Big baby birth stories

[woodlandwonder1]

I am due to give birth any moment, my due date is in a couple days and I have to admit I have anxiety over it. (Any advice for this appreciated).

My baby is expected to weigh around 9lbs.
My plan is for a natural vaginal birth - though obviously we can never really ‘plan’ these things!

Just wanting to hear stories of those who have given birth to bigger babies?

I've had 5 babies OP, number two was the biggest at well over 10lb, but was so much easier to get out than my 1st and 4th were. In my experience size doesn't really make a difference, it's position that does.

I was told by a midwife that bigger babies are often easier than smaller ones (I assume within reason in both directions), as they have more ability to push themselves out; smaller babies sometimes get too tired and can’t help themselves, so the mum has to do more of the work. Don’t know whether that’s true or not, but I know a few people who’ve had 9/10lb babies and none have been particularly vocal about it being awful!

The weight estimate isn’t always very accurate either - sometimes the baby is smaller than they expect.

By saying position do you mean position baby is in? Or birth position?

Thanks for your response! X

I went 11 days over and DD was 8lb6. In the lead up I was nervous, my acupuncturist said not to stress as bigger babies don’t gain the extra weight on their head, which is the largest part to come out of you. That offered me some comfort to be honest 😅

Both babies were large around 10lb and large head lol.. Found Dianatal gel applicated really helpful first time as it literally helps baby pop out easily (didn't use it second time and really felt difference), giving birth overall was not the issue but ended up with diastasis and belly looking like I am still 7 month pregnant. Which has nothing to to with giving birth, just genetics and large babies, not having a strong core, not exercising in years, bad luck combo 😊on😊on the positive side, larger babies do look and feel stronger so changing them, carrying them around, just overall managing is less stesfull than a typical tiny newborn (my lower back disagrees lol)

Sorry I didn't specify that, I meant the position of the baby. None of mine had engaged heads when I went into labour so the early stage took a while whilst they moved down enough to put pressure on my cervix.

Number 1 and 4 were back to back so even though they were each over 3lb lighter than number 2 they were more tricky to deliver. In my case size made no difference whatsoever.

As far as being worried is concerned, I was feeling anxious just like you a couple of days before my due dates. Everyone would say how exciting and I'd be sitting there petrified. My advice would be to just enjoy long baths and relaxing as much as you can and practice slow steady breathing if you feel panicked.

Two things that helped me were to think of contractions as a countdown - once one was done then that was that one ticked off never to be experienced again.
The other (and it took me until number 3 to crack it) was gas and air. The trick is, or was for me (apologies if you already know this or if I sound patronising) to not let go of the mouthpiece until you're over the hill of the contraction and coming a good way down the other side. So breathe in and out through the mouthpiece, rather than in then taking it out of your mouth to breathe out.

Hope everything goes brilliantly for you, it's genuinely the best feeling in the world meeting your baby for the first time. Good luck.

I can highly recommend avoiding trying a vaginal birth for an average weight but absolutely massive head baby who’s positioned back to back and ending up in theatre delivering by forceps.

If I had a time turner, skip the forceps and go for c section if they ain’t shifting without assistance.

I don't think size has anything to do with it. I had 3 babies. My middle one was 8Ib 9oz, 2 weeks overdue (not induced) and (by a mile) the easiest birth - a short labour and just gas and air. The other 2 who were both 7lb were complicated, long and very painful labours.

My babies were on the bigger side (all of them between 8lb 10oz and 8lb 13oz) and I had three fairly straightforward vaginal births, except I did have an episiotomy with DC1. Good luck OP!

I had a 9lb 11oz then a 9lb 10oz,

First wasn’t great, but that was due to failure to progress rather than the size (needed drip/edpidural/episiotomy etc).

Second was soooo much easier, mostly just TENS/ gas and air, and I didn’t even actively push at all - when he was ready, my body went on autopilot and he just ejected himself without any effort or pain on my part! Took about 2 minutes from 8cm to born, and I only had a graze, no stitches.

10 lb 1 oz ...episiotomy, then 10lb 4 oz ...episiotomy not much fun.

