Anyone given birth to ten pounder vaginally and lived to tell the tale??

[lillamyy1]

I'm only 5'3" and this is my first. 40+1 wks today.
Had a scan on weds and the midwife reckons he's 10 lbs or very close
Anyone given birth to a big baby vaginally? What kind of damage can I expect my fanjo to sustain??

Yep. 10'6, 5 hours from first twinge to birth, no pain relief. Some minor tearing needing a couple of stitches. Had to pop in to Mothercare on the way home to buy some bigger babygrows!

Growth scans are so unreliable.
I had a 9lb 6 baby, waterbirth with no pain relief. It was by far my easiest birth (other two were 7lb titches). No tearing, no stitching.

Yes- 2 stitches and no lasting damage that I know of . Am very small in stature and weight

As lots of posters have said, it's mainly about positioning of the baby not size. And growth scans are v unreliable. DS2 was supposed to be 7lbs 0 from the growth scan and was 9lbs13oz.

Ds was 10lb 14oz, natural birth, small tear, no lasting damage. I didn't use gas and air as I knew from my first DC it makes me feel sick, but I did have a shot of meptid, which was great - it didn't take the pain away but it made it not seem to matter!

Another positive story here. DS2 was 10lb6 and back to back with shoulder dystocia - but despite all that the induced labour at 42 weeks was only 5 hours with no pain relief. Not walk in park but manageable. Small episiotomy, no lasting damage. I was huge all through pregnancy, looked full term at only 6 months. Good luck!!!

Dc3 was 10lb8 and back to back had anormal vaginal delivery with no stitches. I was told to expect a dc4 to be around the same weight I was so nervous but he was 8lb10 the doctor said ooh he's a big boy me and dp both replied oh no he's not he's tiny!

Brilliant stories I honestly feel much better - especially hearing how little pain relief most of you needed
Got a sweep tomorrow and if that doesn't work probably induction at the weekend. I'll definitely come back and tell you all how it goes!

I'm a similar size/weight to you. DD3 was 9lb 13oz and was born in the pool with only gas and air. She did have a shoulder dystocia because she was chunky but I only had a first degree tear that didn't need stitches. Having given birth five times now to various weight/shape babies, I would say that birthing a large baby isn't necessarily more painful than an average size baby.

Being more upright is supposed to help birthing a large baby. Some say squatting is also good but some think it encourages tearing. Whatever you do, listen and blow when the midwife tells you to. Easing a big baby out will be much better for you than champagne-corking the head out.

Ds2 was 10lb 1oz born in the water with gas and air. Very minor tear that was borderline needing stitches (did have a couple in the end). No more painful than ds1 who was 8lb 6oz.

Let us know how it went OP!

DD3 was well over 11lb! (Even as I write that, I still find it slightly surprising, more than two years on...) Home birth. Gas and air. We went into hospital for some (ok, 'hundreds of') stitches but overall she was my best birth, and I was definitely in better shape afterwards than after both of the first two.
I specifically chose a home birth because I wanted a good midwife, and I am certain that good midwife support in DD3's birth made all the difference. She was in a good position, I was feeling tired but well supported and confident.
That said, it was obviously not a walk in the park. And each of my babies has been heavier than the last. Which is just one of many hundreds of reasons not to have no.4!

10 7, no damage at all induced at 40 weeks. The relief delivering him was amazing but all fine.