Would a forceps delivery be painful for my baby?

Nowadays forceps deliveries are categorised into three types: the reasonably common low, not so common mid, and even rarer high — dependent on how far down the birth canal the baby has managed to descend without intervention. The forceps are curved to fit the baby’s head and mother’s pelvis. First one, then the other forceps paddle (they resemble metal salad-tongs) is snugly placed along the sides of the baby’s head, ideally covering the ears. Their handles are locked together (they are dove-tailed so they act like a cage that protects the baby’s head from pressure in the birth canal), and the baby is pulled as the mother pushes with her contractions. The baby may be born with red marks on its head from the forceps’ blades, but they disappear soon after delivery.