Tell me your big baby birth stories please!

[fairywing]

I'm 36+5 today and just had a second growth scan which has confirmed baby is likely to be large! Sonographer could see a good layer of fat around her tummy this time Her AC was on the 97th percentile this time and significantly above that this time putting her at about 8 1/2 lbs today Her head circumference has been average both times.

So my romantic festive homebirth plans have all gone out of the window, which i am ok about. I am however now feeling quite anxious about the birth. So i would really appreciate hearing your honest accounts of birthing larger babies. Was labour long/short, pain more/less, tearing, interventions? I'm not looking for all fluffy accounts i'd rather be prepared before i go in that naive and shocked at the actual outcome!

Thanks

Forgot to say they also said i had slightly higher than average amniotic fluid levels and wrote polyhydramniosis on my notes. What does this mean/matter?? I did ask but was ust told baby swallowing less and weeing more so more fluid. Didn't think to ask whether this would make any difference to labour - i would really really like a water birth if possible.

2DD was (is) a big baby - born at 91st percentile and ended up off the chart at 4 months and 2 stone on her 1st birthday.

Her birth was very quick, 2 hours in labour, not very painful (no pain relief at all) and with only 2 squeezes (not pushes) and she was out. Ended up being an emergency homebirth being caught by Daddy in our downstairs toilet as I didn't realise things were quite so imminent.

Anyway, all I'm trying to say is that sometimes big babies just pop out really easily - good luck.

ds1 was a ten pounder and his birth was quite difficult BUT I was induced and he was also back to back, so I put most of the difficulties and interventions down to the fact he was induced.

DS2 was 11 pounds and I went into labour naturally. It was 4 hours start to finish with no epidural. I did tear but healed much better than my episiotomy with ds1.

ok... honest account in a nutshell. I ended up being induced at 40+14 - very long story short is failure to progress over 40 hours. And when I went from 8cm back to 4cm (swelling) decision was taken for EMCS. DS born shortly after the decision was taken at 12lb 12oz - his head was wedged in my pelvis (one ear had actually grown back on itself ) and he clearly never would have made it out by himself.

BUT - I have arthritis in my pelvis (which was undiagnosed at the time) which MAY have affected it somewhat.

Good luck whatever happens - my mother is tiny and birthed me (10lb 6oz) no problems, yet I am very tall and 'big' and didn't... so I really am not sure that size itself is an issue.

My DS was 10ib 11oz. It's good that you already know your baby is going to be big, I didn't have a clue and was very unprepared.

I had a very long labour, but mainly I think because he was also back to back. In the end I went to theatre on standby I suppose for an emergency c-section - (was quite away with it by then) but he was delivered by forceps. So, it was hard in that it was long, and at teh end a little scary, but all in all a positive experience. I had a fantastic obstetrician, the anaesthetist said that had it been any of hte other doctors I would have had an emcs.
I'm rambling, sorry. I would go with an open mind and not be attached to any sort of birth. Good luck!

10lb 14 here. He was my third labour but was born after 4 hours in hospital on gas and air and Tens and the contractions never felt 'huge' - I was waiting for them to get bigger. He was a bit wedged in and the (fab male) midwife yanked him out (by hand) but I only had a first degree tear and no stiches.

DD2 - 9lb 5. 7 hour labour, gas and air again, much more intense contractions but slid out in her waters.

DS1 (1st baby) - 9lb 11 - hideous labour but I had my waters broken and I think he dropped down sucking his thumb and twiddling his hair (and hasn't stopped since).

I have heard that they can never tell size for sure despite the scans. All of the (many) different midwives I have had insisted all three babies would be around the 7lb mark!

Good luck!

My ds was 10lb 6oz, I was induced at 40+14. He was oblique and a bit back to back so in a terrible position. However labour was 4 hrs start to finish, did it all on g&a and tens one small tear no stiches. Only thing was I had 1 hr of pushing which is apparently alot for a second child, other than that it was great, far, far better than my 1st birth to a tiny 8lb4oz girl (10hr labour, 6hrs of pushing, ventouse). DD2 was 9lb and again had a very straight forward birth and no tears this time. Good luck

I had a 9lb12oz dd1 (4 days early) who was also back to back. She was 98th percentile.

For me it was a nightmare, tbh. I was in labour for 37 hours (was my first). Had diamorphine, gas&air, augmentation, ventouse, 2nd degree tear.

I think it was the whole back-to-backness that was the issue. This is because I had an anterior ds at 9lb3oz who was no bother (at 10 days early, praise the Lord!), and an induced dd2 ("only" 7lb13oz 3 weeks early) also pretty much no bother.

Size doesn't really make an issue for labour as much as position imho.

Keep mobile, avoid epidural if you can, go on your hands and knees to keep the position good, and good luck!!!

DD was 10 pounds 7 and a half! Born with no pain relief (smug? moi?!).

Perineal massage helped. I did tear but not hugely. Her head circumference was off the scale.

I can't see how having a bigger baby should make any difference to the labour itself, just the birth.

I wouldn't worry - your body's designed for this. Good luck!!

I was in labour for about 30 hours with DD and ended up with failed ventouse then forceps.

She was 9 pounds 11, but I think her position rather than her size was the main issue. She was also my first, and I am praying that second time round will be much easier!

Have you been tested for gestational diabetes? A fat tummy and lots of fluid are very common where it is present. Please ask you midwife about it straight away and see if you can be tested.

My first was 9lbs - natural labour with just gas and air - 12 hours from first twinge to birth - 3 stitches for superficial tear that didn't have to be stitched.

