10/29/2025
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say:
“My doctor told me my pelvis might be too small to birth my baby.”
Let me be real with you — that’s almost always bu****it.
True cephalopelvic disproportion (when a baby literally can’t fit through the pelvis) is incredibly rare — about 1 in 250 births (less than 1–3%).
Here’s the truth:
Your pelvis isn’t a fixed, rigid bowl. It’s designed to move, flex, and open during labor. Hormones like relaxin literally help your ligaments stretch to make space for your baby.
And even if you end up having a C-section, there’s no reliable way for anyone to look inside and say, “Ah yes, your pelvis is too small.” Pelvis size and shape are complex — and even when they’re measured (through imaging or otherwise), those numbers don’t predict who can or can’t birth vaginally. Labor is dynamic, not mathematical.
So when someone says “your pelvis is too small,” what they usually mean is:
“Something about this labor isn’t lining up right now.”
And that’s often something we can work through.
You can support your body and baby’s positioning with things like:
✨ Working with a doula who understands physiology and positioning
✨ Seeing a pelvic floor therapist for alignment and balance
✨ Practicing movement-based tools like Spinning Babies® or Body Ready Method®
But here’s the part I really want to emphasize —
Even with all those tools, sometimes a baby’s position just won’t change.
And that’s OK too. It doesn’t mean your body failed.
It doesn’t mean your pelvis is too small.
And it definitely doesn’t mean you can’t have a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) in the future.
Your body is still perfectly made for the babies you carry.
You deserve information, options, and respect — not fear. 💛
— Jill Magoffin, Doula
