Am I big enough to give birth?

[Bonge]

Hi everyone,

I know this may sound silly. I'm 31 weeks pregnant and I'm starting to worry, as my MIL repeatedly tells me that I don't have 'birthing hips' and that it'll be difficult for me to give birth naturally? Is this true? Or just an old wives tale?

Surely petite people give birth all the time? She keeps mentioning tears and forceps...

[GummyGoddess]

Some people have a narrow space between hips for baby to get out, but that isn't determined by the external circumference of your hips.

Stop listening to her, being frightened will not help you give birth and it's very cruel of her to keep mentioning these things to you. Some people just enjoy telling horror stories to pregnant women.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

I have ginormous hips and I needs a c section.

Better question is why your MIL is going out of her way to worry you?

[Cupoteap]

She's being a knob ignore her, and realise now there will be lots more 'we'll meaning' comments in the future

[Wolfiefan]

It's bollocks. You can't tell by looking at the outside of a pair of hips how wide the birth canal is inside.

[charley39]

I worried about the same thing but honestly the human body is a wonderful thing. I had an episiotomy but only because my little one decided to keep his hands up by his face. Just ignore negative comments. Everyone suddenly becomes very opinionated when you are pregnant!

[mayhew]

I'm a midwife. If I could tell by looking who would have an easy or difficult birth, it would make all our lives easier!

[Newtothismumthing]

I'm 5 foot with very small hips and was 9 stone the day before I gave birth. I had a scan that estimated my baby to weigh 7lbs something... but he was born 5lbs 12 at 40+2! I gave birth an hour and a half after my waters broke. I had to have an episiotomy but it wasn't the end of the world :) hope that gives you some confidence!

[Acopyofacopy]

It’s complete bollocks, OP, and warrants a comeback along the lines of “are you feeling ok, mil, only you keep telling me this old wives’ tale and people with are prone to get early onset Alzheimer’s?”

Anecdotally, I have very average hips. Tiny ds got stuck and I had to have an emergency caesarean, much bigger dd popped out just fine.

[rascallyrascal]

I have wacking great hips. Needed a section. My friend is a teeny tiny size 8 doll and pushed her massive kids out no probs. Don't worry about it. And ignore MIL.

[Ellieboolou27]

Big wide hips here and 2 sections, my friend at work has 4 natural births and has the figure of a 12 year old - still does actually and her youngest is 13!

[TheBlindspot]

I'm another one with decent size hips, and my baby got properly wedged with a severe shoulder dystocia. C-section for my next birth. I'm a size 14 normally.

My cousin gave birth three weeks before me. She's a size 6 and I'd estimate a maximum of eight stone. Her baby was nearly 8lbs and slid out nicely.

No way of knowing. If your healthcare team truly thought you'd have such issues you'd be booked in for a section.

You - and your DH most importantly - need to tell your MIL to wind her neck in sharpish and stop with the stupid comments.

[Aprilmightmemynewname]

I was barely a size 8 and pushed a 9-3 ds out in less than 3 hours!!

[appleblossomtree]

I'm tiny, had a natural birth (big baby and no tear)

[gillybeanz]

Its bollocks.
My consultant told me this all the way through pg with ds1.
my last appointment at 39 weeks my consultant was a cover, never seen him before.
He said I see you're well prepared and have signed the cs form. I said i had no choice as other consultant had said I couldn't give birth naturally.
He told me it was rubbish.
So I went home in a panic as hadn't gone to any classes and was worried I didn't know how to breathe . I'm sure it was the fright, but I went into labour at home, thankfully made it to the hospital and labour was 2 hours.
I was screaming with fright, not pain and was distressing ds1, the midwife smacked me across the face and said if I'd put as much energy into pushing as screaming he'd have been born 6 miles back

All 3 of my labours have been very quick from start to finish ds1 2 hours, ds2 90 min, and dd 30 mins.
Little people, small hips, small feet, whatever they say, can mange fine.

[Ivygarden]

I have no hips at all (literally just go straight down) and gave birth to two children with just has and air and one was 9lbs. You’ll be fine good luck x

[Ohyesiam]

I assisted at an obstetric clinic in rural Cambodia where the women were very very small boned. They gave birth successfully. The opening in your hips that the baby comes through is called the obstetric angle, and it has no relationship to how wide your hips look.
Why on earth would you mil be so mean?

[autumncountryrose]

I wish this was true!

I'm a curvy size 12 and have (as my partner so kindly puts it ) Hips you can drive a truck through and I needed a C section as she got stuck!

[Believeitornot]

Your ligaments go soft and your pelvic bones sort of stretch to help (or something - can’t remember the details).

Your MIL is an arse.

[RandomMess]

Ignore ignore ignore - had size 8 hips max and only 5' tall 4 Dc push out no issues including one at 10lb 6oz

[RandomMess]

Hip and pelvis size aren't linked and it's about size and shape is your pelvis.

[OldHag1]

Jeez what is it with women who like to tell pregnant women birthing horror stories. I would never tell a pregnant woman my birthing story unless we were comparing notes after her baby was safely delivered.

Ignore her. Your hips are fine and nature and you/your body will do what’s necessary as detailed above.

[donajimena]

I'm a size 8 to 10 (I wasn't by the time I had troughed through pregnancy ) but no issue at all giving birth. You just cannot tell. My similar sized friend had a c section

[Bonge]

Thank you so much for the reassurance everyone. You've really put my mind at ease!

[QueenAravisOfArchenland]

Complete bull. I'm a size 8 and have birthed two normal size babies vaginally with nary a tear.

My mother did tell me after my first that she thought I'd end up with a section as she thought there was no way I'd be able to get an 8lb baby out naturally, but fortunately she kept that to herself beforehand.

[Dinosauratemydaffodils]

My bird sized (4'11) grandmother delivered 5 babies weighing between 10-12 pounds without any tears or issues.

I'm 5'8, broad shouldered and hipped. My six pound nine ounce baby got stuck in my less than stellar pelvis. My MiL spent years going on about my "child bearing" hips... ds is 3 and she's still apologizing for it.