Okay, it has been established that my baby will be at least 8 pounds, maybe more at birth. Now, I've been planning for a natural birth, but now I just don't see how that would be possible. I'm 5 feet tall and weighed 95 pounds prepregnancy. What experiences have you had delivering a big baby, especially if you're petite just like me? Thanks, Mamas!
Actually being petite doesn't matter. It's all about how well your hips separate in preparation for birth and if you dilate fully and correctly. A number of very small women give birth to really large babies with no problems and some large-framed women have to have c-sections. 8lbs isn't too bad -now if you're talking over 10, they may want to do a c-section, but unfortunately from most experience I know of, they're often off a bit when estimating weight. I have a friend who is tiny who had a 10.5 pounder and a friend who is really large who had a 9.5 pounder and they both had terrible problems. However I know a woman who is about your size who had an 11 pound baby -yes -11 pounds! -in about 4 hours. I would just wait until I went into labor and have two plans established in your head (once you get into labor and delivery things will change, but it's nice to have an idea of what you want). Be prepared to get an epidural and be prepared for a c-section if things have to be that way, but other than that -think positively, prepare to give birth using whatever natural method you want to use, and go for it!
Hi Ana,
I agree with Julie. I was your size prepregnancy also. I had two girls 8lbs 7oz and 8lbs 5oz. Emily who was 8lbs 7oz couldn't be delivered naturally because of my hips and her head. She couldn't crown. Lydia however would have been easy to deliver given that she was built differently. However where I was living at the time, a VBAC was not allowed. (archaic, huh...) Two plans is the best way to go. Research all you can. Keep asking questions. Know your body and enjoy this time.
God bless and congratulation!
Mimi
P.S. My husband was 12 pounds and a two footer!!!
I was concerned about whether or not I would be able to have a natural birth as I was 115lbs and 5'2". The doctor finally decided to perform a scheduled cesarian when my little one was a week overdue. I had been hoping to have a natural delivery, and previously the doctor thought I could, but I just wasn't dilating and the baby was breech. After the procedure, the doctor looked at me and said, "it's a good thing we did the cesarian because you NEVER would have pushed her out." My daughter was 8lbs 10oz. and nearly two feet long! If you can have a natural delivery, that's great, but don't feel bad if you can't. The most important thing is the health an well-being of you and that precious little one you are about to meet. Good luck to you both!
I will talk to your doctor about your concern but I think size does not matter is how your body is develop inside you COngratulations
CONGRATS!!! I'm 5'4" (mostly legs, short-waisted), my first was 9 lbs 10 oz. I had her at home and didn't tear. Just listen to your body, BREATHE, and let go of control. Once labor starts, your express participation is not really all that necessary until your body tells you it's time to bear down to push out the baby. Yes, it will take a while, but your recovery will not be as difficult as a c-section. YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!
I would talk you your dr. about what is expected after you go past the EDD, the practice may have steps they HAVE to take due to their 'policy'. it's called an ESTIMATE for a reason, but everyone has different gestation times. I went 42 weeks.
Also, position makes a HUGE difference.
I have had 2 babies, 7'12 and 7'13. I know it doesn't sound big but I am very small and petite too. After having an unplanned c section with the first baby, I was planning on going as natural as possible and had hired a doula with the second. I did this after talking to people and being encouraged that it IS TOTALLY POSSIBLE to have a beautiful, natural birth even with a "big" baby. I know ladies who have done it. So I say GO FOR IT!! It really has everything to do with your bones and his head and nothing to do with overall size. So I wish you the best!! Let me know what happens.
My kids where both large , one had to be pulled out by forcups the other one had to be c sectioned out. first one was 8lbs 4 oz , the second was 9lb 5oz. 9 days early. They were both too large for me to push out with out help. the bigger one's head was too big to come out so he got stuck in the birth canal,his lungs were full of fluid and he was in NICU for a week. I don't want to scare you but yes you may have to have help. I wouldn't put an absolute on no drugs because you may indeed need them my first labor was all back labor so my contractions never stopped I had no space to breath between them.
