Considering maternal request c section for large baby

As someone who was told their baby would be at least 10lbs, who then came out 2 weeks late weighing 7.5lbs (very long and skinny), I would just caution you to think about how you would feel if the same happened to you.

However, we are so lucky to have the option of safe cs. They saved mine & my babies’ lives. They are also not an easy option. No stigma required.

The OP wasn’t talking about being 42 weeks + she’s currently 38 weeks. This was a conversation about a large baby and what to plan for, not a 42 week baby.

Inductions for first baby especially are pretty likely to need the drip, It’s wrong to tell women only about the first part where ‘things might happen on their own’ because in lots of cases it doesn’t and then they’re stuck on a pathway they can’t leave. A lot of women can’t be mobile during the later stages of labour for an induction because if you have the drip continuous monitoring is required.

I’m not trivialising birth injuries. The stats are 3 in 100 for 3rd and 4th degree tears. That is very unlikely. I still stand by that the majority of these wouldn’t happen if there were fewer interventions. This doesn’t make them any less distressing for the women who have them but it does make still them very unlikely and it does mean that there could be choices women can make (if they are correctly supported) to make this kind of tearing less likely to occur.

VB with large-ish baby (8lb 8oz) lots of complications. Lots of damage. ELCS with second baby. Significantly easier recovery and much nicer experience. Have the c section (if you want it)

I had an elective c section, for no reason other than that I wanted it. Zero guilt. Its no-one's business why you have it.

Sorry I have to disagree with this post.

IME, waiting for spontaneous labour is not always the best option. Many women never go into labour, myself included, hence the need to be induced at nearly 42 weeks.

Not sure where the idea comes from that the mother can’t be mobile after induction? Many mothers are sent home. I was perfectly mobile.

Don’t trivialise the birth injuries that many women go through after VB, including tearing. A midwife explained to me that the reason so many births need assistance is that the birth process hasn’t caught up with evolution and we are supposed to be still walking on 4 legs, making birth easier. Yes the NHS is asbolute crap, but there are other factors as well.

OP firstly if you want a C-section have a C-section. But all of this seems to have come about because a doctor scared you about risks that if you did down aren’t backed up by research.

If big babies have more interventions it is because of the medical system we have them in cause them. Eg. Inducing for a big baby, you’re basically setting someone up to fail. You want to leave the woman’s body well alone so that baby can get into the best position possible ready for birth and let labour start spontaneously.

You want to allow the mother to have freedom to move around as her body tells her to again to allow baby and mum to be in the best position, something that very rarely happens with induction, births where there is continuous monitoring or an epidural.

The research behind shoulder dystocia (babies getting stuck) shows a pretty even spread across babies of all sizes. It isn’t a large baby issue. It is another thing that induction increases the chance of though.

Tearing happens in brith, especially first babies tbh I’m pretty sure it’s why we have a perineum to allow the area to hear and heal without issue. In the vast majority of women tears heal and cause no further problems. I had a second degree tear that took about 20 minutes to stitch up and it doesn’t look or feel any different now to how it used to.

Third or fourth degree tearing is very unlikely about 3 in 100 births and is much more likely if you have an instrumental delivery. So the chances of this happening anyway are very low, if you weren’t Interfered with during labour, if you let your body push your baby out, so no coached pushing and if you’re able to be in a good position (not on your back) the chance is even lower.

Also the difference in head size with a 7lb baby and a 9lb baby is really small and that’s the part that’s effort to get out.

Just to give a positive story, i had a natural birth with an 11lber who's head was 99th centile. I tore but I also tore with my 8lb8 baby. It was a far easier labour with the bigger baby.

Have no fear around the judgement. It’s your body and you baby and your decision to make.

I had ELCS with no medical need at all, because that’s what I wanted. And it was perfect for me. So calm and so predictable.

Also, I find laughing at people who judge you and then asking why they’re asking their questions (if you do get any snippy comments) has a wonderful multi-effect of shining a light on their intrusion, embarrassing them and taking the power back.

Have the ElcS. I had to have one as baby was breach but even if she hadn't been I still would have had one as head measured 97th centile!

I found this site really helpful when pregnant with my first. He was also predicted to be big by growth scans.

https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-for-induction-or-c-section-for-big-baby/

I went for VB as I didn't think the growth scan would be accurate (it was bang on) and I was fairly confident that I have a large frame and could deliver a large child just as much as a small child.

He was over 10lb in the end and I had a fairly straightforward labour. Induced for being over due but that went fine with just the gel, third degree tear but they suspected that was more due to the speed of the labour than his size.

I would not have hesitated however to have a CS though if I felt any concern about a VB and I did have a very low threshold for CS as part of my birth plan.

Don't worry about any stigma - there is nothing wrong with a elcs. I had two bigger babies - 8lb 10 and 8lb 9, and for no apparent reason baby #2 got stuck. It was really scary although thankfully they were able to get her out quickly and she's fine. I've been advised if I have any more to have an elcs and I don't see why I wouldn't. All my friends who had elcs had lovely birth experiences and both my vbs were not good.

