Having a large baby

[Fairy]

I wonder if anyone else has any experience of our 1st pregnancy.

Our son was induced 10 days after my due date and was born after 8 hours with not that much trouble it seemed at the time! But when he emerged he seemed a lot bigger than we expected and this was where the trouble started!

He weighed 10lbs 5ozs and his head circumference was 38 cms!!!! So he was a big chap, due to his size I lost about 2 pints of blood and fainted straight afterwards. When we were wheeled out of the delivery room it looked like I'd been murdered or in a car crash!

So now I find myself at 34 weeks pregnant with our second and finding the consultant at the hospital to be as much use as a wet potato! All I get is 'well you've done it once second time no problem', now that may be true but it does not instill me with much confidence. I'm being scanned again this Thursday, and I will probably be told again that he is an average size, but I cannot believe that I could go from my first being a whopper to the second being just average.

So what I'm asking in a long winded fashion is, does anyone else out there have any experience of this sort thing? Please?!!!!

[Rhiannon]

Babies put on the most weight in the final few weeks. If it was me I would ask to be monitored weekly to see how big the baby is getting and ask to be induced at 38 weeks if he/she is starting to get huge.

I had a boy c-section at 38 weeks 9lb 7oz and a girl c-section at 38 weeks 7lb 2oz! The boy was a c-section as he was big and breech and I was told if left he would have put on another 2lb. I asked to be induced for my little girl and time ran out so I had another section.

[IDismyname]

I have yet to be pregnant 2nd time around, but my first was 10lb 13oz when born (induced at 41 weeks). Needless to say, 27 hrs labour followed by emergency C. He won the prize for the heaviest weight baby from a "normal" mother (ie I had no gestational diabetes) in that hospital... a large London teaching hospital.
My advice? If you are not happy, as to see another consultant for a second opinion.( My midwife thought I just had excess fluid at 38 weeks and that the baby weighed c 7lbs!!)
You've done the "giving birth" thing once before, you know the ropes, so insist on getting a fairer hearing. Say that you don't feel confident, and ask to see someone else.
I agree, I've heard that 2nd babies are rarely smaller than the first, but perhaps you'll have a girl!
Lots of luck with it all... and full marks for getting out 10lbs 5oz in the first place, cos I feel like a real wimp now!!

[Robinw]

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[Scummymummy]

I really sympathise, Fairy. My first pregnancy was pretty wonderful and my resulting twins are extremely wonderful but the birth itself was a bit of a nightmare, to say the least. I definitely want more kids at some point but must admit I find the idea of giving birth again quite scary! The only advice I can offer is to really stick to your guns- you almost certainly know more about the specifics of your last pregnancy and the possible implications for this one than the consultant, unless he delivered your son himself. If you feel that your concerns aren't being taken seriously do make a LOUD fuss or, if you're feeling overwhelmed, get your partner/trusted friend to make one for you! Good luck.

[Alibubbles]

My son wasn't as big as that but I was scanned every day from 36 weeks on as he wasn't "growing"or moving enough. They wanted to induce me but I said no as I had a just one year old and my husband was away for a month!He ended up being born on his due date, no stitches or tear, four hours, 9lb 12oz so much for small! My daughter was also 9lb 8oz a year earlier, again no stitches or tear and just gas and air.
They were big in their time 15 years ago, my son also came out of hospital at four days old 10.8, he didn't lose the usual weight, just put it on! Good luck!

[Joe]

Thank god my son was a tiddler, 6lb 6ozs and born on his due date. I count myself very lucky, straight forward labour, no stitches, just gas, when I read stories like the ones below. My hubby now wants number 2 at least the second still wont be as big as yours.

[Fairy]

Thank you all for your feedback, I had thought I was the only one in the boat, until now I thought that all people seemed to talk about was low birthweight babies, but you have restored my faith!

We have been told we are expecting another boy, so probably another whopper, I have another scan tomorrow and see the witch(consultant) afterwards, so I will let you know how it goes.

By the way has anyone else experience stop and start growth on you tummy? My bump seemed to stop growing for about 3 weeks, but now it is making up for it again, all seems pretty tight again - nevermind!

