Did anyone's first vaginal birth baby weigh over 9.5lbs?

[PSL1990]

I think I'm going to be in this position! Did you have any birth injuries? How was your recovery? I've heard many good labour stories involving 9/10lbs babies but they tend to be second or third births so perhaps when the body is more prepared.

No, I haven't, but I'm wondering why you think your baby will be so big? Do you have GD?

With DS1 I was terrified because I had a sizing scan at 37 weeks and they told me he was already over 8 pounds. He was born a week later weighing 7lb 6oz.

Yes I did. My first child was 10lb 5oz, vaginal birth, no pain relief. Seven days over, 18hrs and 26mins from first contraction to birth. Laboured in pool until waters went with meconium then transferred to hospital. Tore inside and out but not horrifically, sewed up by midwife in labour suite. Recovery was fine.

Second child was 10lb 2oz, one push for waters, one for the head, one for the body. That was my reward for having such big babies!

Yes, ds1 weighed 9lbs 6oz and was my first baby!
My midwife neglected to test me for GD so I don't know if that was responsible, my next two were 8lbs and 9lbs so it is possible I just have big babies. Ds1 is 12 now and they are all very tall.

I did have to have an episiotomy, had tears and ds1 had shoulder dystocia. My tears were stitched and did take a long time to heal (hire a valley cushion from NCT if you have tears, they are a godsend), and dc1 was given exercises by the physio and his assessment at 8 months showed his arm was back to normal. Recovery time was around 10 weeks and although the epi site is scarred everything still works!

Try and have as active a labour as possible, I was kept lying on a bed being monitored and I really should have been up and walking. Big babies are usually born quickly which can help minimise complications, so good luck and congratulations!

Just to show variations, my baby was tiny, under 6lbs and I tore badly.

Yes. First born was 10lbs 12. Vaginal birth, forceps. In labour for 7 hours. Had to have forceps as he was back to back. I crowned him for 2 hours (he kept getting sucked back inside) which is why they finally decided on forceps. Only gas and air up to that point but ended up frozen from neck down (I think they were prepping for an emergency c-section) but the forceps worked just fine.

I can't remember if I had a cut or if I had stitches!

Yep, 10lbs, too late for an epidural, his shoulders were larger than his head so he got stuck. Was delivered by ventouse and eventually forceps. I was warned that because his heart rate had dropped he had to be delivered as fast as possible and there would be damage. I had 14 stitches after the delivery.

And now for a positive story.

Not me, but my sister. Induced at 42 weeks as baby was far too comfy and was making no effort to come on his own. He'd also been measuring big on all his scans. She went into labour with the second pessary, and a mere 4 hours later (on just gas & air) was holding her 9lb 10oz son, with no assistance required and a labial graze as the only damage.

Yup- 4.54 kg (well over 10lbs) and very overdue. 36 hours of labour, then unsuccessful ventouse intervention followed by episiotomy and finally delivery by forceps.
Obstetrician had his foot up on bed to pull him out... labour room was filled with people, all commented on his size when he was finally born.
Horrendous experience, even with epidural, I think I might have had PTSD after it.
tbh the emotional/ psychological trauma was worse than the (not insignificant) physical effects.

Sorry, that’s probably not what you want to hear... I had written a very aspirational (naive) birth plan and specified absolutely no caesarean- I probably should have been given one...

Yes! First baby, 11lb 2oz (now an adult) born at 42+2. Had gas and air plus pethidine, I tore and was stitched up in the delivery room. Healed without any problems (witch hazel was very soothing iirc...)
Good luck, OP!

Yes I am relatively slight and baby was 9lb 13, forceps delivery with episiotomy and bad tear. Pain lasted about 6 months post birth and still have some issues many years down the line. Had elective csection for next baby - wow what a difference!

Yes DD was 10lb 6 1 week early. Diamorphine in labour and a second degree tear which healed very quickly. DS was 11lb and even easier but second births usually are

10pound 2 first baby. About 8 hours acive labour, maybe 15 minutes of pushing. I had stiches but only had them done by a midwife.

I pushed in a side lying position which slows down the pushing to give you a chance to control more.

I repeatedly said no to csection when it was suggested after failing to progress, looking back I wish I said yes but I felt it was a failure. Baby also came out with an arm in the way which probably didn't help.

Mine was 10lbs10 - born after having waters broken following low movement at 40+3 but no intervention during birth and fairly straightforward. I tore pretty badly and had a tough recovery because the stitches got infected. Tested for GD but just a big baby. Honestly, the birth itself was not as bad as I had feared (I did get an epidural after going from 1cm-6cm in under an hour though) but the recovery was difficult. It took me longer to be up and mobile than others in my NCT group who had CS - if I'm faced with the situation again I think I will be asking for an early induction or ELCS.

My first was near 9 lb 2 - no GD was tested due to family history but I was fine. Was relatively fast labour - small tear.

The size wasn't expected or pick up prior to birth - baby had spent most of pg tucked up behind rib cage - and I wasn't overweight and I put on only the small amount of weight your supposed to.

Scans can be 1 lb out either way or I was told with later pg and it turned out I knew many women in RL who'd been told they were based on scans have 9-10 lb babies and actually had 6-7 lb.

I didn't have a bad recovery but went into labour naturally just after due dates and all my babies have been in correct position - most people I know who ended up with bad tears had babies in less ideal positions.

Yes, 9lb 8oz at 38 weeks. Plan was a birthing pool but I refused to take my Tens machine off to get in the water 😁. First waters went at 3am, second around 10am and DS born 12.45pm. I was kneeling on a pillow, leaning against the bed for the pushing phase, poor midwives were bent double using a mirror to see what was going on! I had a short but deep tear that was stitched & healed quickly, DS wasn’t that chubby, just long & skinny - bit like a large pink frog!

Yes. All mine were. First was 9lb 7oz.

Yes. Long labour with forceps and episiotomy in the end. Took 12 weeks to sit down properly!! I did it all again though

Yes - DS1 was 10lb at 42 weeks, fairly unexpectedly! I was induced because I was overdue, labour and birth was pretty straightforward, gas & air only. Had a second degree tear which was sutured but healed well.

DS2 was induced earlier (39 weeks) because scans showed he was also big, and he was 9lb12 when born at 39+2. His labour was more stop start and harder to get through, I think because it was a bit earlier so my body was less ready, so I did have an epidural and lost quite a bit of blood after, but again only 2nd degree tear and have healed with no problems.

I did not have GD but I am tall (5'9) and have quite a wide pelvis!

I had my first baby is vagina birth on Friday and she came out a whopping 9.4lbs

It was hard work but so worth it and I only had to have 2 stitches and was pushing for just over an hour, my midwife advised me that it's actually much easier pushing out a bigger baby due to gravity apparently and bigger babies tend to stay in the correct position she said...

Good luck and it will all be worth it in the end when you get to hold your lovely baby!

Just to share my daughter was a tiny 5lb 3oz and I needed an episotomy so everyone is different.

My first was 9lb 4oz and I had a second degree tear - healed well. The labour itself was long but I pushed him out In 8 minutes.

Yes, she was 9lb 13oz. No injuries, but did have episiotomy and ventouse delivery. Good luck OP!

My first baby was 9lb 7 and it was fine, wasn't expecting a big baby but me and dad are both tall. Birth was fine, actually quite quick, 7 hours in total but that's from first pain to her being born, no problems, I didn't even need stitches! She was born at just after lunch time and I was at home by 9pm. Good luck!

Yes, they all were. No injuries.