Just to add another point of view, I was in a similar situation to you and decided not to ask for a c section.

I had both DDs naturally and the births were ok even though they were both around 9lb and had massive heads 😆 Personally I’m glad I avoided a c section.

My midwife said that there are so many factors which influence birth, not just the size of the baby but also the baby’s position and the build of the mother. Certainly amongst my friends and family this does seem to be true and those giving birth to larger babies don’t always seem to be the ones who have the hardest time of it.

Of course if you want a c section though that’s absolutely your right and nothing to be ashamed of. I know lots of people who had c sections and had really positive experiences and feel it was the right choice for them.

Have the c section. No need to feel guilty. The reason you’re doing it is you believe there is a risk with the VB (rightly so I’d say), so you’re only trying to minimise risk to you and your baby.

I had a small baby, and still ended up with emcs 😂

Do what makes you feel more comfortable. Sod anyone else.

I had c sections, partly due to predicted size of baby. I felt more in control of that decision, than I did with running the risk of birth injury from vaginal birth. I’ve never regretted the c sections, maybe an occasional slightly wistful feeling that I’ve “missed out”, but that passes quickly!

I had an elcs because i wanted one and based on pregnancy factors knew i was unlikely to have a sucess natural birth (<30%) i did fancy those odds.

it was incredible totally the right choice for me.
i was discharged in 36 hours and i was up and about within 7 days.

Do you ACTUALLY believe there is something wrong with elcs? If so it might help you to reframe as you have a medical need (similar to if baby was breech etc. )
You are doing this because you believe elcs will give the best medical outcome for you and your child. There is no shame in that.

Sorry I'm 5 foot 3 not 6 foot 3!

They will try to talk you out if it, they tell you all the negatives of sections but if you stand your ground they have to give you the section.
Having had an failed induction that resulted in an emc I had a planned the second time. No regrets at all!

Following this as I'm quite worried about mine too, my husband is 6 foot 4 and I'm 6 foot 3, the baby has been measuring weeks ahead throughout but seems to have slowed down, but at 37+2 he was estimated 7 lbs 12. His head circumference is big too, off the chart in fact so feeling very nervous about going to 40 or more weeks. Husband was a 9lb baby and his dad was an 11lbs 😬

My midwife seems really unconcerned about it and thinks he'll end up 8.5 lbs but like you when she said oh scans can go 10-15% either way I thought well what if it is the other way and he's huge! Wish I had another scan but don't unfortunately, not sure what to do as the midwife was totally not concerned at all and didn't even broach the idea of ELCS.

To avoid the scary complications for me and baby I'd be tempted by an ELCS, a few friends have had them for various reasons and they had fine recovered, no regrets and in this day and age its so common I'm surprised some ppl would still guilt people for having one!

I planned a c section because every other part of the process had been a disaster so I didn’t trust my body to be capable quite frankly. No guilt whatsoever about it either.

As it turned out I ended up with an emergency c section two days before the planned one, so it helped that I was mentally prepped for having it!

People say “big babies know where they’re going”. I had three small/average babies and one whopper (10lb 7). The big baby was the easiest (vaginal home birth).

Do whatever makes you feel more confident about the birth xx

Oh honey, I feel for you. I am also pregnant - with DC3 - and measuring off the scale at the 31 week mark, so I'm having to consider similar things. My thoughts are:

• As they said, growth scans aren't always accurate. I've heard loads of stories about women who are told they are going to have 10lb monsters, but end up with perfectly normal 8lb-ers.
• Even if you did have a 9-10lb-er, it is possible to have a safe VB if that is what you want. There might be some damage, but then again there is usually damage with VBs. It heals and you live! Remember that you would still have to recover from a C-section, just in a different way.
• Inductions really aren't that scary. I had one with DC2. It was an absolute breeze compared with DC1, whose labour came on naturally. For me the key was pain relief. With DC1 I held off having an epidural until about hour 30 and it was awful. With DC2 I asked for one straight away and it made the whole thing fine.
• Finally, and above all, DON'T FEEL GUILTY! You have two jobs: give birth to a healthy baby, and try to make sure you are healthy enough to look after him/her when she arrives. It is so crazy that women think they have somehow "failed" by giving birth by C-section, or having pain relief to help them through labour. It's not a competition! What does it even matter? No one has the right to judge you for this, so try not to judge yourself. You are doing what is best for your baby and yourself (which, as I have said, is your only job!).

Best of luck with it all. x

I'd choose the ELCS without any hesitation. And why "guilt feeling"? There is absolutely nothing to feel guilty about for choosing a C-section.

Have the c section. Don't be scared of what that doctor or anyone else thinks. You're about to be a mum, you need to be strong (now and for many years to come) when it comes to decisions for you and your baby. Everything you've said is completely logical and reasonable, so go with it.