Hit me with your big baby positive vaginal birth stories!

[BertieBotts]

I'm due with DC3 any day now. Predicted weight 3800 / 8lb 6oz and potentially bigger if he stays in any longer.

Last two DC were roughly 3000 and 3400 so fits the pattern.

However, I'm quite slim (though tall) and people keep making faces or wincing at me how they intend this to be helpful I am not sure.

It's making me a bit nervous! I have always maintained that your body won't make a bigger baby than you can give birth to (with exception of issues like GD etc). I've had a GD test because it's standard where I live even though my BMI is lower, which came back fine. I've also heard that bigger babies are easier to give birth to but anyway, I just need some more confirmation to bolster my original confidence!

Three of mine were around 10lb, the other two were "small" at around 8lb.
I honestly did not notice much of a difference. What did make a difference was being induced with two which was horrible.
The weight/size of a baby does not really matter. What does matter is the size of the head and in some cases the width of the shoulders.
I also found that standing during labour really helped.
My labours/births got much easier the more I had.
Good luck with the delivery.

Dc6 was 10lb. He got slightly stuck at the shoulders for about 10 seconds, apart from that it was no harder than pushing out any of the others, next biggest was dc2 @ 8lb 7oz, no problems with pushing him out either.

My second girl was 4kilos. She came out in 1.5 hours - would have been less if I had been in an upright position sooner. Once I let gravity do its job it was very fast and straightforward! No trauma or complications! Not without pain but more of a pressure than pain. Good luck!

My second baby was 9lb 11oz and was much easier to deliver than first baby who was much smaller! I don’t think a heavier baby is necessarily going to be more difficult - it may even help as gravity/weight of baby helps with downward movement through the birth canal. Good luck

Asleep at midnight.. Waters broke and holding a 9-3 ds at 2.55 am. No tear or stitches.. I was 5.4 and under 8 stone before I got pregnant.

My second was 9.8 , she was quickest , easiest . I was. At home at midnight , thinking we better get DMIL , she was born at 2.18 . Congratulations 🙌😊

My first was 8lbs and my second was 9lbs. I didn’t notice any difference between them coming out! Both water births if that makes a difference

My middle baby was the biggest at 9 and a half pounds. He was the easiest to deliver he slipped out himself with no pushing!! Although my other births were not bad, just required a good push or 2 to get them out. I'm hoping that the baby I'm pregnant with now is as easy!

My DS was 10lb 14oz. No "story" as such, erm, it was fine, a small tear. I was slim build, had the universal wince when people heard his weight. No different really from DD's birth, 8lb 7oz.

Ooh thanks all. Upright sounds good, I was upright quite a lot with the other two and found it really helped. Thinking I might try and use water again - found it brilliant with DC1 but useless with DC2 but I got in much too early which was probably why.

11 lbs 15 oz. 70 mins from first contraction to delivery.

As pp said - it's not the weight it's the size of head and shoulders that matter.

Mine have ranged from 8lb11-9lb10. No GD. I just grow bigger ones, and they're also always overdue/induced, which makes me wonder quite how big I could grow one 😂

My biggest (3rd) was also my best birth. Induced at 42wks, waters broken and she was born 2hrs later. I delivered her stood up which really helped.

2 4 and 5 were all OK too and ranged from 6 to 2hrs.

DC1 was 10lbs 3oz and was a fab water birth, with no tearing.

DC2 was only 8lbs 8oz and was a quick but really intense and overwhelming experience. A small tear but nothing major.

I’m now 37w with DC3 and baby is measuring small (for me) with an estimated birth weight of 7lb 4oz. My OB seems to think I will just cough a few times and this one will come out 😀

As it’s your third baby, I suspect you’ll be fine ?subsequent births are generally easier (I’m sure there are exceptions).

9 pounds 10 oz first baby and 10 pounds 2 oz second. Was upright for much of first delivery which really helped gravity along. People should not scare pregnant people like this - is it the same people who have heard of sinking ships right before you go on a cruise as well? Disregard, disregard, disregard.

