Large waters and big baby - really upset, rant inside

[LashesandLipstick]

Ended up in hospital last night with suspected preeclampsia. My BP lowered and two urine samples since there's no protein, so they think it's fine. However they sent me for a growth scan, which I had today.

My baby is over the 90th centile and my waters are 26, which are slightly over. His head is measuring 36 weeks (I'm 32 weeks). I've been reassured my baby looks fine and there shouldn't be anything wrong but I'm worried :(

Saw the consultant who is lovely, I've now got to have the GTT test. I'm needle phobic severely, so I'm terrified. I've got to have regular scans and keep my eye on changes. I've been told the size of the baby is likely down to DP being a lanky sod 6"3

I'm so fucking upset I havent had 2 worry free weeks. I had spotting twice in the first trimester, HG, SPD, I've been in hospital twice with suspected premature labour (it wasn't) and now this. I just feel like crying. Why is all this happening? I'm so fed up of being pregnant I just want me and my son to be okay :(

Sorry for the rant, just feeling really upset and scared.

[Mummymidwife87]

Couldn't read and run.

I had a scan at 36weeks because I was offered one (perk of the job and all) but kind of wish I didn't at the time. I found baby was over 95th centile, head over 98th centile and increased fluid. I had a fasting glucose as GTTs aren't accurate after 32/40 and an HBA1C. The glucose came back slightly high and I had to do a week worth of blood sugar monitoring... All at the same time as seeing cardiology as my heart rate was really high. Great at almost term in the heat!!

I had no more scans as my trust dont keep scanning for large for dates as it shows nothing and the fluid wasn't increased enough to be polyhydramnios.

My week of blood sugar monitoring was fine bar a couple of readings.

I ended up being induced for reduced movements at 41+1 and delivered by emergency section at 41+3 for infection at 9.5cm.

Baby was 4.675kg (10lb 5oz) and had signs of maternal diabetes.

You're not alone. Don't worry about weight of baby, it means bugger all, and I'm not sure about the delivering prematurely. If you have diabetes, most trusts induce around 40-41/40 if not already labouring.

Try and chill ourt, eat well, reduce sugar intake, particularly fruits. Look after yourself, attend appropriate appointments and don't fret. Keep an eye on baby's movements

[LashesandLipstick]

Thanks! Was the baby okay? I'm ELCS anyway so not worried about the size of the baby as such just worried there's something wrong with him :( but have been told he's probably fine and I'm just worrying

Did you have sugar in your urine? I've been told that mines clear and this means it's unlikely.

I'm so fed up with being pregnant now, I find it terrifying. I just want to fast forward to having my son!

[RandomMess]

It's a shame they scanned you and worried you. My second was unusually large 10lb 6oz with lots of fluid, she was just (and still is) tall and takes after her Dad's family and I'm able to grow big babies despite being tiny!!!

The scans are unreliable for sizes anyway they are just guideline. So sorry they have worried you.

[LashesandLipstick]

Random thank you! My partners family are tall, his cousins are 6"3 and 6"4, his sisters 5"8 and his granddad was 6"4. My family are also taller than average. My consultant did say it's likely he's just a big baby genetically as he's always been on that centile, they just never made s big deal of it before.

[brickiemum2]

What a shame that they've worried you! Babies come in all shapes and sizes and with a big husband you would be expecting to have a big one!

[LashesandLipstick]

Brickiemum thanks. My mum told me that our babies are always big, 9lbs+ isn't uncommon in our family, and FIL is a doctor himself who said they've worried me for pretty much nothing. I'm now not sure whether to have the extra tests, I'm scared of I turn them down they'll be something wrong and it'll get missed...

AHHHH. so stressful

[Mummymidwife87]

I had no glucose in my urine at any point. Fetal medicine consultant said it was normal for large babies to have increased fluid as long as it wasn't polyhydramnios. Poly is associated with gestational diabetes.

My partner is tall, 6ft 2 and I am 5ft 7. He was over 9lb at birth and I was 8lb 11. I was expecting a big baby but not as big as I produced.

You asked how baby was. Well he was actually very unwell, but nothing to do with the ?diabetes. He had E. coli meningitis which he contracted from me at some point. This has nothing to do with him being big, increased fluid etc. he had polycythemia which is related to untreated maternal diabetes, but we would have never known about that had he not been so unwell in the first place. Otherwise he is fine. He is tall, around 75th centile, weight he slimmed down a lot (makes me think even more so that I was diabetic), now just below 75th centile, and head remains around 90-98th centile (takes after my dad!!!)

If I was you, I would have the glucose testing, as if you do have gestational diabetes you want it monitored properly. Extra scans I wouldn't bother with, but screening for diabetes yes.
They didn't mean to worry you, but have told you the facts noted on scan. They couldn't not tell you that he is measuring large for dates and not tell you that you have increased fluid as they are signs of diabetes, which needs followed up. Had they told you he was abnormally large and you will never push him out and need an emergency caesarean...then that would be unnessecary...it's not uncommon for HcP to scaremonger (and I don't know why, no trust in the human body)

[LashesandLipstick]

MummyMidwife thanks. What puts me off about the GTT is really stupid, they want to do two blood tests. I have PTSD from a medical proceedure and up until pregnancy had to be sedated to take blood, it takes 40 mins to get a small blood sample from me because I have anxiety attacks. I don't know how I'm going to manage 2 blood tests :(

I also have a question that I dunno if anyone will know but...

