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Pregnancy

Big bump = big baby?

29 replies

Barbsta · 22/06/2014 20:39

My midwife said she doesn't feel big but I don't know if she was just trying to stop me freak out. It's my first baby and I've always been just above the middle line but at my 38 week appointment I'm very close to the top now. This is my first baby and I am petrified of how much more difficult and painful or being rushed for a c section :s

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Eminybob · 23/06/2014 21:58

I am 35 weeks and huge. I was measured last week at 37.

I'm having an extra scan next week as I had one the week before last and he was a little long. So I think he is going to be big.

BUT 3 midwives have said that it may make for an easier birth as the bigger the baby the more pressure on the cervix so he may come out quicker, plus once engaged they don't tend to go anywhere, whereas small babies and get themselves into awkward positions. And it's the contractions that hurt and they'll be the same regardless of the size of the baby.

They may have just been trying to make feel better though. It has worked! Grin

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VJONES1985 · 23/06/2014 21:50

It also depends on your own body size and shape and the way you carry the baby, etc. Try not to worry about it unless you find out you need to.

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Droflove · 23/06/2014 21:42

Big bump = big baby OR big load of fluid and normal sized baby:) If you are/were a normal and healthy weight, the latter is more likely.

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VJONES1985 · 23/06/2014 21:37

My bump is measuring 35 weeks but I'm actually 32. I have regular growth scans due to being diabetic and my baby is perfectly average size. So, no, it doesn't necessarily mean anything!

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SarahF77 · 23/06/2014 18:56

I had a huge bump and a 10lb 5oz baby. Came out the sunroof after 4 days in labour. Didn't sleep through night till he was 3 so don't agree comment re big babies sleeping better! However - he's absolutely perfect to me and wouldn't change a thing about any of it. You have no control over any of these things so don't worry about it. Some people squeeze out huge babies no bother and other teeny ones end up getting hauled out with loads of intervention. You may or may not have a huge baby and May or may not have an easy delivery - eithe way it wil almost certainly all be fine in the end.

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Cyclebump · 23/06/2014 09:10

I carry high and forward. With DS I was enormous, he was 8lb 3oz. I'm now 31 weeks with number two and am huge again. Joy.

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weebairn · 23/06/2014 09:04

I know people who have had growth scans because their bump was small and the baby was 10lb +

I also know people with huge bumps who had normal sized babies.

I had a small bump and small baby last time.

It's quite random I think!! Your height, size, way the baby is lying, and the amount of fluid you have on board all play a big part.

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CanISayOfHerFace · 22/06/2014 22:55

I'm 5' 11", my bump was huge and at 42 weeks DS was born at 9lbs 6oz.

My tummy measured normal throughout even though I put on three stone! I had a scan at 34 weeks and baby was estimated at 6lbs 9oz then.

I had an EMCS but not because of his size. I was told bigger babies can be easier to push out but as I never got a chance to push I don't know if this is true!

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HedgehogHairbrush · 22/06/2014 22:54

I've been huge both times, absolutely massive! Babies have both been just over 8lb and I've had big placentas and lots of fluid. 2 lovely straightforward births too.

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Chipandspuds · 22/06/2014 22:18

I think it's impossible to tell!

If it's any comfort DS was 9lbs 1oz and the birth was very straightforward in a birthing pool and took 5.5 hours from waking up one morning to delivering him in time for lunch!

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Barbsta · 22/06/2014 22:16

I'm 5'1 with a short torso and she is head down with her head facing to the right... Midwife said this is a good position??

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Blondieminx · 22/06/2014 22:13

I had a huge bump. I went slightly overdue to 40+6.

Baby was 6lb 5oz, so don't worry - big bump doesn't always mean big baby!

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WhispersOfWickedness · 22/06/2014 22:07

I had it the other way round, small bumps (people often didn't notice) and two babies weighing 8lb 8oz! I was bigger the second time even though dc2 was the same weight. So much depends on position of baby, tightness of stomach muscles, whether you are tall or not (I have quite a long body so think I have more abdomen space to accommodate a bump without it protruding out so much) etc.
Also, as others have said, size of baby doesn't always correspond to ease of birth, baby positioning is much more important from that aspect.

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Barbsta · 22/06/2014 22:04

I have gained over 3 stone and I had a healthy bmi beforehand so was hoping it was something to do with my weight gain

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Boogles91 · 22/06/2014 21:58

I have the same worry lol only ours is big! The only thing thats been withing scale is his femur length lol hes been measuring off the scales since 20wks! -.- im 36+5 and want an induction at 38wks if hes predicted to be massive as my bodys been through enough so far with my kidneys, i dont think i will cope if i have to have a csection and recover from that aswell :(...

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mrsshearsagain · 22/06/2014 21:52

I have had 3 big bumps and 3 big babies, the last being the largest at nearly 11 pounds, I needed a c section due to size and position which wasn't nearly as scary as I had imagned.
My other 2 were between 9 and 10 pounds and really easy births with no stitches and only gas and air, try not to worry, my experience is big baby does not always mean difficult delivery.

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SomeSunnySunday · 22/06/2014 21:48

I had quite a big bump with DC1 - 8lb12 baby.

I had a really small bump with DC2 (had growth scans for this) - 8lb10 baby. So practically no difference. I don't think that bump size necessarily tells you all that much.

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beepbeep · 22/06/2014 21:47

I don't think they can really predict on size, DC2 was 10.1lb & my midwife said she hadn't suspected he would be that big. I think labour itself is what it is, I've had 3 dcs and their sizes haven't made any difference to the 'painfulness' of the births.

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GreenShadow · 22/06/2014 21:45

Well, don't know about big bumps/big babies, but from personal experience, I would say 3 small bumps resulted in 3 small babies,

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5madthings · 22/06/2014 21:41

Bump size doesn't mean much and estimated sizes from scans are notoriously inaccurate.

I had a small bump each time but big babies, my biggest was 10lb 13oz and his was the easiest birth.

Babies position can make a diff to Labour so Google optimal fetal positioning and you can encourage baby to be in a good position.

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WiggleGinger · 22/06/2014 21:37

Fear not!
At 25 weeks I measured 30 weeks!
Went for a scan
Baby measured 25 weeks
The issue?
Every midwife measures you their own way ( two in the same room at the same time can give you a 2-3cm difference, happened to my friend)
You might be carrying more weight. ( please don't think I'm being ride there) I'm carrying more weight.

I measured 4 weeks ahead with my first & had a 8lb 11oz baby at exactly 42 weeks. Vaginal birth. She & I were totally fine.
Don't worry OP. the centile chart is an average. We aren't all the same. Our babies won't be.

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Barbsta · 22/06/2014 21:37

My baby at scans always measures exactly if not a little below target and my last scan was 32 weeks but my bump never measured as much as it did at 38. I guess there is no way of knowing until the big day

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mssleepyhead · 22/06/2014 21:29

my bump is measuring 3cm ahead but when i went for a growth scan at the weekend baby was exactly bang on the average for 31 weeks, so i'm really hoping it's liquid or just his position or something : )

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Barbsta · 22/06/2014 21:27

Not knowing is killing me and if I go over by two weeks I'm estimated a 9 pound 4 baby :s scary for a first. I'm praying I'm closer to die date for an 8 pound baby but it's my first and that normally means you go over

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Cookiepants · 22/06/2014 21:19

With DS I had to turn sideways to squeeze through doors Grin he came out 7lb 4oz. I did however loose 24lb in labour! I felt lighter than air once discharged. Must have been fluids + placenta.

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