Im I to small to give birth vaginally?

Question

I am 5'1" and my husband is 6'4". I really want a vaginal birth. I am wondering if because of his size the baby will be bigger, or if because of my size it will be difficult for me to have a vaginal birth. What do you think or know? Thanks

Answer 1

It doesn't matter if you are petite or short or slender. What matters is the size of the baby's head and the woman's pelvis. God rarely makes a baby too big to leave it's mother's body naturally, so I wouldn't worry a bit.

Petite women naturally have babies with smaller frames. Tall and large-boned women tend to give birth to bigger babies. Nature makes the necessary adjustments.

Even the baby's weight shouldn't worry you, so don't freak out if in your 9th month your doctor tells you that baby might be 9 pounds or more (ultrasounds aren't a perfect science anyway). Again, remember, it's not the weight of the baby but other factors that determine your birth outcome.

My petite neighbor gave birth vaginally to a 10 pound girl with absolutely no problems, and my mother is only 5'2" and my sister weighed over 9 pounds at birth.

Answer 2

I am 5' 2" and I was too small, my baby was 8 lbs. flat, I tried for 3 hours pushing following 18 hours of labor, unfortunately it wasn't until then that it was realized I had CPD (cephalopelvic disproportion). In my case it was a bit of the combo between the baby AND my pelvis which we discovered through ultrasounds was too narrow. But normally the pelvis does have a lot of give, it's rather rubbery I guess.

I don't know if this was because I was too small framed, I doubt it was, because I have seen women twice my size have the same problem. It just depends on how well your body responds to having a baby. I was just one of those rare cases where I thank the doctors for giving me a c section, for which had I not had one, both the baby and I would not have made it.

I suppose it is worth a shot trying, but eventually you have to do what you have to do. Might I add that trying to push a baby that does not fit... is no picnic! Some things, like bone pain, an epideral can not even soften. Good Luck though! Be comfortable knowing many women do not go through what I went through.

Answer 3

Generally, your body will produce a baby relative to its size. If you're a petite 5'1" it's fairly unlikely you'll end up with a 12 pound infant, know what I mean? ;)

That said, newborn size is far from indicative of adult height and weight. Certainly, there are correlations, but your husband being tall in no way implies your baby will be equally-so ... at least not when it's born! A better measure would be your and your husband's sizes at BIRTH. Were you an overly-large infant? Was he? If you were both of average size, it's likely your child will be as well.

Hope that helps alleviate some fears. ;)

Edited to add: I am about 5'7" (not short, but not exactly tall either LOL), and our last daughter was 10 pounds 10 ounces at birth ... much to our surprise (I'd only gained 20 pounds, and no gestational diabetes or anything). With my midwife's help, she was born completely naturally without even a scratch, much less a tear. So like the women above have assured you, it has little to do with your outward size, and your baby is specifically made to fit inside -- and out of -- YOUR body, so I wouldn't worry. ;)

Answer 4

Neither your nor your husband's height will have much impact on the birth method of your baby. There are many factors involved, and you really won't know for sure until it's time. Either things progress satisfactorily and you and your doctor agree to a vaginal birth, or they don't, and you end up with a C-Section. Either way, as long as the baby and mom are both healthy, that's all that matters. Try not to dwell too much on creating the perfect birth scenario in your mind - it really is something that you have little control over, and no matter how you plan it out, it's very unlikely to proceed that way. Just relax, enjoy your pregnancy, and acknowledge that you will take the labor as it comes.

Answer 5

No! You won't be too small to give birth vaginally! ... Don't let anyone tell you that you are!

Most midwives will tell you that a woman's body doesn't produce a baby that's too big for a vaginal birth. Gestational diabetes is the one potential exception to that...

My son is supposed to be 6 foot 6 when he grows up, but he was less than 7 lbs when he was born... so just because he might grow to be tall like your husband, it doesn't mean he'll be a big baby...

I've also heard that often, moms will give birth to babies that were about the size they were when they were born. That's proven true among the women I know. So, if you were an average baby, chances are (anecdotally) that your baby will be average-sized, and not huge!

Answer 6

The vagina is very elastic and can stretch quite well to accomodate the birth of a baby. Are you concerned with the pelvic girdle ( span of the pelvis). Contrary to old wives tales
The pelvic girdle is not a fixed, solid structure
During pregnancy and labor the hormone Relaxin softens the ligaments that join the pelvic bones, allowing the pelvis to give and ‘stretch’.
The degree of pelvic expansion achieved will vary from woman to woman and from pregnancy to pregnancy.

Babies’ heads are made up of separate bones which move relative to each other, allowing the baby’s head to ‘mold’ and thus reduce its diameter during passage down the birth canal to contribute to ease of delivery.

Just because your hubby is 6'4" doesn't necessarily mean you will have a large baby either.
My grandmother was only 4'10 and had 12 children!

If you are fearful or are concerned please speak with your OBGYN -- They can answer all your questions in the most positve way

Answer 7

No one really knows what your body is capable of... My sis-in-law gave birth to her son vaginally, and he was (sit down, please) 13lbs, 10ounces... yes, you read that correctly. She's a petite woman, so when he came out we were all like "Holy ****"! But alas, he's here, and now 14 yrs. old. His dad is also a big guy. This doesn't mean that you might have a huge baby, ultimately it's your body's ability and the hopeful correct positioning of the baby in the womb... Don't stress about it, until you get to that time, and by then, your only concern will be a healthy baby.

Answer 8

I am sure you will be fine. The size of parents don't do much as far as the size of the baby. The size difference isn't really seen until later in life. As far as your size goes remember womens hips are made to seperate for a reason. Your hips actually spread when you give birth and though you are small your vagina wouldn't be really small compared to most women. Chances are you will be fine. Of corse the Dr. will have the last word for you.

Answer 9

Height has nothing to do with pelvis size. Pelvis size has little to do with what size baby you can birth, the pelvis expands during pregnancy and particularly during labour -it isn't solid bone. Nor is the babies head solid, it squishes to fit out.

Generally women do not grow babies too big for them to birth. Only with the practice of daytime obstetrics did this become a common diagnosis. The practice of birthing flat on your back doesn't help either as it narrows the pelvic output around 30%

Answer 10

You are not too small. Women's bodies are made to stretch around a baby being born. If your OB thinks the baby is going to be too big and might be in danger, they might opt for a c-section, but whether you give birth vaginally or by c-section, you will still have a beautiful baby afterwards.