obesity and dilation

[delphmoon]

hmmm. okayyyyy. lol.

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[Trillian]

hmmm. okayyyyy. lol.

Why? can't anyone objectively look at a study and comment on it and think it's complete rubbish? I'll tell you one thing, it's a lot less rubbish than just believing that it is true.

What would anyone do if they went into their Doctors appointment and he said to them 'ýou're overweight/obese. There has been some research that suggests you might have a longer labour because of your weight, so we should just induce you. No one wants a long labour do they?''. Would anyone seriously think that was appropriate? would anyone have an induction based on that? Probably. And that's why we have a ****ed maternal health system where women are objects and everyone knows what is 'best' for the woman except for the woman herself.

[Trillian]

And hell yes I'm a bit ranty about it! Someone has to be. For a while there BB was a place where women still believed that they had some bodily autonomy and that if they had a vagina, then they could give birth but lately it's gone all mainstream where women should just do what they are told like good girls.

[HotI]

yep, trillian!

[Maruschke]

And hell yes I'm a bit ranty about it! Someone has to be. For a while there BB was a place where women still believed that they had some bodily autonomy and that if they had a vagina, then they could give birth but lately it's gone all mainstream where women should just do what they are told like good girls.

I don't see anywhere in this thread where anyone said that. It's kinda frustrating we can't discuss an issue without so much emotion getting in the way.

[~*Niadalla*~]

I had a long labour. I'm 'morbidly obese'. My Mum had a long labour, she was on the borderline of being underweight.

These studies might have some merit in the medical world and it would be fantastic if it meant that medical professionals allowed larger people more time and thus avoiding intervention, but there is no way that's ever going to happen.

[Maruschke]

I had a long labour. I'm 'morbidly obese'. My Mum had a long labour, she was on the borderline of being underweight.

These studies might have some merit in the medical world and it would be fantastic if it meant that medical professionals allowed larger people more time and thus avoiding intervention, but there is no way that's ever going to happen.

ACtually that's what the first study said. That we could consider allowing obese women more time to labor in first stage because it appears to be part of normal variation for them. Same with stage 2 - the studies actually came down on the side of the obese women and said they could push as well as everyone else and didn't need any intervention just because of their weight.

[Trillian]

I don't just mean in this thread. It's an overall thing happening.

Unfortunately the reality is that women don't get 'time'' in labour. They get things sped up. How many times have you read a birth story where a woman was told by her care providers ''your labour has been going on for hours now, lets just give it a few more and see how it goes''. no. most of the time she gets arm, or she gets syncto. Even though the outcome of those studies might suggest that if given time, a woman will labour just as well, it doesn't translate into the current practice of hospital obstetrics.

I don't believe that I have let emotion get in the way of a good discussion. I simply have strong views and I will voice them. If that is what you call emotion, then so be it. But I choose to think critically and not just accept that because a study found something to be 'true' that it has to be unchallenged.

[~*Niadalla*~]

ACtually that's what the first study said. That we could consider allowing obese women more time to labor in first stage because it appears to be part of normal variation for them. Same with stage 2 - the studies actually came down on the side of the obese women and said they could push as well as everyone else and didn't need any intervention just because of their weight.

Yes it certainly does and I wasn't saying it didn't say that..... but can you REALLY see obstetricians and other birthing professionals ACTUALLY letting larger women labour longer? I got told by my public ob who hadn't even opened my file and had never set eyes on me in his life, that because of my size I would have a Csect. I had a 95% chance if I was really desperate to attempt labour, but he wouldn't suggest it. I bawled.
Thankfully all but 3 hours of my 38.5hour labour were spent at home allowing me to do what I wanted. I was too stubborn and I had more faith in myself than most, to allow someone to bully me into full blown intervention. I was able to avoid everything but the gas although I barely used it anyway. I birthed vaginally with no complications.

While the studies might say it's natural for larger women to labour longer, I can't see anyone allowing that to happen unfortunately. I wish that pregnant mothers weren't judged on a few notes someone might have in front of them.