9lbs+ babies - childbirth complications/recover time?

[PSL1990]

If you've had a 9lbs+ baby (congratulations!), what birth complications did you have that could have been related to size? And how was your recovery? Welcome honesty 😊

9 and a half. I needed a lot of help getting the baby out from the midwives-they had to pull my pelvis apart and that rather hurt. Recovery time no different to my much smaller baby but the pain during Labour was significantly worse so I wish I’d had more than gas and air.

I’ve had a 9.5lb baby (and a 8.5lb, 7.5lb and 6lb ones) and honestly the 9.5lber was the easiest! (Was 2nd child out of 4) Quicker birth, think just a small tear. Had him with gas and air and was able to be more mobile with that birth. I think gravity helps with a bigger baby?! Not sure.. but that size never caused any problems for me.

9.4lb and 9lb. Just a tear, third degree first time and a smaller one the second time.
All stitched up fine so no problems.
Took a longer time to recover from first but with second I was up in the school run the next day.

One at 9.2. One at 9.6.
Both ok up and home the same day with the 9.6.
I was ok with 9.2. But had to stay in hosp because of jaundice.

I had a 10lb 8 baby.
Normal vaginal delivery no stitches or intervention. He was also back to back but turned just before I delivered.
I felt like I'd run a marathon afterwards and had quite bad after pains for about three days. After about 5 days I was feeling pretty normal.

9lb12. Water birth , 1st baby, no tear. Long and slow though. 2nd smaller baby was more damaging as she came very fast and I tore .

9.4lb baby, my first. Was induced due to reduced movements, was 16 hours in labour but went on to have assisted birth as DS had hand above his head in a Superman pose and got stuck. Forceps and was cut as he was becoming distressed. Recovery took about 3 weeks before I started to feel ok (blood loss + infections) but grand after that.

10lb10 and an emergency C section.

Mine were 9.12, 9.3 (10 days early!) and 7.13 (36+6).

Had more recovery trouble with the smallest as she was almost born in the sac and was a very quick 2nd stage. I had 3rd degree tear, only 2nd degree with first and grazing with 2nd.

9.12 was the hardest birth though as she was b2b and needed ventouse. 37 hours of labour, whereas the others were 10h and 12h.

My first was just over 9lb. Episiotomy needed but no other complications. Episiotomy/ stitches were bloody painful but I’m sure that would’ve been the case regardless of size post stitches. My second was 10lb and no tears or probables at all.

Ds was 9.3, no stitches. Back in size 8 jeans 4 weeks later.

9lb 9oz 2nd baby. All 3 of mine were back to back, but I’d say the weight helped with delivery. Home that afternoon, no problems and quick recovery.

FIrst baby was 9 lb 11oz and Labour was 40 hours - stopped progressing and baby became distressed, ending in emergency forceps in theatre, 2nd degree tear and baby not breathing so in SCBU for a week. I lost 3 litres of blood and was also an inpatient for a week having transfusions etc ... BUT I recovered remarkably quickly with no real long term effects and (somewhat crazily) had my second child 11.5 months later.

Second labour was really quick, gas and air only and again very quick recovery.

9lb 8oz and another one that came out like superman! I was induced due to ruptured membranes and had episiotomy and ventouse (and a post partum haemorrhage l). I didn't really help myself because I should have used gravity but my default to things like period pain is to want to curl/crunch up in a ball.

DC1 9lb2oz. 6 hour labour. Episiotomy

DC2 9lb11oz. 4 hour labour. Slight tear.

10lb 3. No issues. I mean he had a massive head which stung a bit ( yeah, ok a lot) but he was out in 3.5 hours from first twinge. Think I had an episiotomy for him too but just minor. No comparison to first ( footling breech undiagnosed vaginal birth). He was 8lb 2. That was bad in every way.

DC1 7lb6oz small nick they didn't stitch and grazes

DC2 10lb6oz nick needed 1 stitch, no grazes, horrific afterpains (in part I believe because I was made to wait 4 hours before being allowed to urinate)

DC3 & 4, both over 9lbs, no stitches, after pains nowhere near as bad.

Dc2 9lbs 5oz, waterbirth, quick birth which was v painful compared to slower 1st one but all fine, no tearing, grazing or anything else. I really think the water helped.

9lb13oz baby. Had a ventouse delivery and an episiotomy as struggled to push her out after a long labour. Recovery was ok, but I also had retained placenta and a manual removal under a spinal block. And I had a haemorrhage too, so those elements meant recovery was slightly longer than standard. I had to stay in hospital a couple of nights and then had a week or so on various drugs for iron, and anti-coagulants. But was all fine, sounds bad, but really was ok!

Just over 9lbs, no complications or issues at all. Very straightforward, however was my 3rd baby.

9lbs 3oz, 6 hour labour, DD got a bit stuck but managed to force her way out without intervention! Gas and air only, small tear that required 2 stitches. Not bad at all.

10lber first baby. 9lber second baby. First I had an epidural but no intervention. Minor tearing, some stitches.

Second just about made it to the hospital! Again, no intervention, minor tearing and some stitches. With this one I didn't even have time for drugs and it was actually ok!

DS1: 9lb 13oz - had an epidural and small tear during labour. Anal fissure afterwards which took a while to heal but did eventually.
DD2: 10lb 2oz. Natural delivery with just gas and air. Delivered on all 4s - no tearing.
Had SPD badly during second pregnancy and slight tummy muscles coming apart. Hip pain after delivery for a while.

My first was a whopper.

Easy birth, no drugs but ten million stitches. Recovery was fine.

9lb 2oz 1st baby - straightforward birth with just gas and air, no stitches. Walked back to the ward from delivery and no issues afterwards.