Baby is big, given the choice of elective c-section or induction! Help!

[pugmum94]

Hi everyone,

I've never posted on mums net before but I'm not sure what else to do at this point.
To cut a long story short, I am 35 weeks pregnant and due to give birth to a large baby (at my 35 week growth scan he was measuring 7lb 14lb, with all measurements being above the 97th centile!). I have been tested twice for gestational diabetes and definitely don't have it. I am overweight, but both me and my partner come from a 'big and tall' family.
Due to his size, the consultant has advised if he continues to grow the way he is they will have to intervene. I am due to have another scan at 37 weeks and if he has grown the way he has done, I am to make a choice of either being induced or to have an elective c-section. If I'm being honest, I don't want either, it's my first child and I just wanted him to come naturally but I understand with the risks this isn't possible.

I was hoping one of you lovely lot had been in this position before? Or if you have had experiences of either induction or c-section? I'm completely out of my depth, I've always said I didn't want a c-section as I am a bit frightened of it if I'm being honest. But the consultant explained the risks of shoulder dystocia if I were to go for the induction.

Anyway, I'm rambling a little bit... I'm just completely stuck and would like other people's advice/opinions!

Thank you ♥️

@pugmum94

Hey!
So I can’t give advice on the induction, my son was 7 days late but came just before I was booked into have one.
But I did have a C-section (emergency not elective) but what I can say is mine was all positive. When they realised he wasn’t coping within 45 mins I was down in theatre. If this is the right way to put it. It was quite civilised. I was explain everything throughly and felt very safe. Of course like you I was slightly bricking it as I had never had surgery before but once I had the epidural and couldn’t feel anything I was very relaxed.
so much so that I’m pregnant again and will book straight in for one this time! I spent 26 hours in labour, I got to 10cm and he moved and I never fully dilated again. Couldn’t go through that again for sure!
x

Hello!

I've had experience of both, induction at 37 weeks with my first, and elective CS with my second.

I would 100% go for the section, especially as it's your first baby and they may well want to deliver it early. Other posters will come along and say how inaccurate the growth scans are, which can be true, but regardless of whether you're having a big baby or not then the section will by far the nicest experience for you.

With my induction everything possible went wrong, and I was on the induction ward for 4 days before moving me onto the delivery suite on the 5th morning (still less than 1cm dilated, and absolutely exhausted by that point). A lot then went wrong with the delivery and I was on the postnatal ward for a further 6 days. I was pretty traumatised by it all. All of my friends who had inductions with their first had long, drawn out processes where something went wrong, with a few ending in emergency sections anyway.

By comparison, my section was calm, I can remember it and the recovery physically was 1000x easier than that from my induction- so don't let midwives etc try and fob you off warning you about how much harder sections will be to recover from as that's definitely not always the case at all.

I had a failed induction and an emergency section, after a couple of vaginal births and would 100% hands down go for an elective section. No it's not what you want but you'll just do it bit by bit and you'll be ok.

I've also had both. My induction failed as she was too big so ended in a section anyway but emergency. My second baby was elective (he was 8.13) at 39 weeks and it was such a lovely experience and we binded immediately and I still managed to BF him.

No experience of inductions, but have had two elective sections which were great experiences with easy recoveries. Given the choice of induction or elective section I'd pick the section every time.

I was supposed to have induction at 37 weeks (APS) and opted instead for c section. Inductions at 37 weeks result in unassisted birth in about 20/25% of cases (taken from my local hospital regional data), and in emergency c section quite a high proportion of the time - for my demographic, first time mum, BMI over 35, ‘geriatric’ maternal age it was about 40% so I just went straight for the elective. I knew I wanted to be nowhere near forceps or a 5 day induction.

My elective went like a dream. In and out in about 45 minutes, and my recovery was as good as it possibly could be, I felt pretty normal within a week and was driving again at 2 weeks. I’m pregnant again and will be another 37 week c section, and I’m not worried about it at all based on my last experience.

all the best whatever you decide xx

The amount of people I know who had an induction and end up with an emergency C-section for first births is staggering. Myself included. Induction was awful, Im pregnant again and havingn a C-section not going through induction again.

Personally I vote for planned C-section. Less risks than a failed induction ending in an emergency c-section

I had an elective section so am definitely coming at this from a biased POV, but it does seem from talking to friends that an elective section is a far more pleasant experience than an induction (which may end in a section anyway).

I was induced at 37 weeks, I'd asked for a section because everything I'd read about early inductions suggested they don't work very well. Consultant assured me the induction was safer and better than a planned section, so I took the expert advice.

Well, one balloon induction, 3 pessaries, sweep, waters broken, drip cranked up two notches up past max and 4 days later, I hadn't dilated past 3cm. Emergency section.

