Big head = C-Section?

Be warned I'm about to ask what might be a silly question, but I'm going ahead and asking it anyway! ;)

My sister has had two beautiful boys (3 and 1), both via c-section, both scheduled, because her OB told her that she would not be able to give birth vaginally as the boys' "heads were too big". Both boys were in the vacinity of 9lbs (can't remember exact weights sorry). My sister and I are both curvy and short (she's 5' I'm 5'2").

I'm trying for my first and my sister continually tells me that I should prepare myself for a c-section as "big heads run in the family". I usually just say "oh, well, we'll see", but it's getting to me as I am a) hoping for a natural (possibly home) birth and b) I'm TERRIFIED of having a c-section as I have had weird reactions to painkillers and anesthetic in the past. Obviously, I know that a healthy baby (and mother!) is the most important outcome and I would have a c-section if I had to for health reasons but I'd like to at least try to birth vaginally if possible.

Is it true that I am likely to have a c-section just because my sister has? What of this "big heads" business?

Thanks in advance for your advice to a newbie :)

I wouldn't stress too much about it, lots of babies have big heads and are birthed naturally. Plus, just because your sister had big babies with big heads doesn't mean you will........... I think you have a great attitude toward the birth, don't let this concern taint you. Best wishes for a happy and healthy pregnancy :)

Hi Parsley & welcome to BB. I agree with Starangelk. Try not to stress too much about it. One thing you need to remember too is that babies heads do mould to fit through the birth canal. Plus your sister never actually did try to birth vaginally so who knows, maybe she actually could have. Ob's don't always get it right, that's for sure.

I agree with the PP's, just because your sisters children had bigger heads does not mean yours will, even if yours does it does not mean you will not be able to birth vaginally.
Every woman is different, your body might accommodate a larger baby better than hers.
Try not to put too much pressure or stress on yourself, be aware of the options but aim for what you want and what you feel comfortable with.

This is exactly why Mother Nature designed babies to have a skull that was made up of plates - so they could perfectly mould to fit through a pelvis. Don't listen to anything she says - she was told and outright lie by her Ob. If a woman is left to let her body do what it is meant to, her baby will take the time it needs to allow it's head to mould and fit through. When I had my first baby, it took nearly 1.5 hours to push him out - which seems like a long time - but it was exactly the amount of time he needed to come out slowly and let his head mould to fit. When he was born he had this massive cone shaped head because of it. His HC at birth was 35 cm, but 2 weeks later it was 40 cm! His head didn't grow that big that quickly, but the moulding had all gone and his head was a normal shape. Had they left his HC till the moulding went away by day 3, his HC would have been a lot bigger.

I can not say it any better than the other girls have :) know what you want, have a good birth plan and just relax about it all. Your body knows exactly what to do and as has been said OBs dont always get it right ;). you have a very positive outlook and dont let the negativity get in the way of that. Some woman feel the need to tell horror stories to pregnant woman for their own healing :hug:

Yeah, I dunno. My DD's HC was 37cm and she had her head sideways so the presenting circumference would have been bigger, but she still fit. I'm not particularly big either.
It's not something that can really be predicted until you try - her OB made the decision based on nothing but a hunch.
Things like the position your in during birth are more important really (ie, standing up or squatting will allow your pelvis to open a lot more than lying on your back).

Agreed with the others, a guess at hc before birth isn't a great reason not to try to go natural! I'm 5'1, my sister is 5'2. She had a 6lb 12 bub and I had a 8lb 13 bub (with a 35cm hc, vaginally) they are both girls. So there's no reason your children will come out the same size as hers, unless your partner is her partners twin brother!!! Good luck :)

Your sister could most likely have birthed her babies vaginally, what the OB told her was utter crap and based on a guess, sorry to say. She won't let you tell her that though, she'll be convinced it was necessary. It wasn't. And there is NO reason you won't be able to have vaginal births, so do not pay heed to that! My DD's head circ was 36cm, she was 8lb9oz and you know what...not only did I have a drug free, natural labor, but I didn't even tear :) Our bodies are designed to stretch, and babies heads are designed to squish :lol:

9lb 37.5cm head birthed vaginally here :) And I don't consider DS's 37.5m head to be THAT big. There are bigger ;)

my daughters head was tiny (10th percentile) and she still had to have the vacuum and I had an epi, so I dont think its the head that makes all the difference.

I since Sunday have two big headed children and have had two emergency sections - however I don't believe on it's own a big head equals c-section. With my first I knew she was big an likely with big head due to size of DH when born, but I never considered I might end up with section - just believed my body would take care of it. In the end DD had other ideas, posterior brow presentation got stuck so cervix stopped dilating and just started swelling, so ended up e csection (head 35 weight 4.12 kg). With my son I decided that would like VBAC but was prepared that might end in e section. I knew his head circa was big but was hoping he would be in better position so wouldn't matter. In the end he decided to copy his sister although I got a few cm further dilated he got into posterior position and jammed his head, cervix stopped dilated started swelling etc (maybe something about shape of my uterus and shape of head leads to the problematic positioning - who knows). So had e-csection again, which was a good experience and because I had already entertained the possibility and thought about what scenarios I would be happy to go to csection for it made it very easy to accept and be happy with.

So no big head I don't believe equals section, there are lots of factors that come into play, and you will never know how will work for you and you on that occasion, so don't dwell on it at all.

Totally agree with the other girls. DS1 i was pushing for 1.5hr (on my back) and nothing happening until a new midwife walked in and got me on my knees leaning over a bean bag allowing the pelvis to open up more and gravity to work also and with 10 minutes he was born. All this talk about positions in labour are for a reason and our bodies are designed this way for a reason too.

GL

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Your sister could most likely have birthed her babies vaginally, what the OB told her was utter crap and based on a guess, sorry to say. She won't let you tell her that though, she'll be convinced it was necessary. It wasn't. And there is NO reason you won't be able to have vaginal births, so do not pay heed to that! My DD's head circ was 36cm, she was 8lb9oz and you know what...not only did I have a drug free, natural labor, but I didn't even tear :) Our bodies are designed to stretch, and babies heads are designed to squish :lol:

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DS head was 38cm's and I laboured drug free and didn't tear either (Dunno what that says about my vag...) I'm 5 foot 3.
I think you'll be fine!

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DS head was 38cm's and I laboured drug free and didn't tear either (Dunno what that says about my vag...) I'm 5 foot 3.
I think you'll be fine!

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I just took a look at DS2 stats and his was 34cm - no wonder he virtually fell out LOL

Thanks for the reassurance. You echoed what I was thinking myself, but I am new to all of this, so didn't want to discount completely what my sister had been saying.

:)

It is hard when people say things like this because on the one hand you need to respect their story and their need to tell it, but at the same time, you may know (or believe) that things may not have been quite as they see them. It can be very hard to hear that you may have been wrong to trust your caregiver. I know it was hard for me (different circumstances, but anyway), I would have much rather blamed myself than accept that I was misled (somehow that was worse :dunno:).
Hopefully, you will have great care and support and birth the best way you and your baby can do it.

Wise words, MadB. Thank you.

Big heads here to. My cousin had a 40cm head and my aunt birthed viginally. My DH, my brothers and me had between a 36-38cm heads. All vaginally. We are all 8 pound babies. If it rubs in the family maybe share your concerns with your doc and discuss options with them. When I fell pregnant we discussed this with our doc who understood that I was worried bout a big bubba. In the end I had a premmie bub, so my worry was the opposite.

Now our dd has a hc way above the 97th percentile line.

Talk to your doc about your concerns.