baby at 97 percentile at 28 weeks - worried about interventions..

[stella1w]

Had an emergency scan because I fell in the street which showed all fine with baby vis-a-vis fall but that baby was on 97 percentile for just about everything. Also the sonographer said there was a lot of amniotic fluid but the printout said "normal".
I'm seeing the consultant tomorrow and while I am worried about polyhydramnios, I'm also worried about unnecessary interventions. I had a very easy first birth and want to give birth at home this time to avoid separation from my daughter (am single mother). I also can't have an epidural for medical reasons so don't want to be induced or have a c-section.
The midwives said from the start that large babies ruled out home births, but am not sure if being the baby on 97 percentile makes you too large for home birth..
I've heard the scans can be very very wrong. I had a friend who had a c-section due to "large baby" and ended up delivering a 7 pound six oz little girl!
Tips on handling the consultant?
thanks

Hi, I'd never heard that a large baby rules out a home birth - maybe that's a new rule? I was never checked for this for a home birth.

I had an easy first birth in hospital at 38 weeks - 4 hours, DS 7lb 7oz - only complications were a lot of tearing as he came out elbow first (ouch)

2nd time around the consultant wanted to induce me as I had torn last time, which I was absolutely not on for, but he wasn't listening to me. The community midwives found me in floods of tears in the waiting room - they were great and told me not to worry that I could have a home birth and everything would be fine. They also told me that I didn't have to see the consultant if I didn't want to so I cancelled my next consultant appointment and never went back. Obviously I would have gone back if something had come up and I still went to all the midwife/GP appointments I needed to.

I had and even easier second birth at home at 40+6 - 1 hour exactly, DD 8lb 13 oz and very long - so big enough .

I'm not suggesting for a minute that you don't go back to your consultant but you might find the community midwives will be more sympathetic to you not wanting intervention and may be able to advise you better as to what you could do. Birthing centre maybe? I'm sure the 97th percentile would certainly count as a large baby but then as you say the weight estimates are often way out.

So I suggest you speak to your community midwives. How big was your first DC? :)

I don't think 97th percentile would be over 10lb though would it? Just thinking 97th percentile sounds huge but im sure my 9.5lber was on about that, and should be no reason a baby of that size has to cause complications esp as its not your 1st birth? wait and see what they say but I would be suprised if they try and ban you from homebirth for a baby of around that size. Anyway many people would have babies of that size without knowing it before hand, so possibly having them at home. What's going to help with a larger baby is normally to have a more active birth, being upright etc, which sometimes happens more in homebirths, so maybe say that?
my ds2 (above mentioned 9.5lber) was a really easy birth, very straight forward, no need for any intervention. Did not have a homebirth with him but dont see any reason why his size would have prevented it, if I had wanted one

They may offer to scan you again at a later date.

Our DD was 95th at 24 weeks but not her growth spurt has slowed but still growing well, not sure what she is now at 34 weeks but the consultant has reasurred us that this should never be a reason to change our birth plans as they can not accuratly enough estimate the birth weight so hope all goes well for you all.

Scans are notoriously inaccurate regarding babies' weight. Any sonographer will agree Also ease of birth is far more about the position of the baby inside rather than its weight. To put your mind at rest, you could try looking up 'optimal fetal positioning' and Jean Sutton.

And finally, try homebirth.org, especially the part about 'you can't have a home birth because...' it's very helpful