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Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

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Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Pregnancy

Those of you who were told you were going to have a big baby....

35 replies

banana87 · 28/09/2011 20:32

Just a few questions if you don't mind :)

I was told DD would be big and she was (8lb 4oz at 39 weeks). Natural birth but with failed ventouse and forceps. Ouch.

This time, I am 32 weeks pregnant, have been consistently measuring 2 weeks ahead until last night when I saw consultant and am now measuring 4 weeks ahead . Yes, I realize how unreliable the measuring tape is BUT, he felt and said its a big baby and I get comments all the time, and the measurement has been consistent. Growth scan booked at 36 weeks. Have convinced myself my baby will be 10lbs by 40 weeks, if not more :(

So if you were also told you'd have a big baby/measured ahead, how big was your baby? And did you give birth naturally or by CS? Did you have any complications?

OP posts:

Report

YougreatPamplemousse · 28/09/2011 20:34

My DD2 was predicted at over 10lb by scans at 32, 36 and 38 weeks. She was born at 39+5 weighing 8lb.

motherinferior · 28/09/2011 20:34

DD2 was on course to be fairly big (by my standards) about eight pounds or suchlike minimum. She was born 16 days ahead of schedule, uncomplicated home birth in water, weighing less than seven.

YougreatPamplemousse · 28/09/2011 20:35

Forgot, natural delivery, labour less than an hour!

GwendolineMaryLacey · 28/09/2011 20:35

I was told DD would be big. I was measuring 2 weeks ahead. She was 8lb 10oz on her due date after induction so not massive. No complications, vaginal delivery.

ginmakesitallok · 28/09/2011 20:36

my "monster" (mws words not mine) was 6lb 5.......

NickNacks · 28/09/2011 20:39

Told baby would be 'at least 8lb but probably more like 9lb'.

He was 10lb 1oz at 41 weeks.

DS2 was 8lb 8oz at 38wks and DD was 8lb 15oz at 39wks.

banana87 · 28/09/2011 20:42

Gwendoline Did they induce because they thought she was going to be big? They keep talking about this but say we won't decide anything until the growth scan.

OP posts:

banana87 · 28/09/2011 20:43

Sounds like a mix of doctors/mw's being right and wrong here!

OP posts:

NickNacks · 28/09/2011 20:43

Sorry meant to add as you asked....

All home births. Major tear after DS1 though which resulted in surgery though.

No pain relief with any of them.

HappyCamel · 28/09/2011 20:49

My "big" GD baby, scanned weekly, planned induction on due date, estimated 9lb+ arrived at 39 weeks after a 3 hour labour weighing 6lb 2oz.

Tillyscoutsmum · 28/09/2011 20:49

I measured big all the way through both pregnancies but I had a lot of fibroids so they were never sure whether it was big babies or the fibroids making the bump bigger. I did have a growth scan with 2nd baby because I was measuring 7 weeks ahead at one point . They estimated he would be around 10lb 4oz at term. He arrived on his due date and was 10lb 5oz. I was told they wouldn't induce early unless they estimated over 11lbs btw.

DD was 9lb 12 oz

Both natural deliveries. No pain relief but 2nd degree tears. Both were back to back so long first stages. Second stage with DS was 6 mins - 2 pushes. The midwife told me I practically "breathed" him out (easy for her to say ! )

Lizzylou · 28/09/2011 20:49

With DS2 MW kept referring me for scans/consultant appts as she was convinced I was big for dates (my bump was hugenormous). Consultant was sure that baby would be about same size as DS1 (8lb 13oz at 40+6), scans apparently proved this.
DS2 was 10lb 11oz at almost exactly 40 weeks. It was a ventouse delivery, but so was DS1, I have a slender inner pelvis or somesuch nonsense despite having hips the size of Africa so babies get stuck. However, labour was quicker, less painful and more productive. So not really a probem.

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 28/09/2011 20:50

Ds1 was my smallest at 9lb 3oz and ended in an emergency section.
Ds2 and 3 were born at home in the water weighing 9lb 11oz and 11lb 2oz.

The mw's always guessed they were big, and I could feel they were big when I palpated them. Ds3 weight was somewhat of a surprise, but it was fine, just a couple of grazes but no tear.

A big baby doesn't always mean there is going to be a problem. I truly believe that good positioning (the baby and the mother) have a huge part to play. Mw's and consultants always seem to suck their teeth at big babies and mutter things about shoulder dystocia, however the statistics show that the cases of SD are 50/50 between 'normal' and high birth weight.