I say deffinately try for it but don't put having pain meds out as an option if you need them. Also dont labor on your back, side or try walking around it does help but it was not allowed to because they wanted to keep me on monitors.
The size of you has nothing to do whether you can birth a big baby or not. I've known people (I go to the OB twice a week and am pregnant as well) that are very petite and small like you and have birthed 11 pound babies naturally just fine. It just depends on your 'makeup' of your hips and so forth.
Some people just birth big babies. Although I'm not one of them, I have a friend who had a 9 pound 6 ounce baby for her very first child. Her sisters and mother just birth big babies.
You should be totally fine. I pushed for 3 1/2 hours with my first and he was almost 7 1/2 pounds and they thought he would be over 8 pounds. Remember, the ultrasounds aren't 100% accurate, even with today's time. I'm pregnant with my 5th and it's never been accurate...maybe within a half of a pound.
Dont forget...whatever the estimate of your baby's weight is, it's just that...an estimate.
Supposedly I was going to have a small baby...7 lbs estimate. She was 8lb4oz
Dont get nervous. Forget whatever horror stories you've heard. Relax your muscles(so that your uterus can relax too) and do what your body was made to do!
I've had two big babies, and am not a big person. Birth is the same whether you have big babies or not! My son was over 9 pounds, my daughter was 8 and a half pounds. I gave birth to both of them at home with a midwife, safe and sound.
On all fours is a great position to help open up, we ended up on my back pulling the knees way up by my ears to get my son's head unstuck from my pelvis, but it had nothing to do with him being big, he just had a huge head (15 inches) that was positioned against my pelvis rather than under it.
You can do it, and you can do it naturally, your body doesn't make a baby that isn't able to come out, trust that! Stick with your plan, and don't let the doctors scare you. good luck to you!
My daughter was 10 lbs, 15 oz...I did end up having a c-section but tried to push for awhile (with no luck). Don't worry! It's fun to tell big baby stories afterwards. :)
Good luck and enjoy every moment!
Danielle
Hi Ana,
If your heart is set on a natural birth and you have a good midwife, it will be no problem. I was your same size and had a completely natural birth that lasted 24hrs. This included 5 full hours of pushing! Just have your babies heartrate monitored occassionaly and as long as he/she is good, and you then keep going. The best thing that helped me was sitting in the whirlpool. I spent most of my time there. For me, she came when she was ready. I did have to get a episotomy to prevent tearing so bad but I had that healed in a few days (let me know later if you need that info:)) She ended up being 7.7lbs but the procedure would have been the same if she was 10lbs. Good for you for being strong! Let us know:) Many blessings!
I just had a 9lbs 5oz baby all natural. Your size on the outside is not relative to your insides and how much you'll stretch. My mother is a normal-size woman and has delivered two 11 plus lbs babies. I'd suggest going into labor with the idea of natural childbirth and then taking a wait and see approach. It is not unmotherly to have pain medicine during childbirth- and I'm all for no medication- so don't feel bad if you do require it. Also, an epidural is not your only choice. I've had pain medication in my IV that takes the edge off the contractions without making me totally numb. Good Luck!!
hi ana,
your doctor will be better able to judge this, but really what matters is your bone structure...sounds like the baby may just be too big, and you might want to consider a c-section...rather than wait until you go through labor and then end up with one anyway...my first child was 8lbs 2oz...and breech...so i found out the day before he was born that i had to have a c-sec. i was upset, at first, but it really was the safest way to have him. once i got over the fact that the birth wasn't going to be as i had planned, i was okay with it...and he was born without complication. that's better than forceps, vaccum, etc...and then sometimes emergency section...talk to your doctor...and good luck!
Well, this always frustrates me because the doctors should know that an 8 pound baby is too big for a tiny girl l ike you. My friend went through this recently and they took him 2 weeks early so she could atleast have a chance and even then it was pretty rough but she did it. I, on the other hand, had two babies both preemies and very small so I never had this problem. Talk to your Dr. There is nothing worse than going through 20 h ours of labor and 'still' getting a c section.
