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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Big baby delivery options

17 replies

Tabby33 · 16/12/2013 16:17

Hi all,

I am brand new to this site so hi all.

I am due on Friday but have been told for a while now I am having a big baby, in the 90% actually.

I am getting very nervous now and the doctor was not concerned at all but the midwife felt differently at my scan. The doctor even said he would let me go over if baby does not come on time because I am not diabetic.

When my sister had her baby they induced her and her baby got stuck, which meant she eventually had to have an emergency c-section. I am scared something will happen to my baby or me if I go over.

Where do I stand with tell the midwife and doctors what I want to happen? As I understand it I have two options:

Be induced on my due date and see what happens

Ask to be booked in for a c-section.

Can I demand these options? I am seeing my midwife Wednesday.

Sorry for the long question, any advise would be great!

Thanks all

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Indianajonesismyhero · 16/12/2013 16:33

This may not help you to hear and my intention is not to frighten you, but you did ask...

My 2nd baby was 11lbs4oz at 39 weeks. I had a scan to check her position 3 days before she was born and at no point did anyone say how big she was. Labour was straightforward until right at the end when she got stuck. I was tired, forceps were there and then all of a sudden one of the midwives pressed some kind of alarm and doctors/ extra help rushed in and there was a lot of shouting. Needless to say, I was terrified and my husband in tears thinking we were both in real trouble. At one point he swears he heard someone say, with regard to her stuck shoulder, "break it, get it out". It was very frightening and although she was fine I was pretty horrified. I also needed a lot of putting back together afterwards. Needed physio until she was about 9 months.

Also, they told me I would need a section for a third. I was so traumatised that I waited longer than I might otherwise have done to have baby no. 3 (due in summer, so no experience of what a section is like). If I'd known how hard it would be to give birth to a whopper (no drugs either, not for want of asking!), I'd have gone for the section.

Sorry for massive essay and good luck with whatever you go for!

CoffeeQueen187 · 16/12/2013 16:37

Ds2 was a big baby, he was 10lbs 6. All the way through pregnancy they said he was small and I was carrying a lot of water.

I went into labour 4 days after my due date and he was the easiest labour/birth out of all 3 of my children and he was by far the biggest. I had a natural vaginal delivery (no forceps etc). All the midwives were amazed at how big he was as they all thought he was small.

Sometimes bigger babies tend to help themselves out

snapple21 · 16/12/2013 16:51

Growth scans are an estimate and are not always accurate your baby may not be as big as you think

momentofmadness0 · 16/12/2013 17:12

I am in a similar situation. Currently 39+4 with DD2. DD1 was 9lb 2oz and was forceps delivery in theatre as she was back to back. This time round, fundal height is off the scale so I had a growth scan a couple of weeks ago. They are estimating this baby to be around the 10lb mark at term but are saying that due to the fact that I am not diabetic and have had a previous vaginal delivery that they want to avoid induction. The doctor said that women who go into labour spontaneously with big babies tend to be ok but induction can lead to a more difficult birth. He didn't mention a C section. My main worry is if she doesn't come before 41/42 weeks and I need inducing anyway at which point she will have had more time to grow bigger. I'm at MW tomorrow and am going to beg for a sweep to try to get things moving. I've tried all the natural ways and nothing seems to be happening. On the plus side, my mum had 4 big babies(me at 9lb and my 3 brothers were all over 10lb )and she had them all naturally without any problems, including 2 that she had to be induced for. So I am clinging to that story and hoping that it will be ok.

Original poster

Tabby33 · 16/12/2013 17:25

Some scary but positive replies. Thank you all. Momento let us know what the midwife says. I was talking to friends and they said you can have a heavy baby but it might not be big! I suppose my concern is the size of it's head. The scan measured it as large. I don't even know if I can force a c-section. Even though this is not my preferred method of birth as it takes so much longer to recover but if it ends up being as difficult as idiana's was the c-section might be safer.

