I am worried my pelvis is too small and they will suggest a cesarean. Anyone had this issue?

[Lulabellx1]

Hi Guys

I am currently 41 weeks pregnant (due dated 17/09) and waiting patiently for labour to start but i am worried.

I am only little (5 foot exactly) and my feet are size 2 & a half, which i hear is an indication of the size of my pelvis.

I really, really, REALLY, feel strongly that i dont want a cesarean. But i am scared that the baby will not be able to get through my pelvis (this is what happenned to my aunt who had size 1 & a half feet and is 4 foot 10).

I am also worrying that the reason labour has not come on yet and the reason i am overdue, may be down to the fact the junior cant travel down the pelvis as there is not enough room.

They have booked me in next Thursday to be induced, i will be really upset if it ends up as a cesarean delivery.

Has anyone had any experience of this sort of problem?

Regards
Lucy

Hi Lucy

I am 4 foot 10 with size 2 feet and I am being induced on Tuesday. I was also worried about this but the consultant and midwife said they just have to let you try and see if the pelvis is big enough.

I had also been told abou the shoe size thing and had even posted on here about it before but when I saw my consultant she told me they used to use this as an indicator but have now found it to be very inaccurate and no real sign as to the size of your pelvis. She said the height thing was much more indicative. She seemed to see no reason for me not being able to have a natural labour even though my baby is an estimated 10 pounds!!. Also it is good that you are being induced as they will keep a closer eye on your progress.

Hope this helps

xxx

I'm 5ft too, and have size 3 feet. My two were 6lb 6, born a week early, and 6lb 12oz born 10 days late (little bugger). Both my labours were quite straightforward and fairly short (the second one particularly so).
I had no problems with my pevis size (I'm a 6/8) and I think it was because I kept moving as much as I could which helped the babies move through and into a good position.
Have you tried all the obvious stuff (long walks, curry, (whispers) sex)?

I don't know about pelvis size but I do know about c-sections .. if that is the only way your baby can come out alive surely its nothing to feel sad about?

maybe you should try to come to terms with that as a possibility .. its not so bad .. and probably better if you fix your mindset on it being ok beforehand

c-sections are not a bad thing .. they're a boon when needed .. and there are benefits

Hi Lulabellx1

Small stature is not really a great concern, nor size of baby unless this is noted to be very large and that's sometimes difficult to accurately predict. The shape of the pelvis is of more relevance.

Tall ladies with big feet can have problems!

You may go into labour spontaneously before Thursday.

If baby is engaged then all looks well.

If problems do arise in labour/delivery and some form of assistance/LSCS is necessary, just try to ensure you are given the fullest information regarding any decision you are asked to make.

Wishing you a safe delivery and a healthy baby.

Thanks guys, im hoping baby will arrive on it's own before Thursday as i would rather junior came naturally then have to be induced. However, if i do have to be induced then at least i can be properly monitered etc.

I have just always felt strongly that i dont want a c section and am hoping that i wont need an emergency one. Of course, if baby's health is at risk i will have one. But only as an absolute last resort!

Lu xx

Just to say one of my friends if 5'2" & size 10 & managed to give birth to a 9lber no problem (it was a shock to everyone that her DD was so big, she was only 1 day late too

Physical stature alone is not a definite indication of whether you will or won't have problems. Just remember it is rare for "nature" to make a baby too big for his/her Mum to birth, so try not to worry about it too much.

good luck

I'm 4ft 11" & my feet are a size 2!

And I have had 2 natural births

I won't lie, the first time around the gynae wanted me to have a cesarean but I point blank refused. We came to the agreement that I could have what they classed a "trial of labour" for 4 hours & if nothing progressed then they could send me for a cesarean.

My shoe size was written all over my notes in RED pen with about 100 exclamation marks after it!

I went in at 6.30am on Xmas eve, having contractions every 10 minutes. They hooked me up to a drip & let me rip! I had dd in just over 5 hours! The next day my gynae had brought his children in to the ward to see the Xmas day babies looked at me in amazement & said "WHat are you doing here!" (He hadn't been on duty when dd was born) & he was stunned that I had delivered myself. DD was 6lb 1oz.

With ds there was no discussion. He was born just over an hour after I arrived at hospital & was 7lb 10oz!

I feel that if you were going to forced or persuaded into having a cesearean they would have mentioned it to you at some initial appointment.

Good Luck!

A neighbour ended up with a section for her first child as the baby kept going the wrong way and it was said her pelvis was too small. She had number two naturally.

im 5' and size 3 shoe.

two natural deliveries- caesearean was never at any point discussed.

Old wives tale I think

Nice post Twiglett !! ... from someone having a section on Monday !!
Lulabelle, Have you spoken to your M/w about your worries ??
I am sure the shoe size thing is an old wives tale.

You do realise that you have to consent to being induced, so if you want to wait a little longer with Expectant Management, that is your prerogative!

Do a bit of research into induction, listen to your instincts and make an informed choice. (I can provide some links if need be)

I'm 5ft 1" and have size 3 feet.

I have just given birth (15 days) to my second DD.

DD1 was 9lb 4oz, quick natural birth, no stitches. At 39 weeks.

DD2 was 9lb 2oz, induced at 41 +1 weeks, again 2 hours from drip being given to birth. Again no stitches.

I have to say although i am short and have small feet, i do have wide hips.

i'm 5ft 2 with size 4 feet....i have a very slender frame and tiny hips. I had just this worry when i was pregnant and my midwife reassured me everything would be fine.....and it was. I had a fantastic labour and no problems with my pelvis size at all.

Shoe size isn't an indication of pelvis size - my Mum was in labour for four days (eek!) with me and I was only 5lb6oz and she has size 7 feet and is 5ft6!

However, her pelvis was too small to deliver naturally and she had to have two subsequent c-sections. Just an example of how there isn't necessarily correlation between shoe size and pelvis.

Good luck!

I'm not particlarly small(5'4") nor, unfortunately, narrow hipped/petite and had to have a C-section both times due to this (what I believe is fancily named cephalo/pelvic disproportion). However in my case it was the babies head size that was the issue and neither of my Dc ever engaged (which is common with this). So I do not think it is a straightforward "pelvic size" issue - depends on the baby as well.

(Both of mine had heads so ginormously large they looked like belisha beacons when they were born!)

Try not to worry Lula. My DS was 10 days late those 10 days felt like 10 years. I didn't want to be induced and I didn't want an epidural and I didn't want c-section. I got all three! As someone else pointed out, the key is that you have a healthly baby.

Whilst the actual birth was about as far from the birth plan as you can imagine, I didn't feel disappointed or lacking - far from it. It wasn't how I thought it would be but was the best thing for me and DS.

Good luck.