Big baby help please.

[Esmerelda123]

Hey guys!

I’m 35 +4 weeks, and have been having growth scans due to BMI. Baby has twice been on the 50th percentile but last two scans has been pointing up. So today they measured and said she’s 7lb 5. Femur measuring at 40 weeks, head 38 weeks and tummy 36 weeks. I didn’t have my regular consultant, I had a rather rude Reg. She sat me down and immediately went into shoulder dystocia. She went into great detail rather bluntly. Telling me the 3 plans of this and the consequences for baby including paralysis and death. I was so shocked, I’m a qualified nurse in ICU and have had post partum haemorrhages in due to this and knew a bit about this but she put it to me so bluntly and kept cutting me off when I asked questions. There was no midwife with us which there has been in the past. She then said they would just see me in two weeks. And if baby still big they’d discuss induction. I asked would a c section be safer, she made a face and never replied.

I’m not a bit panicked. I’m only 5ft2 with no GD. Has anyone some positive birth tales of babies measuring around the same weeks? Xx

No stories to tell but sounds like the doctor was incredibly unprofessional - and you already know that maybe give your midwife a call and relay the conversation and ask for some reassurances? Good luck x

I have just been through a very similar experience. I feel for you as the consultant who first saw me with my 36 week scan results scared the living daylights out of me highlighting the exact same issues as yours.

At 36 weeks my baby weighed around 8lbmark. Baby was measuring above 90th centile. I'm 5'5", BMI at booking was 22 and I was all bump.
I was reviled 2 weeks later and discussed with my usual consultant who is much more empathetic but also gives it to you straight with clear explanations. She said that according to NICE guidelines there is no reason to induce a larger baby however, it is clear that a larger baby can come with increased risks such as shoulders getting stuck. She took into account my previous two full term pregnancies and as I had had no complications she suspected I could manage it but had to inform me of the risks. I didn't feel pushed into induction but she did want to see me the following following my next scan.

Two weeks and a scan later I saw consultant again. Baby was measuring an eye watering 8lb 6oz at 38 weeks. (My two previous I had cooked to 41 weeks). She did not force me have an induction but due to additional health risk identified I opted for induction at 39 weeks which she was happy to book. My plan before new highlighted health risk was to accept induction at 40 weeks when I felt my cervix would be more favorable for a successful induction.

I went in at 39+2 for my induction. The consultant in duty came to see me and offered me a c section as another option. I said 'absolutely bloody not unless an emergency!' (In a more diplomatic way) which left me shocked! My induction was cancelled that day due to incoming emergencies.

Went back in at 39+2. Induction process was started. Had the pessary in for 9 hours. This kicked off mild contractions for a few hours. Waters broke naturally and went into spontaneous Labour. Gave birth 30 minutes later in the pool. An excellent experience. Best one out of all my births. Baby weighed 9lb 5oz. Was much easier to push out than the previous two. I got a graze but that was it. If you are able I would really recommend the pool.

I am really relieved I accepted induction as it worked out really well for me. I appreciate every ones scenario/experience is different but if you're looking for a positive story to help you along, you can take mine with you.

Do let know what you decide.

P.s. head and legs measuring at correct gestation, belly was off the scale. Baby was very portly when it arrived.

I'm 5' and tiny hipped, looked massive people asked me if it twins regularly. DC was 10lb6oz hugely long legs birth was fine despite being induced, only one stitch as the tiny nick was bleeding a fair amount.

No late scans offered! Not for subsequent babies either.

Wow, great work @RandomMess!

5ft 1 here. Have had two. One at 41 weeks 11lbs 2 (emergency c sec after 42 hours of labour) and 10lbs 7 at 39 weeks elective c sec. i was refused an elective with my first (but Medway is generally rather crap). I changed hospitals for my second.

I had a similar conversation at a growth scan at 40 weeks where i was told baby was over 9lb "but you know it could be 10% more or less, if its 10% more and we let you continue then XYZ"

Scared the shit out of me. Really affected my labour (2 days later no induction) Baby was 9lb1 and came out ok. But i freaked out because of how it had been spoken about my mw was very cross about it

Oh and i am 5ft size 8/10

Thanks for your stories everyone! The female body is an amazing thing!

I think I’m now more stressed that it’s all I’ll think about during labour- I’ve had no fear up til now I know our bodies are designed for this. I can’t imagine how much bigger she’ll get in another 5 weeks!!
I’ve actually been doing Weigh to Healthy pregnancy and have been quite sick- I’m 1kg less than my booking weight and my bump is 34! It’s hard to believe she’s the weight I was when full term already! Xx

I'm 5`5 and my baby was 9lb 2oz and I only needed forceps, mostly as I was exhausted after the ridiculous 36 hours she took. They never told me scaremongering stories and it was my first baby too.

So medical professionals need a refresher course in the fact patients are in fact humans with emotions and feelings!

