Was I in danger at hospital?

This.

I think remember baby was measuring big but you also developed earlier than expected which means less growing. Often with big babies it’s about them continuing to get big. That wasn’t an issue.

Congratulations OP. I don’t think there is anything wrong with your reasoning. My 2nd was nearly 11 lbs and I was monitored very closely with my 3rd. We had actually moved to another country when I was pregnant with my 3rd and my OBGYN went berserk when he found out how big my 2nd was. He said he would not deliver my 3rd vaginally under any circumstances because of it. He ranted and raved about how “abhorrent and irresponsible” the NHS was (not that I agree- these were his words). He said I must have a c-section or find another doctor because he doesn’t want a disaster on his hands 😳 Anyway.. we moved back to the UK when I was 30 weeks and the NHS thought it was ridiculous to even consider a c-section. Baby was born vaginally, happy and healthy at 41 weeks and weighed 8.3lbs. I don’t know what the point of my comment is but it’s funny how different countries approach birth so differently. I never felt like I was in any danger but it was always a little niggling thought at the back of my mind. Weirdly, my 11 pounder was my easiest birth and completely unmedicated. My only pain relief was an aromatherapy massage and I was already 8cm dilated when I arrived at the hospital.

I think ‘baby is safe and well and that’s the important thing’ is verging on disgraceful to say. What about all the ones that were not ok due to negligence similar to what the OP experienced? For HER that’s the important thing. For pregnant women that’s definitely NOT the important thing.

The question we should all be asking is

• was the care provided to you best practice?
• was the care provided limited by resources and budget?
• were you at increased risk than you should have been?

She was 10 days early so they would have been presuming that she will be smaller than expected so I doubt they were particularly concerned. I’d imagine if you’d gone in on your due date they would have found a space for you to have a c-section.

Both of mine were measuring big, the first I took the option to be induced 2 weeks early, he was born 10 days early (via emergency c-section but that was due to unsuccessful induction), my second I opted for planned c-section, it was booked for the day before my due date, my waters broke the evening before that, didn’t actually really have contractions so they left me to the planned section the following day but if I had been in active labour they would have done a emergency c-section there and then. He was 9lb4 at birth 1 day before due date (eldest was 8lb10 10 days early)

Hmm didn't think they did C section just because of a " big" baby. My brother was a breech birth 9lb 7 oz and no one mentioned section. Mind you he was a quick delivery

Congratulations on your new baby.

One of my dd was nearly 11Ibs and I had an emergency C section because although she was over the 90th centile, they did no scans (this was back when you only had 2) and tried to make me labour normally by telling me "no baby is put in that won't come out". After pumping me full of oxytocin (more, they said than they "should" have done) and a 3 day labour they finally admitted defeat and gave me an epidural and arranged the C section. It was horrible and I lost a lot of blood, they gave me pethadine despite me being clear in the birthing plan that I didn't want it under any circumstances, and then told me to go home but not pick up anything over 8Ibs - so the baby then! The idea of being able to prove to them that the baby was big and needed a C section without the 3 day labour would have been amazing to me.

My "big baby" was a smidge over 5lbs!

I’d really encourage anyone saying anything along the lines of “if baby is here and healthy you’ve nothing to worry/complain about” the read the birth trauma inquiry that has been released just this week.

OP, I think all trusts are now obliged to provide a birth reflections service. It maybe go by different names in different areas but is essentially where you get to have an in person debrief of your labour. The professional delivering this will have access to your antenatal, labour and post natal notes and will be able to talk you through any decisions made. This might be useful to you, contact the hospital you delivered at for more information.

Depends on what is deemed as a big baby. My mother gave birth to an eleven pounder,at home with just a midwife present

It's really disappointing to see so many posts just saying that as long as the baby's fine then all is well. Mothers matter too. As a minimum they should have explained to the OP that she didn't need a c-section at this point because of x reason. I can imagine it was quite scary for the OP to be told she needed a c-section and then to be denied one because the operating theatres were already being used.

@OrlandointheWilderness you must have missed all the recent media reports about how poor maternity care is in this country. It's not as great as some people like to claim and those people tend to also be the sort who think we should be grateful for any NHS care because it is "free".

My cousin almost died giving birth in an NHS hospital. They left her labouring for 24 hrs before they bothered to do a scan and realised the baby was never being born naturally. She lost so much blood and was severely ill for a couple of months after the birth. We really need to move away from thinking that as long as the baby is born OK then all is well.

