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 ♥️

It’s obviously totally up to you and whatever you feel comfortable with but my elective section was my best birth. It was relaxed, painless, and - as another poster has put so well - ‘civilised.’ I felt I had plenty of energy to talk to her/see her afterwards and I wasn’t exhausted like with my other births. Highly recommendable!

I had emergency c section first time round, induced for the second. Naively, I thought that the pessary would work right away. It still took another week!
I'd go for the c section in your situation.

OP if you don’t want either don’t have either. As others have said a baby measuring large is not a reason for induction or C-section under NICE guidance.

I had my first at home who was just under 8lbs. If I was expecting a 10lber I’d still have them at home, I think giving birth at home would give me the best chance of having a straightforward birth with a large baby. Baby’s could come when they were ready and my body would have got baby into the best position it could. I could be in whatever position I wanted for labour and birth and in the calm and comfort of home.

I’m not suggesting you go down the home birth route but just giving you another perspective.

if I had to choose between induction and c-section for a large baby I would choose c-section.

Induction for a large baby that your body hasn’t had any time to position for labour seems madness to me. Yes baby will be born but likely after much intervention.

Elective c section. I was warned about shoulder dystocia but consultant said I had a good chance of delivering naturally (they thought she was 10lbs at 40 weeks- she wasn't...). 40 hours and forceps in the end. I would never want another instrumental birth and now I know how risky shoulder dystocia is, I would not risk it at all.

@pugmum94 how are you getting on? I had a 10lb1 baby a couple of years back and really similar set up to you, he was 6lb 5 at 34 weeks, tested twice for diabetes, I'm big but so are all my family, etc.

I was induced on my due date and had a hard labour, he got very stuck and I was taken to theatre after a long labour and they got him out using forceps and an episiotomy + tear.

I'm now pregnant with my second baby and am wondering if I'll have the same dilemma. I think this time I'd opt for a c section, I feel like the calmness would be much preferred for me. Happy to chat more if you want, just message me

My DD was measuring 7lbs at 36 weeks and I was under consultant due to my medical history and fibroids.

He reassured me that I was built to deliver a large baby?! (I’m tall, broad and overweight but didn’t have GD). I trusted his judgement but went on to have 2 sweeps, go to 42 + 1 before going to induction ward.

The pessary kicked in about 6 hrs in and my waters spontaneously broke in bed rather spectacularly. I then moved into delivery suite and asked for epidural there and then, sod having any pain with the hormone drip, so DD was born about 24 hrs later but it was a long, exhausting process and ended up needing episiotomy and forceps to get her out. She was 10lb. 😬

I wish I had asked for an elective section. The fact they knew I was measuring big but left me to go so overdue and get even bigger didn’t make any sense.

At the end I pushed for over an hour before the forceps team arrived and it was touch and go as to whether they could get her out. It was very physically traumatising, but then birthing a small human is an experience like no other!

Looking back I was very trusting at the time of medical staff and their advice, but second time around I will definitely be putting my foot down and asking for the ECS. I think once you’ve delivered a large baby it is a given that you will go for an assisted birth.

OP you will get so many opinions here but if your case is anything like mine - and everyone is unique - I would opt to avoid the induction rollercoaster (which as many have said often ends in emergency section anyway).

Good luck x

I’m a midwife and see many women induced for ‘big baby’. Some successful (may be a 2/3day IOL which is standard) and some end up with CS. And induction isn’t always traumatising, ELCS aren’t always straight forward and carry other risks. It’s not a simple answer, and what is right for you isn’t right for everyone else.

i recently helped a mum who was induced 38wks for a baby with a massive head, weight etc. all advice was section. She had a long IOL yes as her body wasn’t reDy, on the verge of CS, and ended up with a fairly quick labour and beautiful birth. It’s very unpredictable, as is all birth.

on a personal level, I had a CS at 9cm with a 10lb 5oz baby due to infection and getting stuck at 9cm, following an IOL.
second time I was induced for big baby and likely late onset diabetes albeit no evidence with me as tests all normal. Had a successful VBAC with another big baby, 10lb. Was all a bit stressy for various reasons but I would absolutely do it again with another baby.

I wouldn’t have either. There’s no need for induction if it’s just ‘ big baby’.
Ds was a ‘big baby’. Always 99%+ on scans. I’m petite. He was born in exact due date, no intervention, no drugs, 8lb8. I would have been crazy to have induction or c section in hindsight after such a straight forward birth with a large but not giant baby.

