Has anyone given birth to a large baby without tearing?

[Sheldonella]

Just that really. I'm 40+2 and just had a midwife appointment. I measured 41 weeks and asked how big the baby is likely to be. She said most likely going to be big and with regards to the birth I can "have a go". I suppose she meant she expects me to need intervention or a section. I'm quite upset now :(

Midwives weight guesses are very inaccurate. I was told DS3 would be huge but he was 8lb 12oz, same size as his brothers give or take an oz or 2. I had DS1 - 8lb 13.5oz - graze, no stitches, DS2 - 8lb 10oz and DS3 - 8lb 12oz, no stitches, tears or grazes. Bigger babies (9lb ish, rather than 12lb whoppers) tend to be easier than 6-7lb babies as gravity helps. Measuring a few days ahead is nothing, honestly. DS1 was measuring 3 weeks ahead and wasn't that big. DS3 measured 2 weeks ahead before my waters broke and 1 week behind afterwards.

hey Sheldon, hope you are ok love. Don't fret about this - the baby is bound to be bigger if you are overdue, but chances are it's body weight rather than big head (which is the crucial bit as far as I know).

I had a very minimal tear (1st degree, one stitch 'if I wanted') with DD2 who was 10lbs 4. The same with DD1 who was not small at 8lbs 2.

Honestly, these midwives don't know how much power they wield with their comments. I was told I was breech at 38 weeks and panicked at the thought of C section. Then, a week later told not breech at all (I didn't think there had been any turning either before or after so suspect midwife was wrong all along). Measurements too are only a rough estimate - even scans are way off (I was scanned on day of birth with DD2 and they thought 9lbs). Don't fret, take it easy and keep moving to help baby down.

Ooh, I know someone who could give you an answer you'd like to hear! But she's also a mumsnetter, so it's really not my place to share. Sorry. I just wanted to point out that a big baby doesn't mean a CS or major damage. I'm also pregnant, and her birth story has given me hope. :)

DD was 8lb 2oz. She was a forceps delivery, due to crappy positioning and not descending properly. I had an episiotomy and a 3a tear.

DS was 11lb 7oz. He was a forceps delivery, again down to crappy positioning. I had an episiotomy but no tearing. I recovered from his birth considerably better, and faster, than I did with DD.

Just because a baby is big, doesn't mean you are bound to have intervention - it's entirely possible that you will be able to give birth without intervention. Your MW sounds like she needs to stop and think about what comes out of her mouth.

Hi I've had 4 babies & only had to have stitches after my first & he was the tiniest at 7lb7 the largest was 9lb 3 and I was fine with her (I'm only 5'1" btw) Best advice i can give is try to relax, all the best

DD was 10lb 4oz 3 hour labour with just gas and air and 2 stitches "just in case".

In the case of big babies gravity works

I'm 34 weeks pregnant with what is looking like being another big baby (currently measuring 4 weeks ahead) I'm not too worried our bodies are designed for this and with DD I was stopped by a Midwife in the streets and asked if I was having triplets at 34 weeks I denied it and she was convinced it had to be twins then! Now that terrified me!

9lbs 2oz - small graze

Oh wow, so many responses, thank you so much! I can't tell you how much better all your experiences make me feel. I'm a bit freaked out because my cousin had a 3rd degree tear with a 8 1/2 lb baby and this is my worst nightmare. I'm mostly annoyed with the midwife now, I thought they were supposed to be reassuring!

I suppose there is nothing I can do if I need a c section and I can make my peace with that but I know that my hospital is very resistant to elective sections and will only let you have them in extreme cases. I just hate the thought of labouring for ages, trying forceps etc and then needing an EMCS anyway.

However now I have read your comments I feel more positive and will still hope I can get through it all naturally. I am quite big myself (5'9") so hopefully my big childbearing hips and accommodate it.

DS was 9lb 5 with a 95th centile head. Born at home (planned homebirth) with no tearing. My two previous deliveries were both smaller babies and I had episiotomies with both.

10lb 13oz with a head that was off the top of the centile charts and no tears. Labour of under an hour, he was born in birth pool.

My others were 8lb 7oz episiotomy due to three hr pushing stage.

9lb 3oz small tear

9lb 5oz A graze

10lb 13oz aa i said all fine!

8lb exactly all fine.

4 boys and then dd.

my second was 10lb5oz and i didn't tear.

I was told not to expect a baby bigger than 8.6 max even though I was huge and put on 3.5st. I kept asking because I had a home birth planned with a pool and no drugs. Needless to say I was taken into hospital after a 3 day labour and had an EMCS. In the end I was eternally grateful though as she was 10.1 Ibs and I really really would not have wanted to do that for my first child with no drugs! They may well get the size wrong, but if you keep an open mind about birth and accept they will do what is safest for you and baby, then you will be fine. Try to stay flexible, as I was really sad not to be at home/epidural etc until I heard how big she was!

dd1 9lb13oz small tear i didnt feel it and wasnt painful just a little sting
dd2 8lb13oz no tear little graze delivered when only 8cm dilated
dd3 8lb13oz no tear or graze

10lb 4oz. No tearing. Lovely birth. You'll be aces. Good luck!

10lb 6oz.

One hour from waters breaking to birth. (induced labour)

Not a single tear, graze, nothing.

It's hard not to stress yourself, but if its any consolation, I've had 3 boys 8lb 3oz, 9lb 12 & 9lb 11 oz - all without any tearing.

I too was told dc2 was going to be big and to expect at least a 9 pounder, 'probably more'.

She was 7.5, and I had an (unintentional) vbac in just under 90 minutes without so much as a graze.

Good luck!

9lbs 11oz and 11lb, both born at home in water, no pain relief and only grazes both times. My friend had 3rd degree tears with both hers and they were both 6lb.

I can only conclude it is to do with positioning (mothers and baby's).

The MW should have kept her negative (and incorrect) comments to herself

8lb 10oz, so not enormous, but well above average . The biggest of my four children and the NLT one I didn't tear with. Tearing's not so bad necessarily. I tore naturally during water births with ds2 and ds4. I didn't feel either at the time, didn't need stitches and all healed absolutely beautifully.

Oh yes, forgot ds3 and ds4 both had heads at the top of the chart, with very wide backs to them . No problems with either

I had 8lb12oz and 9lb4oz babies - I dd tear but very minimally - one stitch each time.

I was told that DS would be big at a midwife appointment. Eleven hours later I gave birth to a 6lb 1oz DS....

My boys were 8'10 and 8'2 and I grazed slightly with the bigger one abd had a tiny perineal tear with the smaller. No stitches.

Don't panic, I know of a very petite woman who had two ten pounders with no problems.... Size has very little to do with it.

My 10lb 5oz dc only caused a tiny tear that was too small to warrant stitching. I too am 5'9" and have good childbearing hips. One thing my midwife said was that the size of your pelvis is more or less the size of your feet, so if you've big feet it will be easier to give birth. (It's one of those things like your arm span is the same as your height etc)

I don't know if it is just an old wives tale, but it seemed to bear out with me.