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Natural Birth
Well I just got knocked down a few pegs.
So today we had a consult with the midwife group I REALLY wanted to use. The consult was going great until I asked if my weight would be a factor. The midwife told me that every mother they have taken with a BMI over 30 has required a transfer to the hospital due to the fact that their body wasn't making enough natural pitocin, for their size, to keep labor moving along. And then I asked how many of them were able to still deliver vaginally at the hospital (they transfer to a hospital with a low section rate) and she said that she could remember only 1 or 2.
She said they would still take me on as a 'patient', and as long as my pregnancy is progressing normally that I can still attempt a natural birth at the birth center, but there is a good chance that I will get transferred and if that happens I will more than likely end up with a c-section.
I feel a little defeated right now. We still have a consult with another midwife next week but the midwives we met with today are really the best in the area.
any words of encouragement or advice.
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Re: Well I just got knocked down a few pegs.
All I can offer you is anecdotes, so take it for what it's worth.
My cousin was risked out of the local midwifery birth center due to her weight (350+ lbs, I believe). She went into spontaneous labor at 41w1d, and delivered vaginally at a local hopsital with no pain medication (though she did need vacuum assistance).
A good friend of mine, who weighed in excess of 250 pounds with each of her two pregnancies, went into spontaneous labor, once at 38w and once at 41w2d, and had two vaginal deliveries. Different OBs, different hospitals. First labor was medicated, second was not.
And then there's me: I was 273 pounds the day I delivered DS. My labor was induced at 39w3d, and while I was not aiming for an unmedicated delivery, I did not want a C-section, either. After cervical ripening with Cytotec, pitocin was started at 7 AM, and once labor became active (which took a few hours), it went very fast - I went from 4cm to complete in less than 3.5 hours and pushed for 40 to 50 minutes.
Statistically, being obese or overweight does increase your likelihood of a C-section, and it may be a contraindication for delivery at some birth centers or with some midwife practices. But it does not mean a C-section is a foregone conclusion.
Married Bio * BFP Charts
I can only give you my own personal experience, but I have a BMI over 30 and I had a completely un-medicated vaginal birth in a hospital. I had a perfect pregnancy. I had zero complications (including great glucose levels and awesome BP) and felt really good until the end. I did go into labor a little early (36 weeks 6 days) but my son came out perfect at 7lbs1oz and his Apgars were 9 and 9. I think he was just done cooking. I had a really smooth labor and delivery-- I had a 4 1/2 hour labor and only pushed for 15 minutes.
Being overweight can certainly complicate things during pregnancy and birthing but it isn't guaranteed to! There is no reason to believe you can't do this!
If I were you I would look at another midwife, even if these midwives are considered to be the best. If they have it in their heads that you will need to transfer they may be unconsciously looking for reasons to transfer you. You will be much better off with someone who is not just willing but ENTHUSIASTIC to help you have the birth you want.
Good luck with everything! I hope you find someone that suits your needs.
[btw with bfing and a dairy and soy free diet, I lost 85lbs in 6 months after delivery!!]
had to change my sn
Miracle Baby #1 - March 2012
LO1 was a spontaneous labor beginning with contractions at 39w3d that ended in med free vaginal delivery. Total time in labor was 8 hours.
LO2 was a spontaneous labor beginning with water breaking at 40w6d. Contractions started an hour later on their own. Baby was even breech, but I delivered vaginally only 5 hours after contractions began.
I have never heard anything like that before and I don't believe things based on anecdotal evidence, so I would just put what they say out of your mind. I wouldn't use the practice either, since they admitted they will have you on a clock for transfer.
climb back up those pegs. that is absolutely rude! think about the time when women were considered "not attractive" if they were too thin... back then (I'm talking like pre 1800s here) there wasn't the option of medication, and we didn't die out... so obviously weight isn't much of a factor.
The only thing so far my docs have said about my weight has been recommending an early GD test (which I attribute to accidentally messing up my calorie intake count)
I agree with the last part. You should try looking for another midwife or OB who is more supportive. My mom has a BMI of over 30, and managed to have three natural, hospital births back in the 80s. I think that there is also enough evidence on this board to suggest that what your midwife said isn't the norm.
Good luck!
Many women with a BMI over 30 have had kids without pitocin given by the doctor. Many give birth on their own unmedicated. EDIT to clarify
Thanks ladies! My potenital Doula is outraged because that is the center that she refers a lot of women to, many of those being larger ladies like myself. She said she was going to call the center and speak with the head midwife (not the on i dealt with) to try to clarify the situation. she also encouraged me to meet with the head midwife and speak with her before making up my mind.
I'm hoping our meeting with another midwife next week does much better.
I just wanted to share my own experience. I have a BMI over 30 and have had two daughters unmedicated - I went into labor on my own and required no interventions. I know a few doctors at my practice had concerns over whether I would develop GD (I didn't) and that my babies would be huge (they weren't). Don't let their doubts creep into your head. Do your best to eat healthy and be active. And just because this place is "the best" doesn't make it the best fit for you.
Hope you can sort this out or find a better fit for you - good luck!
I know I responded to your other post- I'm still pregnant, and was considered obese at my pre-preg weight, and not a single person has said anything about my weight being a factor. And I never asked, either. My OB before I found a midwife said that she didn't want me to gain too much, but I expected as much, and was planning on keeping myself under control and not using the pregnancy as an excuse to gain all the weight back that I had just spent years losing.
I think the best thing for you to do is to not focus on your weight so much yourself. You have to keep your thoughts positive- continuing to think that your weight is going to be a problem for a natural birth is going to lead to just that, because you aren't trusting your body and you're doubting your ability to do this. You CAN do this and you WILL do this if this is what you want. Find a supportive midwife and don't think about your weight again. To quote from the hypnobabies course that I'm using, what you focus on most will indeed come to pass, so make it positive! (and this means don't think "my weight won't be a problem" either- because you are still focusing on "weight" and "problem" and not actually negating those things in your mind!).
I had a BMI over 30 when I got pregnant. My baby was early but they don't believe it had anything to do with weight (more likely it was the fact I had a severe bout of pneumonia) and he was perfectly healthy. I actually had pretty lower blood sugar when I was pregnant and maintained low-normal BP throughout. I was careful to eat healthy food during my pregnancy and watch my weight but I didn't go crazy, I gave into some of the cravings, and my midwives were very happy with my weight gain and progress throughout.
I had an unmedicated birth and actually was sent home earlier in the day because the hospital insisted I wasn't going to have the baby even though I was sure I was in labor. When I called back they told me I was fine and when I came in that night in an ambulance they rolled their eyes until they realized I was at a 9 and my baby was born about half an hour after I got to the hospital. Trust me, pitocin was the LAST thing I needed!