# Question for petite moms



## LoveTypeThing

I had a question for tiny moms who have average or above sized babies; were you able to give birth naturally or did you need a c-section? I am only 4'11", with a tiny frame; before pregnancy I weighed 93 lbs. At my last ultrasound my baby was measuring slightly above average. Also, if you gave birth naturally, what type of tear if any did you have? (1st degree, 4th degree, etc). 

Thank you!


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## freckleonear

I am 5ft 1in and weighed 7st before pregnancy. The midwifes kept predicting that Aaron would only be about 5-6lb because of my size, but he was born 7lb 12oz. I had a natural birth with no problems and a 2nd degree tear. Hope that helps!


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## Maffie

Hi i've not had my baby yet, I am 5'1 1/2" and although im plus size I have a small pelvis. Im quite interested in this too as my baby is measuring at 37 weeks at the moment (he seems to of piles on the weight in the last 2 weeks)

Anyway my mum is 5" and tiny tiny, she had 3 babies 2 were 7lbs 2 and I was 6lbs 10 I believe with myself and the middle brother she didnt tear, but with her first due to complications, baby getting stuck and instrumental help she needed alot of stitches. She went to theatre to be fixed up due to the severity of the tear.


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## marley2580

My mum's about 5 foot and her 1st baby was over 8lb while her 4th baby was over 10lb! She had us all naturally at home.


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## DizzyMoo

I'm classed as petite as in height wise not bone wise, I'm just 5ft 4 (thanks to my hair) lol i was told all way through my pregnancy with josh that he would be touching 5lb..he was born early by inducement due to spd & weighed 7lb 4oz so a perfect size not big or small as the average 4yrs ago was 7lb 7 :)


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## LoveTypeThing

Thanks everyone for all of your advice! I hadn't thought much of it until my last appointment, but my doctor told me that because of my size we should do another growth scan at 36 weeks and discuss whether to schedule a c-section. She also said that because of my size and this being my first baby that the odds were that I would tear otherwise, so I left a little scared! I have come to terms that I might have a little tear but I am afraid of the 3rd/4th degree types!


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## JennTheMomma

There is no study that suggests that petite women will have smaller babies or babies too big for the birth canal. I'm petite 5'2'' and under 100 lbs (I think 95 lbs pre-pregnancy). My son was 7 lbs 13 oz, which is average. I had a vaginal birth at 41 weeks with a 2nd degree tear. My advice is to hire a Doula.


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## BurtonBaby

My doctor told me that it doesn't actually depend on like your hips, but just the inside of the pelvis which varies greatly regardless of size. I'm 5'5 so not petite, and right now, weight wise, def not.. Baby is measuring normal but because he wasn't engaging before, they thought my pelvis was to narrow for him to fit. I would honestly ask for a second opinion or hire a doula before agreeing to a c-section for that. I had a scheduled c-section with my daughter because they said I couldn't deliver her, and I regret it a lot. I'm trying for a vbac this time, but having a past c-section changes a lot of things. And I wish that my old dr would have let me try to labor and deliver. 
Ultimately its up to you, but so many petite and average size women deliver all different sizes of babies everyday. Good luck with everything. :D


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## sabriena

My sister is about 5ft and her son weighed 8lbs some ounces, don't remember. She was able to deliver him fine. The nurses were quite amazed that such a big baby came from a small body. She was literally a size 0 before getting pregnant!


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## La Vanguardia

I'm 4'10" and weighed 48 kilos before pregnancy. My doctor and I were always discussing possibilities of a C-section because of my size, but we both also agreed that I will try for a natural birth first. However, when I was 39 weeks, my doctor advised for a C-section because at such a late stage in the pregnancy, the baby should already have dropped/engaged. Well, my pelvis was too small for the baby even though she was only 3 kilos and 49 cm. After the operation, my doctor did confirm that I would not have been able to deliver naturally.


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## amylw1

a lady i know is just under 5ft and fits into age 13/14 girls clothes! her 3rd baby weighed over 10lb and was a natural birth. she did say she was in agony and had all pain relief going. her 1st, 2nd and 4th were also natural BUT much smaller.


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## fairy1984

this thread has scared me! i'm petite and my worst nightmare is going in for my normal labour as planned (because midwife says i should be find, she knows women my height who have given birth easily) and then needing an emergency c section because baby gets stuck/distressed. should petite women get checked by the dr? can you check by getting someone to have a look up there or getting a scan done or something?


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## cloud9mummy

I'm 4ft 9in but would say I have medium bones, not small, and have been pondering this a lot because at my 20 week scan I was told that due to my height I may be booked in for a planned caesarian... last week the consultant obstetrician carried out an internal examination to help him determine the size of my pelvis to see whether to book me in for a c section. I did say I'd like to try trial by labour but after he examined me his view was that I wouldn't be able to deliver the baby naturally.

The midwives I spoke to though said that this was an old fashioned and inaccurate way of determining whether a woman can successfully give birth naturally though. They told me that women smaller than me from the pacific basin area e.g. Hawaii had much bigger babies naturally without problems. Also, my mum is 5ft and has had 5 babies naturally. Only with the first one did she have an episiotomy and she feels that it wasn't actually necessary. 

I think my consultant is being over cautious but now he's put doubts in my mind I feel safer going in for the caesarian!


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## doumauk

I am 5ft and had a ventouse delivery first time and a emergency c section last time. That was purely because my babies seem to like lying back to back for some reason, my first born managed to part turn so they could use ventouse but nassim wouldnt budge at all so had to have a c section.Salim weighed 6lb 15 1/2 oz and Nassim was 7lb 1oz. I dont think it has much to do with height its the size and shape of your pelvis. My mum was 4'11 and had to have a section because she was measuring big and after 48 hours in active labour they finally give her a section. I weighed in at 8lb 6oz lol so quite big for someone so small. She wasnt given the option of a vbac with my sister and she had her by section weighing 8lb 9oz.


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## tasha41

5'1, birth canal was too narrow to deliver my LO, she measured small while I was pregnant and was 6lbs 1oz - had emergency c-section.


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## LoveTypeThing

When my sister had her son, she had a 42 hour labor before needing emergency c-section, so I am glad that my doctor is at least thinking ahead of time. I appreciate everyone's comments!


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## honeygrl

I'm 5'2" and generally weigh 95-105 when I'm not pregnant. I've had 2 children vaginally with no problem at all. One was 7Lb 2oz and one 7Lb 1oz. It's not your height or weight that is the issue, it's your pelvis. The doctor told me early on that I have great "child bearing hips." He said even at my size I could easily carry a 10Lb baby if I had to. Your doctor should be able to tell if your pelvis seems too narrow and be able to warn you of possible complications long before baby comes.


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## leeanne

Hi :) I am 5' and was 95 lbs. pre-pregnancy weight with all of my three. 

I was induced for my first child and my cervix didn't dialate so I ended up having an emergency C-section, and my last two were delivered via C-section too because of the circumstances of my first delivery. Two of my children were around 7lbs 11 oz and the other was over 8 lbs. and he was delivered 2 weeks early.

Honestly, I believe my cervix didn't dialate because of scar tissue from a biopsy they did of pre-cancerous cells.


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