Big baby growers what advice were you given and what did you do?

[ILiveForNachos]

Hi,

First baby was 10lb 2oz (estimated
8lbs). This baby is expected to be bigger (bump size off the chart, although I know it can be wildly innacurate, extra scan booked at 36 weeks. Midwife guestimation is baby between 11-12.5lbs by the chart it would be 14lbs+ 😂!). I’m also nearly 40....

For those of you who knew you were having big babies, what advice were you given and what did you decide to do?

I fought tooth and nail for a c section. Would recommend doing the same to anyone else expecting a whopper.

I found that female health professionals (GP, midwives) were very understanding about my request. The asshole male consultant who had to sign off on it was less so - very dismissive and clearly added me to the 'too posh to push' stereotype in his head. He made me see a mental health specialist to discuss my 'birth fears' before he would sign off. Luckily the specialist was a woman who totally understood why I wanted the c section!

The consultant also gave the rationale that the only thing that matters is head circumference. If the head is within normal size and can fit through the pelvis, then everything else is squashy enough to follow it through. Bastard.

My first was 11lb 6.5oz and delivered at 42 weeks by emergency c section. When I was pregnant with my second, I had growth scans every 2 weeks from 32 weeks, but wasn't given any specific advice. They did check me twice for GD, but both tests were negative. I was considering a VBAC but decided to have an elective c section, mainly as my EDD was Christmas Day and I didn't want to go over as I did with my first. Once I had decided to have a section I found the consultant to be very supportive. Although DD2 was expected to be bigger than DD1, she was actually only 9lb 12, so I'd take bump size and scan measurements with a pinch of salt

I found out DD2 was on the larger side at 38.5 weeks and was asked to consider a C section because the consultant was concerned about shoulder dystocia.
However, when I went into labour early the midwife was very pro-natural delivery and I felt like she was delaying calling the surgical team until it would be too late I think it was only due to reading similar on Mumsnet that I raised it and insisted! Just as well.. DD was even bigger than predicted and I lost 4-5 pints of blood, scary times

Our friends had a big baby (11lbs) and was made to have a c section. She’s really happy with that decision!!

It's tricky my 2nd was 10lb 6oz and I'm only 5' and pre children teeny tiny size 6-8 hips..,

It was all utterly fine, had more big babies all without injury or bladder issues etc 🤷🏽‍♀️

Thank you ladies. I definitely don’t want an induction but the thought of having a c-section, not being able to drive, pick my daughter up for hugs etc and generally be a bit stuck resting up makes me not want one. I didn’t even really notice I’d given birth after my first so it would be really different.

I definitely don’t want an induction though so my options seem to be wait for natural and hope for the best (with monitoring if over due date, daughter was a week late....) or ask for an elective c-section.

It’s so helpful to read about your experiences so thank you.

Go for a section. My 9lb baby git stuck due to her size so my hat goes off to anyone with a larger baby

I was induced (post due date) with all mine and it was fine delivered unassisted, it is such a lottery. With my biggest they were adamant she wasn't big and I measured small for dates! Loads of fluid and huge placenta too

My little one was 10lb 12oz and was born by emergency caesarean at 42 weeks after an induction and 24 hours of labour. My midwife told me afterwards that she thought the baby was going to be over 10lbs but didn’t want to scare me!!!
So I wasn’t given any real advice but with hindsight I wish that I had had an elective caesarean as the whole experience was extremely traumatic!

Once you've delivered a 10lber it's unlikely future ones will get stuck as your pelvis by default must be the suitable shape?

I did worry what if I had a boy with whopping broad shoulders! Mine were all very long rather than chunky.

Thanks @randomness. My 10lb 2er was all length but this one is a boy so thinking the same!! It’s so tricky.

Ds was predicted to be 95th centile. The consultant was happy feme to crack on with my plan to have a vbac. She was of the opine that size was one of many reasons vb doesn't go to plan, not the only reason. I ended up having a 9lb baby (so not big in my family) who was so stuck I had a midwife holding me down while the surgeon wrenched him out of me during the emcs I chose over having them drag him out of my vag.

I had an ‘elective’ c section at 39 weeks. DS was 11lb 6oz. They were spot on with their prediction.

