To ask anyone who’s had a large baby…

[birthplanning]

To advise me on birth?

Bump consistently measuring above the 97th centile. DH is 6ft plus, and was nearly 10lbs when he was born at 40 weeks exactly. I am 5ft 2 and petite build. I’m mid 20s and pregnancy has been touch wood straightforward and low risk.

I’ve done some reading and I am conflicted on what to do. I definitely don’t want to be induced unless there is a strong medical indication for it, as I know it leads to intervention most of the time. In the ideal I’d like a no-interventions birth but know the odds for that as a first time mum are stacked against me anyway, certainly in the current maternity care crisis.

I am not against a caesarean at all, in fact see there are lots of positives to it and although recovery may be harder it offers an element of predictability. I would just be worried about recovery, as DH only has 2 weeks off work. That being said I do not need to drive and can walk 2 minutes to the local supermarket and a nice country park. Also concerned about the increased risks to future pregnancies although we are leaning towards just having the one baby anyway, in any event we aren’t planning for a whole brood!

I wondered if anyone who has had a bigger baby (either ELCS or vaginal birth) could share their experience and whether you’d recommend being induced/going for a planned section, or just having a go ‘naturally’

Many thanks in advance!

Baby 1 - 9Ib.8 ended up with forceps delivery. Awful experience!

Baby 2 - 9Ib.6 and 3 weeks early! Elective c-section. 100% better and recovery way easier than first time.

Not myself but my 5ft 1 size 6 sil had a 9lb 8oz breech baby . She was born naturally with no induction and just gas and air. She had to argue with the pro CS doctors though.

I had two vaginal births. I am 5ft 4 and was around size 12 for my first and a lot bigger for my 2nd. Both full term. Just gas and air.

DS1 was 8lb 2 - but an undiagnosed breech. That's pretty rare these days. He arrived in 3.5 hours. Not fine for a while, but came through it. Now a strapping almost-adult. If I'd had the option I'd have gone for a c-section but he was already down the birth canal when they realised.

DS2 was 10lb 3 - he stung a bit! I knew he'd be bigger and he was quite a whopper! He came out in 2.5 hours. Perfectly fine. Had to send H to mothercare (RIP) to get new babygros because the newborn size wasn't going to work.

Had a couple of stitches for both. Nothing major.

IME it’s less to do with the overall weight of the baby and more to do with head size/circumference. One of mine had a huge head. Huge. Off the 100th centile. Ended up with an emergency CS. Try as I might (and I really, really did, for almost 24 hours), he was never coming out the front door, it was always going to be the sun roof. The recovery was slower but it was definitely the best and safest outcome for both of us. If I’d been in the same situation again with another Megamind head, I’d have just gone for an elective tbh.

My best advice is to try to relax (as impossible as that sounds!) and not get too wedded to any particular delivery method. Go for your optimal scenario, but keep a very open mind and follow your instincts and the advice of the medical staff. With a very large baby it’s likely you may need intervention, but it’s not a foregone conclusion.

Have they discussed the risk of shoulder dystocia? I would be specifically asking about that given the measurements and height difference between you & other half

Im just over 5 foot, had my first baby early 20’s. 9lb 1, born 12 days after EDD as I declined induction. Spontaneous vaginal delivery.
I had a 1st degree tear, no sutures.
I had a false labour 1 week before due date but think that was just babe getting into a better position. I laboured all day at home and babe was born 40 mins after I arrived at hospital.

I'm 5ft 5 and had a 10lb 11 baby a couple of months ago. Natural birth, no interventions, 2nd degree tear but no stitches.
It was my 3rs though.. they were less concerned because my previous 2 were 9lb-ers. Although they both ended in interventions.

Totally agree that scans are really not that accurate though, particularly if you just have the 2 and then bump measurements.

My first weighed 10lbs 13 ounces, he was a whopper! He was born via emergency c-section because the cord was wrapped around his body in multiple places so it was impossible for him to come out the birth canal naturally and he was getting distressed. Before that stage I went through labour (after being induced at 42 weeks) with using my hypnobirthing techniques and some gas and air in the final stages of dilation. Were it not for the cord issue I believe he would have been born without the c-section but it was not to be and in hindsight saved both of our lives in the end. My second I had via planned c-section as I could not risk the same birth or the induction again (oxytocin) and he was much smaller at 9lbs 5oz.

First baby, 8lbs9, induced at 41+ weeks, pretty awful delivery. Lost 5 pints of blood and recovery was very slow and painful.
Second baby, measuring a bit big, born by ELCS at 39wks because I didn't want a repeat of first birth. He was 10lbs5. Recovery was good, up and about quickly. No issues and I was very happy with my decision to have a c section.

Yep I had a big baby (9.5lb at 39 weeks) natural birth in a pool in MW led birth centre, spontaneous labour. First stage of labour was absolutely fine, I tried to ignore the contractions as much as possible distracting myself with pleasurable activities (film, food, bath) and only phoned the birth centre when it was properly painful.

The second stage was fairly quick at 1.45hrs ….afterwards the MWs said that was more common with larger babies- that they come out a bit quicker. It was scary at the transition stage and painful for a few minutes during pushing but then I felt the baby pop out like a rocket! All over pretty fast.

Second baby 4 years later by was measuring big in scans and so I was booked in for an induction. He turned out to be just under 7lbs at 37 weeks - so not very big at all! The growth scans are notoriously inaccurate. The induction was fine, my contractions with my first labour were far more acute. I could barely feel the contractions during my second child’s labour. They said I wasn’t very dilated but broke my waters anyway and baby was born within 30 minutes. Contractions were suddenly intense and very painful this time- nothing to do with the induction- just the speed really. I believe it would have been the same if spontaneous as I Labour fast and strong once fully dilated.

