bigger ladies trying to have a natural birth

hiya my names laura, i was only 17 when i had my 1st child, and i was 18stone, i had a really bad birth and i was wondering if it was becuz of my weight???

is anyone around this weight and did u have a easy labour???

scared mum of one already       xx

hi again laura!! when I gave birth my weight had shot up to 15 stone, the consultant and aneathatist seemed to think that because of my weight Id need an epidural?!?! why?? any way I gave birth naturally with  just gas and air, it was a long labour but only 12 hrs in established labour (4 days of slow!!) so I guess its not just weight but your overall fitness level!!

I do know that the more worried and scared you are the more difficlt your labour will be, I was relaxed throughout and really didn't find it too bad the pain was manageable etc etc, ask your mw if there are any traumatic birth classes you can go to and try to get on top of your fears so you can make this pregnancy and birth a positive experience for you!!

Hiya, I'm overweight too (very!!!) and my first birth experience was horrid, ended in emergency c-section after 70 hours from waters breaking (very long story so won't go into it!) but from day one they (NHS maternity 'care'!!) were really insistant on intervention because of my weight and I was insistant on natural as possible and so the dispute and stress I went through in pregnancy and labour I am sure contributed to the end result... anyway don't think because you have had one bad experience it will go that way second time round as only a year after this experience I gave birth to my second son (in a different hospital!!) and I was home within 7 hours after a natural straightforward delivery after masses of support from midwives that i could achieve it... was an amazing experience and I was 4 stone heavier when having him that first time round and a lot less fit too so just goes to show... I think state of mind and the support & care far outways weight when it comes to influence & impact on the birth!!! M xx

yeh at the moment i weigh 18 stone 6, but i eat healthy and get regular exercise i am more thock boned and muscly then fat.

was you heavier with ur second?

I was near your weight after my first and put on even more with my second pregnancy so was a extremely overweight when delivering my second and less fit from having pelvic problems meant very little exercise so just goes to show even when unfit and overweight it is still possible to have a natural delivery, plus it was only 12 months after my c-section with my first!! I had much better midwives and support second time round and I think this was a major factor in having such a positive experience. M x

hi i know you have prob had your baby by now but wanted to say i wasn about 18 stone when i had my son and i was fine had a normal birth although had tohave placenta to have it removed x

no im still awaiting my lil bundle, as i had a miscarriage when i made this post. ive got 3 days left till my due date, thank u for the post xxx

Oh sorry to hear that good luck for your birth i am sure you will fine not all pregnancies and births are the same x

I was 16 stone when I gave birth to my 3rd and she was really easy.. 4 hours start to finish x

Hi there. Just to say, i was about 15 stone when i had my twins. They were natural and were only 5 1/2 hours from beginnig to end, so yes it is possible. Bearing in mind the twins are 14 years old next month, and i have a little girl, who'll be 2 tomorrow. xxxxxxxx