Please help, very anxious re big baby!

[Purpledahlia88]

Hi all

I'm currently 36 weeks pregnant and have been having growth scans throughout pregnancy due to thyroid problems and concerns baby wouldn't be growing enough.

He was growing at expected rate throughout up until about 32 weeks when he has suddenly jumped to off the chart levels in size. My last scan at 35 weeks, his estimated weight was nearly 8lb.

I already have one DC who weight 8lb4 at 2 weeks overdue and the birth was horrific for me (no particular issues just I don't deal well with pain) so I'm very very worried as the sonographer told me that at this stage they gain on average of a pound a week so he will be huge if he comes on time let alone late. She said she doubted they would let me go overdue (just chatting not like proper medical advise), my midwife said the same.

I saw the consultant after my scan and she said there is no issue, he is just big and to deal with it basically, she will see me at 38 weeks and if cervix is favourable she will consider induction but not to get my hopes up. Honestly I find this unacceptable, I had sever anxiety about the birth before all this and now I'm crying most days, I have my other son to look after plus still working and I just can't cope.

She also said "it's an estimate" which I understand but he has followed the same point on the line for the last three scans so I'm not sure how they can be the exact same level of inaccurate when carried out by three diff people.

So, sorry for the essay, but my question is, what are my rights here? When I see her at 38 weeks I really want to insist on induction at 38/39ish weeks as his head is measuring huge and I'm very worried about tearing. If she just laughs it off again and says "there is no problem!" What exactly can I say??

PS I have been tested for GD and don't have it.

I can't offer any advice but growth scans and charts are notoriously inaccurate. My friends baby was measuring 7lb 12oz at 35 weeks due to gestational diabetes. Baby was born at 38 weeks weighing 7lb 5oz.

You can’t really say much I’m afraid, been scared of tearing isn’t a reason for induction. If they feel the weight is on the high side of big then they may consider the induction if favourable, but if baby hasn’t grown much and your cervix isn’t ready, induction could be a worse option than a natural start to labour - failed induction/feral distress/c sec etc.

For what it’s worth my scan weights have always been wayyyy off - I’m talking about been told to expect over an 8lb baby and having a baby weighing under 6lb.

Y first was nearly 12lb so was delivered by emergency ceserian they decided my other children would be by elective Caesarian - second was nearly 9lb.

I suggest you speak to your midwife who should be supportive and should be able to help you.

What is it you really want? Have you thought I’d and put together a birth plan?

In an ideal world I would have a csection but realistically I just want a quick labour and an epidural, as I had one last time and before it I honestly wanted to die

*of NOT i’d. FFS

Maybe try some relaxation classes or yoga.

Definitely speak to your midwife and your OH and get your concerns heard.

Tell your OH what you want as mine was useless when I went into labour.

I'm not seeing my midwife until after 39 weeks, I've barely seen her as I'm consultant led. But I'd happy to be induced at 40 weeks I just do not want to go over and end up with a 12lb-er or something.

Please don't worry yourself op, although I know it's impossible.

I was told my DS would be 10lbs at birth, every scan predicted this.

At birth he weighed.......exactly 6lbs!

A whole 4lbs wrong! As you can imagine I was relieved!!

I was then told by a consultant that the scans aren't great at predicting weights

How do you feel about an ELCS? I had one with my DS because of his size, although I did have to lobby my consultant a bit for it. If birth weight is estimated at 5kg+ then ELCS should be considered. Risk of shoulder dystocia increases with a larger baby. I was told that early induction is generally only considered if GD is a factor, not birth weight alone.

I was told at 36 weeks that mine was measuring 7 1/2 pounds. As I went further overdue I repacked my hospital bag with bigger clothes. I was told a pound a week and eventually had him at 42 +3 so was expecting him to be over 13lb. He was a modest bang average 7lb 8oz. I don't know anyone who has had an accurate growth scan.

