Small pelvis??

[WeeSooty]

Hi everyone

Not sure if anyone will be able to help but worth a try!

I saw a physio this morning for some hip pain I've been having. While examining me she said I had a tiny pelvis but didn't say any more about it.

I've googled a bit (bad idea) and I'm now a wee bit worried about giving birth with a small pelvis!!

Does anyone have any advice or info or even just reassurance??

I'm 5ft 1, 26 weeks and before I piled on the baby weight I weighed about 9 stone.

no idea, but one of my friends is so tiny(she looks like an eight year old) much smaller than you, and all of hers naturally, quite a few friends are very small,only one has a cc, but had her second naturally.

I would ask your consultant if they anticipate you having any problems,and put your mind at rest.

It's not the size of your pelvis but it's flexibility that matters - it has to open to allow your baby to pass through. You're a mature, grown woman, so highly unlikely to be too tiny for childbirth.

I'm 158cm, was a size 6-8, shoe size 3, and weighed 7.5 stone before I had DS1 - midwives always commented how petite I was. I had him naturally, without drugs. He weighed 7.8lbs - average. My pelvis did its job perfectly. I kept active during labour and gave birth in a leaning upright position - it was fine

The size of your pelvis is less important than your position. If you give birth on all 4s, or squatting (birth pools help) your pelvic outlet is 1/3 larger than if you are reclined on your back with your weight on your tail. That means that even the tiniest woman giving birth in a position that allows her pelvis to open has more space than an average woman on her back.

I have a very petit friend who had two normal VB one with forceps and no tears or stiches! and good size babies!
my neighbour however - couldnt get the heads past her pelivs and had C sections.
ask midwife - i wonder if a scan would show up anything?

small mum here, 5 2, about 9 and a half stone when not preg/carrying baby weight and size 4 feet.

5 natural deliveries, with my biggest being 10lb 13oz, i agree with the others size of mum doesnt mean much tbh, what does matter is postioning of you in labour and also encouraging the baby to get in a good position at the end of pregnancy ie not back to back (tho i delivered a back to back baby fine as well)

mention it to your miwife if you are worried but honestly it shouldnt matter too much :)

Your physio really needs to get a grip on the language she uses to pregnant women.

The size of your hips is determined by the sticky out part of your pelvis (the iliac crests if you want to get technical). That bears no realtionship to the bit of the pelvis that matters in childbirth which is the pelvic outlet i.e the hole in the middle through which the baby travels. No one can tell how big that outlet is....unless your physio has MRI scanner eyes.

Pelvic outlets do come in different shapes but most women have a gynaecoid shape which is perfect for birthing babies.

The maximum space through the outlet is achieved by adopting positions which get you off your tail bone so it can move out as much as possible. So standing, squatting, on all fours, leant over back of raised head of bed, on birth ball etc.

So in summary - don't worry!

Thank you so much everyone. I really appreciate you putting my mind at ease!

I haven't seen a consultant through my pregnancy but several midwives who haven't said anything. And at my scans nobody has said anything. I'm seeing midwife again in 2 weeks so will double check with her.

Have planned to be as active as possible during labour so hopefully that will help :) I was just having a wee panic after googling! Note to self, stop googling!

Thanks again

stay on your feet, it always helps,belly dancing moves are great, lying on your back won't, you will be fine.

Don't worry too much - my mum is 4 ft 11, and has had 6 natural births.

And I agree with the standing up as much as possible!!

I am 5 foot and a size 6, weighed 7 and a half stone before pregnancy and weigh the same now. I had my 8lb dd with no problems, it was a relatively easy, fast labour with no pain relief, although my contractions died off at the end and she was helped out with ventouse and an episiotomy. I was the smallest by far of our NCT group and had the easiest birth. Nobody can tell how good your body will be at giving birth just by looking at you.
My hips definitely stretched- they are now 4 inches wider than they were before.

Hi all

Thought I?d give an update after my midwife appointment today. Asked her about the small pelvis thing and she just shook her head and wished that physios wouldn?t say those things! She said I have a small pelvis because I am small built, the same way I have size 3 feet? Its totally normal and plenty of women have completely textbook births while having a ?small pelvis?.

So basically you were all right and I was worrying over nothing!

Thanks again for taking the time to reassure me! :)

Brilliant!