On a positive note, my best friend had her baby at the same time I did and she is tiny, not short but very small framed and had an 8 pound baby but she had a pretty long tear. She was still thankful she had him naturally. So you would be surprised what your body can do!!
Talk to your Dr.
Goodluck
Just so you know... studies have shown that a mother's estimate of her baby's size is much more accurate than the doctor's. Don't let them psych you out, girl! You can do it! Most OBs would prefer to do a C-section on ANY patient and many are manipulative. I say get a doula and a midwife and your chances of having the birth that you desire are far greater! I switched providers at 37 weeks and had mine totally natural (although it was a 28 hour process).
I've had some very big babies. 10 pounds 5 ounces, 9 pounds 7 ounces, 10 pounds 10 ounces, and 9 pounds 5 ounces. The first 3 were delivered regular and the 4th was c-section. I am a much bigger person than you. I am 5 foot 8 and I usually weigh around 200 pounds. It sounds like your baby may be huge for you. Now, by natural birth did you mean with no meds or just a vaginal birth. I'd recommend getting induced into labor ASAP before the baby gets bigger. Take the epidural. It doesn't hurt the baby and btw, no one gives you a gold medal for being able to endure lots of suffering. (I don't get my dental work done without pain relief...why would I produce a human being with no pain relief) I did fine delivering my huge babies with the help of pain relief. Well, the first one I was in labor 20 hours and then I was tired. They said, "You have to keep pushing or we'll have to do a c-section." I was so mad, to think I did all that work for 20 hours and they wanted to send me to surgery. I had them get him out with forceps. The middle children were a breeze. Labor cut in half each time. For me, the c-section recovery was the easiest hormone-wise. But it is real surgery. Depending on how old you are and how many kids you want to have, I'd try to avoid a c-section if you plan a lot more babies. Once a c-section doesn't necessarily mean always a c-section...but it could. You have to make the decision based on what your doctor tells you. Good luck.
Ultrasounds are so notoriously inaccurate for sizing estimates, and way more likely to OVERestimate than to underestimate, that I would be leery of making a big decision based on that. I've even talked to pro-natural birth, pro-midwife practices that don't even do them. I had two almost 7-pound twins completely naturally, and then my next OB (we had moved) wanted to schedule a C-section for my son without even trying labor b/c an ultrasound told her he was 8.5 lbs 3 weeks out -- it turned out he weighed just that much when he was born 3 weeks later.
Also, there are benefits to the time you spend in labor even if you eventually have a C-section. Going through contractions does a lot to get the baby ready for the big, bad world out here, and I think I would feel like at least I had given it a try that way.
Best of luck! The best advice I got for my first birth was to keep an open mind about it all. Also, if you happen to live in the Atlanta area, I can recommend some great doulas. Whether you end up hiring one or not, they could give you some great info even on the phone.
Valerie
Ana
Please know this is not to scare you!!! My sister is very petite and seems to have a similar build to you. She has a very small bone structure and is roughly 5'1" at the most! Her first child was a normal delivery. She did it naturally and my neice was maybe 6lbs. Her second child was a big baby. If I am not mistaken he was over 8lbs. He had a tough time. He eventually got stuck in the birth canal and had to be "removed" as quickly as possible. There was no room for the doctor to get her fingers or hands in to assist so they had to make room. My poor sisiter!!! My nephew actually ended up with a broken colar bone and a very buised face. The doctor was also my choice for OB/GYN so I trust her very much and her decisions. It was just one of those moments. With this being your first pregnancy, I understand the desire to deliver naturally. I feel it is best for both mom and baby too. However, you have to accept reality at some point and weigh your options. If it is going to add unneeded pain and worry, then ask for a c-section. I know many women who have had one and their children are perfectly normal and healthy. I know delivering small children is not easy and it was very painful. I could not imagine what my sister had to go through without the help of any drugs. Everything happened too soon for her to opt out! Best of luck and again...do not be afraid!! You are the mom and you already know what is best for you and your baby. It honestly comes natural. Women have been having babies much longer than either of us can imagine. Our bodies are amazing and can do amazing things when pushed to that limit!!