35 weeks Big Baby!! Really panicking! :(

[chowebella]

Hi everyone.

I'm currently 35 weeks and ever since about week 26 I've been measuring bigger. I had a scan at 28 weeks which confirmed baby is in the 97th percentile weighing roughly 3lb4oz at that time.
I've been tested for diabetes and tests were negative.
I went to see the consultant today who did a quick scan of baby but wouldn't give me any measurements but just said that baby is bigger than average and have arranged another scan at 39 weeks.
Now 39 weeks is another 5 weeks away and I know baby can grow a lot in these last few weeks so I am now absolutely petrified and convinced I'm going to give birth to a 15lb+ baby if he keeps growing at this rate.
Has anyone measured big and what was your babies birth size? Also I feel they should be checking baby sooner than 39 weeks as I'm pretty sure I cannot give birth to a huge baby. I don't mind a 10lber nice and healthy but I'm afraid that much bigger than 10/11lb could be dangerous to baby and my health.
really panicking and frustrated that hospital don't seen that botherd by how big this baby is growing!!

I measured big all the way through both pregnancies. Try not to panic. The fundal measurements aren't massively accurate and if the 39 week scan shows a 15lb baby (unlikely!!), I'm sure they'll discuss options then.

Mine were 9lb 12 and 10lb 5oz btw. So not small. But certainly do able

A) growth scans are notoriously inaccurate.
B) 97th % wouldn't be more than 11lbs - my 10lbs 0.5oz baby was recorded as 96th %
C) if you go by the "half a pound a week" weight gain rule, your baby would be 9lbs 4oz at 40w (if he was 3#4 at 28w)
D) don't panic!

My dd2's scans showed that she was going to be enormous.

I was told that she was measuring off the charts for abdomen size, and would be bigger than my 9lbs 8oz ds.

When she eventually arrived a couple of days before my due date she was only a 7lb-er and looked tiny!

Growth scans are notoriously unreliable.

growth scans are ridiculously unreliable. I really don't know why they use them

my friend was told that she needed a c-section at 38 weeks because her baby was 10lb (she had GD)
she refused, had him naturally at nearly 41 weeks and he was 8lb something

some babies are big. that doesn't mean they're harder to birth though!

I've had a 10lb3 and an 11lb8 baby (and a little 8lb4 one too!)
The 11lber was by far the easiest and most straightforward birth and recovery.
Don't panic!

dont panic. Whatever size baby is, doesnt really make much difference when it comes to giving birth.

Measurements are notoriously unreliable and very user-dependent.

'Tis not so much the size/weight of the baby that matters, but the size/shape of the head and what position he/she's in when it comes to labour and delivery.

This is another example where size is not the only thing that matters...!

Good luck.

I know 2 women who were monitored for this - both had sections due to predicted huge babies, but actual birth weights were 7lb something and just under 10lb showing the inaccuracy involved.

Don't worry! We were told DC2 measured full term at 34 weeks. He ended up weighing 10lb 11oz but I pushed him out in ten minutes flat! I'm not big (8 and a half stone pre-preg) but I found DC2 far easier to deliver than DC1 who only weighed 8lb 8oz.

As several of the other ladies have said, size doesn't necessarily make for a difficult birth!

Good luck, sure you will be fine.

I measured at 50th centile until around week 38, then all of a sudden grew humongous... but still was only measuring around 75th. Baby DS was born 12 days late at 10lb 4.5oz and in 97th centile. Just goes to show measurements aren't always accurate.

You are in a better position than I was as you KNOW you're having a big baby and HCPs will be prepared. if you're still measuring big at scan they may not let you go overdue.

I can't remember the centile, but we were told DS was going to be big. I was booked in for a section as he was breech, but it had got to the point where midwives just doing manual checks of my bump used to say 'ooh, he's got a big head, you'll be glad you're having a section'.

Although a section was my worst nightmare (wanted a homebirth) I was starting to feel glad after so many comments. They had to move my section date due to being busy and even agreed to do it early at 38+3 as he was due to be so big.

He was 6lb 13oz

Enormous.

From what I've read since though, larger babies can actually be easier to birth as there's more for your uterus to get hold of and work with (or something phrased a little more delicately!).

Seriously, take the scan measurements with a pinch of salt and try not to sweat it. Baby will be just the right size for him or her.