Hi Ladies

I'm abit on the small size (well I was !!) and was wondering if this has caused anyone any problems at birth ? my hubs is convinced i'm not going to carry to full term as am already quite big (21 weeks) !!

anyone been through this or have similar probs ?

sarah
20+6

ooh ud be surprised how much ur body can grow and accomodate a baby! with my first i was 7 1/2 stone, 5"3 and made a 8lb 10oz baby, i was 4 days overdue, lol. no idea where she hid too, haha, im still same height but pre pregnancy no2 i was 9st and now nearly 12st....wanna ball my eyes out or smash the scales and shout u big fat lier haha but i cant! lol, ur birth shouldnt be problematic but all sorts of women have great labours/troubled labours, i had em sec but that was due to fetal distress and failure to progress which i think was down to my epidural, nothing to do with my size except terrified of a baby going through something that shoudlnt b allowed lol. xx

hi hun, i'm just 5ft was 7stone before i got pregnant and my dd weighed 8lb 6oz and was born on her due date. I too was convinced i'd go early, but didn't! she was a natural birth too, no tears, just a graze to the perinium (but i put that down to perinium massage!!!!) so in a nutshell, 9/10 births to us petite mummies goes well, if your mw or consultant are worried about anything i'm sure they'll be discussing it with you in the near future!!! enjoy the rest of your pregnancy!!!! :)

Thanks Ladies

Beccababy you are exactly the same stats as me, can someone explain this massage thing please ? I've heard lots about it and after talking to two of my friends who had big tears i'll do anything to avoid it !! Have a long way to go yet, my OH is convinced that i'll have probs. So much so that he's worried me silly about it all. Stupid man !!!

sarah
20+6

www.babyworld.co.uk/information/.../perineal_massage.asp

there you go hun, hopefully that link works!!! i tried to put it in my own words and i sounded like a blithering idiot!!! lol!!!! please don't worry too much, remember if there are any problems during labour your mw's and consultants have your best interests at heart!!!! oh's eh? they like to put the bejesers up you!!! my oh said he didn't think he could cope with all the blood and gore, but when the time came he was brill and was at the business end when dd came out!!! lol!! xxxx

Hi,
Don't worry about a thing. I was 6 stone and 5 ft 3 with my 1st. At my heaviest I was 8 stone had no problems. Weight some how just kinda dropped off me and now 2nd time I'm 6 stone again so I'm not worried if docs are not. I did that massage thing and had no tears or grazing. My lo was 6lb 6. Hope this helps. x

20+2

my mum is tiny- not even 5ft! she was about 7 stone when fell pg with my sis and put on 5 stone- due to excess fluid! my sister was over 9lb natural birth and 4 days late!

she also had size 3 feet and was told that might be a sign her pelvis wasn't big enough- it was!

good luck! x x

lillykitt - I was thinking the same as you. I'm 5ft 2" and weighed just under 7 stones before pregnancy. At my booking in appointment, I was told that because my BMI was too low, I'd have to see a consultant. I'm due to see him next week and fingers crossed everything will be okay. I'm 27 weeks now and have put on nearly 1 stone so far which seems healthy enough to me. I've also been researching about perinium massage and here's some really useful information which someone put on the labour/birth message board:

Baby size doesn't really have anything to do with the amount of tearing you might experience. How big your baby's head is will actually determine whether or not you experience any tearing during delivery.

Is there anything you can do to avoid an episiotomy? Some women and healthcare providers encourage gentle stretching of the birth canal during labor and delivery. This is often referred to as a perineal massage. You can actually perform this massage in the weeks leading up to your birth.

Perineal massage is a form of exercise that can help prepare your body for labor. Many women begin massage in the five to six weeks leading up to delivery. Use of perineal massage may help reduce your risks for excessive tearing.

Many women choose to perform a perineal massage themselves, however there is no reason your partner can't help you. To perform a perineal massage you will need to do the following:

* Sit in a position that allows you to remain comfortable with your legs apart.
* Place some water soluble lubricant on your fingers and thumbs as well as the area between your vagina and anus.
* Next you will place your thumbs into the vagina about half way. Spread your legs and press down firmly on the perineal area. Try pressing down and to the sides at the same time so that you are stretching the area.
* Hold for a few minutes. You should feel some tingling.
* Massage the lower vaginal canal back and forth.

It is best that you ask your healthcare provider exactly how to perform a perineal massage if you are interested. It is often hard to visualize such activities without someone actually showing you how to perform them.

Ultimately the best way to avoid tearing is through a slow decent and controlled delivery of the head. If you work with a qualified health practitioner, you have the best chance of delivering your baby with minimal damage to your vagina and surrounding areas. If you have concerns about tearing talk with your healthcare provider. Typically your healthcare provider will be able to alleviate some of your concerns and inform you of all your options prior to delivery.