The scans can be wrong, very wrong. Don't throw out the idea of a HB just yet

I had dd2 back in January at home, about a 2 hour labour. She was 9lb 5oz.

Ds4 was at home too and a super fast 40 minute labour. He was 9lb. He did get a bit stuck but the midwife made me change position and all was well.

Think positive. I found pushing a 9lb 5 and a 7lb 10 (dd1) out no different.

DD was 9lb 12 oz. I had a scan with her at 37 weeks and was told she had a large tummy but head circumference was ok. She came 1 day before due date, natural birth, no pain relief/intervention, about 18 hour labour from time water's broke (but the first 6 hours or so were only little contractions, not painful at all really). I did tear quite badly and had 6 stitches.

In all honesty, the first stage was fine - much better than I expected. The second stage was difficult - I was pushing for 2 hours and her being so big has knackered my pelvis this time round so I have suffered with terrible PGP/SPD

I am 36 weeks pg with DC2 and have got a growth scan next week to check

Tills she will be tiny and will fall out Well maybe not tiny but perfectly manageable.

Thanks for the replies - i've found them very reassuring. Especially that position seems to be more important than size. I will try not to think too much about it now and assume that this will be a 'normal' labour and birth rather than assuming the worst!

I have been tested for diabetes and that all came back normal.

I am also happier with a hospital birth in this situaiton than at home. There has been one two many mentions of her shoulders getting stuck for me to be able to relax at home now.

Thanks again

11lb here born at home!

12lb12oz born at home. Had no idea of weight beforehand so didn't have chance to get into a panic about it. Good job as the mws said the doctors would have been knocking on the door had I been in hospital.

Anyway, the nicest birth of all 3. 4 hour labour. No intervention, no pain relief and no tearing.

Check out bigbaby.org for more inspiration and info.

Oh, forgot to say that when I asked whether baby's size should have been picked up (in a very non-accusatory way of course, as my care has always been amazing) the mws told me that it's a hugely inexact science anyway. I also have a friend who was induced because of a suspected large baby and she turned out to be 7lb.

dc1 (40+10) was 9lb 11. natural labour (due into hospital for induction that morning, but turned up at specified time with established labour instead!) to birth about 8 hours max. gas and air did the job, as well as wallowing in water, but birth very sudden and quick once waters broke and had 2 degree labial tear.

dc2 (on EDD) was 8lb 11. start to finish 5 hours.

expected dc3 showing up 'bigger' again, but feel fine about it so far!! only 7 weeks to go...

feel sure heavier means more gravitational pull, although can understand ive been lucky to experience trouble free labours.

my dd was 9lb 2 and a 45 minute labour. 2 big pushes and caught bu daddy in our bath- si dont worry- what will be will be!!

dd 10lb 11 - labour in total about 11 hours, no pain relief - doctor took G&A away! (he was right, though, in fairness) - delivered in MacRoberts position as she got a tiny bit stuck, but was pretty easy - small tear, 4 stitches, baby in great shape and good recovery.

ds 9lb 2 - on hands and knees, G&A, labour about 7 hours. He came flying out, one tiny tear ( 1 stitch) and perfect apgar scores.

Both gorgeously cuddly and great feeders. My cons (ultrasound specialist) says scans are god at predicting weight of average sized babies, but no good at very big or very small.

Hi Fairywing,

Sort of feel bad posting this but you asked for honest non-fluffy tales....

Gave birth in July to DD. Was told at 34 weeks that she would be big. Had 3 scans prior to birth and each one estimated her at 12lbs+! Also had excess fluid and was absolutely huge. That said I am tall and medical team were convinced I would handle a 12pounder no problem.

Went into labour spontaniously at 2 days overdue. All the signs were good - perfect position etc etc.

Spent 52 hours in labour and dialated fully only for Consultant to realise that actually DD had wide shoulders which were stuck above the rim and her head wasn't even pressing on cervix. So off to theater for an emergency C section. Section was fine and she came out shouting (no distress at all despite long labour and lots and lots of pain releif/had it all) and had apgar score of 8 at 1min and 10 at 5mins.

I recovered quickly from section and needed no pain killers after (after 52hrs labour nothing really hurts anymore...).

DD is beautiful and she breastfed immediately out of theater (within 30mins of being born).

However she was "only" 9lbs 4oz but 22inches long with wide shoulders. So despite the 3 late scans and a uterus which measured 48centimeters a week before due date, she was only a little larger than average and certainly no where near 12lbs!

So all was well - I was like you, very concerned about the size and lots of midwives wincing everytime I came for antenatal apps etc.

Don't worry about that - as size is often incorrect and lots of ladies give birth naturally to far larger babies.

Its not nice though when medical staff wince and suck in air when they read your notes and discuss size of your baby. Try to ignore.

Water birth is meant to be the thing for getting a large baby out - heyho I wanted one too and ended up with the section (which I absolutely didn't want - my worst case).

I was dead against a section and wept buckets when I was wheeled into theater (drug, no sleep for 2 days may also have been at play). That said it wasn't bad at all.

Try to go into the whole birth with an open mind of "what happens, happens" and as long as you get baby out and you're both in good health it doesn't actually matter.

We're all afraid of sections now and being labelled "too posh to push" etc and its really really unfair! I gave it my all and was at it for a record time and there really was no choice for me but to go ahead with section.

Other than open mindedness about type of birth, I recommend only that if matters don't progress as quickly as anticipated, don't wait and hang on in there, just have the section early on (you'll save yourself from pelvic floor issues and damaged stomach muscles).

All the best with it and I hope your little one is beatiful.

xxx