Induction for big baby?

[TalkingIntoTheEther]

Hi,

I'm looking for experiences of women who were told they were likely having a big baby. I had a growth scan at 36+3 (ironically because my bumb was measuring small) yesterday and was told estimated fetal weight is 8lb7/3.8kg which seems to be 97th centile. Dr is suggesting induction at 39-40 weeks. If you were measuring big before the birth -

1. at what gestation did you give birth?
2. was it spontaneous or induced/CS?
3. how much did your baby weigh when he/she was born?

I didn't have any growth scans with DC1 who came spontaneously at 40+6 weighing 8lb4, which is big but not huge, and am feeling a bit frazzled by it all right now. Due to see my midwife in 2 weeks to discuss so trying to pass the time by reading others' anecdotes

TIA!

My friend was told the baby was "too big" and induction suggested at 35+ish weeks. However they didn't end up having enough beds so she gave birth full term. The baby was a normal size, if slightly small. It's not that precise! Don't panic and congratulations x

I will be watching this thread with interest as I am currently in exactly the same situation at 37 weeks!

This is my first baby so even compare with any previous children 😩

A friend was induced a couple of weeks ago due to her baby measuring big, I think it was about 3 weeks before her due date. The doctor was completely baffled when she delivered a 6lb 2 baby.

On the flip side I was big for dates with my first the whole way through and wasn't offered any intervention. Gave birth to Ds who was 9lb 8 and far too big for my body to cope with, ds2 was elective cs as a result.

The growth scans are absolute rubbish in my experience. Most friends who were told they were having big babies had 7lb-ers in the end. I on the other hand was told DS would be 9lb at birth and he was over 11lb. Thankfully I was having a CS anyway. Apparently they have a 20% margin for error, which seems ridiculous with all the technology available.

I was told for my first by midwife that it was all normal size etc etc. I then had a fairly large baby (9lb9) naturally. When midwife care round to do checks she said “I knew it was gonna be big but didn’t want to scare you” !
Ok so next time I was pregnant I also had gestational diabetes (looking back I may have had it with number 1 but was never confirmed) and was informed that I’d definitely be having a large baby and that I would definitely need to be induced.
Went in at 38 weeks to be induced was told baby would be ten pounds plus. Induction was awful. Took days and days of nothing I got very emotional and upset. Finally went into labour at over 39 weeks and had a 9lb 7 baby.
I reckon the induction was a mistake as he was smaller than my first and the whole induction process was awful.
Birth wise, I’ve since has two smaller babies and I honestly don’t think the size has much of a difference pain wise at least.

As an extra note I was ALSO induced with my fourth (due to gd at 38 weeks) and it worked straight away. If anything it worked too well because I had a v short labour which was by far the most painful. And she was the smallest

Would like to mention first was 17 years ago so I know things have moved on technologically since then!

My 2nd was born 9lb 8oz I never had growth scans or anything so until he was born didn't actually know how much he weighed I'd say compared to my 1st who was 7lb 11 it still hurt as much lol both natural births. I think it's daft that they actually tell you an est weight on growth scans as it gets you in a panic they are going to be massive when in some cases it's the opposite. I'm 30+5 now and had my 3rd growth scan baby is approx 4lb 2oz now so he's looking like he's going to be a big one like my last... Sonographer said possible induction to be discussed with consultant but they won't do it before or on 37 weeks as likelyhood of it actually working isn't great around then. You can refuse to be induced of course its your body and at 39/40 weeks I'd say chances of baby coming naturally is good. X

Measured big at 36 week scan.. didn't seem to be a problem.
Natural delivery at 41 weeks
Homebirth.
10lb 3 baby 😬
All was fine though.

I refused induction for my big baby (10lb 6). Having researched it, I felt the risks outweighed the benefits and that it was natural birth or straight to caesarean for me.

Also had another ten pounder at home with no intervention

Thanks everyone, its really helpful to hear others' experiences. My biggest concern with an induction is your experience spoons, I really don't want to be in hospital for days with nothing going on. Also would really like to avoid a CS if possible, although Dr assured me there isn't a greater chance of that if you are induced rather than go into spontaneous labour.

cat I feel your pain, I've had really conflicting advice from healthcare professionals as to the accuracy of the estimation which has made me feel a bit out a sea. Have you been advised to have an induction? What weigh have they estimated for you?