OP posts:

Anothermrssmith · 16/12/2013 17:30

I am diabetic and having a growth scan on Wednesday as baby at my last scan (when I was 33wks, now 35) was estimated to weigh 7lbs. Judging from my bump it is only getting bigger so we will be coming up with a plan on Wednesday to see how we go from here. On one hand I'm devestated,this is my first baby and up until the last scan everything was fine its just got huge in the last few weeks but on the other I've made peace with what will be will be. At the moment looks like I may get induced at 37 weeks instead of 38 which isn't so bad though it does mean my early 2014 baby becomes a late 2013 baby! In two minds about whether I would prefer a planned section or vaginal birth,I know if I have a section I'll never experience a natural delivery but I like the idea of knowing that the baby will be safely delivered,I applied to study midwifery a few years ago and researched shoulder dystocia and it terrifies me.

That said though, when I was a teenager I used to baby sit for 2 brothers,one was a natural delivery and weighed over 11lbs,a record for the community midwife (small town,she had worked in the area for over 20 years) beaten only by his brother 2 years later who weighed over 13lbs! Both were natural deliveries with gas and air only!

PickleSarnie · 16/12/2013 17:33

My DS2 was 8lb11oz. Not particularly big I guess but his head circumference measured above the 99.6th centile. Popped out with three pushes and I had one stitch put in. No pain relief other than a TENS machine.

And I don't think I have a bucket fanjo!

So it may not be as bad as you think.

Also, growth scans are v unreliable.

MichaelFinnigan · 16/12/2013 17:37

My 10.7 lb was a very simple straightforward birth

I believe it's all about positioning rather than size

I also know a number of people who were predicted big babies and had entirely average ones

NomDeClavier · 16/12/2013 17:44

I agree that scans can be misleading. With DS they were starting to really worry me about his size and he was only 8lb6oz, albeit long with a 99th centile head. They muttered the same about DD, she was 3 weeks early but only 7lb 2oz. You can't accurately predict weight from femur length, abdominal circumference and head circumference. It just isn't possible, it can only give an indication.

Positioning has a lot to do with it. Women without diabetes rarely grow babies their pelvis won't accommodate and shoulder dystocia can happen even in 5lbers.

DawnOfTheDee · 16/12/2013 17:52

DD1 was 10lb 10oz. I was induced and had to have a c section. Feel I was unlucky really as she was big and back to back. My consultant thinks if she had been in the right position I probably would have been ok.

I am currently pg with DD2 - had a growth scan and she is likely to be big too. At the moment I'm going to try for a natural birth to avoid the recovery from a c section.

My previous c section wasn't traumatic at all btw even though it was an 'emergency' iykwim.

Also on the reliability of growth scans....I was told it is like trying to guess the size of a car by measuring the garage it's parked in!

LittlePeaPod · 16/12/2013 17:55

Hi Tabby you may want to also post your question on the childbirth threads.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childbirth

Strongecoffeeismydrug · 16/12/2013 19:22

Dd was 9.3 and was born with forceps as she was well and truly stuck.
Ds was then born by planned c section as we knew he was bigger and I couldn't chance a harder time than the first.he weighed 10.7
I'm now 32 weeks with dd2 and she's already measuring big so I'm booked in for a planned c section in 7 weeks.
I recovered much quicker from the c section than I did the vaginal birth so to me it's an easy decision to make.

TravellingToad · 16/12/2013 21:17

DS was 10lb 6 oz and birth was fine just gas and air.

You can have a 5lb baby and it end in EMCS. Or a massive one that goes fine.

Its more about position of the baby. I wouldn't worry about it if it's only the size bothering you.

Trust your doctor. He's done this before!

stickysausages · 16/12/2013 21:20

I had a 10 pounder, in the pool with gas & air. No tears, neither up nor down afterwards :)

Please don't worry!

Smithy007 · 16/12/2013 21:38

I had a 9.5lb baby. It was such an pleasant labour and delivery compared to my other one who was over 2lbs lighter. Only gas and air and I went home the same day.

Smithy007 · 16/12/2013 21:42

Oh just realised I didn't answer the question . I believe they will usually induce you early if they are worried, an you do have the right to push for a cesarean also.

ruthsmumkath · 17/12/2013 08:30

By 39 weeks my sons head was on the 110 percentile - gave birth naturally - no pain relief (although it hurt and I did ask for some) very quick and he still has a big head now!

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