Though similarly to PP - male consultant said the words “medium sized people only make medium sized baby’s, you’re going to be fine” at 32 weeks.

At 37 weeks they couldn’t input DS’ measurements on the ultrasound as he was too giant. Second female consultant said my hips would likely be too narrow to deliver!

My first was an emcs after i failed to progress, delivered weighing 9lb. Thankfully my 2nd was transverse so a vbac which midwives were pressuring me towards turned into an elcs at 38 weeks, dc2 weighed 10.9lbs. It was only when pregnant with dc3 that they monitored me for gd, which was negative, dc3 delivered by elcs weighing 9.14lbs at 38 weeks. Eventually the consultants at the hospital just concluded that i grow big babies, dc4 was delivered by elcs at 38 weeks weighing 11.6lbs. Dont be put off by an elcs, i had dc4 10 weeks before my 40th birthday, recovery can be straight forward as long as you take it very easy for the first couple of weeks.

DS was 10lb at 42 weeks, induced but born naturally with no major problems. I'm having growth scans this time and they've said they'll offer an ELCS if the 38 week scan looks like being >10lb already, but I'm not hugely keen on that so am just hoping for an earlier induction. Also had to have GTT and probably some more glucose monitoring later on.

Two 10lbers here. ds1 was induced on his due date but induction failed and i didn't go in to labour so ended up having a c-section. Ds2 arrived by planned c-section 8 days early. I hoped for a vbac with ds2 but my consultant wouldn't entertain it as I was high risk.

Oh yes I had to have gluten tolerance tests both times but both times negative.

DC1 was ‘only’ 9lb but her instrumental birth left me with birth injuries and I therefore requested, and was granted, an elcs for DC2. I went into spontaneous labour at 38+6 but still got my CS. DC2 was 11lb 9oz and as the consultant stitched me up he leant over the screen to congratulate me, and tell me that I’d done the right thing requesting the section because he wouldn’t have come out any other way.

Incidentally, it’s policy in most PCTs to refer women who request ELCS to the perinatal mental health team for counselling. It doesn’t mean that your consultant thinks you are crazy.

Thank you all for taking the time to comment. It really is massively helpful. I feel like I'm closer to know what I want my birth plan to look like and be able to confidently discuss it at my next consultant appointment.

I just wish this baby stuff was more straight forward!

I asked male consultant if we could discuss the option of a c section & he booked it during that consultation. No referral to mental health.

that was DC1 & NHS.

I've had 4 babies, 2 of which were 9lbs 10oz and 10 lbs 2oz. At no stage was the size of either of them picked up. They were my 2nd and 4th children respectively. I was deemed low risk with the former and everyone seemed reluctant to deviate from that so checks were fairly cursory. I was technically consultant led for the 4th, but that was due to my age and despite my repeatedly querying the size of my massive, moving every-which-way bump, no one spotted it (I didn't see the same midwife twice with him, and they measured differently).

Fortunately, both births were straightforward (water for both and home birth for the 9lbs 10oz) and her birth was the easiest of all of mine - 6 mins start to finish with very gentle contractions followed by an utterly bewildering half hour! Midwife did say that 2nd births are often easier than the first so I hope that proves to be the case for you. Some stitches but I'd had those with my first (8lbs 5) and they were in the same place.

The other thing I would say, purely from hearsay, is that they're not always right about size. Friend of mine was recently induced for whopper and she turned out to be dinky. My third child was my first boy and he was 9 days late and 8lbs 13, so much smaller than his sister who was only a day late. Still no idea what happened with no's. 2 & 4, I do wonder if I'd had GD, but test was never offered as no one thought they were particularly big.

Hope you find the right plan for you and good luck!

That should say 6 hours.

Not entirely sure if 6 mins would be good or bad!!

Just to say as well, don't be put off about the recovery time from a section. I was able to pick both of my DDs up the day after they were born, was out walking with the pram 4 days after DD2s birth and was driving within 2-3 weeks. An elective section is also a much calmer experience than an EMCS - we were listening to Carol's from King's during DD2s delivery.

I was offered a section at 38 for my son, I said no and took an induction which failed and after 3 days they gave up trying and I had a section at 38.3, he was 10lbs, due DS 2 in June and take the ELCS this time