Big baby birth stories

[Buttercup53]

I'm 31+4 and been having regular growth scans because my baby is above the 95th. I worked out my EFW is around 4.7lbs, and he obviously has quite a bit more growing to do! No other concerning signs, I don't have diabetes, he's very healthy looking, lots of movements, he's just a big lad (I'm 5'6'' and pre-pregnancy was around a size 10, so I'm not tiny but I'm not big, either, in case it makes a difference).

I know the weights are only estimated, but it is looking like I'm going to have a bigger than average baby, as both his abdomen and head are measuring on the large size.

I have an appointment soon with my midwife and my perinatal mental health midwife to write a birth plan, but my main aim is to ask all the questions I need answering to help me feel more confident about birth.

I was wondering if anyone who has given birth vaginally to a large baby could tell me of specific big baby issues I should bring up during the appointment? The main thing I'm concerned about are his shoulders getting stuck. But is there anything else to be aware of? Anything you wished you'd known before birthing a big baby?

I find being prepared and asking questions the best way to cope with my anxiety. Full disclosure, I've been hesitant to post on this board out of concern of making my anxiety worse, so while I don't want to say 'positive stories only', please be aware before you reply that I have a severe anxiety disorder, and very graphic birth stories make it worse! However, I also post knowing that I'm not going to sneeze the baby out...

Not sure if it helps. But my chunky little boy was 10lbs 13.5oz and, although I needed a bit of a hand (the midwife had to shimmy his arm out after his head to free up some space for his shoulders to get through) he came out absolutely fine... just a grumpy little frown on his face! I didn't have any tears or anything. Hope your MW manages to put your mind at ease xx

If they think baby is too big, they will fairly forcefully offer a c section. Mine was 11lb 6ozs and whilst the first consultant I saw said that “women don’t grow babies they can’t birth”, the second consultant informed me that it’s possible. Risks of shoulder dystocia etc were just too high so went for the C Section.

I realise you are asking for vaginal birth stories but if you’re anxious about it, there’s nowt wrong with opting for the section!

That does help, thank you! I didn’t know midwives could intervene like that, so that’s good to know you didn’t tear as a result.

I’m not as anxious as I have been as the therapy has been so good, I just know that when I feel in control I’m less anxious, and being armed with the facts helps a lot. Thank you for sharing your story with me!

@stepmug that’s good to know, I’m happy to go for whatever type of birth is deemed the safest so if it’s a c-section I feel ok about that! I think I might add the question of ‘what size will he need to get to before I’m offered a c section’ in that case.

I have had one at 10 lbs and the other was 11lb 4 Oz. Both deliveries were fine. Plus big babies are fab once out. Sleep and feed well. Just don't buy anything newborn size!

My 10lb 4oz baby came out with only an episiotomy to help. My body pushed him out all by itself! I know you don't need me to say it but every baby abc every labout/delivery is different. I might be in the minority but I had to have a planned c section for one of my babies and I much preferred giving birth vaginally. Good luck 😊

DS was 9lb 9oz length 55cm. I laboured in the bath a while and had gas and air. I managed totally fine on this, was frequently offered pain relief but didn't need it. After pushing a while registrar checked and DS wasn't fully rotated so I got a spinal block in case of a section. But an episiotomy and forceps got him out. I didn't feel a thing due to the spinal block and baby never got distressed once so there was never any panic. My mum had 4 of us 9lb 7oz up to 10lb 14oz and no intervention at all. My cousins 9 week old was also 9lb 9oz 56cm delivered with no intervention either.

Just delivered a 10lb 5ozer a few weeks ago, no tears. Bodies can definitely do it. I would advise you to really get on your pelvic floor exercises now though and post birth, as it’s a lot for your body to carry and this will really help your recovery.

I’ve had two big babies. Gas and air for the first one and a birth pool and gas and air fir the second. I naturally adopted positions to help slow the birth down which helps with tearing although I did need stitching with both.

At one point they told me my baby would be 12 pounds at birth. When overdue I was still told to expect over ten pounds. She was 8 lb 3. On the bigger side but not a giant. They are not always right.

They aren't always right!
Not as big as some mentioned here but DS2 was 10lb12.5. He was born in the pool with G&A, in his caul. Quite fascinating. 😊 Also, he was the only one I didn't tear with as he crowned then waited for a bit.
DS1 was 9lb9, DS2 10lb12.5 - this then triggered consultant led care for DS3, extra scans and being told I wouldn't be 'allowed' to go more than 7 days over. I insisted he was not big as I could obviously feel him! DS3 arrived 4 days late at 8lb12. Still for next pregnant I had to be consultant led and DD arrived on her date at 8lb14.
So for me, the bigger and bigger thing wasn't true. Also they didn't arrive as is 'typical'....
DS1 1 week early
DS2 4 days late
DS3 4 days late
DD on time

Thank you to everyone for your replies, they’re genuinely really helpful and have given me a lot to think about, as well as some confidence about it all. I didn’t know for example if I’d still be able to use the MLU and the pool, I’m not set on it anyway but I’m glad I should hopefully have the option.

