there are things I would die to change, and things I could have insisted upon more. But I don't think the outcome would have changed. All my paths were leading to the same destination: the operating room.

I can't change any of it, but I have thought long & hard about it, and all I can do is change how I feel about it. I got to experience some really cool things, including the disappointment, at the time. In the end, I had a gorgeous baby - safely. And that was one part of my plan that didn't go off track.

Forceps were not used in my Caesar and my daughter was well and truly stuck! I had one ob pushing her down from above my tummy while the other guided her out. I only have a short scar...

This is the reason I have never watched a Caesar video!!

Entreat - I tried to click on the link, page was just blank. I'm totally fine with having a c section, I just don't want my baby dragged out by forceps. It had never occurred to me that they were used, so I was surprised when I watched the you tube clip and wondered if it was common practice. I am focusing on having a planned positive c section. I think it can be positive it's it not an emergency and everything goes to plan. I've got a bit of a birth plan happening, but I also know that things change and not everything goes to plan. The main thing I am scared of is being separated from my baby. Or my absolute fear is an emergency where I have to have a general..

Blessed - I had a truly amazing experience with my Caesar. It was classed as emergency but really wasn't, I had a number if hours to prepare for it. Hubby and I held hands and laughed and we had the screen let down so we could both watch as our daughter entered thus world. It was simply incredible and oh so beautiful and relaxed.

I wish you all the very best with your Caesar journey but please know it can most certainly be a very positive experience :)

Thank you. Anything will be better than the trauma I suffered last time. :( I'm so scared. Just trying to keep positive!

Emergency C-Section, cord wrapped around the neck 3 times just gentle hands no forceps :) Bub wasn't breathing and they were in a rush to get her out so I don't know if that makes circumstances different?