Vacuums, Forceps and Birth: What Every Parent Should Know About Assisted Deliveries - 260

Curious about assisted deliveries? In this episode of The Pulling Curls Podcast, Hilary Erickson, The Pregnancy Nurse®, sits down with Dr. Tori O'Daniel, a board-certified OB GYN, to demystify vacuum and forceps deliveries. They explain when and why these tools might be used, how they work, the differences between them, and what you can expect if your delivery needs a little extra help. They also bust some common myths and share real-life experiences (including Hilary’s own forceps story), plus get honest about risks, benefits, and postpartum recovery tips. Whether you’re prepping for birth or just want to be informed, this episode has all you need to feel more confident about your options.

Big thanks to our sponsor Laborie, makes of the Kiwi® Complete Vacuum Delivery System: https://www.laborie.com/product/kiwi/

Today's guest is DDr. Tori O’Daniel. She is a Board-Certified OB/GYN whom has been practicing for 14 years. For the past 11 years she has been an OB/GYN Hospitalist in OKC, Oklahoma. Dr. O’Daniel is the Medical Director for the OB Hospitalist and women’s services. She also is the Medical Director for Women’s Health Services at Mercy Hospital. She instructs educational classes and facilitates the OB Emergency Simulations for the nurses and physicians within her department. As an Adjunct Faculty at Oklahoma State University, she is the Director of the Medical Student Clinical rotations at her institution.

She has been actively involved in the Society of OB/GYN Hospitalists (SOGH) for the past several years. She co-chaired the Simulation committee in 2020 & 2021 and Co-Chaired the ACM 2022 & 2023. She currently serves on the Board of Directors.

Dr. O’Daniel is passionate about education and advocating for women’s safety in health care. Thus, she actively teaches across the country about vacuum assisted deliveries, treating post partum hemorrhage and other OBGYN Emergencies.

Links for you:

Previous episode sponsored by Laborie (#246) about plus size moms in labor: https://www.pullingcurls.com/246-plus-size/

Timestamps:

00:00 Assisted Delivery and Labor Mechanics

03:22 Assisted Vaginal Delivery Options

06:26 Decline of Forceps in Deliveries

10:38 Vacuum-Assisted Delivery Explained

13:54 Vacuum Procedure Timing Guidelines

16:10 Assessing Delivery Options and Pelvic Adequacy

19:26 Challenges in C-section Deliveries

23:15 Forcep Use in Obstetrics

25:50 "Consent Challenges in Childbirth Decisions"

31:43 Forceps vs. Vacuum Delivery Risks

33:16 Birthing Risks: Maternal and Fetal

37:24 Considerations for Assisted Vaginal Delivery

39:56 Navigating Birth Plan Conversations

44:07 Normalize Asking for Help

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