The hospital moved my due date early on by about 5 days. I know the exact date I conceived, DP is a student and we don't live together all the time, so no room for error. Going by my original dates, baby is just under or just touching the 90th centile and not over it. Does this make a difference at all? I asked them ages ago if they'd move my date back but they said they won't...but every scan I've had after my dating scan puts him on track for the original due date. My other worry with this is it will knock out the date for the CS and I'll go into labour naturally :(

[Skiptonlass]

Talk to the team about your needle phobia. They can make sure you're well hydrated, lying down and they can use a smaller needle, all of which make a big difference. It is really important you have the GTT though - please work with your team, they will see plenty of needle phobes and have ways of coping :)

[LashesandLipstick]

Skipton I have all that, I have the cream and the kids needles, it still sends me into a panic :( I'm really scared because I dunno how I'm going to do this but I don't want to not have it done. If it was ONE needle I'd feel better but 2 :(

[Mummymidwife87]

Yes, GTT two blood tests. But as above, let them know, they will help make you feel relaxed. HVe you done natal hypnotherapy At all? This can be used for blood tests.

I can't stress enough how important it is to have the GTT if it is advised, which in your situation it is. You most probably don't have GDM, but it's really not worth the risk.

Date wise... It's always an issue between fetal medicine and women. The day you have sex is not necessarily the day you conceive due to eggs/sperm hanging around for a few days. So you may have sex on the Monday, but not actually conceive u till the Wednesday..for example. It's highly unlikely that they will change it based on extensive studies that prove the 12week scan is accurate for dating pregnancies. They don't measure the size of the baby as such, but various other details which date a pregnancy.

Do you have a date for your GTT?

[LashesandLipstick]

Mummymidwife I have but I haven't done very much of it. What is the risk if I don't have it? The consultant said she would be surprised if it did come back positive so I dunno if it's extra worrying for nothing.

Ah okay so is their date more accurate then?

The 16th. It doesn't help that I apparently can't leave the hospital in between tests. Can't they just monitor my blood sugar with the finger thing? :/

[Skiptonlass]

This may seem like an odd question but can you identify what exactly makes you panic about it ? Pain? Blood etc?
It's so important to have the GTT - any coping mechanisms, relaxation techniques etc you can use?

[LashesandLipstick]

Skipton it's that I had a traumatic medical procedure as a three year old, and they couldn't cannulate me. I can vividly remember trying to escape and being held down either side as someone tried for the 4th time to get it in. I've described the incident to people who were there and how I remember it is what happened it's not warped or anything. Every time I go to have a blood test I revert back to that :(

[Skiptonlass]

That makes sense. So the setting is the trigger. Not uncommon to be honest.

Can I just say again that it's really important you have the test? The mw's opinion on whether it'll come back positive or not is irrelevant. You do have the right to refuse any medical procedure but if you do have GD it's so important you know. It can really mess with their metabolism - they can have hypoglycaemia, jaundice, respiratory distress and be more at risk for diabetes themselves. I'm not saying this to scare you, but to say how important it is that you rule out GD.

Would some sort of desensitising work? You could mock up the setting with your dh and work through it for example. So he goes through the motions and you breathe through it. Rinse and repeat until it's more boring than scary ? Or ask for a syringe (without a needle) to take home to hold and look at in a more relaxed setting? Or visualise your childhood memory and change it (ways to do this if you google.)

It's a very important test. I do sympathise with you - this isn't as uncommon as folk think !

[LashesandLipstick]

Yeah it's the setting.

That's what I'm worried about, if the small chance that it IS diabetes I don't want it missed :(

I'll look into that. I've been doing that with cannulas to make that less scary and it really helps, ill try and do it for blood tests.

Thank you for this, it's really helpful. I've had nurses before who've told me to "get over it" and I think that scares me too, the person doing it might not be understanding

[Skiptonlass]

There's no point telling someone to get over it (honestly, null points for bedside manner..)

Desensitisation is good. And keep saying to yourself that you are no longer that child. Everything you're doing is being done with your consent. You're in control, you need and want this to be done, it won't last long, but you're consciously allowing it.

Treat yourself to something nice afterwards too :)

[LashesandLipstick]

Thanks :)

[RandomMess]

Agree about the dates thing completely. SIL "conceived" when she was on a weekend away but it didn't match her dates that the hospital went on from the 12 week scan by a good week - the hospital was right through and through!

Please have the tests but it does sound like you're going to have a long/tall baby.

[sunnyawry]

Good luck with the bloods, all advice sounds really sensible. Just re dating: I had ivf/icsi so knew the exact conception date but my 12 week scan put baby 6 days ahead of due date. I had a right struggle trying to get them to change it on my notes, which eventually they did. My DS was then born on his NHS due date as predicted by the scan . And he looked overdue apparently.

[AmberLav]

Cant help on the other points, but I agree with you on the 12 week scan - all my babies have measured 3 days ahead at the 12 week scan, and shock horror, I produce big babies at term, so maybe I have big babies throughout... Not certain how conclusive the research about sizing at 12 weeks really is... Good luck with everything!

[MummyOf3Beauties]

My 2 sons weighed 8lb 11oz and 9lb 7oz!

I am terrified my girl will be even bigger this time round :(

They are giving me 2 extra scans at 34 and 36 weeks to see approx how much she is weighing, hoping that means they will induce early, as long as safe, if she gets to a certain weight.

[scarednoob]

I got told at a growth scan on sat that I have a baby smack bang on the 50th centile for everything except abdomen, which is on the 95th. and slightly increased fluid, at 19.2cm. the sonographer said it could well be GD; I have my test on thu anyway. but as I've been asking for a test for weeks, due to being old and fat, I'll be really cross and worried if that is it.

Other than that, have convinced myself via google it could be one of a number of terrible things, despite the fact that the sonographer signed it off as normal, just flagged it as on the higher side of normal. I am an idiot. Anyway, just wanted to say you're not alone.

Sorry about your needle phobia. It might help to keep remembering that you're doing it for the baby, almost like a mantra to chant to yourself. Hope it goes OK.