Would would happen if the head of a baby was too big to give vaginal birth?

Question

i know the answer is most likely csection...but what if you were home alone or something and wasnt able to get to a hospital in time and had to give labor at home? what would happen then? would it just really hurt or would it do damage to your body?

and also, i thought vaginas were ment to stretch, so how can a baby be 'too big'?

im not pregnant btw. i just had this question today during my child development class after we watched a movie on c sections and was too afraid to ask it infront of everyone lol.

Answer 1

if it was too big to fit through your bony pelvis then you'd have to call 911 and hope they get there in time before your baby gets in too much stress. If NOTHING is done at all when a baby is stuck, the situation is fatal for the baby and mother. Vaginas do stretch, but the bones that the baby has to pass through first can only open up so much.

Answer 2

Wellllll... it's unusual that a woman can't make it to the hospital in time if she's been planning a hospital birth.  At the end of pregnancy, women are monitered weekly to see if they are dilating and there are NUMEROUS signs and symptoms that make it clear that early labor has begun.  At this point the majority of women have everything ready and are very watchful, have their partners around and are ready to get to the hospital... so it's pretty uncommon that a woman is suddenly "taken" by labor and has to do it all by herself.

That aside, babies will usually find a way and mommy's body also finds a way to stretch.  There are cases in which the mother is extremely petite and her partner is of a much bigger stature... sometimes the baby takes on the build of the father and you wind up with a teeny mom and a very big baby.  In this case, she would know far in advance as well and be prepared for quick transport to the hospital...

**edit** if it is known that the woman's pelvis is small and the baby is unusually large, the woman would be considered high-risk and the vast majority of midwives would not agree to doing a home-birth to begin with in that situation.  Homebirths actually have a lower infant and maternal mortality rate than hospitals...

Answer 3

Ok, you would deliver by c-section. If you were alone at home, more than likely it would hurt the baby..either break its shoulders, collar bone..etc.Your v****a is made to stretch, thats not the problem, the problem is that your baby has to pass through the birth canal, if your pelvis is to small sometimes the babies head won't fit.

Answer 4

u call 911 and they would deliver your baby if you couldnt make it to a hosiptal

Answer 5

Every woman is different so where one could push out a 9lb baby another the same size as she or smaller might can't.

I know this is something that no one might not want to hear but in the town i live in there was this woman that was pushing out her baby and it was too big, and the doctor could not perform a c-section because it was done out too far (He could not push it back up and could not pull it out) so he had no choice but to behead the baby. This is no lie, this really did happen. (Back sometime in the 80's where i am from)

Answer 6

Well they can be too big. They do stretch and they can make a slit called an episiotomy. Sometimes they can be too big this coming from personal exp. My daughter was huge. She was stuck in my pelvis and i had to have a c-section. Hope this helps

Answer 7

If you can get the shoulders out vaginal i'm pretty sure that you a person would be able to get the head out vaginally.  

Answer 8

That's why homebirths are so highly contested. Vaginas do stretch but your pelvis does not. The reason that you have to have c-sections when the baby's head is too big is because the pelvis isn't big enough, it isn't necessarily because of the v****a. Many complications could arise from being at home and the baby being stuck, it can cause distress to the baby, and could cause the cord to be wrapped around their neck and the baby could die. You wold need to call 911 immediately and get someone there that could help or get you to the hospital asap.

Answer 9

My second pregnancy I had this problem.  I got induced and 12 hours later I was pushing, but the babies heart beat was lowering every time I would push.  They ended up doing an emergency c-section on me and found dents on the top of her head where she could not make it through my pelvic area.  

Answer 10

you would rip.

ouch

Answer 11

they will cut you open