Tall dad - big baby?!

[TeddyIsaHe]

Dp and I are probably going to try for a baby next year (as long as it’s calmed down by then!!) and I’ve just panicked myself at the potential size of currently imaginary baby.

Dp is 6ft8 and I’m 5ft4. Dd (not dp’s) was 6lb11 at birth and tore me to ribbons, so I’m being put off the idea of a whopper before we’ve even got started.

Other side of the coin, I'm almost 6ft, EXH was 3" shorter than me, DD was 10lb!

My ex was 6ft4 and I'm 5ft9 and my DD only weight 6lb8.

Weighed*

I had that worry, but my consultant told me that its mums body who decided the babys size whilst pregnant, and dad only comes into it once they're born.
I'm assuming its much more complicated than that, but that's the gist of it.
My 2nd and 5th have different dads, with about a foot height difference between them, and they were both 7lb 5oz, so I'm inclined to believe it. (Number 1 was very prem, numbers 3 and 4 were twins, so not really comparable)

I was really worried about this when I was pregnant with my DSs. My DH is 6’8 too and I’m 5’10 so we are both tall. Both my boys were about 8 1/2 lbs and a bit longer than average when they were born so not super huge babies. DS1 was harder work than DS2 even though he was lighter and smaller, as he had a huge head but both were fine.

I’m 5’2 and dh is a foot taller. Two at 8lb6oz one at 9lb.

DH is 6ft 3 and I'm 5ft 5. Our baby was 6 pound 12. DH kept saying the baby would be huge but I was told the same as previous poster; mum's body decides the size of the baby so please don't worry too much

I'm 5'8 and DP is 6'2, baby born at 40 weeks weighing 9lb 2oz. I actually suffered less damage (2nd degree tear) and healed quicker (home after 9 hours, out for short walks from day 2) than friends with 6/7lb babies. Big doesn't always mean problems!

DH is 6ft4 and I’m 5ft2, DS was 6lbs 11oz. I worried about the same thing but worked out ok.

I have a tiny 7 month old born at 6lb 10 who is 0.4 centile.
I am 5ft 3, DH 6ft 3 and big rugby player build and I had GD!

Tearing doesn’t have a lot to do with size, more to do with how they come out. I wouldn’t give it a second thought. They’ll monitor growth and most areas scan at 36 weeks now (pandemic excluding) so any issues will get sorted out.

DD1 was 7lb 6oz

I am 5' DH 6'3", DD2 was 10lb 6oz, birth was fine despite being induced (again) but she was incredibly long/tall rather than wide or fat. Baby grows we're too short for her

There's a lot of factors that contribute to tearing other than baby being large, so I don't think just because you tore badly with a relatively small baby it means you'll be worse with a larger baby.

My son was 8lbs 15oz and I'm quite short and petite myself, yes, I tore, but nothing hideously bad. My partner is a foot taller than me.

My DH is 6ft, I’m 5ft3 and my son was born 2 weeks early weighing 8lbs 12oz so was a big baby although was long a opposed to particularly chubby. I had a section (due to other health issues not his size) so cant comment on any tearing issues!

Two children same parents. Father 5'10, mother 5'5. First child male 9lb 2oz and 60 cms long (2 foot long). Second child, male, same parents. 7lb 6oz and 54cms long. Try not to worry about what you can't control.

I think whilst their in the womb they only really grow to whats right for mums frame if that makes sense? But then once their out they get massive

My ex was 6'4 and i am 5'2. DD was 7lb 1oz yet DS was 4lb 14oz. They are 5 and 3 now and nearly the same size as each other so looking like DD will take after me and DS after his dad

My sister is 5 foot 2 and husband 6 foot 2. All of their kids are tiny and short. 4 were all between 7 pounds and last one was 9 pound 6. Which is big. My son was 9 pound 5, hes tall, but im 6 foot 6 and his dad 5 foot 7. Kids all have growth spirts differant times and birth weight means nothing really. I was 10 pounds when i was born. My sister was 7 pounds and shes taller.

Ooh yes reading PP DD ( 7lb 1oz ) was 49cm and DS ( 4lb 14oz ) was 29cm, he was tiny!

I am 5 foot and XH is 6' 2". However, the midwife told me when I was pg with DC1 that my own birth weight and my mother's birth weight played more of a role than anything else.

My mum is also 5 foot, and I was 10lb. She was 10lb plus when she was born, as were all her mother's (my maternal grandmother's) children. So this was not welcome news.

My DC were duly well over 10lb each. One horrendous vaginal delivery which almost killed us both. Though it might have been ok if it hadn't turned into back-to-back when I was two days overdue. Second one was blissfully straightforward ELCS.

Both DC are now 6 foot. One is built like a rugby player; the other is built like a greyhound. I think the heavier build of DC1 comes from XH, and DC2 comes from my family (my dad is also over 6 foot, but very slender).

My cousin is 5ft 2, her husband is 6ft3. Their first baby was 10lbs 12oz. They had a second baby four years later weighing 7 lbs 2oz. They were both boys, and both full term. I think sometimes your babies weight at birth is just totally random, and dosent always correlate to the size of the parents. I know it's hard but try not to worry!

Oh God, they were long as well. Neither fitted in the plastic crib thing. Head circumferences were both off the charts. It's all coming back to me. But, again, I don't think XH's height played much of a role in this. I think the women in my family just have enormous babies. I am quite convinced this is the defining thing. XH was married before, and the women in his first wife's family had average sized babies. Their three babies were all 6lb, give or take, and were average in length. His first wife was 5 foot 8 and generally heavily built.

Finally... whatever happens, OP, you will cope with it. You could mention your concerns in advance, especially if you tore badly. Nobody wants you to suffer.

DD1 was my biggest, 8lb12 so not huge but bigger than average. Very simple labour and recovery. She was however the length of a month old baby but had my small head. I'd be far more concerned about a large head vs baby potentially having long legs.

I’m 5’5” and DH is 6’2”. First child was born on his due date at 7lb4oz. Second baby was a week early and 8lb9oz. First baby was stuck with a shoulder dystocia and caused a third degree tear. Second one practically flew out and I only needed a couple of stitches.

Husband is 6'5 and I am under 5'3. He weighed 11.5lbs when born.

Our kids were both 7lb something and average length. Daughter is now tall for her age but son is average for his.

As PP said it's the mum generally that defines the size of the baby in utero.

Dont let it worry you!

My husband 6ft 3in I'm 5ft 6in and baby was 9lb 13oz, born on her due date