Petite women - experiences of natural childbirth ?

[Sunandsea13]

Hi everyone, I am 34w and just thinking about birth options. I am 5ft and have a small frame and always planned on an ELCS. I now have had a wobble and am thinking of giving natural birth a go as would rather not have such a big operation if I don’t have to. Just wondering if anyone has experience (good and bad) with natural labour when a petite size and any tips or ways to handle it? I am worried about the baby getting stuck!

I’m 5ft1 and very narrow/petite framed. I had an EMCS with my first and a VBAC with my second. Was fine! Both my babies have gone back to back last min which I wonder if maybe that’s something to do with the shape of my pelvis but with my second I laid down with a peanut ball between my legs and that seemed to do the trick as she span back round before being born.

If I do have another I’m going to try really hard to be more mobile in early labour, I just found lying on my side with the peanut ball was my most comfortable position and allowed me to do all my hypnobirthing stuff but I wonder if had I been more mobile would they not have gone back to back.

To add, they were both born at 39+3 and both 7lbs so not tiny babies!

I'm petite and had absolutely no problems with 2 vaginal births. No tearing or episiotomy either.

I'd recommend getting your DP to do perineal massages from around 36 weeks.

How tall is your mother and grandmother?
Did they have natural uncomplicated births?
If so, and you have similar builds you are likely to experience the same.

SIL is 5'1" and she has given birth vaginally 4 times to babies weighing approximately 7lbs each time.

I think it's less to do with your stature and more your pelvic opening (which you obviously can't see) and the size of the baby.

Have you discussed a CS with your midwife/ spoken to a consultant?

I’m 5’2” and pretty small framed. I gave birth to both my babies vaginally with minimal intervention. They were smallish babies. 6 lbs or so.

I second what's already been said - I'm small-framed and I've had two natural births, with no problems.
If you are concerned though, speak to your midwife.
Best of luck x

Has your midwife or dr suggested the elective section due to your size?

I’m only a few inches taller than you, and had vaginal births. I did need help at the end—forceps with one and ventouse with the other. If not medically recommended, or if baby’s not facing the wrong way, you could always try for vaginal and see how it goes.

How tall is your partner? I read that if your partner is over 6 foot and your feet size 4 or less, then the chance of a natural birth is reduced.
Certainly true in my case!

There's lots of petite women, I dont' think your'e particularly small to have an issue? I'm 5ft and narrow hips. Needed forceps/episiotomy to pull baby out but then my taller 5ft6 friend also needed these too. So not sure if it's a problem regarding height. Babies where 7lb, so average.

5ft 2in , natural births , 9lb 2 and 8lb 8 .

Thanks so much everyone! I was going to be booked for ELCS at 39w but has been moved to 41w to give me a bit more time to decide. Consultant said now is best time to try as first baby. Baby is 50th percentile. I’m a size 3 shoe although gone to 4 in pregnancy. DH is under 6ft. I haven’t been given a medical reason to have ELCS and all low
risk so far, just been concerned with the feasibility of a natural birth, but these stories have made me feel better.

I do worry about forceps/episiotomy and risks with that and have read things on here where a ELCS has been easier to recover from then a natural birth due to 2/3/4 degree tears so still apprehensive!

Has anyone had success with a water birth?

I am 5ft.

Had 3 children natural childbirth.
All were born within 2 hours with gas and air to assist.
Weights ranged from 7.5lbs to 8lbs. Had a tear first time round but none after 2nd and 3rd births.
My daughter is same height probably a little shorter similar scenario with her second child although first child took longer.
No issues.

I’m petite (not quite as little as you) and have had no issue with my births (4). My mum is tiny 4ft 10 and had five children naturally.. My much taller friend had huge issues due to her pelvis shape so caesarean each time for her children.

Oh and my mum has size two feet (not sure what difference shoe size makes but might make you feel better 🤣)

I'm 5'2" and small framed and have had two completely straightforward full term births with no tearing or assistance whatsoever.

Another 5'2", small framed 2x routine vaginal delivery. At least routine if you consider that the 1st was back to back and they hadn't realized until late on in delivery. Both over 7lb.
MIL is about 4'10" and has a disability that specifically impacted her muscle strength and stature, similarly 2 routine vaginal deliveries of 7lb babies.

I didn't succeed with water birth because no.1 was back to back and they wanted to do more monitoring once they realized why it was progressing slowly. No.2 nearly fell out in the bath it was all happening so quickly and we only just made it to the hospital before he arrived. Luckily it was only 10 minutes away!

Hiya,

I am 5ft1 and very petite- I had an ELCS, this was one of the reasons. My main reason was a very complicated fertility history which had meant I was extremely anxious and had very little trust in some of the maternity processes, I’m not sure without this whether I would’ve gone ahead with the V Birth. Guidelines don’t suggest that you should have a c-section due to size of baby in most circumstances. Each person is different, but generally it is considered safer for vaginal birth overall. You do need to consider your own personal needs alongside that.

I was very glad I had a section. whenever I saw a consultant (I needed extra scans towards the end of pregnancy)they said to me that it was probably for the best that I was doing it given my size and the head circumference of my baby, he was also back to back. They didn’t bat an eyelid, whereas midwives would try to tell me not to and make frankly ridiculous remarks at times. Remember it’s your choice whatever you decide to do. I found it very silencing to hear some of the comments, it took someone to make a very inappropriate comment towards me for me to get angry enough to find my voice- I am also a dr in the NHS which helped me in those moments, and I’m very concerned about how people with less medical knowledge may have been made to feel.

anyway whatever you decide to do, I had a very good experience in my section and if I am able to have another baby I will be doing that again. It was confirmed to me afterwards that I would’ve ended up in surgery if we had tried to go ahead with a vaginal birth due to some complications (which were specific to me and quite unusual).

4' 9", completely natural water birth, DS 5lb 2 oz. Absolute agony, but up and about straight away with no tears or anything.

I’m petite. 5’4, always been under 50kg. Dh is 6’2. Ds was long and nearly 9lb (4kg), no issues.

I’m short with small feet (3.5/4) and was worried about this but had 3 natural births. My xH is very large framed but I had 3 quite small babies, 5 1/2, 61/2 and 7 pounds.

5’1ish and slim frame - both straightforward (fast!!) births

5'2 and size 3 foot. Had an emergency c section with first and a planned c section with second. I was tempted to try vbac with second but glad i didnt the consultant said afterwards that there was no way a baby would have come out of me!

I’m 5ft, size 3 feet (before pregnancy), DH is 6ft 2. Three natural births including one water birth.

The most helpful things were staying active as a previous poster has mentioned, and hypnobirthing. I only started the hypnobirthing around week 37 of first baby, helped massively not just to keep me calm but to read positive birth stories that put me in the right frame of mind.

I used the Marie Mongan book and CD, you might be able to get it on audiobook now. Oh and also a TENS machine, I hired one, just google TENS hire. Good luck, you can do it, this is what women’s bodies are designed for!

The size of the baby, the height of the mother and parental height differences affect the likelihood of an ECS.