Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Big Baby - Induction or C-Section?

67 replies

MrsKT123 · 29/07/2021 20:02

TLDR: My baby is measuring large and they'd like to deliver her by 39 weeks. Would I be better with an induction or elective c-section?

I'm pregnant with my first baby and I found out at my 36 week scan that baby was measuring big (>95% centile). Have been tested for gestational diabetes and all came back normal.

I had another scan earlier this week at 38 weeks and baby has continued to grow and on seeing the midwife today she's said she needs to confirm with the consultant but that given baby's size they'd like to deliver her by 39 weeks.

She's said we can try some sweeps but it's more likely I'll need to be induced. I had an examination this weekend where the registrar had said my cervix was favourable / ripe for induction.

I would have ideally liked a water birth in the birth centre (birth centre is down the corridor from the labour ward if anything went wrong) but with the increased risk of her shoulders getting stuck this isn't advised. I know I could still opt for this but I'm so risk averse I wouldn't want to now.

Therefore, I'm really left between giving birth on the labour ward (whether through induction or going into labour naturally) or a c-section. The midwife wasn't keen on offering the latter.

I'm very concerned around the risks of intervention if I do give birth vaginally, particularly with an induction - whilst they can monitor me wirelessly so I can keep active / upright etc. I worry that the pain will be too much to manage with gas and air and with an epidural there's increased risks of intervention and severe tearing or needing a c-section anyway.

I'm also concerned about the amount of time the induction will take - I have stayed in the hospital for reduced movements and it was awful. It was unbearably hot (I had two fans and this wasn't enough - the other women were all complaining and my husband likened entering the ward to stepping off a plane into the heat). Also the bay I was in was filthy with wrappers, medicine cups, chips etc. on the floor, all marks in the baby bed left in there with me. They were so short staffed I just got left overnight with them not realising I'd not had the necessary tests until the next day (they didn't tell me I needed any to be chasing for these to be done).

I'm therefore also worried if I did require an emergency section / intervention they wouldn't have staff available!

So I wanted to ask on here - based on your experiences and if you were in my position, would you push for an elective c-section? Or is it always better to try for a vaginal birth where possible?

OP posts:

colouringindoors · 29/07/2021 20:04

Personally, with a big baby I'd rather an ELCS than an induction.

ohthestruggles · 29/07/2021 20:08

I was offered induction for reduced movements, my cervix was still high and closed so I really probed the doctors about risks and benefits of both. In the end they did say they didn't think the induction would be straight forward, may require intervention and could distress baby. A sweep did nothing. The consultant advised me that induction is a bit better for mum but worse for baby, c section is a little worse for mum but better for baby. I settled for an elective section, taking into account the fact baby was not showing any signs of coming soon. Neither are risk free so ask lots of questions to help you make your decision!

I did however wake in the early hours of the morning before my section having an antepartum haemorrhage so the decision was to have an emergency section anyway.

Nibblypiggotonabus · 29/07/2021 20:11

From my experience induction can take a long time and not always successful in that you need to go for c section anyway. Happened tor but all are different.
If we have a second I'll be having an ELCS straight away without all the pain and faffing about in between.
I felt disappointed when I ended up with emergency c section but post birth there are lots of people who talk about bladder issues.
Follow your instinct and get your other half to advocate for you strongly. Midwives are lovely but they often push you for vaginal birth. Do what feels right for you, your body and your baby.

ohthestruggles · 29/07/2021 20:11

And they did say that with being a first time mum with an unfavourable cervix and a risk factor, intervention (forceps etc) and c section were a big possibility anyway.

Bex268 · 29/07/2021 20:23

I had a big baby and had an induction at 38 weeks. Wow! Very painful but it was doable ime. I went in on the Thursday afternoon, started induction and had baby at 10.32pm on the Saturday. I had an epidural. My baby got stuck so I was given a spinal epidural in preparation for c section but they asked if they could try forceps. I said yes. They did an episiotomy and baby came out with forceps. Tbh I found it fine. Recovery took a while but, a year and a half later, I’m all good and would do it again. I really didn’t want a c section - they terrify me. The first part of induction I felt was the worst.

Bex268 · 29/07/2021 20:24

Oh and I’m a total wuss - nobody thought I could handle birth 😂

SisterGabriel · 29/07/2021 20:25

I was induced with my first - horrendous pain, had to have an epidural. Baby out with ventouse eventually but I had been prepped for a section and the birth took place in theatre. Baby was over 9lb. Having ELCS with my second - under no circumstances will I go through that sort of pain again.
I’d go for ELCS in your position.

Rossypossy · 29/07/2021 20:38

Op I was in the exact same position as you. It’s difficult because everyone is different but in hindsight, I wish I had opted for an ELCS.

I was induced, just had the pessary and my waters broken, no drip thankfully, but it took two days. I got all the way to 9cm and DD was not moving or responding and so I was taken down to theatre to try for forceps but I was still 9cm and so had an EMCS. The induction completely exhausted both of us.

The doctor had said to me to ‘just try’ for a natural birth, but if the risk is that she would get stuck (which is why they induce) then surely a c section is the answer. I wish I had opted for it but my family all told me not to.

Ultimately all that mattered was that we were both OK, but for my next one I would opt for an elective.

northernmamax · 30/07/2021 08:46

Hi! I'm in same position as you and have opted to have the c section.