She sounds awful complain to midwife re her bluntness she shouldn’t be scaring people
My sister had an 11lb pv no issues (grazing and needed some stitches but baby fine
They think she had gestational diabetes that wasn’t picked up on gtt
Her other 2 were 9/10lb also
My heaviest at 5’2, was 9lb 5oz then 8lb 13 both big boys but also born without issue.
It’s good to know the risks but not like she did I’m a nurse as well and the pre natal midwife I had was awful and unkind

I understand they wanted to inform me of the risks, she just said it all so bluntly and didn’t allow me to ask questions. She had already annoyed me before the scan, as the week prior the midwife had noticed a missed beat on Doppler and asked me to get Dr to review it. She no joke, did not let me finish my sentence and shut me down saying no no no midwives are obsessed with missed beats and it’s nothing they’re usually gone at birth. Which then annoyed me again as she was putting the ‘midwives’ down! I don’t know if there was some cultural issues, some Drs I work with are actually nice it’s just not their norm to be empathetic with medical news they lay it all out bluntly and it’s often embarrassing giving bad news with them. I feel like that was the case today. I think I’ll ring and check it won’t be her at the next appointment! X

My son measured big throughout the end stages of my pregnancy- no GD.

I was offered a section at about 36 weeks to happen at 39 weeks due to his size or an induction at 38 weeks if I wanted.

In the end I had to have a section at 38 weeks for totally different reasons and he weighed 8lbs 12oz so a big baby.

My consultant said I would have been fine to deliver via induction as he was big but not too big for delivery in her opinion so I would suggest speaking to another consultant for a second opinion, but be prepared for the suggestion of an early induction or section. I’m 5ft3 so similar height to you but his dad is tall.

For what it’s worth I would choose a section if I had a second baby as had a failed induction but it’s personal preference!

No advice other than to say from personal experience growth scans are a load of BS. 4 times I was measured to have a 10th centile tiny baby.,.. he was 75th centile when born. Wouldn’t ever trust them again

I was told I'd be delivering a 11lb baby. Was induced early. He was 8.12. I wouldn't listen tbh it is in no way an exact science.

I had a 10lb and 9lb baby. Don’t worry about any of it. Both times I was told I was measuring small!

I had a similar issue. I rang the ward and asked to speak to a pma midwife. She said she would ensure I saw the consultant next time and she came to the appointment with me. Consultant was cross with the junior dr as it said on my notes that I should only see him in clinic (complex issues).

I eventually agreed to a section at 39 weeks. I had a vbac at 38+1 and my baby was 8lb 11oz. Growth scan was accurate with a slight under estimate.

At clinic you can ask to just see the consultant.

turnthebiglightoff how early were you induced? Babies put on a pound a week at the end of pregnancy.

I was in a country where they didn't do the growth scans (or maybe just because it was so long ago). I had a huge bump, and was 2 weeks late, but the phrase I remember is "a big bump does not mean a big baby".

DS was induced, turned out to be 11lbs6, delivered naturally but with forceps, and suffered mild shoulder distocia.

So, I feel like we had a narrow escape. But the point is, it was all fine in the end.

I was given a c section because multiple scans suggested dc might be 10lb 13oz (I was being scanned a lot during the last month).
She was 8lb 6oz. Usually these threads show that the scan estimates aren’t accurate, but even a stopped clock is right twice a day..
(My consultant was German and extremely brusque. I was just told exactly what would happen. He didn’t want any potential legal shot show, so cs it was.)

Measuring babies is a rather inexact science. Lots of good info in this article - it's US based but many of the same ideas apply.

evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-for-induction-or-c-section-for-big-baby/

I had growth scans throughout due to BMI too, i think at 36 weeks i had a scan and consultant appt who were nonplussed but talked about induction, i mentioned my fear or shoulder dystocia and they basically booked me in for a section there and then. I was of the opion that if i went into labour naturally i would give it a go. I had the section and it was absolutely fine.
I had a fear of shoulder dystocia from the day they gave me the leaflets about high bmi pregnancies (scared the shit out of me)
I never had a midwife in with the consultant appt but i did speak to one late on who said that if you have no complications (Gd etc) then your body will rarely grow what can't be passed .
My baby was predicted to be 10lbs+ but was 9lb2, so still big. It was a massive relief to know i chose the safest delivery for me and my baby.

If you're worried can you contact your community midwife to discuss all the options?

I was always measuring big and had lots of additional scans. I'm only 5'1 and dc was 9lb 4ozs. The labour was very long but I don't think that was necessarily due to size. I did end up with a forceps delivery, but we were both fine.

No indication of a big baby here yet she was 11lb 7oz. Had her in the pool with just G&A. I was very glad I had no idea as a) they wouldn't have allowed me to birth on the midwife led unit and b) I would have been anxious. As it was it all went fine and was a much easier birth than my first. Good luck

I had an ELCS due to baby measuring big - predicted 12lbs - in the event he was 10.5lbs with a massive head and broad shoulders. I didn’t really want a c-section but I would have regretted it if something had gone wrong with the birth that I could have avoided. The balance of risks with a c-section I felt more comfortable with.

@selfsettling3 only 1 day - I insisted on waiting til 39 weeks then they changed the date. They wanted to induce at 37 weeks.