Bubbins I would love one but I mentioned to her before and she laughed, so I haven't suggested again as she just makes me feel like a total idiot.

Even an epidural is "funny" to her "why would you immediately rush to that decision??" with a smirk.. erm because it's MY labour and I'm allowed, that's why!

Sorry x-posted. If you want an ELCS and they're predicting birth weight over 5kg then definitely you should be able to make a case for this. It's as much about the risk to baby of getting stuck as anything else.

However the vast majority of people who have big babies are absolutely fine - I actually personally didn't want an ELCS as I had a good natural birth experience with my first labour but I didn't want to risk it.

Another one here who's babies birth weights were massively over estimated. Just remember it is exactly that, an estimate. Plus I know women who've birthed large babies easily and women who've had terrible births with small babies. There are a lot of other factors at play than just birth weights.

If you're in England and you want an ELCS you are allowed one by maternal request. Look up the NICE guidance. If your consultant makes you feel belittled then ask to see a different one. Good luck op.

My 5 week old DS was anticipated to be over 9lb, when in fact only 7lb!!! Xx

My baby was born at 9lb9 and yes it was painful but no more painful than my baby who was born at 7lb15. Your body is equipped to deal with it. Try not to worry.

I know it might not offer much reassurance but as PP's have said they can get it very wrong! I had a scan a before my Lo arrived and they said she was 7lb 10 and a week later she arrived at 6lbs 11!

@Purpledahlia88 when I was pregnant with DS I had continual growth scans through the last 10 weeks of my pregnancy - and at 36 weeks scans they were showing DS to already be over 10lbs! Was induced at 39 weeks due to this (epidural but vaginal birth) and he was 9lb3oz!! Good luck whatever you decide to do

Babies gain lots of body fat in the last month of pregnancy. To protect them when they are born, to help with temperature regulation, and to give them some weight to lose whilst they adjust to the outside world and to getting calories through feeding.

That’s a good thing. The fat levels are protective for your baby. It is not 1lb a week. It’s more like an ounce a day, on average. And that is when baby has entered the fat-gaining stage - if you are someone who naturally gestates for longer it is possible that your baby enters the fat gaining stage of gestation later than someone who gestates faster. Humans are all different. So if your baby enters the fat gaining stage at 38 weeks because you gestate to 42 weeks naturally, they aren’t going to always end up bigger than is normal for them.

They don’t tend to put lots of fat on their heads. They don’t have fat scalps. Fat squishes, and it is evenly distributed across the baby. So birth weight is a concept that doesn’t make that much difference to the ease of exit, unless a baby is either very very small or very very big. Things like IV fluids for the mother can artificially swell a birth weight too.

All that plus growth scans begin notoriously inaccurate, I wouldn’t be rushing to make decisions based on this. I learned all this when my baby was queried to be smaller than average, and they started to worry about a sub-5lb birth weight. Baby was born at 8lb 2oz, so boringly average and fat-looking.

I had growth scans with my daughter because they were concerned that she was small. Her estimated birth weight was around 5lbs 7oz. She weighed 9lbs 5oz when she was born the next day. I was also told that in the last few weeks that babies gain around half an lb per week. You can always request another consultant if you feel that your current one is not helpful, and maternal requests for cesarean section are fine too.

Thanks everyone. Is it the consultant who is the person who can decide yes or no re csection/induction? I worry I've left it to late to start making requests

My ELCS decision was made a week before I had it based on estimated birth weight so you are not too late.

For me estimated birth weight was close to 12lb - he was 10lb 7oz so not quite as huge but still big and his head circumference was off-the-charts.

As others have said there's a good chance the estimates are wrong and even if they're not wrong the chances are very high that you'd be able to birth a larger baby successfully. But ELCS should be an option if you're looking at v high birth weight.

Thanks bubbins, will definitely ask at my next appointment

DS and DD were supposedly 8lb 7oz and 8lb 6oz at 36 weeks. Ds was 7 lb 12oz at birth and DD 7lb 4oz.