Big babies...

[Naetha]

Hiya there, I'm 39 weeks pregnant with my first, and although my growth chart and a scan have shown my baby is big (90th centile ++) my ante-natal appointment today showed his growth being officially off the chart. At 39 weeks he has been given an estimated foetal weight of nearly 11lbs. A growth scan a couple of weeks ago concurred with this trend as well. I know growth scans and fundal heigh measurements can be inaccurate, but this has been confirmed by a number of measurements and scans performed by a variety of people!

I've been referred for another growth scan and a proper assessment (where the MW said they'd probably do a stretch and sweep), however what with it being Christmas eve this won't happen until the end of the week at least.

What are the implications for having a mahoosive baby? Am I more likely to need intervention / a c-section? I'm not exactly slim-hipped and sylph-like, but neither am I particularly big!

Anyone got any good experiences of giving birth to big babies naturally with minimal (i.e. no more than usual!) pain and intervention? I really want to avoid a c-section. Reassure me please!

I'm 5' and have size 6-8 hips and dc2 was 10lb6oz and it was absolutely fine, the next 2 were big as well. My MW told me afterwards (I measured small for dates) whether they're 6lbs or 12lbs if they're going to get stuck they'll get stuck type of thing.

Unfortunately with it being your first you really have no idea about your internal pelvis size whether your dc has a big head or broad shoulders etc. I guess you just have to be more prepared during labour if the baby seems to be stuck that you may need a c-section.

I would avoid being induced as that makes intervention more likely (although I was induced with all four, had epidurals with 3 but no assisted deliveries) best to hang on and let your body do it all.

Sorry I can't be more helpful it's all such an unkown.

ok it was 40+ years ago but.. my mum's DC2 was nearly 12lbs, homebirth and a small episiotemy but that was it. they do say that you grow the size of baby that your body can deal with.
scary though I agree. I'm overdue with DC2 at the moment and they say these things run in the family...

Naethe - the weights can be out by up to four pounds you know? Seriously even when they are convinced it's a whopper - like the 10lb plus nephew of mine who shot out at 6lb 2oz. Excessive fluid in his case but they couldn't see it on scan.

I had an emergency section for another reason - if it happens, it's really not so bad. I was up and about two hours later and actually didn't have any pain bar a rash from the plaster dressing!

I had DS naturally and he was 11 lb 4 oz. Had a sweep at 40 weeks and the midwife said I would be able to deliver a big baby OK after doing it . So guess they must be able to tell from doing the sweep.

Pain relief I had was TENS, gas and air and pethidine.

On the plus side I found big babies slept and fed really well once out.

In my experience you can only be sure of the size of a baby when you see the little blighter. Too many predictions have been wrong to trust scans or anything else.

I had both my sons in the birthing pool at my local hospital.
Ds1 was 9lb9.5 and DS2 was 10lb13.
I was told with DS2 I would be induces at 7 days over as they would not allow him to grow amy more if he had not come on himself.
He came at 40 + 4 after a sweep. They informed me they would 'allow' to grow to 11lbs in weight before they considered a c-section.
Obviously I know nothing else s having big babies is normal to me. The MWs and nurses etc were saying 'wow! look at this bruiser!' and DH and I were saying 'but he's so tiny....?!'

Don't worry Naetha! According to scans and measurement I too was expecting a 10lb plus whopper. Consultant's preference was to deliver naturally and he said that only if the mum is dead tiny or unhealthy would he suggest a c- section (I'm five foot 7 and size 12).

DS popped out 4 days overdue at a not quite so massive 9lb 7oz, he was very long, quite thin and had a big head! His birth was a very good experience, arrived at hospital after spending as much of my labour at home, in the bath as poss to find myself 7cm dilated alteady with no pain relief. Then had an epidural as the words "enormous baby" were etched on my mind but actually the pain was not unbearable at that point and I am a big wimp. Epi only took on 1 side which was great as it took most of the pain away but I could still feel to push. After 1 1/2 hrs of pushing still no baby so I has an episi - whatsit and ventouse and out he came straight away, I think his huge head was a bit stuck! All in all, much better than expected and a better birth experience than all my Mum friends with smaller babies.

Would agree with cece as he was a brilliant sleeper and feeder from birth.... until teething started!

Good luck!

ds1 was measured big for his dates but ended up being 8.7. I had emergency section for another reason. I was told by a couple of people that that often bigger babies are an easier labour than smaller ones not sure how that works though

Just a quickie but even serial scans are not necessarily accurate. I had monthly scans in my last pregnancy, all of which showed an 'average' sized baby on 50th centile, should have been about 7 1/2-8lbs. He popped out with a minimum off fuss at 10lb 13oz in 3 pushes, much easier than my 8 1/2lb baby! Don't panic, keep upright and mobile if you can when in labour

I had 2 big (and overdue) babies - not as big as yours is estimated at but both over 9lbs. I am a fairly small 8-10 and don't have large hips but have been told I must have a good sized pelvis.

DS1 did get stuck on the way out but no intervention was needed in the end. My friend had a baby weighing nearly 14lbs and managed naturally too so just because you are having a large one does not necessarily mean you will need a c/s. Your body knows what it is doing and does not tend to grow babies which are too big to get out!

Am 40+1 with DC3 now and although my bump is measuring off the scale MWs are not worried.

My first was a biggie and I managed on gas and air. As other posts say, the advantages are they're likely to sleep better, as they can go longer between feeds. Mine was probably the easiest of my 3 - she fed and slept beautifully and was a very calm baby. I wouldnt say the birth was a picnic - it was a long labour and I needed stitches but it was natural.

It is good news to hear that you are being monitored well with your 'big baby'. Ds was 9lb 12 and was born by c section but only because he was an undiagnosed breech and the fact he was 'big' wasn't followed up.

Ds slept through the night from 6 weeks and took big feeds, he always settled when at night too.
He has always been tall for his age, he is now 3 and looks about 5!