How do I know if I'm having a large baby ?

[jaykay34]

Sorry...this will largely be a panicky, hormonal, last minute worries posting...but I need some reassurance.

I am pregnant with third child...previous two are twins - so was basically monitored and scanned relentlessly in previous pregnancy.

I am 36 weeks and my last scan was at 21 weeks..I actually had two scans at this stage as baby had a large abdomen (95th centile) and other measurements were slightly larger (70th centile)...this then led to a GD check which came to nothing...at the time my MW just said "perhaps hes gonna be big".

At my last 3 midwife apts my fundal height measurement has been spot on for how many weeks I am. I asked my midwife if he was big and she said "feels about right"...although how she can tell through my abdomen doesn't convince me.

I get a lot of movement from him still and he feels enormous...he seems to take up every space inside me !!

My twins were born at 38 weeks and were 6.9 and 6.8 lbs so I am expecting him to be bigger. All of the singleton babies in mine and my partners families have been between 8 and 10 lbs.

Is it possible that he could be huge and it would go unnoticed...or would this have been picked up at this stage ?

8-10lbs isn't actually that huge these days. Are you planning a vaginal delivery and what are your particular concerns.

My no.3 was a shade of 9lb and was a very easy birth. It isn't really about size, more head circumference and positioning.

My DS2 was nearly 11lbs (born at 42 weeks) and nobody spotted that he was going to be huge. I measured perfectly for dates all along, and there was nothing in the scans.

I had a water birth with just gas and air, and it was far easier than giving birth to DS1 (who was 2lb lighter, but was induced and had to be pulled out with the ventouse).

I had this too. I though Dd was going to be big and she was. To be honest though I would have been shit scared if I knew how big she was going to be beforehand. Maybe ignorance is bliss. Do you think it will change your birth plan?

DD was 10lbs 2 and she was by far the easiest if this helps.

I don't think they can tell. I was told DD2 felt huge just before I went to theatre for ELCS. She was under 7lb.

Our pfb was 8lb 6oz. Our 19 day old precious second born was 9lb 14ozs. He was far, far easier to deliver!

My midwife was pretty much spot on at guessing the weight of both my DDs. One just over 7lb, and the other just under.

I think it's hard to know. There were people in my antenatal class going for extra scans as they were measuring big and midwives thought they might have big babies - none came out over 8lb. On the other hand, I had a very neat bump, measured normally for dates and ended up with a baby just over 9lb. I measured small for dates with dd2 and was sent for extra scans - she was 8lb. Had forceps with dd1 but that was down to position. Dd2 flew out....

Thanks for your replies...I guess I will just have to wait and see . I am just feeling panicked about labour.

First birth with the twins...was induced at 38 weeks...after 30 hours...twin 1 was born by forcep delivery (had no urge to push due to tiredness and countless epidural top ups) ...in which time, twin 2 went into transverse and was given an emergency caesarian with him. So this birth is classed as a Vbac.

My first MW (who is now on long term leave) was really positive about Vbac..as were the initial consulting team that I met. However my new midwife and the consultant I saw at my 36 week appointment were a bit more...negative/realistic perhaps...and have basically said it's not worth it if there's any issues that will make delivery difficult as it will probably end up being a EMCS.

So I'm now envisaging that I am having a massive baby that won't be able to pass through my pelvis properly and I will end up being in labour for days with a 3rd degree tear...or an EMCS again .

I am aware that there are other issues that they could be referring to...I've just got this large baby scenario in my head.

Stupid, I know .

It's no stupid at all. This is the point where my sleeplessness kicked in and I started worrying about everything.
Would you be upset if you ended up having an EMCS again?

No I wouldn't be upset if I had a caesarian again...I have just generally felt really positive about the vbac and up until recently I felt really relaxed about the birth.

My last birth had been really traumatic and not what I expected at all...so I was suprised at how calm I was feeling this time round. Also...the first consultant team had dug out my old notes and discussed what had gone wrong first time round and felt that as there had been one normal delivery... this should be a textbook vbac, so I was massively reassured.

Following my latest 36 week consultant check, I now feel quite deflated and am thinking of all the problems that might occur. And because there is no need for further scans, I have this giant, stuck baby fixation !!

It has helped immensely to write this down on here because I have realised it sounds ridiculous.