concern about size of baby, shoulder dystocia/ CDP

[Claire2202]

Hi,
I was hoping some of you might be able to give me the benefit of your experiences. I've had a normal pregnancy and all has been well so far. I've been consistently measuring big for dates (2 weeks ahead) but no one seemed particularly concerned. At 38 weeks I transferred to a different hospital for birth as I wanted a water birth and the new hospital had more birthing pools. They were a little concerned about the measurements and so sent me for a scan. The scan showed the baby is large (estimated over 10lbs) and they have now put me under consultant led care as there is concerns about delivery of the shoulders and body (the mid wife said the stomach was huge!) and told me a water birth is out. They're also concerned that the baby is not yet engaged and think this might be because it's not able to, although at 36 weeks a different midwife told me she thought it was 2/5th engaged.

This is my first child. There is no sign of gestational diabetes, and although I was over weight at my booking in appointment (bmi 26) this wasn't seen as a problem. I am 5' 2" and take a shoe size 3/4 (I know this might not be relevant, but somethings I've reading also suggest it could be). I was born by planned caesarian after my mother was told her pelvis would be too narrow for me to be born naturally, but obviously times have changed and I'm not as small as my mum (I was a fairly normal sized baby though, 7lbs 10 I think).
The current plan is to induce me at due date if things haven't already started then (2nd May) but otherwise let things progress naturally unless I encounter any problems. I'm meeting the consultant for the first time on Tuesday, but since the scan (on Friday) I've been scaring myself silly reading about shoulder dystocia and can't help feeling that, although I wanted a natural birth, a planned caesarian would be better than the possibility of that happening. I'm also worried that I might have a long labour and then still need a caesarian only as an emergency and then surely recovery would be harder? However, I'm not sure I'll be given the option to have an elective caesarian.
Have any of you given birth in similar circumstances? Either naturally or by caesarian? What were your experiences? Is there anything you think I need to be asking the consultant about? Sorry for the very long message, I just wanted to give the full picture. I had been feeling pretty calm and ok about labour and birth but this has really thrown me, I'd be grateful for any advice.

It's difficult, because obviously everyone's different, but I measured big for dates all the way through and was under consultant care. Nobody ever said anything about c- sections, although I did have late scans, and thy were very keen for me not to go too long overdue. I was overweight too, although if I wasn't overweight, I would be small if you see what I mean. In the end, my ds was born on his due date. It was a 4 hour labour, I reached hospital 27 minutes before he was born, no time for pain relief, and although I tore and had stitches, I recovered very quickly. Ds was 10lb6. I know it's only an anecdote, but I thought you might like a positive story! Lots of people told me that big babies often make for easier labours because of gravity and the fact that once the head is engaged there's no room for it to un-engage. IYSWIM.

Thank you :) it does help to hear a positive story. I'm finding it a bit difficult not to dwell on the possible problems and need to try to get myself a bit calmer and more relaxed about it all again I think. I'm sure I'll feel better once I've met the consultant, just feel in a bit in limbo at the moment.

Fwiw a scan said dd would be approx 9.5lbs...she was two weeks late and weighed 8lb3oz scans are regularly wrong

I'm worried about shoulder dystocia too (hence lying awake now with 2 days until my due date!).

MIL had it with DH, he was 7lb 1oz but big shoulders (she is a tiny 4' 10" with size 3 feet, I'm 5'5" with size 5 feet). My MW said last thurs that she thinks our baby is at least 8lb 8oz and from the 3D scan we had in Jan you could see he is going to be built just like his daddy!

I know he has to come out but am so scared of shoulders getting stuck and my bits basically being ripped apart to get him out! I think the fact they showed it on OBEM didn't help!

Honestly try not to worry (hardest thing in the world I know ). Late scans are notoriously inaccurate for guessing size/weight, especially for large babies. It is perfectly possible for you to push your baby out, even if it is very large (friend here just had a 11lb 12oz baby... no drugs and no tears!!!) and I know heaps of little women who have had ginormous babies with no trouble! CPD is actually very rare, my DD had a head circumference well above the 99.6th percentile and came out fine and I am only 5'3" and have size 3 feet!

There's not much you can do about shoulder dystokia, just have faith that your MW and obstetrician will be able to handle it My MW was very concerned about it and had everything in place in case it happened, but turned out just fine.

Heaps of babies don't engage until really late either! My DD was only 1/5 until I went into labour, and that was only due to 3 weeks of sitting on the swiss ball!

Good luck and hope everything goes well for you!

I measured normal throughout my pregnancy and was induced as baby was 2 weeks overdue. I had a normal birth with just gas and air, back-to-back birth with ventouse assistance and had shoulder dystocia and had stitches - The baby was 9lb 8oz (born Dec 2012)

Your body will recover whatever happens during child birth and more importantly your body will naturally do whatever it needs to do to aid a safe delivery of your little one the world.

My DS was predicted to be big on a scan I had at 36 weeks.

He came 7 days late and was 9lb 3oz so pretty big / but not over 10lb as they were predicting. They also said his head was going to be off-the-graph massive. It was big (91st centile) but honestly I found the birth ok. Used gas and air, had a small tear which healed quickly. It was my first labour, lasted 11 hours from start to finish, stayed at home for the first 6 hours.

Good luck!

Hi,

I was measuring 4 weeks over and baby predicted 10 pound plus. I'm 5'3 and not overweight. It not policy to induce until term plus 12 where I live. I was only in labour for 6 hours. A c-section was never mentioned.

Baby was born on Sat weighing 8.8 lb, neded ventouse to get him out but I'm recovering well. Baby is amazing. Hope it all goes well for you, I was extremely worried before the birth too.

Thanks for your stories ladies, they've been really reassuring. I meet the consultant today so hoping that will help to calm fears too. :)