Please don't let the fact that you may be carrying a big baby be a negative thing. You grow what you grow. Have faith in your baby, your body, and its ability to birth your baby.

Flisspaps · 28/09/2011 20:52

Growth scans can be very unreliable and be out by two pounds or so.

StellaAndFries · 28/09/2011 20:53

DD3 was predicted to be around 7lb like my first two dd's and surprised us at 8lb 11oz normal uncomplicated delivery no stitches. When I had dd4 13 months later I'd been told she would be much bigger and was slightly apprehensive, she turned out to be a tiny baby in prem clothes even though she weighed 7lb 0.5oz.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 28/09/2011 20:54

Yes, was measuring 38 weeks at 36 weeks. Had a growth scan at 37 weeks and told I had GD at 38 weeks (I didn't, they've admitted that now). So was brought in for induction at 39+5.

Lizzylou · 28/09/2011 20:54

Oh and to add, a relative of mine is 5ft 2" and petite (I am 5ft 9" and large build so I never expected tiny babies) and gave birth naturally, no drugs, no tears to 2 10lb+ babies.

I know it is easy to say but really try not to worry

ParkerRocks · 28/09/2011 20:56

My first was 9lb 2oz, at 41+3, failed ventouse resulting in forceps birth. Awful tearing and bleed requiring 2 hours in theatre! When I was pregnant with my second I was huge, but growth scans predicted a 7-8lb baby. However, LO was born weighing 9lb 5oz's at 41+1! complete surprise as birth was so much easier than first time around, 7 hours start to finish and LO was born with the third push! One small tear! So even though second was bigger than first, the whole birth process was much quicker and much easier! Up until the growth scan i was begging for a c-sec as i was so worried i tear, bleed etc but thankfully it was straightforward! Good luck!

banana87 · 28/09/2011 20:56

Yes, Ilike consultant did mention shoulder dystocia, but only because I asked about complications. He did say I did it before, so should be able to do it again, but I think he is hesitant to let me get to 40 weeks (I have NO problem with that). But then he also isn't making any decisions yet. Does a big baby= bigger chance of still birth? That is what I am most worried about, because I read the bigger they get the less able the placenta is...is that right?

OP posts:

Egg · 28/09/2011 20:58

Not had any big babies but wanted to add that actually pushing out dd hurt more than either of my ds's and she only weighed 4 lbs 11. Her head crowning was a killer and much worse than ds1 who was 3lbs heavier.

Bumply · 28/09/2011 21:00

Ds1 was 8lb 10oz. Ds2 was predicted to be large and he was, 10lb 7oz. He was also incredibly long (60cm at birth). They kept thinking he was breach because of where they could hear the heartbeat but scans showed he wasn't, just so long that his heart was a long way from his head. I was induced at 41 weeks for high blood pressure. Managed on gas and air and an episiotomy. Dr was convinced that I'd need a c section, but midwives had more faith.

Flamingredhead · 28/09/2011 21:01

4 weeks ahead of weight predicted 8lb or so weighed in at hefty 10.6 .and was like shelling peas

dd bloody 4lb 10 and crash section

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DedalusDigglesPocketWatch · 28/09/2011 21:02

DD was 7lb 4oz so when my mw told me DS was going to be big I thought she meant around 8lbs. I had a scan at 28wks and was told he was on the small side of average.

He was born 10 days overdue by elcs and was 9lb 2oz. I am only 5'3" and have very narrow hips so I looked like a hippo!

thisisyesterday · 28/09/2011 21:03

yes i was told i'd have big baies and i did

9lb 1, 9lb 5 and 9lb 11.

ds1 was born with ventouse, but the other 2 were born completely naturally with no pain relief at all.

no complications either.

zdcgbjm · 28/09/2011 21:06

I measured 1 cm big with DD and got sent for a growth scan, she was 7lb14oz at 39 weeks so not really big but was in a bad position so ended in CS. I measured a couple of cm big with DS1 who was 8lb3oz at 39 weeks. He was born in 2.5hrs from first twinge to delivery, the only intervention was an episiotomy. I measured even bigger with DS2, the MW reckoned he felt like a big baby and I went to 41 weeks so was expecting him to be huge. He was 7lb11oz and wallowing in a swimming pool... Labour was 4.5 hours from first little trickle of waters, about 4 hours from first contraction.

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