When I had my first child natural births were pushed … now it’s the opposite… my peers experienced so many more growth scans, monitoring since Ockenden… data shows many more inductions and C sections in last 5+ years … the majority of births are medicalised now . I would ask- Do we have the workforce for such a high rate of consultant led births in the UK?

No one can advise what you should do but I wouldn’t be scared of induction as so many people are fine - you only hear about the bad experiences. I certainly wouldn’t choose a c section due to induction risking intervention. I would try to avoid a c section if possible as it’s a major operation and coming out the birth canal brings a lot of benefits health wise for the baby. But that’s just me… everyone will feel differently. Also I absolutely know I would have opted for a c section with my first if offered as I was scared… but I’m so glad I didn’t looking back.

I'm 5ff 6 and had a whopper at 10lb 14oz. No gestational diabetes, vaginal birth, all was well. Next two babies were normal size at 8 and 9lb. The bigger baby didn't hurt any more than the other two and didn't require any more stitches x

My second baby was almost ten pounds - natural birth, no pain relief. I thought the baby was big, but when I asked about this I was told she was probably about 8lb 7oz (the same as my first born). I don’t know, but I reckon they just didn't check this at all. I am 5ft 3 and quite a petite build and my baby was born with shoulder dystocia. They basically yanked her out by the arm as far as I can tell. She wasn’t breathing, but they rubbed her into life.

I had a 9lb baby at home in a pool. Not particularly big, but I am 5ft 3 with very narrow hips. It was a great birth and I didn’t need stitches. However, he was my second DC.

DC1 was 7lbs and a much more painful birth experience!

I was impressed my body could produce two babies with such a size difference! (Both were born at 41 weeks).

I had three large babies (9lb 3, 9lb 13, 10lb), which was no surprise as DH had been an 11-pounder. They were all born vaginally at 41-42 weeks with no induction - vacuum assisted for the first, spontaneously for the others. I needed a few stitches on No.1 and none with the others. I wouldn't change anything.

I had exactly the same. Husband 6 ft 2 and 10lbs at birth, I'm 5ft 1. Baby measuring big the whole time, to the point of having growth scans weekly and having a c section booked at 38 weeks. My waters broke at 35 weeks and I gave birth to a perfectly formed 6lb 4oz baby. Point is, nature usually finds a way, so try not to worry whatever happens . Congratulations :)

I’m 5’1 and was told baby was massive and on 97th centile at a growth scan, told I should be induced at 39 weeks due to this. Doctor talked me out of an elective c section. Biggest regret of my life.

Induction was horrific, ended up with forceps and episiotomy. Was not informed of how much induction increases risk of instrumental birth. Have never healed and been left with life changing injuries (just to note, as I wish I’d known, even if injuries aren’t apparent immediately a huge number of women who have an instrumental birth will be left with life changing injuries which will emerge down the line - prolapse and urinary and fecal incontinence are almost guaranteed by the time perimenopause come around). Have never been able to lose the weight as my body is so damaged. The women in my antenatal group who had csections all recovered beautifully and quickly and were back to their pre baby weights within a few weeks. I was slim, young and healthy before the birth, I didn’t gain much weight in pregnancy. I used to be really active. Scan was totally inaccurate, baby was smaller than average, I would never be induced again and would advise anyone to avoid it at all costs.

I had an 11lb 6oz baby who got stuck during pushing and that ended in emcs
Subsequently had my next baby via planned section, he was 10lb 12oz.

Height isn't a huge factor in birth weights. It's more about abdomen and hips etc. You can have a 5"10 woman built the same 'width wise' as a 5 foot woman. I am 5"9. DH over six foot. I was never told I had a big baby growing. Induced at 40+10. Tried for 4 days and ended up with a an emergency cs - with forceps. It was A LOT....bearing in mind no one ever said he was going to be big. I then had DS2 three years later and it was planned c section due to other reasons as well. It was less traumatic by far. I think if you are tiny (apart from height wise) and have the option it would probably be my choice in hindsight.

What does your MW say?

Mine were all C sections and my biggest was only 7lb,but at one point my MW
said I would only have little babies (I’m 5ft 1). Not sure if there was anything in particular that made her say that as obviously small people do have big babies. But she was right. My 3rd was my smallest at the longest gestation, he was only 6lb 3 oz.

I forgot to say he was ten pound 🤦🏻‍♀️

My first baby was 9lb7 (a chunk but also tall 99th %lie for height and weight) and that was a slightly long but otherwise really easy birth with no induction, complications, or even stitches. I was early twenties and went to 41 weeks. So don't rule it out since you're young and for yourself.

I’m a larger build and 5”6 but 9lb 4oz ds1 was born by forceps, 10lb 7oz ds2 was a natural birth.

i have no pelvic floor, have had and continue to have prolapse problems and incontinence but my dses are grown.

Do not agree to forceps, that’s my only advice. They scared ds1 and destroyed my vagina!

I'm 5ft5 and my baby was 10lb12. But I also had so much fluid that he didn't engage so despite induction nothing really happened. I ended up with an emergency c section.

I wish they'd just offered me an elective given his size and all the growth scans.

I was told I was having a big baby and essentially told they would let me go into labour naturally. I was induced at 38 weeks, ended up c section 3 days later.

Being induced was the worst decision of my life. Next time (as probably be big baby again) I’m opting for elective c section. The actual c section but was amazing and so surreal.

Baby 1 nearly 10lb. Easy birth with just bit of fas air. Was bigger enough to push herself out.
Baby 4 just 6lb 5oz, hardest labour, 3days, induction didn't work, had forceps delivery and spent 10 days in hospital ( should of had section)