Babies Tale

Forceps deliveries are carried out after the first stage, when the cervix is fully dilated. Forceps are used if for some reason the baby’s head is not coming down the birth canal or if the baby is in distress and needs to be born rapidly. Premature babies may be delivered by forceps to spare their heads from being too compressed as they come through the birth canal. Forceps are also usually used to protect the baby’s head in a breech birth.

If your baby needs a forceps delivery, you will be asked to lie on your back and your legs will be put into stirrups. You will receive a local anesthetic. An episiotomy will be done to increase the vaginal opening. Forceps will be gently inserted around the baby’s head. Gentle pulling helps the head out. Once the head is born, the rest of the delivery occurs normally. If the baby’s head faces the wrong way, forceps may be used to rotate the baby’s head to help delivery.

Forceps deliveries are very safe and there is little chance of the baby being harmed in any way, although most will have marks on the head from the forceps for a few days after the birth. Forceps deliveries occur more often after a protracted labor where the mother becomes exhausted, where she has had an epidural and cannot feel to push with each contraction or where the baby’s head is large or in the wrong position.

Sometimes a vacuum extractor, also called a ventouse, is used instead of forceps. This is a cup placed on the baby’s head that is operated by a vacuum pump. It can be inserted before the cervix is fully dilated and is used, in conjunction with the mother’s pushing, to deliver the baby. A small circular mark where the cup was placed shows on the baby’s head for a few days after the delivery.

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