Vacuum-Assisted Delivery: Care Instructions

Overview

Sometimes a baby needs a little help when coming through the vagina during delivery. When this happens, the doctor may use a device called a vacuum extractor to help deliver the baby. This is called a vacuum-assisted delivery.

The cup-shaped extractor applies a gentle suction to the top of the baby's head and holds the baby in place. The vacuum extractor prevents the baby's head from moving back up the vagina between contractions. And it can be used to help you push during contractions.

Your body will slowly heal in the next few weeks.

Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.

How can you care for yourself at home?

Taking care of your body

• Use pads instead of tampons for bleeding. After birth, you will have bloody vaginal discharge. You may also pass some blood clots that shouldn't be bigger than an egg. Over the next 6 weeks or so, your bleeding should decrease a little every day and slowly change to a pinkish and then whitish discharge.
• For cramps or mild pain, try an over-the-counter pain medicine, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). Read and follow all instructions on the label.
• To ease pain around the vagina or from hemorrhoids:
  • Put ice or a cold pack on the area for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin.
  • Try sitting in a few inches of warm water (sitz bath) when you can or after bowel movements.
  • Clean yourself with a gentle squeeze of warm water from a bottle instead of wiping with toilet paper.
  • Use witch hazel or hemorrhoid pads (such as Tucks).
• If you have stitches, they will dissolve on their own and don't need to be removed. Follow your doctor's instructions for cleaning the stitched area.
• Ease constipation by drinking plenty of fluids and eating high-fiber foods. Ask your doctor or midwife about over-the-counter stool softeners.
• Try using a cold compress for sore and swollen breasts. And wear a supportive bra that fits.
• Eat a variety of healthy foods, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. Keep taking your prenatal vitamins, or take a multivitamin.

Activity

• Rest when you can. Ask for help from family or friends when you need it.
• When you feel ready, try to get some exercise every day. For many people, walking is a good choice. Don't do any heavy exercise until your doctor or midwife says it's okay.
• Ask your doctor or midwife when it is okay to have vaginal sex.
  • If you don't want to get pregnant, talk to your doctor or midwife about birth control options. You can get pregnant even before your period returns. Also, you can get pregnant while you are breastfeeding.

Emotional health

• It's normal to have some sadness, anxiety, and mood swings after delivery. It may help to talk with a trusted friend or family member. You can also call the Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262) for support. If these mood changes last more than a couple of weeks, talk to your doctor or midwife.

When should you call for help?

Share this information with your partner, family, or a friend. They can help you watch for warning signs.

Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:

• You feel you cannot stop from hurting yourself, your baby, or someone else.
• You passed out (lost consciousness).
• You have chest pain, are short of breath, or cough up blood.
• You have severe vaginal bleeding. You have soaked through one or more pads in an hour, and the bleeding is not slowing down.
• You have a seizure.

Where to get help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

If you or someone you know talks about suicide, self-harm, a mental health crisis, a substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress, get help right away. You can:

• Call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
• Call 1-800-273-TALK ( 1-800-273-8255).
• Text HOME to 741741 to access the Crisis Text Line.

Consider saving these numbers in your phone.

Go to 988lifeline.org for more information or to chat online.

Contact your doctor or midwife now or seek immediate medical care if:

• You have signs of hemorrhage (too much bleeding), such as:
  • Heavy vaginal bleeding. This means that you are soaking through one or more pads in an hour. Or you pass blood clots bigger than an egg.
  • Feeling dizzy or lightheaded, or you feel like you may faint.
  • Feeling so tired or weak that you cannot do your usual activities.
  • A fast or irregular heartbeat.
  • New or worse belly pain.
• You have signs of infection, such as:
  • A fever.
  • Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness from an incision or wound.
  • Frequent or painful urination or blood in your urine.
  • Vaginal discharge that smells bad.
  • New or worse belly pain.
• You have symptoms of a blood clot in your leg (called a deep vein thrombosis), such as:
  • Pain in the calf, back of the knee, thigh, or groin.
  • Swelling in the leg or groin.
  • A color change on the leg or groin. The skin may be reddish or purplish, depending on your usual skin color.
• You have signs of preeclampsia, such as:
  • Sudden swelling of your face, hands, or feet.
  • New vision problems (such as dimness, blurring, or seeing spots).
  • A severe headache.
• You have signs of heart failure, such as:
  • New or increased shortness of breath.
  • New or worse swelling in your legs, ankles, or feet.
  • Sudden weight gain, such as more than 2 to 3 pounds in a day or 5 pounds in a week.
  • Feeling so tired or weak that you cannot do your usual activities.
• You had spinal or epidural pain relief and have:
  • New or worse back pain.
  • Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness at the injection site.
  • Tingling, weakness, or numbness in your legs or groin.

Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor or midwife if:

• Your vaginal bleeding isn't decreasing.
• You feel sad, anxious, or hopeless for more than a few days.
• You are having problems with your breasts or breastfeeding.