Planned C-Section - Page 2

[applejuice]

Storm Bride s

Your healthy babies are a witness to your perserverance.

Keep up the good work.

[USAmma]

I just wanted to share my story, too. I was a world class athlete most of my childhood and puberty, which resulted in delayed puberty, and I never did get very big hips or breasts or a "womanly" figure in general.

At the time I got pg with my first dd I was 5'4 and 108 pounds. Over the pregnancy I did a lot of walking. The last month of pregnancy I did a lot of squats to open the pelvis. My baby was born after 8 hours of labor and crowned very easily. Just a few pushes and she was out (I did get cut b/c her heart rate was way too low due to compressed cord). My second baby was conceived when I weighed 112 pounds and she came out pretty much by herself with minimal pushing from me. About 3 pushes I think.

So just becuase she has small hips now, does not mean she cannot birth a baby. The hips should widen and the joints and ligaments will soften in pregnancy and open up further in childbirth. If she seems to have trouble pushing, she should consider the squat position.

My hips never did go back all the way after dd2's birth. I have lost all but 8 pounds but my size 4 shorts and pants are history thanks to my new hips.

[doctorjen]

USAmma, I'm the same height as you and weigh 140 lbs! And I'm thin, actually, and a runner in pretty good shape. You must be really thin!

Although I'm not a particularly small person myself, I conceived my first baby when I was sixteen, and still pretty much built like a little girl. He was 7 lbs 11 oz, and I had a 6 hour labor, and although I did push a good while, had no problems delivering my ds. Like USAmma, I've never worn the same size jeans since, since I finally had some hips after birthing my son!

[NoraB]

My mother is 5ft2 and pretty small boned. When pg w/ me she weighed 113 at her heaviest. She delivered me vaginally and I was 7lbs11oz.

The "too smal pelvis" stuff is such a crock. Yes, CPD does happen, but it is very, very rare and pretty much impossible to determine prior to the pushing stage of labor.

[tmarina]

What everyone else has said...

I'm 5'2" and 115 and at my first appointment with my first midwife in my first pregnancy, she measured my pelvis and told me that it was very likely that I would need a cesarean and proceeded to tell me about what to expect with a cesarean at subsequent appointments. I went on to vaginally birth all three of my babies: 8 lb 6 oz, 9 lb 3 oz, and 8 lb 3 oz. (Of course, I got a new midwife after that first one turned out to be a ditz and had my second two out of hospital and outside of the medical model that did not trust my ability).

All the best to you and dw...