Big baby after small baby?

[weebairn]

My last baby was a six pounder a week overdue. Healthy and bonny but just quite small.

I've been feeling like this one is a bit bigger, but my bump measurements are reasonably similar - recently measured 36.5cm at 36 weeks - last time I measured maybe 1 or 2 cm under throughout.

Had a scan yesterday due to reduced movement - all fine with baby happy to say. However they did say baby was 6 lb 12 oz already and I'm only 37 weeks! Is it going to be huge at term? Will it be harder to birth? I had a straightforward but quite long and intense labour last time, was really really hoping it might be quicker and easier this time. As if I didn't have enough reasons to be jealous of people who come early!! Are these weight estimates from scans even accurate?

I keep telling boyfriend I'm not bothered about having a big baby, but being honest, I am a bit taken aback by all this! I have a cupboard of small baby clothes ready from last time and I still have a undersized toddler...

Anyone had a big baby after a small one? Or shall I just assume it will probably be a similar size to my first anyway and scan measurements mean nothing?

My first baby was 7lb 3oz, dc2 was born 11 months later 8lb 9oz but labour was easier and quicker to push out, he was only in new born clothes for a week tho. Dc6 was 10lb and got a little stuck but I would be very surprised if yours was that big.

Why are 2nd babies usually bigger, out of interest? Does anyone know?

I don't think I'm going to get up to 6 children loudarts!!
Thanks for saying 2nd labour was easier with bigger baby, that's helpful to hear!

Scans are highly inaccurate so take the measurement with a huge tub of salt.
To whoever asked - second babies aren't always bigger. It only applies if the second baby is a boy, and the average weight increase is 3.5oz. There have been studies about this but I'm too lazy to look it up and I'm sure you can google it.

My first baby was 7lb 3oz and my second was 11lbs!! And we are trying for a third I am just hoping it's no bigger!

DS was 6lb 1oz and then DD was 7lb 11oz which felt quite a bit bigger. Her birth was much easier though - with DS I had forceps, large blood loss and got sewn up in theatre afterwards. DD just came out

All my babies were relatively small. The weights did go up with each baby for the first 3 - 5lb 9oz, 5lb 15oz, 6lb 12oz then my fourth was 6lb 7oz. The only birth I needed assistance for was the 5lb 9oz baby! Subsequent births are more often than not easier even though babies are usually slightly bigger as you have done it before and your body "remembers" what it needs to do.

DS1 was 5lbs 9oz and induced at 39+4 because of reduced growth. He was back to back and finally delivered by rotational forceps in theatre.

DS2 measured 50th centile all the way and was born 39+5 at 8lbs 6oz. Second stage of labour recorded in my notes as 6 minutes so yes- much much easier

Wow Natalie - were they born at the same gestation?

Glad to hear the 2nd births are generally easier anyway! Lots of my friends seem to assume I had a really easy first birth because it was at home and she was small, but it was pretty bloody long and painful!! 30 hours of contractions and what felt like hours and hours in transition, though pushing stage was fairly quick and straightforward when I finally got there. Always feel like I can't complain at all though when people have had forceps etc

I think I might just try and ignore the scan weight estimate as greatjoan advises...

My first and second were precisely the same weight at birth (7lb 12oz). DD1 was born at 41 weeks and DD2 at 40+3 so not that different in terms of gestation.

DD2 always looked much bigger on scans. Agree with the "take it with a tub of salt" brigade!

Oh and my second birth was way easier. Very different - and I found the contractions late on pretty nasty, but delivery was much easier.

Good luck!

My mw is rather about 6 lb babies being classed "small" ... as you say they are average and healthy! And on 40-45th percentile on growth scans. But scans vary wildly. As do warnings ... I got told at 37 weeks I had a "tiny" 6 lb baby ... of course by 40 weeks she'll be an average 7 lb.
If she was even 6 lb ... there's a 1 lb margin of error each way!

Well… smallish. Like a 9lb baby isn't off the charts or anything, but it's biggish.

Probably I just want to use my teeny dino babygrows again

Dd1-7lb 6
Dd2-7lb 13
Ds1-10lb 8!!
Dc4 god knows but I'm afraid, very afraid

I'm 35 weeks now and having growth scans it looking like it's on course to be another big one. I know I said I'm afraid but in all honesty the birth of Ds was fine I had no intervention or stitches it wasn't any different to pushing out the smaller ones and we had no idea until his head was out how big he actually was.

Ds1 was 11 days late and ds2 was 9 days late so pretty much the same gestation! Just a very big boy!