Given the circumstances, elective c-section. Injuries you could end up with shoulder dystocia would be awful.

'There’s no need for induction if it’s just ‘ big baby’.'
Tell that to my 3b tear!

@IrishMamaMia - but that’s not necessarily size. My sil recent had a 6lb baby and ended up with bad tear. My almost 9lb no tear. And I know many people recently 8-9.5lb babies with no or just little tear. There’s many many other factors than simply size.
plus most ‘this will be a huge 10-11lb baby’ scans turn out to be much smaller

I was in a similar boat. Baby measuring off the charts. Opted for induction at 38 and a half weeks. Had 2 sweeps before and was 4cm dilated going in for my induction. Had to wait for a gap on the labour ward for 3 days though and couldn't go home.

Couldn't eat any hospital food as I had gestational diabetes and they didn't cater for it (but would have catered for vegetarianism or veganism apparently...) DH had to keep bringing me food.

Didn't need pessary, but midwife struggled to break my waters, very painful and exhausting. Finally did it. Still needed hormonal drip. Not pleasant being hooked up to drip as well as monitors, couldn't really move. Intense and painful labour overnight, but didn't have an epidural. Healthy 8lb7 baby in morning.

Episiotomy was nasty to recover from, struggled to walk, sit, move etc for a couple of weeks. Not sure what decision I would make if I had the same issue again, but I don't regret it.

I was induced with my 3rd at 3£ weeks as he was a 'big baby' and I had the beginning of pre eclampsia. I had a very 'bold' sweep. It worked very well and I had my 9lb 12oz boy about 45minutes later.

*37
Weeks

With an enormous baby definately go for planned section. I promise you you don't feel a thing whilst it is being born. Just a bit sore once anaesthetic wears off. My niece had same choice as you and opted for induction. She tore very badly and it was about 10 months before healed. Go for section you will be up and about in 2 days.

Agreed. I know people who have had 3rd degree tears with small babies and people who have had 9lb babies and no tears at all.

C-section without a shadow of a doubt

Please also remember that c-sections also come with risks.

Babys can have more trouble with their breathing because the liquid isn’t squeezed out of them in the same way as VB.

On average women loose more blood during a c-section than vaginal delivery and of course it is major surgery! Carrying risks of infection.

I still agree with PP that for a big baby if I was forced to choose between induction and c-section I would choose c-section but neither is an easy ride.

I'm only small but baby was big( almost 10 poubds). Needed ventouse but I went to term.

C section 100% over early induction

Induction can take 24-48hours of intense contractions and if he's big he may get stuck anyway or become in distress. Mine did. My DS was well over 98 percentile he was off the charts weight and length and I was tiny at the time. (He's 6 foot 2 rugby player now) I had active labour for 36 hours because of induction where he was stuck i not progressing past 8cm and eventually rushed to theatre for an emergency section

Having had a (terrible) vbac and then a planned c section after then for next babies, I would 100% go for planned c sections if I did my time again and had the choice.

Well for my second c section (the planned one not ECS) I skipped to the theatre singing "gonna have a baby in 40 mins.."
i recovered so fast was home within 48 hours - moving around gingerly of course... but planned CS meant that I had an experienced surgeon that did some best stitching (& neatened up my previous scar) . It didn't take long to recover no more than 6 weeks I had 3DCs by then and exDH took 2 days off work only, no other help.

DC1 Induction and ECS I was in ward 3 days and took about 6-8 weeks to fully recover , I remember internal bruising as being more painful that c section scar /wound

Vbac I was in ICU then kept in 5 days and was so unwell even when home - took about 6 months to recover before I could walk with pram to local park without crying in pain - I regret that and she was my smallest baby!

@Caspianberg and @greenerfingers well this is true as it was specifically my child's head that was huge rather than the body😣
Induction does have higher instance of assisted birth though and already knowing the baby is likely to be large I would advise OP to have the C-section and avoid the potential for birth/physical trauma. I don't think the NHS is good at things like shoulder dystocia and the injuries that can occur.

The NHS seem very good at planned c-sections though. Mine was lovely and a wonderful recovery.

Get a section, I had an emergency with my first gigantic 10lb baby and an elective with my second. The elective was a walk in the park recovery wise.