Small pelvis?

[FirstTime28]

Long story short I gave birth to my LG just under 3 weeks ago, birth didn't quite go to plan . I'd been in slow labour for 3 weeks, I then went and got induced on my due date but was waiting for 3 days to get a bed on the delivery suite . My waters got broken and I got put on the induction drip . I managed to go through full blown labour to the pushing stage where i was pushing for about an hour. Baby was facing the wrong way , the midwife and the dr tried to turn her but weren't able to and baby's heartbeat was fluctuating , I got rushed to theatre where they tried to turn her in hope to deliver with forceps they were unable to and her heart rate was concerning them so they did an emergency section. They had to get her out with some force as she was stuck in my pelvis and tore my cervix in the process so when she was out they had to put me to sleep to repair me . All very traumatic but She arrived safely which was the main thing ❤️

The day after the birth a consultant came to see me and just said your pelvis is to small to give birth naturally , you've got to wait 18 months before you conceive again and all future births will have to be by section.

The thought of a section petrified me and petrifies me still . So if I have to have another section it puts me of having anymore children which makes me sad because I've always wanted a big family . Has anyone else ever been told this about their pelvis??? Is this completely true? Is there a possibility I may be able to give birth vaginally in the future??

Similar happened to me. I think you'd be much better off with a planned c section next time, instead of an emergency one. There's no point putting yourself and a baby through that trauma and risk, if you don't have to.

I had similar, dd1 got stuck, tried again with dc2, she also got stuck and ended up with emcs again. Consultant thought maybe to do with my pelvis. Not as hectic as first emcs but still not as calm as a planned c section.

I would listen to your obstetrician, you would be consultant led, you can have midwife support for 2nd csection antenatally due to birth trauma (I would advise you to get support now via your midwife too). It is not worth the risk to you or baby to trial labour with the knowledge you have. I have been in several planned c sections (that were not my own), they are much more able to support you as the baby is not in distress, they talk to you, play music sometimes if that helps, your birth partner stays with you.

I have a small pelvis and ended up having an emergency c section as first DC would just not come out 48 hours after being induced.

Second Dc was born at a different hospital (we moved) but the hospital refused to pay any attention to my previous birth and I went through the same scenario again: overdue, failed induction (this time only went 24 hours), emergency section.

The first time, DC had to be resuscitated, second time I went into shock on the way to theatre as, it turned out later, my scars were tearing. DC2 was fine.

I would definitely opt for an elective section, I tried desperately to get one for my second birth and hated the consultant for refusing me. He was very sheepish when he appeared on the ward (on a Saturday) to see how I was and I was so unwell afterwards it really spoilt my first month with DC2.

Thank you for all your advice ❤️

My LGs health was always my main concern and priority so if I do have any future babies I would want them delivering as safely as possible regardless of my own personal feelings , I think this experience has just scared the living daylight out of me but it's reassuring to know that a planned section is a lot more relaxing . I think The fact I don't really know what actually happened to me and why doesn't help so I will look at using their birth reflections service they have offered me to get all those answers

Xx

This happened to my mum with me in the 80s bless her and she was only 18 - so traumatic I really feel for you.

But yes with my sibling she had a planned section.

An emergency section and an elective section are completely different beasts; I’ve had both. I felt very traumatised by the EMCS - or by everything that led up to it, the operation itself was fine, and it made me feel anxious about having a (necessary) ELCS. But that was a completely different experience, so calm and straightforward. Everyone in the theatre was in a very light, jolly mood, I was in and out very quickly (first one took ages), and the baby was much less sleepy, easy to feed (that might be coincidental). Don’t sweat it, it’ll be fine. I’d have another by section, too, if I could afford to have a bigger family!

2 emcs here. I have a flat pelvis and babies with massive heads (thanks dh). My first was traumatic, my second amazing as it was way more relaxed/less of an emergency.

To all of you ladies who have been told about having a small pelvis, did you know this before having a baby or is it something you only found out during labour/childbirth?

I am 38+5 and this is the first time I've come across the notion of too small a pelvis so it would be really good to know if there were any signs you might have one? For example, being naturally petite?

X

Also, OP I am sorry in advance if the above question seems like I jumped on your thread! That isn't my intention at all but like I said, I have never heard of this and feel like I've done tons of research into childbirth/labour so it's all really surprising for me!

I am 38+5 and this is the first time I've come across the notion of too small a pelvis so it would be really good to know if there were any signs you might have one? For example, being naturally petite?

I'm 5'8 with broad shoulders. I do have small feet for my height (apparently an old wives tale) but given my tiny grandmothers delivered a lot of 10 to 12 pounders at home... not sure size is a factor.

Ah okay! I've honestly never heard of this so I'm going to go away and do some more research now as I'm a natural worrier!

In my case, I think it was a mix of head size and small pelvis. Head size over 35cm is linked with an increase in instrumental or section deliveries I read somewhere and despite both arriving at 39 plus 1, both of mine were bigger than that. It never occurred to me either, I thought once you were fully dilated, that was it.

Not surprised it was scary OP, it sounds it. There is a world of difference between an emergency C section and a planned one though. Perhaps a debrief might help too?

I think there is a correlation between being petite and having a smaller pelvis, but its not a given. I'm tiny and both my babies were tiny.
2nd born by election csection and a 100 times better than first experience.
Find out as much info as possible and take it from there. Sounds traumatic, glad you and your little one are now ok.

I'm petite and have always had more boobs than hips, but I didn't know until right at the end of pregnancy that there may be an issue (I went two weeks over).

When I was upright, the head would descend, but as soon as I lay down, it popped back up. Just gravity sending it down. The hospital said that from that, I may have an issue delivering myself. They still insisted on me trying for two days after they induced me, though, but that baby was not coming out vaginally.

When you say she was facing the wrong way, was she back-to-back? Because I think that makes the delivery much harder. Maybe if she had been correctly positioned there would have been space for her to come out.