how big is too big for a home birth?

[stella1w]

I am 31 weeks and due to a fall in the street had an extra scan at 28 weeks which showed the baby was 95 percentile for abdomen circumference - on the curve from the 20 week scan. The doc didn't seem concerned but wanted me to go for another scan in two weeks time which showed similar results and now the doctor on duty (a different one) wants me to go for ANOTHER scan at 34 weeks and is muttering that the baby is too big for a home birth.
I know scans are inaccurate and had I never been for the extra emergency scan, I would have been measuring normally with the midwives and on for a home birth.
this is my second pg and I delivered my first in 6 hours start to finish with no pain relief so am very confident about my ability to deliver at home.
I feel I am being sucked into a tickbox exercise and being discourage from a home birth which I have a right to.
I am considering discharging myself from the doctor clinic, insisting on going back to the midwife track and insisting on a homebirth.
Any thoughts on the best way to tackle this.. I was going to just for another scan but I feel I am being over-managed unnecessarily

From a totally non-expert point of view, assuming a large abdomen just means fat tummy, rather than something medically worrying, isn't that bit rather squishy? Isn't it the size of the head that matters rather than the size of the body?

Don't they say that if your head gets through you should be able to get the rest of your body through (or is that cats?)

I said the same thing to the doc and he said the abdominal circumference was the most important indicator of a large baby even though squashing the tummy out was not a big problem. WHY the large ac is a problem he did not explain.

How odd.

Well, given the number of women who seem to have quite happily given birth to large babies think they'd have to give a better reason (or a reason at all) to dissuade you from the home birth - especially since this isn't your first time doing it..

Lots of big babies born safely at home, and the fact that you have had a previous successful vb makes it very likely this one will be fine too.
Link here-
www.homebirth.org.uk/big.htm
S

Hello

Good Luck with your home-birth. (Im planning a home birth with my 1st )

I think you are already aware that YOU have the ultimate choice as to where you give birth, not the hospital / midwives who can only advise you.

Agree that lots of larger babies are born safely at home and if thats what you want to go for then be insisitent and exercise your right to choose where you have your baby

DS's tummy and femur length were both above the 98th centile at a presentation scan at about 34 weeks... but he was born at home without any problems at 39+2. The MW who did the HB appt did talk about the risk of shoulder dystocia tho as she said it was more likely with 'big' babies and wanted to make sure that I was aware of the risks.

I called the antenatal manager and she agreed I could cancel my next scan and consultant appt and go back to seeing the midwife. Although she warned I could be referred back to the doc by the midwife.. and so far they are being vague about my wishes for a hb...