big babies?

[victoriassponge]

I keep being told by my hospital that my baby (due in sept) is ENORMOUS
This is my second child but last one was emergency CS so hoping for a vbac this time...just wondering if it is possible to give birth to a 'huge' baby without ending up incontinent / with your bits torn to shreds etc?
Anyone...

At every appointment leading up to the birth I was told my baby was big.
She was born 7lb 7oz, so bang on average. The midwives can't accurately tell how large your baby is.
Good luck, you'll be great.

Hi victoria I was told on dc1 that he would be huge and that I might need a csection to get him out. He decided to arrive 2 weeks early and although only 8lb 10 his head was on the 95% percentile . Needless to say the birth was difficult and I ended up with an episopomy and shed loads of stitches that took me weeks to get over. Had he been born on his due date or later I would have had to have had a emcs and tbh I wish they had done that right from the start. I'm currently pg with dc2 and having an elcs tomorrow not because they think this one is big but because I now have an obstructive fibroid.

I was also told my baby was huge, they were expecting at least 10lb the sonographer said! Had three growth scans and each said the same! She was born 8lb 3oz, so not really big (naturally, no pain relief and all my bits intact ).

It's more about the speed of exit than the size. DD tore me up a bit at 9lbs 7oz, but that was because of the kiwi cap delivery when they started to worry about her. Bit of damage from her little brother (8lbs 12oz), but mostly along the old tears. And I'm not left incontinent by either.
And their predictions of size are not to be relied on.
Good luck.

Babies are notoriously difficult to judge the size of until they're out. My DS1 was only 7lb 7oz but had a 90th centile head. He came vaginally despite me being 5'2" and a size 6. I had a small tear which healed without stitches.

I guess it's all really about your attitude to certainty and change. If you want to VBAC then you're probably aware that an emCS is a possible and what that entails. I would think the hospital would be fairly twitchy to opt for surgical route at any point you were not progressing quickly and easily and you'd need to work out how you would want to respond to that. Having said that, if you don't try you won't know.

If it were me, and it's not, I'd give it a go, but be prepared to adapt as things progressed if presented with information upon which I could change my mind.

My little girl was 8lb 7oz and I had a 3rd degree tear but that wasn't due to her size or speed she came out, it was the way she came out. I think her elbow was in a funny position. If it had happened later on or another day it could have ended up differently. Just pot luck I think.

But I have not been left incontinent and have healed nicely. Would definitely have another vaginal birth again

I had 9lb 15 and 10lb 6 naturally. I am not incontinent but have a very bad back and a bladder prolapse. My tummy muscles have also been destroyed. Currently 30 weeks and measuring off the scale

fisharefriendsnotfood are you going for another vaginal birth this time round?

Try not to.worry (I know, easier said than done!).

I had quite a lot of damage from my 7lb 9 dd and an hour and a half of pushing.

Tiny graze with 8lb 5 ds and 5 mins of pushing. His birth was 100 times better yet he was bigger and very fast.

I'm struggling to be even seen at the moment, I have a thread in pregnancy called big babies/ shoulder dyspraxia

I can't comment on the birth bit, but can say that measurements can be taken and from that a guess of the weight/size can be made, but it's not entirely accurate all the time.

DS2 was measured at 34 weeks to be 7lb 7oz I think - he was going to be 'huge' and I was told it was a good job I was having a c-section (although huge babies don't necessarily mean damage). He was born at 37+4 via c-section and weighed 6lb 4oz - way less than DS1 at 8lb 10oz, an emcs.

Try not to worry about it, and discuss any fears with a mw! Good luck OP!

DS was 9lb with a gigantic head, I ended up with an episiotomy & keillands forceps BUT this was because of his position not his size (he was stuck).

Pelvic floor took a battering but I'm not incontinent and have healed up fine physically (he's 8 weeks old). Honestly think its all about the positioning, my horrendous back to back, dry labour was way worse than the point of him actually coming out!

My second was big (10lb 4oz) but all the way through they thought he would be 'normal size', I actually had no problem delivering him at all. Now 38 weeks with my third and feel huge again, I voiced my concern and asked about induction etc and they said that I will be fine as I have had one big baby already!! Aaahhh. I don't think they know accurately how big babies will be prior to birth to be honest and I think we are better not knowing too much as it may make us feel stressed out at the crucial pushing moment. Try not to worry too much as other factors (as others have said) make more difference than a few oz here and there.

With DS2 I was told from early on that I was having a big baby. They were right - 10lb3. I have to say of my 3 children he was the biggest and in all honesty the easiest labour and delivery.

I had a water birth and I do reckon that helped a lot. Didnt have one with the other two, 8lb 10 and 8lb 15.

I have heard time and time and time again about how a baby is predicted to be "huge" and then ummm isnt.

Don't fret.

How big was your first DC? Surely that's the best guide.

DS was 9lb - back to back, brow presentation, 2.5hr pushing stage, shot out like a bullet (head and body all at once), sitting on a birthing chair (worst way to delivery for tearing) = 2nd degree tear but fully recovered and no incontinence. As most above have said, it isnt usually the size that causes these things but position of baby/your position/speed of delivery etc.

I've had 2 vaginal births ds was 8lb 11 and dd was 9lb 4. Not massive or enormous but fairly big and their heads were on 99.6th centile.

I had one stitch with each of them. Gas and air with dd, nothing with ds. It was very painful with dd but that's because she was also back to back. Ds's birth was easy.

You never know how it'll go all you can do is relax as much as you can and try and let it go hwoevewr it needs to go.

Growth scan with DS2 the day before he was born predicted him to be 9lb7 and 98th centile head. Completely accurate!

4 hour labour, no need for drugs, no tears.

DD was 7lb1oz, had a slight graze,
DS1 was 9lb5oz no-one mentioned he would be on the large size, labour was very difficult he was born like superman, hand first but no stitches needed,
DS2 told he would be massive, was 9lb at 37 weeks also born like superman but very quickly only 2 hours of labour, no stitches.
DS3 told he would be over 10lb, bump was measuring about 60cm at 38 weeks. He was born at 39 weeks, after 45 minutes of labour DH had to deliver him weighing 8lb 4oz. Had a slight graze from DH's fingernails checking to see if the cord was round his neck.

9lb 5, big head, a few tears no lasting effects. Pelvic floor and listen to your MW on when to push and when to pant.

My 1st DC was 7lb 8oz and I had a 2nd degree tear, stitches

My 3rd was 10lb 2oz and despite being the hardest (as in arduous, not complicated) labour I didn't tear at all and recovered really well. Head was 98th centile as well! Maybe I have a bucket vagina. Mw predicted an 8lb er at 38w check as well..

Good luck