Can you talk to me about your big giant babies please

[DigOlBick]

I’m having a giant baby and I’m actually quite terrified about it! I’m 34+4 and measuring 40 weeks. He was nearly 7 pounds at my last growth scan 2 weeks ago.

I’m exhausted, I can’t breath and I’m in a lot of pain. I’m hoping for an early induction but wondering if maybe a csection is the way to go.

Not sure what to do! Would just like to hear from some mums who birthday big whoppers and what it was like.

Nearly 11lb but at 41 plus 6.
72 hrs of trying to deliver then emergency c section.
But my second was predicted to be big but he was only 8lb.

My first was 10lb 4oz and my second was 10lb 5oz

My first got stuck (shoulder dystocia) and has erbs palsy. My second was absolutely fine. The team was prepared for anything because of what happened the first time.

I suggest talking to them about how they handle large babies and difficult births. How they are going to care for you, what they are going to look for.

And yes, if you are having a massive baby then seriously consider caesarian section. Yes it's major abdominal surgery and has a much longer recovery time but if you are having a whopper then it may be the best option for you.

Sometimes if the head is too big to press down on your cervix properly you don’t dilate. So they force you to dilate with drugs, and then the baby gets stuck because it’s too big, leading to shoulder dystocia or even oxygen deprivation for the baby, and serious tearing or broken pelvis for mum. My baby was huge and the consultant advised me to have a c section to avoid the above issues.

Mine was predicted very big, I passed my gestational diabetes test but got another one privately which I failed - babies aren’t that big for no reason and undiagnosed GD can be life threatening. Might be worth cutting carbs to try to bring the weight down, you’ve still got time :)

My baby was big and I'm not going to lie, I was in bloody agony. I had a vaginal birth but it was long and very painful.
With a choice I would have chosen an elective caearean not doubt about it.

Just read Hamtonns post and that is what happened to me.

My DD was 9lbs 9 oz, it wasn't easy op but still not as hard as delivering my first child who was 7lbs. 🤷‍♀️

I was induced with my first at 37 weeks and she was 7.7 and was the easiest birth. 3 pushes and she was out.

Was really hoping this one was going to go the same way!

11 pounds 5 at 39 weeks. He was so long too.

I’ve had 3 sections, OP. Honestly you will be fine. Just take it as easy as you possibly can for a couple of weeks. You will need help.

My 9lb 1st baby was vaginal delivery, a couple of stitches, but he bumped my tail bone and that took a while to recover from.
Baby 2 was 10lb 4oz with a monster big head. No stitches, no tailbone damage, but he was hard to push out. I was exhausted. Went home the same day though, and recovered fine.

I know babies do get stuck, but we are designed to do this. There was crunching and squishing going on, but baby's head is designed for the skull plates to overlap, our pelvis is designed to open a bit+ generally speaking it all works the way it should. Just relax and let it happen.

I second worst birth being smallest child. My easiest birth was 9lb 3 and I also had a 9lb 11 who's birth was fine. Stay upright as much as you can and let gravity help. Laying on your back is like pushing the baby uphill so avoid xx

My second was a 9lb-er and they told me she had the biggest head of any baby born in a decade at this huge hospital I had her at. She did get a big stuck coming out....
Buying her a hat as a baby was difficult!
She still has a big head and is nearly 30!

However, she was an easier birth than my first, so there you go...

Problem is with induction you are stuck on your back as you have all the monitors and the drips in.

My biggest was 9lb 14oz. By far my easiest delivery. The other 3 were much smaller.

Quick labour. No stitches.

Yes, and mine with the big head was 15 days overdue and I was induced and she still took 3 days to come out.. I don't think they let you go that long now, do they?

OP, mine were 10lb plus. I'm 5 foot and 7 stone. The midwife was saying up until the EDD with DC1 that given my size, I'd be having a 6lb ish baby. That's despite the fact that I was absolutely immense (was nearly 11 stone by EDD, and couldn't breathe or stand up or do anything at all) - and despite the fact that I said the women in my family are all tiny and all have massive babies.

Lo and behold, it ended up with the delivery from Hell (too low down for EMCS, but completely stuck). Subsequent DC were ELCS, and it was a relative doddle. I don't even remember finding it particularly hard to look after toddlers as well as a newborn post ELCS.

