Considering maternal request c section for large baby

[CoralFz]

I am currently 38+3 weeks and the other day I had a growth scan. I was told baby is already estimated 8lb5 and could be around the 9lb5 mark at due date. Having a large baby hadn't occurred to me before then and I was fully prepared for VB. I know hes not as big as he could be and people have birthed bigger naturally. I'm also 5ft7 and perhaps that's why they didn't seem overly concerned too.

However, after the scan I spoke to a doctor. Male, older, quite blunt and not at all reassuring. He went through the risks of LGA babys and VB telling me about increased risk of a heavy bleed, more of a liklihood of instrumental delivery, baby getting stuck, tears that extend the all the way to the back passage etc etc. In all honesty he scared me completely. Obviously these are always the risks with VB but to be told two weeks before due date that these things are now more likely has sent me into anxiety over drive.

He has booked me in for another scan when I am 40 + 1 weeks and it just wasn't sitting right with me. I kept thinking but if I go into labour on or just before my due date and he's as big or bigger than they're estimating I've had no time to consider other options.

I spoke to my midwife yesterday and she was very understanding. She reassured me that growth scans aren't always accurate and that the margin of error could be around 20% either way. (Although in my head that could be a margin of error that he's actually 20% heavier than they estimated too!)

She asked me what I would feel more comfortable with in terms of perhaps induction or c section. I am quite against induction specially at this point as I know it can sometimes be a long drawn out and more painful process than spontaneous labour. Even taking days or upto a week to give birth, and that would ultimately take me to my due date anyway.

I asked if perhaps I could have elective csection booked 1 week before my due date. Giving baby a chance to arrive sooner by VB around his current size and the csection be there as a back up so I don't go any further. She assured me this should be fine. Though I got quite upset as I know there is some stigma around mrcs and I feel some kind of shame around asking and that I may be judged. She was lovely, told me it's my body and that it's not uncommon for ladies to elect for csection with larger babies.

I now have another consultation booked for a couple of days time to discuss this all (purposefully with a different doctor to the one who scared me). But I'm still struggling with that feeling of am I doing the right thing?

I've spoken to my partner and parents and a friend and they have all been supportive and say that if a csection allows baby to be delivered safely without getting stuck without trauma and I'm avoiding all the risks mentioned then it is fine to take this route. That if I went ahead with VB and something did happen I would kick myself for not following my gut. I just wish there wasn't this guilt feeling, even though I'm fully aware a csection is in no way an easy way out either.

Have the ELCS.

Have the C section. I’m 5 foot and had a nearly 9 pounder and had most of the complications/interventions you describe. It was awful. Do what’s right for you.

Why would you feel guilty about a CS? There’s no reason at all for guilt!

If it’s best for you and baby (and ‘because I want it’ is a decent reason for it to be best), then go for it!

Sorry to hear that, Do you think height plays a part in being able to birth a larger baby or complications can happen to anyone regardless?

Have the C-section. I was induced for a large baby. Induction took 5 days, I got to 10cm dilated, lots of pushing and ended up with an emergency c-section as his giant head didn't move down.

You'll also have a lot of people come on here and tell you scans are wrong and tell you about how small their babies were. Yep, scans can be wrong. My baby was a whole pound heavier than the several growth scans predicted and was almost 10lb.

Having had 2 x VB and an emergency CS, I personally don't see why they are ever considered the easier option although an emergency CS is a bit different as you still go through some of the labour.
Is it first baby. Mine was 3rd and I had 2 other preschoolers to look after plus a newborn which may have been why I found life so hard post CS with the recovery time and restrictions on lifting etc.
I had a 9.5 lb baby and my labour was not noticeable worse than my 7.5 lb baby and I do agree the weight predictions are often not accurate.
I also had 3 X inductions, so I cannot compare that with a non induction, but I would have thought that might be best option if you don't want to go over term.

100% have the csection! I had one last time and I’m about to have another. It’s a much more calm and controlled process in my experience and I’m hoping it’s the same again this time. People don’t really care that you had a section, some nosey people need to know ‘why’ but baby being too big is a very short sharp answer to shut them up! I used to so hate the fact some people would think it was okay to ask why. It’s no one else’s business and you’d never ask for details of anyone’s gynaecologist visit so why do people suddenly need to know the ins and outs of the workings of your reproductive system just because a baby is involved 🙈

You could potentially still have baby early and it could all be fine and they could be completely wrong about the weight but if you think it would ease your anxiety to have the section booked 100% go for it. I have friends who have had much quicker recoveries from csections than tears, blood loss etc where they haven’t been able to sit down for months

Have the c section. Don't be scared of what that doctor or anyone else thinks. You're about to be a mum, you need to be strong (now and for many years to come) when it comes to decisions for you and your baby. Everything you've said is completely logical and reasonable, so go with it.

I'd choose the ELCS without any hesitation. And why "guilt feeling"? There is absolutely nothing to feel guilty about for choosing a C-section.

Oh honey, I feel for you. I am also pregnant - with DC3 - and measuring off the scale at the 31 week mark, so I'm having to consider similar things. My thoughts are:

• As they said, growth scans aren't always accurate. I've heard loads of stories about women who are told they are going to have 10lb monsters, but end up with perfectly normal 8lb-ers.
• Even if you did have a 9-10lb-er, it is possible to have a safe VB if that is what you want. There might be some damage, but then again there is usually damage with VBs. It heals and you live! Remember that you would still have to recover from a C-section, just in a different way.
• Inductions really aren't that scary. I had one with DC2. It was an absolute breeze compared with DC1, whose labour came on naturally. For me the key was pain relief. With DC1 I held off having an epidural until about hour 30 and it was awful. With DC2 I asked for one straight away and it made the whole thing fine.
• Finally, and above all, DON'T FEEL GUILTY! You have two jobs: give birth to a healthy baby, and try to make sure you are healthy enough to look after him/her when she arrives. It is so crazy that women think they have somehow "failed" by giving birth by C-section, or having pain relief to help them through labour. It's not a competition! What does it even matter? No one has the right to judge you for this, so try not to judge yourself. You are doing what is best for your baby and yourself (which, as I have said, is your only job!).