Growth scans are not accurate and you had an average size baby already
Ask your doctor what are the risks they are worrying about and what are the odds.
Then evaluate the risks of an induction

Then make your decision

prosecco if you don't mind me asking, what were the risks that you specifically felt outweighed (ha!) the benefits? The Dr i spoke to was very dismissive of my questions about length of labour etc, although she did produce some evidence to say there was no link between induction and assisted delivery (im trying to avoid CS if possible as DC1 was a vaginal delivery).

Tonight twelve years ago I went in to be induced on my first as I was measuring big and was induced at my due date (23rd). I was a big baby and all my family have had caesarians so I was brought in to give me a good chance at delivering vaginally. I delivered the morning of 23 a regular 8lbs 1 baby. Not the 12 pound monster I thought was coming!

My 2nd was flirting with 95th centile throughout pregnancy - low papp-A meant serial growth scans at 28, 32 and 36 weeks.

Got induced at 38+2 weeks and needed a ventouse (similar to my 6 lb 13 but all leg 1st baby).

Baby was 8lb (and long - did not fit newborn vests) -but seriously glad we induced when we did because he probably would have sat in there growing at 1lb/week which would have been 10lb at term and would have needed a CS to extract.

Reckon he was measuring big because of length as much as anything - All scrunched up. Still relatively short legs and nearly as broad as his 4yo sister!

I'm expecting my first baby soon and the last 2 scans showed estimated weight at 3lb 9 (27+5) and then 4lb 14 (31+5). Despite being overweight myself, my blood pressure has been constantly normal, not massive weight gain and no gestational diabetes but I don't feel like there's much in the way of water and they've been in pretty much the same position for the past few weeks. I'm seeing a consultant too (mainly mental health reasons) and we discussed induction and or C-sections at the last appointment. I'm so, so nervous and scared of delivering a big baby plus I'm only 5ft and there genuinely doesn't feel like enough space to grow much more! Combined with incredibly painful SPD, I'm just anxious about it all.

When I was measured 4 weeks ago baby was estimated to weigh 4lb 13 so that's an increase of almost 4lb, which concerns me as i thought 1/2 lb per week was normal at this point. I asked the antenatal clinic DR about fetal growth being in 'fits and starts' and whether it was worth another scan in 2 weeks but she said that's not how they grow and if baby had dropped down the centiles at the next scan they would want to induce because of low/static growth. So even if last measurement was some weird anomaly im now on the induction care pathway!

lizzie not sure if its any help but my midwife told me bigger babies are easier to birth as there is more force behind them. She said small babies can be harder to get out as they require more pushing from the mother. She told me this before my current predicament so it wasn't in the context of trying to reassure me.

Yes, the consultant was worried he was too big (but the sonographer disagreed) and I ended up being induced at 42 weeks as I refused to be induced earlier.
He was 9.13 at birth but it was all length. He never developed the baby chub and remains a tall-ish skinny boy.

Please read NICE guidelines. A big baby is not a reason to be pushed for an induction xx

Yes...read the NICE guidelines. They now say that "large baby" is not a reason for induction. Growth scans can have a discrepancy of 15% at this point (and I've seen some much more!)

I had my big baby on Wednesday. He was 10lb 10oz and I had an ELCS. Not the right choice for everyone but I'm pleased with my decision. I was very anxious about the risks of vaginal delivery. He was born at 39 weeks exactly due to reduced movements. He's perfect.

I was induced at 39+5 for "big baby". Not that any investigation was undertaken as to why it might be a big baby, mind you.

Six weeks of stress, extra scans and a 19 hours labour and emergency section later, he was 8lb 15oz and most of it is legs. I am absolutely furious about the whole thing as if I hadn't been so stressed and miserable I wouldn't have ended up with an emergency section.

If there's a next time very serious conversations will be had about applying some fucking logic to the likelihood of someone who was a long skinny baby, married to someone who was a long skinny baby producing in turn an equally long skinny baby. And I'm not being induced again either.

Thanks everyone, that's really helpful, particularly as baby's legs were measuring big at my previous scan and my partner is tall and slim. Also, when I had previously discussed big babies with my community midwife she said they no longer induced for this reason, which is why I was so surprised it was brought up at my most recent scan, and when I mentioned what I had previously been told the doctor dismissed it.

I will read up on the NICE guidelines and have a chat with my community midwife at my 38wks appointment.