[reubthadude]

Couldn't imagine.

[LadyCPlum]

Originally Posted by Desensitisation ↗

That's pretty awful. As a vet, it seems inherently and logically wrong to attach a metal instrument around an infant's head and pull it out; it isn't recommend in any veterinary training I've had. Common sense says that as the pressure of the birth canal increases around the forceps, they are going to collapse onto what they are holding... ie, the baby's head. In the vet world, if you can't deliver by hand alone the natural way, you Ceasar the patient.

Isn't it the smaller dogs, like Papillons, Chihuahuas, Poms, that usually need a little help with sections?

[HeadlessHorseman]

When my son was born they did that and I was so scared. I was talking to the doc asking/telling him I was afraid and to be VERY careful. I was so happy to have my healthy son in my arms when all was done. The weird head shape can and does happen just from passing through the birth canal. They will go to the right shape soon enough.

[HeadlessHorseman]

Originally Posted by Firegirl1 ↗

The happiest day of their lives turned into the worst, poor parents. It's so sad

So true. Sometimes things just don't go right. Hindsight is 20/20 This was normal practice not long ago with more saved than lost.

[quetza]

Forceps have a place, although their use has been on the decline. regardless of what someone says its not inherently and logically wrong to attach a metal instrument around an infants head and pull it out. doctors dont just use them out willy-nilly, there are outlines, indication and prerequisites for their use

operative deliveries (forceps or vacuum) make up 3.5% of all deliveries in the US (Natl Vital Stat Rep. 2013;62) and in recent years the success rate has been high...99% (Natl Vital Stat Rep. 2008;56(13):1) you can say what you want about them, but the numbers arent going to change and they show its quite obvious that they do more good than harm, so i dont know why they are being labelled illogical. either way, nothing is without risk. having a baby at home has its risks, having a baby in your pool has its risks, having your baby while squating in your doorway has its risks, having a baby in a hospital has its risks. people get fixated on the 1% and flip a nut and start shitting bricks and theres no reason to do so. once the risk starts outweighing the benefit then maybe you can start freaking out

[LadyCPlum]

Does anyone know (or think) if vacuum extraction might have been a better way to go?

[quetza]

Originally Posted by LadyCPlum ↗

Does anyone know (or think) if vacuum extraction might have been a better way to go?

impossibly impossible to tell, especially for people not having been there. vacuum vs forcep has its own set of data and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. a few factors that might influence the choice are availability, the degree of maternal anesthesia, and skill with each.

generally speaking, a vacuum is safer than forceps for the mother, while forceps are safer for the fetus (again, generally). vacuums can be applied easier, apply less force to the fetus' head, and result in less tissue damage. forceps are less likely to pop off, can be used on a premature fetus or be used for rotation and result in less bleeding.

interestingly a ****-analysis found that forceps were less likely to fail than a vacuum, but with more maternal trauma. (Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010)

either way, it all depends on the situation and monday morning quarterbacks can say whatever they want but nothing can replace being in the situation at the time it occurred. i'm in no way defending this physician, he could have royally dicked it up and not followed proper procedure. he may have used them when the risk outweighed the benefit, who knows but there definitely is not enough information right now to make that kind of call. but having spoken with a few obstetricians with thousands of deliveries under their belt (including the use of forceps in many) forceps generally leave nothing more than a slight bruise on the babies face. again, theres always a risk but the numbers show that they are successful way more often than not.

there are always going to be horror stories with forceps and vacuums as well the alternative when those are deemed insufficient, which is a c-section. a c-section may be the be-all-end-all of getting your baby out but dont think it doesnt come without substantial risks itself

[quetza]

seriously??!! it censored meta???

[Arkoquisa]

The look on the dad...

[umakemeSICK]

That doctor's a baby killer!! He's going to hell!!