@merename thank you for pointing out the pelvic floor exercises, I’ve been really lax with them but hopefully I still have time to make a difference. Never even thought about the extra need for them with a big baby but it makes complete sense.

My baby was 9.9lb there was no issues with the birth whatsoever. I didn't know prior or her being born she was going to be big but I don't think it would of made a difference. I understand your anxiety over it though so I would have a chat to your midwife.

Please be aware scans can be very inaccurate. It's not a big baby story, but dd was induced one month early as they thought she stopped growing and was tiny - they thought 3 1/2 lb. She was actually 5 lb when born

My first was 11lb 10oz size 3 months plus clothes. Midwife advised she would be a 10 pounder. She was delivered by C section. All I can advise is to ensure your birthing partner makes sure they know what you want in your birthing plan but will push for intervention if needed -not sit eating jelly babies and reading the paper-

Just to those saying about measurements being inaccurate, I totally appreciate all measurements can be inaccurate, pretty much every parent I've spoken to has said that their estimated birth weight was wrong, so I don't hold a lot of stock in things like the EFW. The consultant physically felt the baby yesterday and said he doesn't feel abnormally large in her opinion, and my midwife has said there's a lot of guesswork involved.

I'm just trying to use the information I've got and be prepared with what I've been told. I value control, and pregnancy and birth is largely an uncontrolled experience, so using what information I have gives me a lot of confidence.

Another positive story here, 10lb 8 no tears or intervention. Birth was the same as my other three. He was a great baby though slept really well from the start and was sleeping 7-7 with a dream feed at 10 from 8 weeks.
In fact he was so good that I found out I was pregnant again when he was 13 weeks old!!

My DD wasn't as big as most already mentioned, but still sizeable at 9lb 2oz. Natural birth with only gas & air and use of a birthing pool.

I had a 2nd degree tear but honestly had no issues recovering, it was fine.

The only issue we had was that she did get stuck on the way out, for quite a long time, at the nose (obviously had a big head!!). No intervention was needed, but next time I think I'll ask what the next steps of intervention would be if it happens again, just so I feel prepared and know that there are options.

As others have said, once born, big babies are great!! It helped me feel a lot more relaxed around feeding as she clearly wasn't going to starve 😂 and slept well too!

Also not as big as some mentioned on here but I’ve had a 9lb 7 baby and a 9lb 12 baby, both very straightforward and fairly swift natural deliveries. Gravity helps!

Mine also weren’t as big as above, but they were 8lb 11 and 9lb. I am small, a size 6. DD (the 9lb one) was predicted to be 6.5lbs 😂

Very easy births with both. Water births, no pain relief at all. No tearing, no stitches.

Both fed well, but sadly, weren’t good sleepers 😂

My babies were 'only' 9-pounders so I don't have personal experience, but my friend had an 11-pounder when I was pregnant. I was discussing it with my midwife and I remember her saying that in her experience, big babies were often easier to birth. Gravity seems to do a lot of the work and really helps the woman's body in that regard.

I think my friend had a graze? Unlike me who had a couple of stitches!

My 2nd was predicting on the 95th plus from 20 weeks, and shot up at 38 weeks so I was induced at 38+2 giving birth to an 8lber at 38+3. Had a very similar established labour to my 1st predicted average sized baby.

He's long rather than wide - best fits size 0 nappies despite being 8lb at birth.

Really good to read all these responses, thanks everyone. I feel fairly okay about the birth now but don’t know how I’m going to feel as each week of the pregnancy goes by, he feels heavy now and my pelvis feels like it’s under a lot of pressure when I stand up and walk around. Trying to stay active but it’s exhausting! I spoke to my midwife and asked if I’d need to be induced early and she said probably not, but that they probably won’t let me go over 40 weeks and I might be offered sweeps earlier than normal.

I had lots of growth scans because I was meant to be having a "very large" baby who they estimated would be over 11lbs at 40 weeks and so started suggesting induction from 37 weeks. Tbh all the growth scans did was ramp up my anxiety levels and the more intervention that was being pushed my way, the less in control I felt which I hated. In the end I decided to look into hypnobirthing which I can't recommend highly enough for giving me the tools to stay in control and know what to ask when and refused intervention. I gave birth problem free in the birth pool with no drugs and in the end the growth scan was way out as bubs was 8lb 10.
Try not to fall into the Dr won't "let me" go over trap either - you body, your baby and your birth. You have more control of this than you might think! Xx

@cramerpiano thanks for your reply, it’s really helpful. I am very keen to avoid being induced if it’s not absolutely necessary, I really want to have at least the chance of labouring in the MLU rather than the labour ward so that’s good advice, thank you. I think that my midwife thinks I’m worried about giving birth to a big baby and suggested I could have sweeps/induction based on that rather than any medical need. All I keep being told is big babies have gravity on their side so I’m trying hard to think positive!