Anyone had an estimated big baby that turned out to be smaller??

[HE96x]

Went for a growth scan today at 38+6 .. baby 99th centile 🫣 in particular a large head but all measurements large. Currently estimated 9lb 1. Been advised to have a c section due to the risks of shoulder dystocia and/or an assisted birth which I have accepted. Nervous about the large size and deflated about the section but my priority is for him to be here safely. Just wondered if anyone else had been in my position and had a smaller baby? Perhaps where the growth scan was inaccurate. My bump is big and is 'all baby' so I do think he will be big but praying he's not as large as anticipated.

I had a high bmi with ds3 but I used to walk miles every day. Growth scans showed he would be about 9lb at birth but the Dr was the voice of doom and said he would be at least 10lb. Dr was also insistent that I must have gestational diabetes despite no symptoms and a negative gtt. I said he would be 53cm and just under 9lb like his brothers. Sure enough he was 8lb 12oz and 53cm long.

I was told 10lb 7oz, she was 7 lb 8oz! My smallest baby!!!
baby 1 - 8 lb 12oz very long and very skinny
baby 2 - 9lb 4oz shape of a ruby ball ouch
baby 3 - 7lb 8oz told she was over 10 1/2 pounds!
baby 4-8 lbs 8oz.

and funnily enough only felt the ring of fire on the 3 smaller babies!!!

Yes I always had a question mark over gestational diabetes as one test was borderline, all others normal, so I had growth scans. Baby went from being 50th centile to 90th at the same scan, as the sonographer changed his mind.. I was sceptical and was declining inductions for this reason but they were estimating 9-10lb
Ending up with an induction for other reasons and baby was 7lb 11
However my sister was estimated bigger babies and they were bigger, but vaginal deliveries no issues

My boys were 9lbs 4oz and 9lbs 13oz.
Funnily enough I had a growth scan 2 weeks before my second was born and he measured 6lbs 13oz! I was really looking forward to a little one after my first giant 😂

I think the growth scans and fairly inaccurate and should be taken with a pinch of salt.

The thing is you can't control how big your baby is going to be. It's a hard through to process, giving birth to a chubby giant, but try not to worry too much about it! My youngest is such a petit little thing now and is smaller than my nephew who was under 6 pounds at birth!

Is gestational size based on many factors? I presume there is a genetic element - at least anecdotally it seems to be linked more to parental birth weight than adult size. And I presume the placenta has something to do with it too.

I was predicted big babies and both were 9.5lbs. One late, one early both sections.

Yep, mine was also 99th centile for head and predicted to be big. He ended up being prem but even adjusted for prematurity he was only 50th centile when he was born.

Mine was pretty accurate - estimated at 7lbs 12 at 36 weeks and came out exactly 4 weeks later at 8lbs 15.

They did briefly mention 'options' for a big baby but as I'm quite tall and broad I'd thought I'd give things a go naturally, if I was 5ft and predicted a 10lb-er I might have chosen differently!!

OP, I’d really recommend Dr Sara Wickham’s book ‘in your own time’. She’s a consultant midwife and breaks down the evidence for induction including info around big babies. I know you aren’t looking at induction, but the studies will be relevant for the reason you’re being told you need a c-section - growth scans are very inaccurate in late pregnancy.

Anecdotally, the several women I know who were told their babies were big had normal size babies under 8 and a half lbs.

Mine was predicted small, 9th centile and around 6lbs. She was delivered via section at 38+3 at 5lb 8oz and on the 2nd centile. Pretty accurate in my case and I'm glad I didn't put her through the stress of a vaginal delivery as the consultant said she likely wouldn't have coped well.

Yes, GD and measuring big (can't remember details). CS at 38 weeks - 4lb 13oz. My second was very similar and kept being asked if it was twins. No - 5lb 2oz at 37 weeks. Both were very long though and are now 6ft + giants. It was noted that I carried an extraordinary amount of water!

My cousins baby was estimated to be over 10lb. He was 7lb 6oz

Yes. I was told my first one was going to be a big baby. I was massive as well. They were 2 weeks early and 7lbs 9. So not big at all.

Exactly my experience - induced early, no movement and after four days ended in c section for a 6lb baby!

I was told 7-8lb. She was a week late and weighed 6lb3oz. All the newborn clothes didn't fit and my DM had to run out and buy tiny baby clothes to take her home from hospital.

Yes was told a 9lber at minimum, was talked to about the risks of shoulder dystocia, told I could opt for a c section, I was induced at 39 weeks, she arrived at 39 + 5 (long wait for waters to be broken) and was 7lbs 10oz.

First was told over 9lb at 38 weeks, shocked she came out at 7lb 4 at 41 weeks.

Second had lots of growth scans was told he was tiny, then average, then huge. He was a very dinky 5lb at birth!

I had my baby girl 7months ago..had been going for growth scans as they said she was above the 100th centile!! (I am only 5ft 1so was freaking out) She arrived early at 36+5 at 6lb..apparently growth scans are only 40% accurate, which doesn’t help when you are shitting yourself about having a ginormous baby😂

I was told my baby was going to be 10lb … she was 7lb 7 in the end