# small pelvis and delivery



## AriannasMama

So I am 12 weeks pregnant and at my first OB apt. my Dr. did a pelvic exam and said I have a small pelvis. All he said was "don't have a 10lbs baby", but could I be at risk for having to get a c-section? All the women on my moms side are built small and none have had trouble with birth (I was the 10lbs baby that the Dr warned me not to have :haha:and my mom is built smaller like I am). Any one have a similar experience?


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## calais

I have a small pelvis but i have small babies. If by 32 weeks they think your lo is going to be big and your not able to push him/her out they will then discuss a c section. I was 5 pound 10 full term so they were never concerned about me having a big baby.
My first was 6 pounds and they think my daughter will be in the 5's

You might have a small baby though and i think we are given what we can handle lol


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## ProudMum

i have a small pelvis and had a baby almost 9 lb... vaginally.


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## HollySSmith

ok. I hear a lot of women ask about this. I think there is a lot of misinformation out there.. I studied human osteology for a long time, and its VERY rare for a woman to be literally 'too small' to give birth naturally. Now baby can get stuck - thats one thing - but to literally have too small of a pelvis is incredibly rare. The reason being is that your body releases a hormone called relaxin. It causes all the connective tissue in your joints to relax so that they can shift during labour. Your pelvis is made up of several bones and joints. Your hips will widen and the pubic symphisis will soften so that the 'bowl' like opening will get even wider. 
Also FYI there are certain positions you can push in to optimize how wide your pelvis can get (on you back is the worst for keeping your pelvis small). I have heard than on your knees and side can help with making it larger. I recommend doing some research regarding pelvis size. I think you'll be surprised that there is some things you can do to help your situation if you are concerned about being 'small'.


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## mamato2more

HollySSmith said:


> ok. I hear a lot of women ask about this. I think there is a lot of misinformation out there.. I studied human osteology for a long time, and its VERY rare for a woman to be literally 'too small' to give birth naturally. Now baby can get stuck - thats one thing - but to literally have too small of a pelvis is incredibly rare. The reason being is that your body releases a hormone called relaxin. It causes all the connective tissue in your joints to relax so that they can shift during labour. Your pelvis is made up of several bones and joints. Your hips will widen and the pubic symphisis will soften so that the 'bowl' like opening will get even wider.
> Also FYI there are certain positions you can push in to optimize how wide your pelvis can get (on you back is the worst for keeping your pelvis small). I have heard than on your knees and side can help with making it larger. I recommend doing some research regarding pelvis size. I think you'll be surprised that there is some things you can do to help your situation if you are concerned about being 'small'.

What she said..!


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## Mummy2Asher

they said i have a small pelvis with my son and all my scans said he would be a 10lb baby, infact he came out at 7lbs exactly and i did one push and he came out.
ive never seen a woman have a c section for a small pelvis, and ive seen hundreds!


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## calais

Mummy2Asher said:


> they said i have a small pelvis with my son and all my scans said he would be a 10lb baby, infact he came out at 7lbs exactly and i did one push and he came out.
> ive never seen a woman have a c section for a small pelvis, and ive seen hundreds!


wow 1 push! i wish. Ive never known a woman to have a c section cos of a small pelvis but i do know plenty who had c sections cos the baby was big.


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## princesspreg

When I was PG, I was told I had a small and low pelvic bone which may have impeded my pushing vaginally ang he even told me at 5 WEEKS that I may do a c-section. Scared me!!

Sad to say I MC but not because of my pelvic bone.


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## lizziedripping

I had trouble delivering my first 9Ib son but not because of my pelvis, but because he had a big head lol! You had a previous 5/6Ib baby Hun, so it's likely that you'll have another one in that range anyway x


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## aliss

HollySSmith said:


> ok. I hear a lot of women ask about this. I think there is a lot of misinformation out there.. I studied human osteology for a long time, and its VERY rare for a woman to be literally 'too small' to give birth naturally. Now baby can get stuck - thats one thing - but to literally have too small of a pelvis is incredibly rare. The reason being is that your body releases a hormone called relaxin. It causes all the connective tissue in your joints to relax so that they can shift during labour. Your pelvis is made up of several bones and joints. Your hips will widen and the pubic symphisis will soften so that the 'bowl' like opening will get even wider.
> Also FYI there are certain positions you can push in to optimize how wide your pelvis can get (on you back is the worst for keeping your pelvis small). I have heard than on your knees and side can help with making it larger. I recommend doing some research regarding pelvis size. I think you'll be surprised that there is some things you can do to help your situation if you are concerned about being 'small'.

I agree with you 100%.

Shoulder dystocia happens for a lot of reasons but a small pelvis is rarely one of them. 

Another note- shoulder dystocia is one of the most frequent/damaging medical malpractice lawsuits there are. You'll find that OBGYN training, particularly in the United States, is outrageously overcautious towards anything that might implicate dystocia (ie. a "small pelvis", big baby, whatever) because those lawsuits have ruined doctors and insurance agencies are terrified of them.

And not because of anatomy/what really happens in labour.

My son had severe shoulder dystocia, admittedly caused by a cascade of interventions/medical error (I'm in Canada and the potential for law suit isn't really the same here). So, believe me, I'm well aware/terrified of it in my future labour as well (I'm 8 weeks pg) but I suggest reading more into the facts of it and how it is treated due to insurance/hospital/training practices rather than natural occurrence.

BTW the position you mention is the Gaskin maneuver... great stuff.


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