Knock Knock*

Sprinkles07 · April 2012

Just popping in to ask a silly question. Can a person be too small to deliver naturally? I am 5'1 and shaped like a pencil so I was wondering if they might just schedule a c section. TIA! :0)

britglenn9 · April 2012

i dont think your height or body shape have anything to do with delivery. i dont even think they can usually tell by looking at your pelvis, but if you have an extremely narrow pelvis they might be able to make a judgment like that but i think most dr's would prefer you try to deliver naturally versus not even trying. GL!

Sprinkles07 · April 2012

Thanks, you've been very helpful!

flutepharm87 · April 2012

You can, but PP is right. It has nothing to do with your height/weight. My best friend had a really narrow pelvis and she's severely overweight and pretty tall (I love her death, but just being honest). Her pelvis was so narrow that during her c-section, the OB delivering almost couldn't get her DD's head dislodged from her pelvis. It took two OBs to get her out and they almost had to put her under and break her pelvis to get her DD out.

jb2rn · April 2012

It's not your height or weight or external hips. It's your pelvic inlet, and impossible to tell how your baby will fit until you are in labor.

bugsycup012 · May 2012

I never post on here, but since I am in this situation, I'd thought I'd put my 2 cents in. I am 4'10 and very petite. Until about 37 weeks, the doctors had not mentioned anything about my height being an issue. At that appointment they checked my cervix and realized that the baby was "stuck" on my spine/can't fit through my pelvic bones. The doctor told me that anyone under 5 ft. has a 50-60% chance of having a C-section (I think the average person is still like 33%)--because your body is just too small for an average sized baby sometimes (which is only about half the time, so a lot of petite ladies have perfect vaginal deliveries). Because my baby is more or less stuck they did a growth ultrasound to see how big baby is. They said if she was already 7 lbs at 38 weeks (which is in the average range) then we should really consider a C-section because there was "no way" of vaginal delivery. Well baby was right at 7 lb, so tomorrow I go in for a C-section. So all-in-all someone doesn't have to have a C-section just because they are short (and you are over 5 ft so your risk is not as great anyway), but they are at an increased risk.