I had an early induction a week before due date for the same reasons, it failed so on the 3rd day I got listed for a section but got bumped to the next day, got bumped on the next day too due to emergencies so finally had the section on the Friday after going in on the Monday so was only 3 days before my due date at that point, I understood there were much more urgent cases and I also knew it wasn't so much about getting him out early but them not wanting me to go over just in case, he was only 9lbs in the end

Hello - want to throw my hands up and say I think I completely overreacted there tbh...confession - I didn't read the OP properly. At work and its been a bit of a 'day' and I have a raging headache and a bad mood! Very very sorry. One of those lessons in life - don't go tiger like on people on the internet who haven't done anything wrong!

Your stress and panic attacks are a symptom are as a result of the overall problem too, though. You're just as much a victim of an inadequate and dangerous NHS as the women who experience dangerous and inadequate birth care. I'm so glad and relieved that you had a good MW and birth care; but it's evident that a great many women don't receive that.

The NHS was ridden on the coat tails of nursing staff who do really care for too long until it broke both the staff and itself.

I'm furious about the state of our NHS, but it's definitely not people like you who I'm furious at. I don't think anybody is or would be.

Have a look at the other recent thread about birth trauma. I'm past childbearing age and thank fuck that I'm not giving birth in an NHS hospital these days. It is VERY much no longer a given that an NHS maternity suite is a safe place with effective pain relief, immediate emergency care and it is no longer a given that the professionals will act in the best interests of the mother.

I'm strongly pro the NHS but it does us no favours to pretend that things are other than they are. Our NHS is in crisis and failing, and that's extremely evident in maternity services. £1bn of it's £3bn budget is spent on settling lawsuits. That's horrendous.

Yes, birth is even more dangerous elsewhere. It shouldn't be a race to the bottom.

This is exactly what happened to me with my son. I was induced for 3 days due to complications & nothing happened, nothing worked no contractions etc. he was born 6 days early weighing 10lb he was stuck trying to engage.

What does it matter. As people have pointed out, your delivery was managed; and baby arrived safely. If your birth had gone differently, taken a bad turn; your birth would have been managed differently and would have ended differently (CS) is your answer.

Yes I'm not saying it is perfect or people shouldn't ask questions. But working in an industry that is just constantly bashed, the whole bloody time when you are exhausted, on your knees and trying your absolute best for people is hard tbh, and sometimes I don't think people realise how hard. I'm on a year out due to stress and panic attacks caused by work (nursing), and the pressure of trying to hold it all together. In addition to questioning, couldn't we also recognise the bits and pieces of excellence we DO get?! Not just I didn't get this or that, but I had an absolutely wonderful MW who was an incredibly support. We don't need to gloss over the bad - and we 100% shouldn't, we should insist on the very best of care - but lets also have a look at the good sometimes. For the sake of all us poor fuckers who really DO care!

There has been a recent thread on here about the poor maternity care in the UK and minimising attitudes.

It is okay to look back and ask a question, and get a really considered answer like the one from @OpusGiemuJavlo

Other posters saying don’t wonder, don’t question, if you don’t get an epidural (if that is what you want) that’s just how it is - no! We do need to question maternity care. Giving birth is a huge event. Effective pain relief is subjective but very very many women in the UK don’t get it.

Most of the time, if a big baby is going to be a problem in labour it will present itself as a problem before getting to the fully dilated and pushing stage, especially in a first time mum. As in, the labour doesn’t progress because baby doesn’t descent into the pelvis or comes down a bit wonky.
As PPs have said, the risk would have been if you had been overdue as baby would have been bigger.

They were concerned about the extra weight that baby would gain in the last weeks of pregnancy, especially if you hadn't delivered by your due date.

You gave birth 10/11 days earlier than your due date. Had you gone to your due date or later the baby would possibly have been 2lbs heavier than her actual early birth weight which would have been a different scenario.

Your baby arrived, safely, much earlier than your planned C-section. Don't be worrying about "what-ifs" The "what-if" in your scenario is that 2 other women were given C-sections at a time when you were able to birth safely. Presumably they needed the C-section for some medical reason. Presumably if you had gone into natural labour at a later date you would have been the person bumping another woman in the queue. I'm sure you were assessed when you went into hospital and didn't just give birth straight away. The other women were deemed to have greater need at that time.

Enjoy your new baby.