Six weeks later, I'm still raging!

And baby weighed 6lb 12oz after all that

Go for the section. Inductions often end up in sections anyway so you end up with the worst of all worlds.

My only non induced birth was my biggest. He came at 41 weeks and weight 10 pound 2. He was big but he was well positioned. I laboured at home and was about 8-9cm when I arrived at hospital. It was too late to fill the birth pool. I had gas and air. I naturally adopted a side lying position which I have sinced learnt is really useful for big babies as it slows things down a little giving you a chance to push gently.

There is a brilliant website called evidenced based birth which has a factsheet on big babies. It's worth a read.

Inductions are terrible....... the only thing I would say is breaking waters seemed to work in a gentler way for me. And if the baby's not out then the hospital staff already knows that after 24hr (??) is Csection. I suffered badly with pessary.......

About the big baby. 2 things. No1 they said DD2 was big and she was 50th percentile. They get that VERY wrong. It's not very straightforward to measure a baby. No2 women birth big babies everyday 🤷🏻‍♀️ depends on your attitude and what you're up to.

Also a doctor I saw told me straight away (I was pregnant with no2 after the bad pessary induction) that she was offered induction and she refused and went for Csection 😉

Similar to me. My first was 9lb7 (41+3) and I had him at home. I’m tallish, my family are all giants as are DH’s. He was (and still is!) long and skinny.
I was under midwife care, is there a reason you are under consultant care?

I had the same situation with ds1. I was induced on my due date, unfortunately the induction completely failed and I didn't go in to labour or dilate so he was born 2 days later by c-section at exactly 10lbs. Good luck!

I would go for the c-section if they are worried about shoulder dystocia.

If they are offering a cs take it. I had a very long labour with my first ending in a emcs and it took ages to feel normal again. I was exhausted for weeks.
second booked a cs and actually had a fairly quick VBAC so you don’t always have to be a cs for future children

I had a successful induction (was very long and very painful) but recovering was quick! Most people I know prefer CS xxx

Hi, I had an induction due to big baby on my due date...5 days later and an emergency c section he arrived 10lb 8!
I had an elective second time round, week early and 9lb 9. No diabetes.

However, my recovery from the elective was unbelievable compared to going through an induction and then an emergency procedure.

Wishing you the best of luck.

I've had experience of both.
Induction (after waters broke), where I was in labour for 5 days and ended up with sepsis.
C-section was a wonderful experience and a lovely birth to counteract the trauma from my first. I didn't know I was having a section until 39 weeks with my 2nd, they decided with my scan then that he was big and it would be safer to section (he was 9lb 5oz). It was a great experience!

I was in a very similar position and opted for induction. My first was just shy of 11lbs and I had a 3rd degree tear and couldn't walk unassisted for about 3 weeks after birth, couldn't feel the need to pee for about 8 months and had a host of other complications. It really affected my newborn experience and whilst I have a wonderful relationship with DC1, I do feel that I missed out as all I can really remember from the first 6 months is being in pain. Knowing what I know now, I would have gone for an ELCS.

That said, I was induced again for my second and it was relatively straightforward, very fast labour and no major tearing. Baby number 2 was just under 9lbs at 37 weeks and measured big the whole way through as well.

I naturally delivered a big baby at term (just as covid hit so they cancelled my planned C-sec at 39 weeks as it was classed as elective surgery!!!). He was 10lb 11oz. I'm still under gynaecology care 2 years later as its caused me several issues. Given my time again and knowing what I do now, I would've fought harder for the C-section. Thankfully in my case, he was my 3rd and final baby.

I had my son at 34 weeks so it's a bit different to you, but the midwives recommended a section as opposed to induction as they don't always work. I was out within 40 minutes and it wasn't bad at all. I've heard so many horror stories from friends about inductions going wrong and ending in emergency c sections anyway. An elective is much calmer.

I had a similar choice to make, and went for the induction. Wrong choice for me! After 48 hours of no sleep and painful contractions on the drip, I ended up 3cm dilated and then EMCS.

2nd baby, water went naturally but still ended up in a c-section. If I have a 3rd, ELCS all the way!!!

As a midwife I would choose a Caesarean section with a very large baby, which isn’t the view I’m ‘supposed’ to have but having seen the devastating effects of a shoulder dystocia it’s not a risk I would be willing to take personally. It’s a very individual choice however.

I had two inductions. For the second I was told by sonographer and midwife that baby was 8.5-9lbs but midwife said the head was far down in my pelvis at 36+weeks so she thought it'd be ok. Ended up with a induction at 38 weeks and gave birth to a 5lb13oz baby with a massive head, but no issue, so growth scans aren't always right but maybe ask your midwife's advice?