My first was 8lb 15, second was 9lb 2oz and third was 8lb 8oz. I'm average size, 5 ft 6, slim. All were vaginal births with epidural. I was over due with all 3 but went into spontaneous labour with all 3. Had long early labours and with my first wasn't progressing after 4cm so needed some oxytocin drip. Ended up with an episiotomy and vacuum but only because baby was in distress the whole time. Nearly had a Caesarian section but progressed very fast once they put up the oxytocin so when I was fully dilated they had to do a vacuum as baby's heart rate was dropping. At that point I was pushing and could feel baby's head with my own hand so I know I would have been able to deliver myself without help if the baby wasn't in distress. They did what needed to be done and I am so grateful fo my healthy girl. Next 2 were long early labours too but once things got going I progressed OK and pushed them out no problem. Third was fast and epidural hadn't even taken effect but I was adament I wanted it as thought it would be a bigger baby than my previous 2 and was afraid I would need vacuum or forceps.
There's no way of knowing how things will go. Vaginal births with first baby's usually are harder and take longer to push out but don't think size makes a huge diffence unless you are really tiny and baby is over 10lb. If baby is happy they will let you push for over an hour before any intervention. Just trust in and listen to your midwife. They know what they are doing. Mobilize as much as possible and change position as they advise. Tens machine or water are both amazing and also gas and air. Epidural if you need it once in established labour is fine too. I was open to anything. With early labour going on 3-4 days with all of mine I wanted epidural due to exhaustion. With 2nd and 3rd I wanted it due to vacuum and epis and big baby with first but in hindsight I probably could have done without it especially in the 3rd which was very fast and it wasn't really working by the time I delivered.
Such an exciting time for you but also understandable to be nervous. Best of luck with everything xx

what weight is classed as a big baby now? I think 9lb is standard. Not that they have a clue before they’re born. Could be any size. X

My little girl was measuring big since 36 weeks - 97th percentile. The hospital kept pushing an induction. I eventually agreed to it at 38 weeks and she was indeed big (9lbs at 38 weeks so likely bigger if I’d have gone over). Unfortunately I was on the drip for almost 2 days, failure to progress, low sodium, kidneys stopped working, she got in a funny position, ended in emergency c section and baby in NICU. Didn’t see her for the first night of her life. Wished I’d just gone for an elective section or a natural birth and I will do next time. Hope it works out much better for you. I’d avoid induction at all costs for a big baby x

I didn’t have any warning baby was big, no one mentioned it, he was just measuring very long throughout pregnancy. I had extra scans due to previous loss, but still no mention even at 32 and 36 weeks.

Baby was 8lb14oz, he looked pretty big to me! I got to 5cm and then just didn’t progress for 14 hours. I had to have an epidural as I was in so much pain and exhausted, no one knew why baby just wasn’t progressing. I was advised to go for a section, but the woman next door was more urgent so she would be taken first. They came back in two hours and to our amazement, I’d gone from 5-10cm! Baby’s head had been at an awkward angle, and I think being confined to the bed after the epidural didn’t make it easy for him to come down. I had so many plans for a nice active birth and desperately wanted a water birth but the pool rooms were permanently closed.

In the run up to birth I did spend some time on my birthing ball, swam twice a week to give baby space to turn (he was breech till 32 weeks) and went to pregnancy yoga. I think that’s something positive that you can do, try and get baby into the best position and stay active during labour if at all possible to help baby wiggle down!

I had a 6 lb 9 oz baby and a 9 lb 12 oz one. The birth with the bigger one was BY FAR the easier of the two!

1st was 9lb, induced, awful birth, very painful. 2nd planned section at 38 weeks, baby was 10lb. Section and recovery were great

I’ve had three, all lightest 8lb 9oz, 8lb 13.5oz and 8lb 12oz. All born at home, in the pool with gas and air. No stitches. Two came a bit early, or they’d have been 9lbers. So, I really wouldn’t worry about the predicted weight - it’s rarely very accurate anyway.

My youngest was a vaginally birthed 11lb 8 ozs. And far less drama than his 8lb14 older brother!

There's good and bad stories of all sizes, all gestational and all types of birth! Go with an open mind I'm sure you'll be great

My last was 10lb5 and so much easier than his older 8lbs brother who was induced. Your birth position makes a big difference, but there's also some good information on this on the birth rebellion podcast. Most importantly, scans at this stage are a pretty rubbish way of predicting birth weight