I feel like there is less risks to you and baby having a section with a bigger baby and a lot less pain!!

everdaymumma · 30/07/2021 09:05

I was in same position and opted for induction at 38 weeks. Induction for 5 days, laboured for 17 hrs and ended up with section as baby in distress, but would make the same decision even with that information.
I think it's really hard to call as anything can happen, hindsight is wonderful and actually depends how important trying a vaginal birth is to you. Future pregnancies the scar from the section would add an extra risk in pregnancy of placenta previa/accreta and scar rupture if you wanted to try VBAC. Good luck with making your decision x

YoungGun95 · 30/07/2021 09:14

C section all the way

PinkPlantCase · 30/07/2021 09:34

Curve ball but this is the current NICE guidance -

In the absence of any other indications, induction of labour should not be carried out simply because a healthcare professional suspects a baby is large for gestational age

In the absence of GD I would wait for spontaneous labour. I would have far more confidence in my body’s ability to birth a large baby if labour begins spontaneously than if labour was induced.

slippersandprosecco · 30/07/2021 09:45

100% have a section. Hands down the better option, and also known to be safer for baby.

ancientgran · 30/07/2021 10:26

I went in for induction for large baby. Consultant was keen to get him out as previous birth was EMCS. When they examined me I was already 4cm dilated so they let things move on. Five hours later 10lb plus baby safely delivered with the help of forceps. I could have had a c-section but I hated the previous one so much that I really didn't want one.

Afterwards I felt selfish as I felt I'd put him at risk for my wants. It is a hard decision.

CovidDoesNotExistDuh · 30/07/2021 10:48

Section

shas19 · 30/07/2021 10:57

@northernmamax

Hi! I'm in same position as you and have opted to have the c section.

I feel like there is less risks to you and baby having a section with a bigger baby and a lot less pain!!

This comment isn't correct at all. C section recovery is PAINFUL.

shas19 · 30/07/2021 11:00

@everdaymumma

I was in same position and opted for induction at 38 weeks. Induction for 5 days, laboured for 17 hrs and ended up with section as baby in distress, but would make the same decision even with that information. I think it's really hard to call as anything can happen, hindsight is wonderful and actually depends how important trying a vaginal birth is to you. Future pregnancies the scar from the section would add an extra risk in pregnancy of placenta previa/accreta and scar rupture if you wanted to try VBAC. Good luck with making your decision x

This isnt entirely correct. There is obviously a risk of rupture but its less than 1%. Im going for vbac2 and believe me, alot of scare mongering from consults is what puts women off of trying for a vbac

EmRata95 · 30/07/2021 12:00

This comment isn't correct at all. C section recovery is PAINFUL.

So is recovery from a third degree tear. Infact, recovery from a tear can take longer, and cause issues that can last a lifetime, or require surgery to fix. I would take my chances with the section.

ohthestruggles · 30/07/2021 12:12

There is no painless way to bring a baby into the world. But I would rather have had the pain I had in my abdomen than my vagina. I was a bit taken aback by the pain I felt post c section so don't prepare for an 'easy' experience either!

northernmamax · 30/07/2021 12:30

I had a third degree tear with my first child and couldn't walk for about 2 weeks, pain was very bad.

Hoping C section recovery will be a little bit easier. From what I've heard people have said it's very different but is better in some ways?

MindyStClaire · 30/07/2021 13:36

I had this.

Brought in for induction a week over, scanned me on the day due to baby size and estimated 10lbs. Offered a section, but I decided to go with the induction. It didn't work! I was on the drip for hours, cranked up to the max, with plenty of contractions showing on the monitor but (luckily) I couldn't really feel them and no dilation. I had a very relaxed EMCS two days after the induction started and a straightforward recovery with no longterm issues. DD was 9lb 7oz, so the scan was pretty accurate. I'd decided before I left recovery that any future babies would be born by ELCS!

One midwife reckoned that part of the reason I didn't dilate was that DD's head (above the 99.6th percentile) was too big to descend in my pelvis and so there wasn't enough pressure on my cervix to trigger dilation. I'm not sure if that's accurate, but my next baby was a few oz bigger again and was transverse - the risk factors for that include a big baby and a small pelvis. She was an ELCS and they had trouble getting her out she was so crammed in.

I don't think you can make this decision on anecdata, but in hindsight I'm glad I tried the induction on DD1 but also glad it didn't work!

jozipozi31 · 30/07/2021 13:40

If it was me or my daughter, I'd say elective C section no question.

I had a big baby face up. No induction - that would have made it even worse. I had forceps and third degree tears. I have PTSD.

I would not risk it for a second. Pointless risk. I'd have the C section.

jozipozi31 · 30/07/2021 13:42

But it's a big decision as then you're C sections later too for more babies. I wouldn't risk VBAC. I know someone whose baby died and she had to have a full hysterectomy to save her life.

So C section is a choice for life.

CornishGem1975 · 30/07/2021 13:44

I had a large baby (99.6th centile at birth - growth scans were about 1lb out ie they thought he would be smaller when delivered). I was induced early but ended with an emergency c-section as he just didn't move down low enough. Probably due to his massive head.

The induction took 5 days, I got to fully dilated but it was fruitless. With hindsight, wish I had just asked for the c-section.

MindyStClaire · 30/07/2021 13:54

@jozipozi31

But it's a big decision as then you're C sections later too for more babies. I wouldn't risk VBAC. I know someone whose baby died and she had to have a full hysterectomy to save her life.

So C section is a choice for life.

Most people aren't planning more than 2 or 3 babies though, so I don't think this is that big an issue for most people. If baby 1 is big, it's likely baby 2 will be as well and the same issues will be up for consideration.

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread