What is the appropriate fetal weight for normal delivery?

Women should choose whether to give birth naturally based on their own physical condition and the size of the fetus. If a woman is too weak or the baby in her belly is too heavy, it is not suitable for childbirth, which can easily lead to dystocia. Therefore, when the due date is approaching, the doctor will discuss with the mother whether she should have a natural birth. So for the mother, what is the approximate weight of the baby in the belly for a natural birth?

How many pounds of fetus is suitable for normal delivery?

After becoming pregnant, women start to eat more and supplement more, hoping to give birth to a white and plump baby. In fact, an overweight fetus is not a good thing, because an important indicator of normal delivery is the weight of the fetus. If the baby is macrosomic, then natural delivery must be done with caution.

Macrosomia refers to a fetus weighing more than 4000 grams (8 pounds). The doctor will estimate the baby's weight through B-ultrasound. If the fetus weighs more than 4500 grams (9 pounds), it is not recommended for the expectant mother to choose natural delivery. Because the fetus is too large, its head circumference is also large. It will inevitably be squeezed when passing through the birth canal, which can easily cause head deformation. In addition, the excessive weight makes it difficult to deliver smoothly. When the fetal head is exposed, the chance of vaginal tearing will increase, which is unfavorable to the safety of both the baby and the expectant mother.

Benefits of natural childbirth

Benefit 1: Although vaginal delivery may last for more than ten hours, you will feel relieved as soon as the baby is born. You can quickly get out of bed and move around, urinate and defecate freely, and your diet and life will quickly return to normal, so you will have plenty of energy to take care of your baby.

Benefit 2: Natural childbirth requires a short hospital stay. Mother and baby can be discharged from the hospital within three days after delivery and be cared for by their family, which is more conducive to postpartum recovery. You can also exercise early after giving birth, which is also beneficial for body recovery.

Benefit 3: Natural childbirth can avoid the pain and disadvantages of cesarean section, such as the risks of anesthesia, surgical bleeding and trauma, postoperative intestinal bleeding and bloating, etc.

Benefit 4: In the long run, it is easier for mothers to choose contraceptive methods after vaginal delivery, such as early insertion of an IUD. Once pregnant, if an abortion is needed, there is no need to worry about problems such as perforation of the uterine scar caused by curettage. There will also be no problems such as intestinal adhesions caused by abdominal surgery and endometriosis of the abdominal wall incision.

Benefit 5: Natural childbirth is caused by the secretion of a hormone called oxytocin by the pituitary gland of the parturient. This hormone not only promotes the progress of labor, but also promotes the secretion of milk after delivery, which is beneficial to promoting the relationship between mother and child.

Benefit 6: Save health resources. Not only does cesarean section consume more resources, but the choice of postoperative contraceptive methods is also limited, which wastes a lot of health resources.

Now mothers know that natural childbirth can not only allow mothers to recover quickly after delivery, which is beneficial to the recovery of their body shape and plays a good contraceptive role, but also promote the secretion of mother's milk, making the baby's food more sufficient and better meeting the needs of breastfeeding.