Poll - how big was your baby and how hard was your labour?

[beartime]

I've been reading the Gentle Birth posts about dieting leading to a smaller baby which means an easier labour, so wanted to see if this is really true. Also should take into account if the baby was healthy or not afterwards - because maybe small means less healthy?

So can you give your baby weight, length of labour, any complications and health of baby?

Mine was 8lb 7oz, 17hrs from first twinge, got cord stuck round his neck which led to episiotomy and ventouse, very healthy. Also tore.

My ds was 6lb 9.5oz, I went into labour Saturday night and gave birth Wednesday morning after almost every intervention going. So about 72 hours for a relatively small baby though the hospital put down about 10 hours - how dare they - a contraction is a contraction regardless of whether you are 3 or 8cm dilated! However, god bless gas and air and epidurals (when they work and don't have nasty side effects) - and a hot bath...and before I forget - the midwives at Frimley Park Hospital.

Forgot to say he was 3 days early (when born, not when I went into labour) and my waters broke without much else happening so had to be induced -which is the time they measured my established labour from.

very small baby - only 6 lbs 1. 11 days of labour - very on & off for a week, a day of labour, waters broke next day, then NOTHING for 24 hours, so 2 days & a night of being induced, followed by emergency c-section, by which point I barely knew what was happening. So small baby doesn't mean easy birth. She arrived 5 mins late (IVF so I know the hour of conception) and was 10 on AGPar in 1 minute, so difficult birth doesn't always mean unhealthy baby! Sorry if I mess your figures up!

ds1- 5lbs 5 oz- 12 hours- very painful induction
ds2- 6lb 11.5oz- 44 hours extremely calm and pleasant brth
ds3- 7lb 4oz- 4 hr labour- hurt like hell

DS was 10lb 5.5 oz at 39w5d, ended up with unplanned c-section 40 hours after my waters broke (which was first sign). It was a long labour but not particularly difficult, but he just didn't want to descend (hadn't engaged beforehand and we only got to 0 station after an hour and a half of pushing) hence the c-section. He was very healthy, not distressed at any point, and had APGAR of 10.

He was long too (don't remember the exact measurement offhand, but the same centile as his weight). I don't know how much weight I put on but I didn't really eat much (first half I felt too ill, then baby-squished stomach meant half a sandwich and I felt full).

Would like to add that I did lots of being upright and walking several miles at a time (was desperately trying to encourage him to engage) but he still wound up unengaged and posterior (helpfully turned posterior somewhere in the couple of days before I went into labour, as he'd been anterior at my last midwife appointment).

DD1 - born on due date, 6lb 4oz, labour 4 hrs, ventouse delivery, v.healthy baby.

DD2 - born 3 days early 5lb 14oz, labour 2 hrs. v.healthy baby.

Both my girls were small but then so were DH and his brother (and other of his family members), dont know if that has anything to do with it.

With both girls I ate tons and put on loads of weight, so there is no way they were undernourished.

ds 9lb 12oz 27 hour labour emergency c-section
ds 9lb 12oz 12 hour labour " "
dd 9lb 6oz (37 weeks) elective c-section

ds 9lb7oz no bother
dd 8lb8oz easy peasy

1st, 7lb 2oz, 9 hours, agony for weeks ( 30 weeks gone)
2nd, 8lb 1oz, 20 minutes, drove home same day! (36 weeks)

DS was not a big baby (7lb3oz) BUT his head circumference was on a top centile. I think that's what caused the 28 hours labour, 3.5 hours fruitless pushing, and tug'o'war with the ventouse to get him out. (and he was OP)

dd 5lb 15oz - 3and a half hours
very fast very painful

dd 5lb 15oz - 3and a half hours
very fast very painful

1st 7lb 1oz, 61mins born on due date
2nd 8lb 6oz, 3.5hrs 5days late
Came home same day with both

Dd born on due date weight 7lbs 3oz 1hr 20 gas and air,no stitches home same day.
Ds born on due date weight 8lbs 6oz 5hrs waters broken gas and air...ow..ow..ow...he hurt:

both back to back!!!

awaiting no3:scared as dp says (not dad to my other 2) he was born 6 weeks early weighing 8lb 3oz he is over 6ft and his dad weighed 10lb when born so now im petrified!!!!!!!

DS1 - 6 days late, 7.8lbs - epidural 41 hrs
DS2 - 4 days early, 8.4lbs - epidural 9 hours
DD - 10 days late, 8.10lbs - gas and air 1hr 10 minutes

Home the following day with all of them.

My ds (only child), born 1995, was 6lb 7oz, 5 days late, 2nd degree tear, labour only 7 hours total (3 hours actually "giving birth"). Pretty easy really, gas and air, no problem...

Guess I was lucky!! :o

Sorry, forgot to mention head did not crown, hence tear (I presume) :)

9lb 12oz

52hrs from first twinge (17 hours active labour in hospital, from 4cm to 9.5cm dilated) - ds was born 15 days late

ended in an emergency cs for failure to progress/arrest of descent (ds's head didn't move down at all from being engaged)

apgars 10 and 10, no complications

I dont think weight plays a major factor in first time births.

I think its other factors including the position of the baby etc.

On average most babies born full term weighh 7-8lbs and I am sure all mothers will say "PAINFUL!"

My mothers fourth child was 5lb and was more painful than her other children who weighed alot more!

My friends first baby was almost 10lb and her second which came one week early was 7.9lb = faster but more painful.

SORRY - should read

On average most FIRST babies born full term weighh 7-8lbs and I am sure all mothers will say "PAINFUL!"

Hi there!

Ds1 - 72 hours from 1st twinge to arrival! Used tens machine, gas and air, pethidine (2 doses). Weighed 8lb 1.5ozs. Had 3rd degree teat, lots of stitches that then got infected. Was hell.
Dd - 36 hours from waters breaking too arrival. Used gas and air. Weighed 7lb 8.5ozs. No stitches or problems.
Ds2 - home birth this time (was fab!) 36 hours again from first twinge but used very little pain relief (a little gas and air at the end). Weighed 8lb 9,5 ozs. No problems or stitches at all. Took a little more pushing though!

Oh and forgot to say all 3 born within 3 days of their due date. don't think diet makes much difference at all on the size of the baby, more the size of you! Last baby was biggest but was my smallest bump!

24 hour induced labour, gas and air with epidural, no tearing but a few grazes with stitches afterwards, 8lbs 13oz healthy baby!

DS - 11lb7oz, 48 hrs from when it was too painful to stay at home, ended in emergency section because the head was still not engaged, very healthy perfectly proprtioned but huge baby, not chubby and no gestational diabetes. I was over-weight going into the pregnancy. Had a craving for water.

DD - 9lb2oz, booked in for section. Not so heavy going into pregnancy this time and had 24 hr nausea most of the pregnancy. Baby was fit and healthy.

DS1, 16 days late(!) took 2 days to start me off, back to back, cord round neck, epidural, 8lb 2oz, about 20 hours from 1st twinge to finish,mop and bucket brought in when waters broke and had to change to a new bed! lots of pushing, tear and stitches

DS2, 1 week late, back to back, gas and air, again 20 hours or so, (waters went during visiting hours, mop out again) about 3 big pushes and out popped 8lb 13oz, one tiny graze

DD, 9 days late, back to back (again), gas and air, 12 hours, just one push, 9lb 2oz. Used an exercise ball which I found very helpful but when waters broke they splashed all over midwife, even her face!

Midwife told me back to back caused by sitting down too much, don't believe it as never have the chance, especially by the time I was having no 3!