Huge head circumference

[applecrumbs]

Just had a 32 week scan during a very smooth so far pregnancy and was told the babies head circumference is over the 99th percentile with bpd at 98th too, basically a huge head! 😩 other measurements are big but not huge - 60/70 percentiles. Doctor google had me worried sick yesterday but I'm trying to tell myself he's not reliable - both me and dh have large heads and at least on my side of the family a number of us do. However interested to see if anyone here has experience of more worrying issues associated with these measurements, should I be worried?

Second question is what does this mean for me?! Am I going to be able to push this huge headed child out?? I was all set to delve into hypnobirthing and opt for the birth centre but now having major doubts. Are there increased risks and should I push for a c section rather than risk serious issues? Or do these things not really correlate? I'm now going to be monitored more closely and will of course ask these questions of the consultant, who I think I will see, but aware of the reputation of the Nhs for not always being completely transparent about childbirth risks :-/. V grateful for any shared experiences.

Hi OP, I didn't have a scan past 20 weeks but after DS was born his head was actually significantly above the centile line. He was born with meningitis so had to have a brain scan which showed everything was fine. His other measurements were top centiles so it wasn't completely disproportionate.
The health visitor was concerned when she measured his head and wanted to refer him, but I explained he'd already had a brain scan and that me and DP are both from big headed families
In relation to the birth, I'll be honest, it wasn't easy (for either of us) or without problems and I ended up with intervention, but not a c-section.
Good luck and please try not to worry, although I know it's hard.

Both my boys were on 75th centile for weight and had head circumferences over the 90th. They are both happy and healthy!

My son had this and his head circumference was 99th centile! His head was indeed huge to look at. They did do a scan to ensure nothing sinister when he was a few weeks old (there wasn't).

The only difference for me was i didn't know before he was born. I did though end up being induced at 40+2 and after about 24 hours later with it not progessing i had an emergency c-section. They never said it was anything to do with his head though but i guess it might have been.

You wouldn't know now to look at him that he once had the "biggest head in the neighbourhood!" (As the gp proclaimed at the time 😂)

My DS has a giant noggin! He’s between 50/75th centile for everything except his 98th centile head😂 he’s absolutely perfect though. No issues whatsoever.

Dc2 has a large head. He had a few scans as a baby and the docs did worry us with looking for scary diagnosis for a bit ( more to do with the shape than simply the size though). Turns out he just had a big brain! He’s 4 now and the only issue is making sure clothes will go over it.

His birth wasn’t easy though to be honest - but he was back to back too. Ended in a CS.

My nephew has an enormous head, we couldn’t get hats to fit him! He was 8lbs 10 at 36 weeks too but SIL was only in established labour for 2 hours and pushed him out in a couple of pushes with no issues at all. You’d be amazed what your body is capable of, try not to worry.

Both mine had head measurements on the 99th centile - huge heads run in the family. I had c-section for both (for other reasons!). Both absolutely fine, albeit they have been in adult bike helmets since they were about 8 😂

Ds has a big head. I did need a small cut with him (sideways, not front to back) and foreceps. It was ok (less so for dp who was traumatised...)

My nephew has an enormous head, we couldn’t get hats to fit him!
No hats fitted DS either, we got given so many adorable little hats as gifts and NONE fitted him.

In terms of labour. I was in labour for about 4 hours altogether and my second stage was 4 minutes. He came out like a giant headed rocket. I had a second degree tear which healed very quickly.

My best friend at school had the most enormous head! She had no health issues at all and was the most popular girl in the year. I don't know how it happened as her parents and brother had pretty average ones.

Gosh I was expecting lots of horror stories about prolapses, big hats I can deal with, thanks all !! At school I remember someone doing an experiment about head size and IQ and that's how I found out I had the biggest head of any girl in the year (highly correlated with IQ, obvs). On Christmas Day my family sit around with hats perched on their crown or torn to fit. My mother somehow got most of those people out, so I guess I just have to think positive and go with what the doctors say. If they offer me the knife though I think I'll find it hard to say no to in light of this knowledge

Have you measured your own head and your dh head?

but tbh baby's heads grow slowly surely, so are born big, have you spoken to a medical professional about your concerns?

Are you tall?

My DS has a huge head. Only picked up at 40w at a scan that determined he was breach. Not what u want to hear when you're imminently about to have a natural birth!
I gave birth to him fine-a few pushes with just a second degree tear. My pelvic floor/gunt could be better, but apart from that no issues for me.
He did have an issue which caused his head to be so big, but it's quite rare so don't worry yourself. And he's a completely happy & healthy 4yo now.
Good luck OP!

Tall-ish, 5'8, not massive, slim ish build.

"Gunt" 😂. Isn't that the bit below your tummy? I'm more worried about the perineum

Haha. Exactly the same 're Christmas hats but only on me not the rest of the family.

Both my kids were big headed and they both had late scans. Son was 80th daughter was off the charts. Got sent for multiple glucose tests (all fine) both born naturally with (accidentally no pain relief) no tearing on first. 2nd degree on second (but second was a real mess up and gave birth on my back induced. Barely noticed the stiches and in way less pain then with first)

The way the consultants (and google) were going on about it I was expecting them to both look like giant headed aliens so surprised when i got to perfectly normal squishy babies...

My own head is 80th centile so...meh.

I wouldn't worry OP,dd1 had a massive head but delivery was fine,I did have a water birth though but I honestly didn't feel her head drowning at all with all the adrenaline and what not.
In comparison dd2 who was born by c section for medical reasons had a tiny head at birth,I can someone commenting that if I'd been able to birth her naturally it would have been like shelling a pea after dd1

Crowning not drowning

My baby had a 98 percentile head circumference at birth. Natural birth with entenox, totally fine xxx

Both my babies had heads >95th centile, as do DH and I. They were both delivered with ventouse, but it was all relatively straightforward. CS was never raised as an option.

My baby was overall big, 98th centile for everything. I needed an episiotomy and ventouse to help him out, but I figure lots of people have these interventions - might have still happened with a smaller baby.