Is there a certain size

[Lorin]

I was wondering how wide your hips would have to be to be abel to give birth naturally!
When people look at me, (people i know) they recon i will end up with a c-section because they dont beleive my hips are wide enough to give birth naturally.

Can any one give me any answers/theories!

[Liz]

Gosh people love to scare pregnant women don't they?! (I'm assuming you're pregnant ) The body does some pretty amazing things during the birth process, and the pelvis opens right up to let that baby out.

I think the same could be said for the hole it has to come of too! LOL.. sorry. I simply couldn't imagine something the size of a baby coming out of there.. but it manages to

This site is great for advice on positions in labour etc that help give bub more room to come out. Do lots of research and reading of your own, and don't worry about what other people comment on. Everyone told me I was having a huge baby, and he was only 6lb! hehe.

[BellyBelly]

Oh dear! And what people like that have no idea about it the brilliant pregnancy hormones, relaxin, which helps the pelvis to open, hence the waddle women get when pregnant - everything is loosening up and this is all good. Also they don't know that squatting when pushing can open your pelvis up to 30% more!

We are all born with what it takes to make babies, well a very, very high percentage. The true occurance of CPD (cephalo-pelvic disproportion or pelvis to small, baby too big) is very small, say if you have damaged/broken your pelvis and it's not healed right or other things which don't happen very often. Often CPD is misdiagnosed where baby in in a posterior postion or malpositioned in some other way. It's the same with sholder dystocia - women get told that their baby got 'stuck' because the baby was too big, but often, baby was just in a bad position. I know women diagnosed with both of these things that went on to birth their babies well, bigger babies, smaller babies, at home and in hospital.

Everyone told me I was having a huge baby, and he was only 6lb! hehe.

-- Very common too. Ultrasound can be especially deceiving.


I strongly recommend to anyone worried that their baby wont fit through their pelvis get 'The Pink Kit' which helps you map your pelvis and learn how you can make the most of the space you have, to give birth. You'll be fine!

[Lorin]

I never looked at it like that, now i just feeling liek laughing at myself for even thinking they could be right.
Thanks Girls, How right you are

[bon]

My sister and one of my best friends are both tiny but they both gave birth naturally with no problems. Believe me looks really are no indication of your body's ability to give birth!

[Nelle]

My midwife told me that hip size is basically irrelevant, and it's my pelvis that matters.
Then she showed me this material/foam pelvis model (where do they get these things?) and stretched it with her hands and said that's what all those relaxey hormones do, cause the pelvis to stretch.
I was slightly alarmed at all this stretching, until she said 'well what if you didn't stretch'
Hmmm...
Not so alarmed about my stretchy pelvis now

And A+ to anyone who can see your pelvis and correctly tell you the difficulty rating of your birth.
Honestly, some people think they know stuff because they heard it from their mum or a friend of a friend...how depressing for all those doctors wasting their time at uni, someone should tell them they just need to spend 5 years getting haircuts and coffees!

[Lorin]

OH LMAO!!!
You guys crack me up! Ok No worries Thanks for all the supportive answers i do feel heaps heaps better

And atleast i know i might be able to shove it in their face after baby is born!

[BellyBelly]

Doctors are worse than everyone else telling women that baby wont be able to fit through the pelvis though, I am afraid!!! They learn about medical birth, so the pregnant body is a minefield to them Hence why an article in New Idea the other week had a story about 80% of Obs/Gyns apparently choosing caesars. Shows you what confidence they have about birth - personally I want to give birth under the care of someone who has confidence in my body! So hopefully we can choose that other 20% hey?!

[Lil_Aussie]

BellyBelly, you are sooo right there!!]
With DS#2, my obgyn told me he was wayyy to big, and ordered a c-section the next day at 37 weeks. As he could not budge his head to move down a bit when he did the internal, and told me that I was very small on the inside. At the birth, it was found that my son just had his arm over his head preventing him entering. If my obgyn had left me go naturally, I am sure he would have moved his arm, and would have had no trouble having him at all!
I felt very cheated after that.

[Nelle]

Oh Bummer Lil Aussie, I suppose it's safe for me to have faith in dr's since I'm just seeing midwives!
(Well, I'm sposed to see a dr once, but I haven't done it yet...)

[EllyBoo72]

A friend who recently gave birth naturally who is very very tiny, said to me. " I dont know what all the fuss was about". She didnt even know she was in labour, and the baby was out in no time with no troubles. This coming from someone who was terrified of giving birth! I am sure you will be fine.
BTW I was told i was having a big baby too, when he was born he was 6pound 14 oz!!!