Big Baby birth story's.. positive or negative welcome

[anonny55]

First time mum - baby estimated to be over 10lb

No GD
No health complications
BMI - 38

Been offered early induction due to size - I queried about having an elective section instead and was met with a consultant who basically said don't be pathetic you can birth a big baby there's just more chance of complications , he wouldn't sign me off for one he would only accept induction.

I've requested to speak to another consultant who I will meet with on Tuesday at 35+2 so hopefully they'll grant my wish!

I'm 90% sure I'm going for an elective over an induction however if I were to have an induction or go into spontaneous labour before 39 weeks, id love to hear your big baby birth story (please mention if it was your first baby too!)

I'm aware growth scans can be wrong. I've had them since 16 weeks and baby's always been above 95th centile. I don't feel safe to 'just leave him to come when he wants' as that gives time for even more growth.

Thanks!

I was sure that large baby was not an indicator for induction if you’ve no GD and no other risk factors, so I wouldn’t accept an induction based on that.

You should get your elective section sorted by another consultant though. You have a right to it. And once it’s booked if you go into Labour you just go to the hospital and they’ll bump you up the list.

I attempted to deliver vaginally an extremely large baby - she was expected to be big but like 9/9.5 pounds not the 11.5 that she was. I didn’t manage and had an emergency section. There is just absolutely no way she would have come, she had moved out of the head down position. That said, I am very small, if you’re a bit bigger yourself then you might have the frame to deliver a bigger baby with no problems!

Fingers crossed you get your elective sorted anyway!

@ricketybeauty here's the thing..according to nice guidelines just a big baby isn't a reason to induce someone. When I said this to the consultant they scared the hell out of me saying no it's not your right but your a first time mum with a very large baby the likelihood that you'll have a straightforward vaginal birth at full term is very unlikely. Then starts with the shoulder dystocia, forceps, baby getting stuck and loosing oxygen etc.

I really will not be accepting forceps. If it's forceps or emergency section then section it will be. There's not very many positive forcep recovery story's nor does anyone I know irl have a positive induction story before 40 weeks!

I'm aware I'm allowed to request a section regardless of if he's big or not so I was shocked to be met with such a brick wall from that consultant😢

Not a 10lb’er but my second son was 9lb2oz, he was measuring above 95th centile from around 28 weeks. I’d had a previous section which was a failed induction (I didn’t have any contractions after the 3 pessaries and asked them to stop and for a section) and went for a VBAC, my midwife actually told me bigger babies are easier to birth? Not sure how much truth there is in that?

I had a lovely consultant who told me growth scans are only around 40% accurate, so they’re wrong more than they’re right which was really helpful in helping me decide my birth preferences

I had a section booked for 40+5 went into labour 39+6 and baby was born 40+1. I had my VBAC but needed forceps and I can honestly say I’d pick forceps over a section every time. They’re not ideal don’t get me wrong but I could not believe how much I was able to do compared to my first son. The worst part was stitches as they took around an hour and having a cough from the gas and air was sore but I was driving within 10 days vs the 6 weeks from my section.

My smallest was 9lb, biggest 10lb 4oz. All normal births, all but one were late (one three weeks late!) and no complications except that one was followed by a retained placenta which had to be dislodged under general anaesthetic. Babies all fine.

My first baby was 9lb 12oz. I had forceps and recovered quickly and completely with no problems. I went on to have 2 more big babies without any need for forceps etc.
My dil had a baby girl a couple of weeks ago. Predicted to be 10lb +. She was 8lb 2oz and born quickly without intervention.

First baby 8.12, induction, epidural, forceps, episiotomy, not great.

Second baby, 9.8, delivered standing up which helped- natural birth, gas and air only, a few stitches, would do it again tomorrow.

Good luck!

I have an elective c section booked for 39w due to estimated big baby.
I was offered induction but declined. Consultant agrees c section is best choice as chance of intervention is high

My first was my biggest. Spontaneous labour at 39+3, needed the drip for a bit as she was back to back, very painful. Ended up as a ventouse delivery with a small tear. She was 9lb12oz. No one ever suggested she was "too big" for a vaginal delivery.

Second was 10 days early at 9lb3oz. He'd have been the same size as the first if he'd stayed in another week! Totally straightforward vaginal delivery.

Third was induced at 36+6 for reasons unrelated to size and came in at 7lb13oz. Very straightforward though needed more stitches with her than the other 2 combined as she came out so fast!

My mum is small - only 5 feet tall but had my younger brother who was 10lb6oz! Again, a straightforward delivery.

NO advice I'm afraid, but my first was unexpectedly big (10lb 7) and I had an ECS as things were starting to go wrong before I was dilated.
One thing maybe I can add about my big baby was that I couldn't produce enough milk/colostrum, so he had top up formula from day one. He was weaned onto baby rice early as well, at the recommendation and supervision of the HV.
Apart from being constantly hungry, he was a very healthy baby.
Congratulations, and good luck.

I was told big baby, estimated at minimum 9.5lbs. Don’t buy newborn clothes etc, she arrived at 40+6 weeks, weight 7lb2

I wouldn’t include for a big baby. You want your body to do as much work as possible getting the baby into the best position for delivery.

I have a friend who recently had her 10lb baby at home in a birth pool as planned. He was her first. It certainly can be done!

