Petite women delivering?

Question

I will be 24 wks tomorrow with my first :D Pretty nervous about delivering.. I'm a very tiny person, 4'10" and pretty thin.. everyone (including my mom, which is pissing me off.. ) keeps tellling me that I'm being silly thinking that I'm capable of a vaginal birth and that I should just accept that a c-section is in my fate.. I DESPERATELY do not want a c-section.. so my question is.. how many of you are very tiny and had no problems delivering vaginally? I would REALLY like some positive feedback :D Thanks a bunch!

Answer 1

Smaller women generally have smaller babies. And just because you're petite doesn't mean you have a pelvis that isn't wide enough to accomodate a baby. Has your doctor raised concerns with the size of your pelvis?

There are lots of small women that have no issues and deliver vaginally. Yes, there are some women who have a small, narrow pelvis and end up needing a c-section, but there are just as many tall women who have a narrow pelvis and end up needing a c-section.

Stay positive, and tell everyone to keep their negative attitudes to themselves. Tell your doctor that you really want to deliver vaginally and in the weeks closer to delivery they will try to estimate how large the baby is and they feel that vaginal delivery is likely.

They will almost always TRY a vaginal delivery. Usually, if a c-section has to happen it's been after there has been a failure of the baby to descend into the pelvis after you've labored and been pushing and it's evident that the baby is not moving any further.

Don't worry - you'll get your shot to prove yourself right! Good luck to you!

Answer 2

I'm 4'11 and I have heard the same thing. My doctor has not mentioned this mess, but everyone else seems to just "know" what they are talking about when you are pregnant. If it were up to everyone else, I would have had my baby at 33 weeks (I am 35 weeks). I wouldn't listen to anyone (other than your doctor) at this point or really, at any point. I also do not want to go through with a c-section but, if I have to, I will. I honestly think that by the time you are 40 weeks you are going to be so ready to have this baby here that it really isn't going to matter. The most important thing is that the baby arrives healthy. Other than this, don't listen to ridiculous people. I did in the beginning (a lot) until they kept proving themselves wrong when I visited the doc. So, don't expect a perfect delivery and don't expect everything to go wrong, just expect to have a baby in your arms at the end of it all.

Answer 3

I had a cesarean, but my sister in law is pretty small, too. She's had three vaginal deliveries without a hitch. I also know a couple of larger women who have had cesareans as well. I don't think that it's very common for a woman to need a cesarean just because she is small. A reading suggestion for you would be "Misconceptions" by Naomi Wolf. She seems to feel that there are other reasons that cesareans are so frequent. I believe that she includes some tips about how to stay in charge of your own birthing experience rather than turning it over to the doctor. Congratulations and good luck!

Answer 4

I'm not tiny built so can't speak from experience but I don't think it matters on the size of the mother, the body is capable of giving birth to a baby so your insides and underneath might be quite supple and strecth really well during labour. I wouldn't rule out natural birth going on your size, i'm sure you will be absolutely fine. If there would be any problems your midwife would tell you so if you have any doubts speak to her that is what she is there for.
My sister is about 5ft 4 and about UK size 8, she gave birth with no stitches to a boy 8lb 4oz! When she has had smears in the past she got told by the nurses that she had small insides and that she would never be able to deliver naturally!! she sure showed them!

Don't worry and good luck to you i'm sure you will be fine!!

Answer 5

If your mother's logic is correct, there must have been several women in a LOT of trouble in the hundreds of thousands of years before medical c- sections.


Your body is designed to deliver a baby, no matter how tiny you are. Out of comfort factor, if it is a very large baby, it may be suggested by a doctor you opt for a c-section, but if you truly feel you would rather deliver vaginally, then stick to your guns . (as long as the baby is not in distress)

Answer 6

They're being silly, not you. Funny - just answered another question about this.

I know a very petite woman - 5 feet nothing, teeny, teeny frame, used to be a thoroughbred race horse jockey...just a tiny little pin. She shot out four good sized babies like it was nothing.

If there was any need for concern, your doctor would have alerted you to it looooong ago.

BTW - she did it with an epidural the first time, but got horrendous migraines from it for a good week afterwards, so she did the next three au naturel. :) And you've got to love/hate that she's now just as tiny as she was after the first one! :)

Unless your doctor has mentioned it, you are just fine. Don't worry about the armchair quarterbacks in your life. :)

Answer 7

A womans size almost never has anything to do with which way she will deliver...of course the exception would be if the baby is over 8lbs...sometimes they will recomend a C-section....I am 5'3" and weigh 95 lbs before birth...and had no problems delivering my 3 kids.

Answer 8

I'm 5'2, slight, and had 2 c-sections - I'd recommend that you stop thinking about it as if it would be the end of the world. Lots of women of all sizes end up having one, and it's a shame if needing something you are so dead set against ruins your experience of welcoming your baby for the first time.

That said...it's not really the weight of the baby that matters, it's the size of the head, and that is something that often runs in families - can you find out whether babies in your family generally have big heads? If they don't, you'll probably be fine.

Answer 9

My mom is 5' and sister 5' 1" both had c-sections. They both weigh under 100 lbs before baby. That doesn't mean that you won't be able to deliver naturally. Everybody is different.
Good Luck ♥ j

Answer 10

I read in "What to expect when you're expecting" that this is not normally a problem. The example they used was Asian women. They typically are small and give birth to smaller babies.. regardless of whether the father is a small man or a linebacker. It is just one of the ways mother Nature solves problems.

I'm in the same boat as you! Don't worry too much.