United Brachial Plexus Network

I am just wondering how mamy here has a baby that was born average weight and was born with this injury? Peyton was 6lbs 15ozs, I just don't understand how it happened, he was'nt a large baby.

Hmmmm.....I dont know
Are you a very small lady?
Maybe small pelvis? I dont know...my son was 12 lbs 23 inches long....OUCH

I am 5 feet, don't know about my pelvis, how would you know that?

Marnie-

My daughter Hannah (2) weighted 8# 5oz. And I was told I could deliever a 8# baby no problem. I guess they weren't expecting the 5 oz. I am not small person. I get my pelvic is small?

Nicki

I read somewhere that if you get the epidural that it prevents you from "pushing" correctly. That may have been the problem. Too bad we were not told that from the start right? Aaron weighed 10lbs 8 1/2oz 22 inches long and I am 5' 2" 135 lbs BEFORE I got pregnant. I was huge. I was told by a co-worker one day towards the end of my pregnancy, "Paula hurry up and have that baby before you poke someone's eye out with that belly of yours!"
---Paula

Quite a few families have posted here in the past about injuries to average size babies where there was no trauma in labour and no pulling etc on the head, so maybe some bpi's are caused during labour. Unfortunately I think the doctors pick up on this to claim that ALL bpi's are caused this way, which obviously isn't true.

I have heard of several small babies with BPI's. Bigger babies have the greatest risk, but from what I have learned it is more the size of your pelvis and the size of the baby's shoulders, so it doesn't have to be a big baby at all. Also, I have learned it has nothing to do with your size from what you see on the outside like being big, tall, wide looking hips, etc. You can be teeny tiny and have a bigger pelvis opening or you can be a big lady with very wide hips and a real small pelvis on the inside. I have always thought the hips symbolized bigger pelvis, but it is not true. There is actually a test that measures it and I can't remeber the name but someone will if you ask. I am alsmost certain it is in Dr.O'learys book Shoulder Dystocia and Birth Injuries.

Ashley was born at 7 lbs 14oz at 38 weeks. I also had an epidural!!

Bradley was 6lbs14oz. I am 5 ft tall. Had gestational diabetes, gained 35 pounds, baby was breech 1 week prior to delivery, ya think maybe thay should have done an ultrasound to check the positioning of the baby????? Anything to cut corners and cut costs.

7 # 15 oz. kim has a small pelvic opening however and Katie had shoulders that showed about 4 weeks ahead of head size on the ultrasound...still had BPI on R and fx on left.