My first was 8lb 8oz. Straight forward labour. Long, but no complications. 36 hours total.

Second 9lbs 15oz. 5 hours start to finish. No pain relief. Wlak in the park. Home the same day.

Third 10lbs 6oz. About 9 hour labour, but she got stuck so I was pushing her out for around 2 hours. I eventually got her out with the help of the midwife who stuck her hand in to get her. No pain relief with her either, and apart from the getting stuck and my blood pressure shooting up straight after, it was a pretty straight forward labour. They were preparing forceps and episiotomy, but I told them I would get her out myself, and oh of there was serious risks were they to use them. They terrify me. I also wouldn't let them stitche up after my third. Just couldn't take anymore messing around down there.

I'm 5ft 10, pretty average weight usually, and quite wide hipped.

Second was 10lb5 and out in 2.5 hrs, born at home no pain relief, gorgeous birth. Compared to first which was 44hrs with 8lber. All fours was comfy for me. Good luck! And remember these weight predictions are notoriously unreliable. I used to hate all those ‘are you sure it’s not twins?’ People can be so rude to pregnant women.

I had to have a episiotomy to get DD2 out as she was measuring big (8lbs) for my size. And while the birth itself was more difficult and traumatic, I actually found the recovery the same of not easier than my previous 'easier' birth.
Basically, it's complicated random and unpredictable how things will go regardless of babies size.
Good luck though and I hope you get the birth you want 😊

Second daughter was 11.2 pounds. She was a belter

Gravity op - that’s what you need! No pain relief here - healthy. I found the recovery was more difficult than I expected but I don’t think I rested enough and was pushing myself. I also found breastfeeding a bit of a challenge. You’ll be grand x

I'm 5'11 and have given birth to 9lb9.5, 10lb12.5, 8lb12 and 8lb14 with absolutely no problem, in that order, vaginally with G&A.

The 10lb12.5 was the easiest and was the only one that I didn't need a stitch after.

Water birth for the first two - couldnt have the other 2 water because of midwife shortage and definitely missed it, I will say that.

My 3rd was 9lb 5 oz and was the easiest birth --- 45 minutes altogether!

Third birth is in your favour, and 8lb6 is not a big baby! Particularly not if you're tall. I'm a slim 5'1 and my largest baby was 8'2 (no problem at all), but I have a friend who's a similar size to me and she's had 10 and 11lb babies vaginally without issues, and my sisters have babies of a similar size, also fine.

I agree with water (not too early, but be aware this labour may be quicker than the previous two) and staying upright to allow gravity to help. Also agree that a decent-sized baby can be easier/safer than a really tiny one, as they have less space to do crazy gymnastics into unhelpful positions during labour.

Good luck, I'm sure you will be absolutely fine!

Dc2 was 10lb 12oz at 40+5. I had a vb unassisted with 14mins pushing. I was terrified he'd get stuck which his shoulders did for a bit but it was much easier than expected. He was followed by DC 3 who was 9lb 10oz with a 37.7cm head, 2 pushes for the head and one for her body, my best birth.
Our current newborn was big too but I had an elcs with breech twins last time so scar rupture was a concern. Booked me in for elcs at 39wk but she decided to come a day earlier (she was 10lb 15oz). Ending up in established labour caused uterine tearing like I feared, ended up in surgery for cs late at night, heavy blood loss. Never felt so bad before, I was so weak but on the mend now and baby is perfect.

Good luck

Ooh excellent point about the gymnastics, as this one has been famous for it - he went breech for a week and then flipped back just as I was about to have an ECV and won't engage so is just everywhere at all times which is quite uncomfortable.

DS1 had a superman arm and DS2 had his cord all tangled around his neck and shoulders 3x (And still into all kinds of shenanigans. Currently trying to scale the sofa from behind.) So hopefully this one is nice and sensible...