That's what my consultants said..I said id decline any intervention and ask for a section and he said its better to have an elective section than have to do an emergency one while im dilated and intervention is likely anyway for first baby's let alone big ones😅 unfortunately my cousin has cerebral palsy due to getting stuck and loosing oxygen for too long before emcs got him out so this was always a fear of mine anyway as its happened to someone so close to me. It's really been playing with my mental health tbh. I've elected for a section which is in a few weeks🥲

Been offered early induction due to size - I queried about having an elective section instead and was met with a consultant who basically said don't be pathetic you can birth a big baby there's just more chance of complications , he wouldn't sign me off for one he would only accept induction

This is not ok. Your birth your choice. My DC2 was measuring big (me and DH in particular are tall so not hugely surprising!) and I was offered both and decided on a section. Best decision I made and I was totally at peace with it. DC2 was pretty much 10lb.

Even if baby isn’t measuring big you’re allowed to request a section as maternal choice. If you want one then ask to see another consultant.

I was told DD was over 13lb - when she arrived the next day she was 7lb 1/2oz. Try not to panic they're not always accurate

My friend had her DD last Sunday and was told over 4lb and she was 2lb 1oz

I was induced due to size and it was fine. Not my first which may have helped.

I wish I had a c section for my first baby (9 lbs 10). His head got stuck. They had to use ventouse and it left him with a neck injury and two years or physio. He's also autistic and we've had a terrible time trying to work out if he sustained brain damage from his birth (we now don't think he did). Obviously there are big risks with c sections too and it's easy with hindsight but you never know what will happen either way. My second child was born by c section and that was a million times better (though recovery was far more unpleasant for me!).

@MummyJ36 thanks, I did and I have my section in 24 days!!🤞🏽im really worried about the recovery but feel it's safer for baby and it eliminates the so many what ifs if he was to be massive and a vaginal birth. If he's not he'll be here then anyway and it's done so tough😂

I'm really nervous for what the recovery will be like of the section vs a vaginal birth if I'm honest! It was the thing putting me off the most but I absolutely don't want any instrumental assistance so section it must be🫣

Second baby measured bang on average before birth (I don't know why, I was blooming massive!) but it turned out he was 10lb 4oz. Obviously as there was no expectation of a big baby there was no pre-birth panic so I had the home water birth as planned. He definitely took more active pushing than my first (she was 6lb 12oz, my body pushed without me!) but it was still a good birth - from first twinge to delivery of placenta was 5 hours and no tearing or stitches needed. On the sofa with a bacon sandwich with baby feeding happily 20 minutes later.

I would avoid induction and either ask to be left to go when you're ready, or have a planned c-section, if I were in your place. Good luck x

I had two at about 9.5lbs, both by section. First was a very calm EMCS after a failed induction, second a slightly complicated ELCS as she was transverse. Both recoveries were straightforward, just take your time, take your painkillers and gently step up your activity levels. Be grand.

Well, recovery following venouse (and episiotomy) was no picnic either. Just took longer with the c section. But my c section was more complicated than some, as my baby was not only enormous but also breech and in an 'inconvenient' position. If I had a third baby (never again), based on my two experiences of large babies, I would definitely go for a c section. I'm still somewhat traumatised about my first birth to be honest (I don't say that lightly). Everyone is different though and I was warned of many risks that come with a c section too, so if something had gone wrong in that birth, I guess my opinion would be very different. I did feel there was far too much pressure on me by HCPs to have a 'natural' birth though, possibly at the expense of what was best doe me/my baby.

@surreygirl1987 I've had mixed opinions..I'm consultant led anyway for something unrelated and see a different one every fortnight. One was very pushy that a section was the best for me and the other very pushy with induction and against a section and one that said whatever I do she wouldn't recommend just leaving him to come whenever as he'll get bigger and bigger obviously!

I'd like the least traumatic option which it seems will be the section. I would never accept an induction - they seem horrific. If I go into spontaneous labour at 37/38 I may try and do it myself perhaps..I suppose he'd be around 8-9lbs then according to the growth chart. God so many unknowns!

I've had 4 big babies.

DS was one week late and weighed 10lb 9oz. He was born at home on the living room floor, with gas and air. Absolutely straight forward pregnancy and planned homebirth.

DD was 2 days late and weighed 10lb 8oz. She again was a straight forward pregnancy and a planned homebirth, she was also born on the living room floor with gas and air.

DS was a week late, he weighed 10lb 7oz. He was a hospital birth. Was a planned homebirth but I had that mother's instinct to get to hospital either him. Turns out he needed his airways cleared when born as he passed meconium in the womb. He arrived 15 minutes after getting to hospital and I was back home again 3 hours post birth. Just gas and air.

DD was 10lb 2. I was encouraged to be induced early with her due to her size. I argued I had had multiple big babies and had no trouble with them. But it was heavily encouraged. I eventually caved and agreed to be induced early, at 38 weeks. I had a failed induction which ended in a c-section and 38 +2. My first C-Section after 7 natural births that ranged in birth weighs from 7lb 10oz to 10lb 9oz.

Thankfully my baby days are done but if I was to have another. I'd refuse induction based on babies size and wait to go naturally or have an elective c-section.

Best of luck op and congratulations

Wow your amazing!! I won't be accepting induction..planned section only if I shall have either☺️
Thankyou! Xx

My second was 10lb 11oz. The interesting thing is that it wasn’t picked up in any scans and my bump measured spot on throughout. Only when he came out did we realise how big he was! He was born 40+3, natural, no issues for him or me.