DISADVANTAGES/RISKS FOR BABY – FORCEPS
- Forcep marks will be evident on the baby’s head, mainly over the cheek bone. These vary from deep indentations to superficial bruising.
- Occasionally there is damage to baby’s facial nerves.
- From observations on a Post-Natal Ward, and what Parents report, it is obvious that these babies must have a substantial headache. They are often quite irritable and unsettled.
- Increase in jaundice (due to the bruising)
- Difficult to establish with breastfeeding.
- Very rarely, the baby can sustain a broken clavicle as a result of forcepsDisadvantages/Risks for Baby – Ventouse
- The cap doesn’t always adhere to the baby’s head and there may be several attempts to apply the cap correctly.
- If the cap cannot be fitted correctly and keeps coming off then forceps would be applied
- These babies generally have a cephalhaematoma (a large collection of blood on top of baby’s head). This can take several weeks to be absorbed.
- Given the above, these babies clearly have a headache.
- These babies are also very irritable and can be difficult to establish with breastfeeding.
- Increase in jaundice (due to the bruising).
Research suggests that for women, a ventouse delivery may be a more gentle option than forceps. For babies, both forceps and ventouse come with risks.
For babies delivered with forceps, they also have an increased risk of specific birth injuries, including:
- Skull fractures
- Minor external eye trauma
- Seizures
- Minor facial injuries
- Nerve injuries
- Facial palsy
- Bleeding within the skull