Best of luck with it all. x

People say “big babies know where they’re going”. I had three small/average babies and one whopper (10lb 7). The big baby was the easiest (vaginal home birth).

Do whatever makes you feel more confident about the birth xx

I planned a c section because every other part of the process had been a disaster so I didn’t trust my body to be capable quite frankly. No guilt whatsoever about it either.

As it turned out I ended up with an emergency c section two days before the planned one, so it helped that I was mentally prepped for having it!

Following this as I'm quite worried about mine too, my husband is 6 foot 4 and I'm 6 foot 3, the baby has been measuring weeks ahead throughout but seems to have slowed down, but at 37+2 he was estimated 7 lbs 12. His head circumference is big too, off the chart in fact so feeling very nervous about going to 40 or more weeks. Husband was a 9lb baby and his dad was an 11lbs 😬

My midwife seems really unconcerned about it and thinks he'll end up 8.5 lbs but like you when she said oh scans can go 10-15% either way I thought well what if it is the other way and he's huge! Wish I had another scan but don't unfortunately, not sure what to do as the midwife was totally not concerned at all and didn't even broach the idea of ELCS.

To avoid the scary complications for me and baby I'd be tempted by an ELCS, a few friends have had them for various reasons and they had fine recovered, no regrets and in this day and age its so common I'm surprised some ppl would still guilt people for having one!

They will try to talk you out if it, they tell you all the negatives of sections but if you stand your ground they have to give you the section.
Having had an failed induction that resulted in an emc I had a planned the second time. No regrets at all!

Sorry I'm 5 foot 3 not 6 foot 3!

I had an elcs because i wanted one and based on pregnancy factors knew i was unlikely to have a sucess natural birth (<30%) i did fancy those odds.

it was incredible totally the right choice for me.
i was discharged in 36 hours and i was up and about within 7 days.

Do you ACTUALLY believe there is something wrong with elcs? If so it might help you to reframe as you have a medical need (similar to if baby was breech etc. )
You are doing this because you believe elcs will give the best medical outcome for you and your child. There is no shame in that.

Do what makes you feel more comfortable. Sod anyone else.

I had c sections, partly due to predicted size of baby. I felt more in control of that decision, than I did with running the risk of birth injury from vaginal birth. I’ve never regretted the c sections, maybe an occasional slightly wistful feeling that I’ve “missed out”, but that passes quickly!

Have the c section. No need to feel guilty. The reason you’re doing it is you believe there is a risk with the VB (rightly so I’d say), so you’re only trying to minimise risk to you and your baby.

I had a small baby, and still ended up with emcs 😂

Just to add another point of view, I was in a similar situation to you and decided not to ask for a c section.

I had both DDs naturally and the births were ok even though they were both around 9lb and had massive heads 😆 Personally I’m glad I avoided a c section.

My midwife said that there are so many factors which influence birth, not just the size of the baby but also the baby’s position and the build of the mother. Certainly amongst my friends and family this does seem to be true and those giving birth to larger babies don’t always seem to be the ones who have the hardest time of it.

Of course if you want a c section though that’s absolutely your right and nothing to be ashamed of. I know lots of people who had c sections and had really positive experiences and feel it was the right choice for them.

Don't worry about any stigma - there is nothing wrong with a elcs. I had two bigger babies - 8lb 10 and 8lb 9, and for no apparent reason baby #2 got stuck. It was really scary although thankfully they were able to get her out quickly and she's fine. I've been advised if I have any more to have an elcs and I don't see why I wouldn't. All my friends who had elcs had lovely birth experiences and both my vbs were not good.

I found this site really helpful when pregnant with my first. He was also predicted to be big by growth scans.

https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-for-induction-or-c-section-for-big-baby/

I went for VB as I didn't think the growth scan would be accurate (it was bang on) and I was fairly confident that I have a large frame and could deliver a large child just as much as a small child.

He was over 10lb in the end and I had a fairly straightforward labour. Induced for being over due but that went fine with just the gel, third degree tear but they suspected that was more due to the speed of the labour than his size.

I would not have hesitated however to have a CS though if I felt any concern about a VB and I did have a very low threshold for CS as part of my birth plan.

Thank goodness she was fine, the getting stuck complication is probably the thing that scares me the most, I don't want baby in distress. My mum had a traumatic birth with me getting stuck for a long time and she still even 32 years later gets teary about it. I think that's why she's so supportive of elcs as she doesn't want me to go through the same thing, as I was about 8lb5 and I'm looking at possibly a larger baby than that.

Have the ElcS. I had to have one as baby was breach but even if she hadn't been I still would have had one as head measured 97th centile!

Have no fear around the judgement. It’s your body and you baby and your decision to make.

I had ELCS with no medical need at all, because that’s what I wanted. And it was perfect for me. So calm and so predictable.

Also, I find laughing at people who judge you and then asking why they’re asking their questions (if you do get any snippy comments) has a wonderful multi-effect of shining a light on their intrusion, embarrassing them and taking the power back.

Just to give a positive story, i had a natural birth with an 11lber who's head was 99th centile. I tore but I also tore with my 8lb8 baby. It was a far easier labour with the bigger baby.