[Wornout]

Fairy,
I my 1st Ds weighed in 8Lb 4oz on his due date (after 22 1/2 labour and high forceps), 2nd Ds was born at 39 wks and weighed 9Lb 14oz and his head circ was 37cm & 56cm long, but his shoulders got stuck (which they kindly told me, and kindly told them "I know I can feel it" and two mid-wives had to pull him out by his head!
But no episiotomy this time and just a couple of stitches so even if it is a bigger baby it may not be worse. Good Luck!

[Bugsy]

Hi Fairy
In a not dissimilar boat myself. My son was not as heavy as yours but his head was a massive 39cm. Needless to say he got very stuck and I had a grim birth, with lots of intervention and the dreaded forceps. I'm also pregnant with number two and have huge concerns about my ability to squeeze another huge head out. I shall be talking very seriously to my consultant about whether or not he thinks I could or if I should go for a caesar. I'll let you know how I get on. My GP has been very supportive and told me under no circumstances to be talked out of a c-section if that was what I wanted/needed.
If you don't feel happy with your consultant, ask for a change. It doesn't have to be an upleasant thing, just get your GP to write to the hospital requesting someone else. I really think you should feel confident in who is looking after you.
Good luck - let us know how you get on.

[Joe]

I agree with Bugsy Fairy if you are not happy with your GP then change. I was very unhappy with my midwife all through my pregnancy, then about a month before my due date I changed doctors and got a different midwife and it made a lot of difference. She changed where I was booked at the hospital and I am really glad I did it, even that close to delivery.

[Fairy]

Hi,

An update for you all. Saw the consultant on Thursday, and for the first time she actually listened to me and showed me the charts and went through our first sons growth in the womb.

I have to say I do feel on the whole better, this one is currently on the 70th centile, whereas the first was born on the 95/98th, so I feel alot more confident, must be all the stress! So we will have to see how it goes.

Next week we move about 25 miles away and to a new doctors/hospital and consultant, so we shall see what happens, and I'll let you know.

Once again I would like to say thank you for the feedabck that you have given, I'm not all on my own!!!!

[fairy]

To let you all know, last Thursday we had a lovely little boy, William, weighing in at 8lbs 12ozs.

I had been booked in to be induced at 3pm, but i managed it all on my own! We actually only got to the hosipital in the nick of time, arrived at 2.40pm he popped out at 3.06pm!

So he was much easier to squeeze out, and probably the size of our first one helped this one come out so easily, 2 pushes in fact.

I hope that this may help any other pregnant ladies out there!

[Bugsy]

Fantastic news Fairy. Many congratulations on the arrival of your son. Glad to hear that you are both fine & that it was a much less traumatic birth than the first.

[Azzie]

Congrats Fairy! Glad that no. 2 was a more reasonable size!

A friend of mine had a 10lb 1oz boy the first time round, then got pregnant with twins. She delivered them naturally (despite pressure from the medics for intervention). The boy weighed in at 9lbs, and the girl at 7 1/2 lbs - how's that for twins? I hate to thing how big her second baby would have been if it had been a singleton....

[ChanelNo5]

Congratulations Fairy, on the birth of your little whopper William! Love to all of you.

[ChanelNo5]

Congratulations Fairy, on the birth of your little whopper William! Love to all of you.

[ChanelNo5]

Congratulations Fairy, on the birth of your little whopper William! Love to all of you.

[ChanelNo5]

Wow, how did I manage to do that 3 times, you know I couldn't have done it if I've tried! Anyway, for the fourth time Fairy, congratulations!!

[robinw]

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[Joe1]

Well done Fairy and hello little William

[jodee]

Wonderful news! Hope you can get some well deserved rest

[ScummyMummy]

Daddy Fairy waved his wand
To consumate the lovers' bond
Mummy Fairy's tummy swelled
Baby William was beheld.
A bonny Fairy lad who joins
The other fruit of Fairy's loins.

[Lizzer]

Congratulations Fairy and hello William

Scummy, are you published??!