If I could do it again, I'd have ELCS first time. I had PTSD and post-natal anxiety for a long time after the first. It affected my bonding with DC1 because I was so ill after the birth, and that in turn made me feel guilty for being a rubbish mother. That, combined with not even being able to BF him, which my XH was desperate for me to do

We are very close now, though. In fact, that DC is the one I'm closest to of mine, and I still think that has to do with my trying to overcompensate for the first months.

9lbs 9.5oz at 39+3. Elective section. No GD. Measuring 5 weeks ahead at 30 weeks.

Was told that I wouldn't be left to go naturally and would be induced early. I researched and made the decision that for me csection was the best option. I'm only 5', my maternal history birthing babies much smaller was horrific. I made the best decision for me. Midwife agreed after I'd made the choice although she couldn't direct me when all the options were on the table. Informed choice or something it was called.

DS was 11lbs at 42 weeks. Elective section because I couldn't be induced due to previous emergency section. I desperately wanted a VBAC but so glad I didn't. Having had one. emergency c section and one elective I can tell you the elective was a breeze and I recovered really quickly. No problems feeding and my pelvic floor is intact (got an umbilical hernia though).

My 2nd born was 13 lb ! I had a natural birth, I didn't tear cos I was really careful to follow the advice from the midwife when to push after he crowned. His shoulders were quite a squeeze but all in all a lovely birth. I'm quite a slight build and imagine I have a normal sized Fanjo !

That should have said 11lb

@DigOlBick

A csection absolutely terrifies me! What is the recovery like? I was really hoping to be up and about and able to do stuff fairly soon after the birth. But it’s looking more likely that a csection is the sensible way to go which I’m gutted about.

@DigOlBick an elective is waaaayyy different from an emergency cs. Recovery from my second baby was predictable and I was driving after 2 weeks.

My first was a big baby and it was a long and difficult V delivery resulting in a 3rd degree tear. Now that took months and 2 surgeries to recover from. Not recommended.

Having said that - growth scans are pish. My second measured 11lb plus on growth scan so I was booked for the ELCS - she was a cute 7 pounder.

Induction was my worst nightmare so I opted for a c section in the same circumstances as you. My first section was an absolute dream, so calm and pleasant (well as pleasant as surgery can be) I wanted to drive after 8 days, didn't have any issues, just a rough couple of days. Felt like the type of pain after overdoing it at the gym but a bit worse. Definitely manageable.

Have the mentioned the abdominal measurements? My consultant explained to me that's what causes most of them to get stuck, when their abdominal circumference is bigger than their shoulders. Which unfortunately with gd is more common because of the extra fat storage going on.

My DD was 9lb 9oz and came out with her fist by her cheek leading me to have a 3rd degree tear and a 500ml blood loss - but her birth was easier than DS1's (tachycardic and ventouse needed) and he was only 7lb 4.5oz!

All my babies were back to back but the worst birth was with DS2 who had severe shoulder dystocia, he came at 38 weeks and weighed 8lb 6oz. We were warned to look out for all sorts of things, from nerve damage to brain damage, but he was/is perfectly fine.

Due to DS3's traumatic birth, I demanded a c-section for DS4 from the very start and thank god I did cos he was massive - 10lb 15.5oz! The consultant who delivered him said a section was a good call as he was so big he would definitely have got wedged in my pelvis.

I would definitely opt for a c/section if possible OP, although the recovery is not as quick as with a vaginal birth, you would be surprised at how quickly you do in fact recover.

40+1 weeks, 10 pounds 2 oz, head size in the 100th percentile!
induced as waters broke but no contractions - he really didn't want to come out!
Ended up with a forceps delivery and lots of stitches. He was back to back though, so that may have caused the problems, more than the size. It did take quite a few months for the stitches to heal.
Aside from the stretch marks, no lasting issues at all.
If you're concerned I'd definitely have a hospital delivery rather than a homebirth.

DC1 was 9lb 4oz at 40+6, ended up with an unplanned CS due to failure to progress, I was exhausted by the time they were born due to lack of sleep (50+ hours in labour) midwife said that the head was too big and in the wrong position to correctly apply pressure to my cervix so I was unable to dilate properly. DC2 was estimated to be 10lb+ and I was under pressure from the consultants to book in for an elective section. I really wanted to try for a VBAC so resisted, however some unrelated other complications arose which meant I had to have an ELCS. My recovery from both sections was a breeze and I was up and about within 8/9 hours of the section, and ready for discharge after 24 hours. A c section doesn’t always mean worse recovery, I would imagine some vaginal births would have longer recovery times than my sections if they weren’t straight forward