Myths for moms: You can’t give birth vaginally if…

Sometimes c-sections are medically necessary and can truly be life-saving! But many times, they are not actually necessary. Did you know the current c-section rate in the United States is 31.8%, while the World Health Organization recommends countries not exceed 10%?!

Here are some common myths women believe could prevent them from having a vaginal delivery:

1. “My mom had all c-sections, so I’ll probably need them too.”
   While genetics CAN play a factor into your birth experience, that isn’t always the case. My own mom delivered all three of her babies by c-section, whereas I had all four of my babies vaginally. Things are constantly changing and progressing in the birth world. Where they might have told moms 30 years ago that a c-section was the only way in far too many circumstances, moms today are more aware of their options (unless, of course, otherwise indicated). If you aren’t sure about something you’re being told, get a second opinion!

2. “I’ve had a past c-section, so this is just how all my births will go.”
   Have you heard of a VBAC? It stands for Vaginal Birth After Cesarean and it is thankfully growing in popularity! According to The VBAC Link, up to 80% of attempted VBACs are successful! One of the concerns commonly spouted when women bring up wanting a VBAC is uterine rupture. But statistically, with a low-transverse or bikini cut incision, the chance of this happening is only 0.2%-1.4%. According to The VBAC Link, “The risks of repeat Cesarean are higher than vaginal births, and increase with each Cesarean. In contrast, with VBAC, the risks go down with each vaginal birth.” Furthermore, “With a second birth, the risks of a VBAC and a repeat Cesarean are very similar, statistically speaking. For a third pregnancy, the risks of a third Cesarean are higher than the risks of a VBAC. By the time you reach a 5th and 6th Cesarean, you have a 1 in 3 chance of having major complications.” The most exciting thing to know when researching this topic is that 90% of moms with a previous c-section are great candidates to attempt a VBAC! For more information and to see if you’re a good candidate for a VBAC, read more from The VBAC Link here.

3. “My pelvis/hips are too small to deliver a baby vaginally.”
   This is one we hear a lot of, and unfortunately, it’s usually based on ultrasound estimates of the baby’s weight (which are statistically not very accurate anyways). But did you know there are four different pelvis types, and having the kind that anatomically would make it extremely difficult for you to deliver your baby vaginally is incredibly rare? It’s called a platypelloid pelvis, and it occurs in less than 3% of women. A wide front diameter and shallow depth from front to back are characteristics of this type of pelvis. So while this can occur, it is very unlikely that you physically cannot deliver your baby because of your body. My own mom was told in the 80’s that she couldn’t deliver babies vaginally because of her body type, but was never diagnosed with this. Again, another great advancement in prenatal care is access to information. If someone tells you this, I would recommend getting a second opinion and having some kind of scan done to show them exactly what your pelvis looks like. If this is a concern in labor, remember to keep moving! The more you move and practice movements that allow baby to move further down, the more the odds will be in your favor!

4. “My baby is too big to deliver vaginally.”
   The average weight of a newborn baby in the United States is around 7.5 pounds, but I’m sure we all know someone who has delivered a big baby—I have a relative who had her almost 11 pound baby vaginally like it was nothing. But was that just a fluke? The medical term for a big baby is Macrosomia, and it refers to babies weighing over 11 pounds. According to The VBAC Link, “9% of c-sections are due to suspected big babies when in reality, only 1.7% of babies are born bigger than 9lbs 15oz. According to the 2010 National Vital Statistics, the average weight of suspected big babies was 7lbs 13 oz!” If a medical professional is estimating your baby’s size and is using that as a reason for you to have a c-section, might I recommend, again, getting a second opinion? Sometimes women just make big babies, but it doens’t mean their bodies don’t know what to do when it comes time to deliver them. Gather all the information to make informed decisions!

These are just a handful of reasons moms are told they can’t deliver their babies vaginally. I hope debunking some of those myths was helpful to you! If you have been told any of these things, make sure to do your research and advocate for yourself before it’s time to deliver your baby!