Big baby

[KittyKat2020]

So for the last four weeks my baby has been measuring big, there is no diabetes and everything’s been normal. Been for a scan today and he has put on 9oz in three days!!!!
Obstetrician thinks I’ll need an instrument birth and I’m dead against this so looking to have an elective Caesarian. To top it off his also breech.
Anyone else had this as it’s stressing me out, I really wanted a natural water birth so I’m pretty down about it. I’m worried I’ll take forever to heal and it’ll ruin my breastfeeding plans.

Hi OP. My first baby was estimated at 9lb 5 at his last scan. By then I was 10 days overdue. I did not want to be induced, so had a bit of a wobbler and asked for a c section. They did it the next day. He was actually 10lb 5 so it was a good call.

I see a lot of people say giving birth to a big baby isn't necessarily much worse. But for me personally, having been told for months "aren't you measuring big" did nothing for my confidence and I went into it thinking "I can't do this". I do believe a lot of it is to do with positive mental attitude and all that mamarkey, but then there are factors like a breach birth that all the positivity in the world can't put right.

I knew I wanted a c section long before my baby started measuring big. I would have been very happy to not be there for the birth at all to be honest! I'm not very brave at all.

I found my first c section surprisingly calm and relaxed - not what I was expecting at all. In fact, it went so well I went back for another last Friday 😊 Baby was measuring big again this time too - off the charts in fact - but she was 9lb 1. Just goes to show they can be smaller as well as bigger.

As for the covid stuff, my partner was allowed to stay with me while I waited to go into theatre, for the operation itself, and for 3 hours afterwards since we had a side room in which to recover. Again, it was all very calm and relaxed - not that much different than the first to be honest. He did have to leave when we went down to they maternity ward at 1.30pm. I thought it would be awful but it wasn't at all. You have a buzzer and the nurses helped me so much. I think I actually got more sleep this time as I didn't feel guilty about DP having to sit in a chair all night. Then I was out by 10.30am.

If you want a c section, push for it. I found once I got past the midwives, the consultant was very amenable. My 2nd pregnancy was consultant led and at the initial meeting he just asked me to what my preference was - that was it.

Wish you all the best OP.

Oh and as far as recovery is concerned, I'm doing great. Just sitting up first thing in bed I'm really careful about so as not to strain my abdominal muscles, but I've been careful to keep on top of my pain relief and rinse the pain wound twice a day and pay with a clean dry towel. I find it more comfortable to wear a big old granny sanitary towel draped across it in my big old granny pants, just in case our toddler bumps into me, but I've had very little pain.

I was worried about milk too but had to get up in the night last night to see express as I had more milk than our little girl could keep up with!

At 32 (or even 35) weeks, it's still possible that the baby will turn from breech

@sunshinepasta My second baby was 9lb 8oz too. Same with just gas and air and a few stitches. Was much easier than my first 7lb baby, long labour and pushing for England!

I had a big baby at 10lb 1oz, I had an elective csection at 38.5 weeks. This was my choice, consultants tried to talk me out of it and explained that natural labours can be safe experiences despite baby being big.

I made my choice for personal reasons, though breastfeeding was initiated straight after our csection when in recovery.

My baby was seen to be big at 22 weeks he was 4lb, I had a growth scan due to bleeding.

My friends baby gained a lot in a short space of time but was 8lb and lovely and healthy

So I had an emergency section. First the did actually put the epidural in the wrong place and my leg went all numb and I couldn't move it, so they had to redo it. It meant that one side of my body remained more numb than the other and was really weird ... afterwards I had a post Dural puncture and got the worst headache I've ever experienced when I sat up (fine when lying down). Tramadol had no effect. But it was easily fixed with a second procedure that didn't take long and there are no long lasting effects. However I don't think you have an epidural when you have an elective, I think they do the anaesthesia properly - I don't know the difference but when they did mine and then took me into theatre for the section they said as I already had the epidural they would use that for the anaesthetic rather than do it separately. Worth investigating.

The actual procedure recovery was fine - I couldn't bear to look at the scar for ages and I got an infection but it was very mild and cleared up with antibiotics. I recommend showering twice per day, and leaving the area to air dry. The scar is fine and I was ready to drive and do everything else long before I had the six week checkup that signed me off to do so.
I think a planned one is even better because you do it in the morning and you are well rested and prepared for the day and I think that makes a big difference to recovery.

Also my mum came to stay for three weeks and served me three meals a day and cleaned my house. It was lovely.

Good luck. Oh also DD was supposed to be huge and she was 8 and a half pounds so nowhere near the ten pounder they all flapped about. I had the section because I was induced and not progressing and she started to get a little distressed. It was really easy actually when I hear the stories of other people's tears etc 1 the post Dural puncture was without a doubt the worst part.

I was hit far harder by the shock of having a new born and not sleeping to be honest - I think I was shell shocked for the first month and there is no way I would have been interested in doing anything other than sleeping and lying on the sofa. Nothing to do with section, everything to do with being a first time mum and having no sleep ever.

32 weeks is still pretty early - much more likely to turn than to stay breech so you’re still likely to have some choice! Generally if you’re not diabetic and baby is head down then CS would only be recommended if baby is estimated over 5kg, and up for discussion short of that.
Three weeks out is pretty extreme though, I’m surprised they haven’t paid attention to that? Assume you mean you think you’re 35 weeks. That would potentially make quite a big difference to planned delivery dates etc. why do you think it’s 3 weeks different?
Re exercise/gym for PP - assume you’re familiar with postpartum specific exercise advice? Important not to rush things too much and/or expect too much from yourself too soon but yes vaginal birth is usually a little easier in that regard.

I had several friends told based on a late scan that their baby was enormous and they needed to be induced early/have a section, but none of the babies were over 8lb.

I did a hypnobirthing pack, had it all planned out. Wanted a water birth, fairy lights, etc.

Was induced due to baby's size. Midwife didn't examine me until I was 9cm. Sadly my contractions then slowed down, I was put on the drip, and after 2 hours of pushing and 36hours awake I was taken to theatre for a c section. However the doctor managed to get him out with forceps
He was a 10lb baby, very un surprising I couldn't get him out!

What I'm trying to say is nothing went to plan but I'd do it over again just to get to hold him in my arms. Try and let your plan be an idea but research the other options so you're armed with knowledge :)

I had growth scans through out my second pregnancy as my first dc had been 9lb 10oz and an emergency Caesarian due to presenting face first.

Anyway my dd was scanned every 4 weeks and was estimated to be 8lb 12oz at 38 weeks and I was told she would be well over 9lbs by term. I ended up with another section after a failed vbac but she was actually only 7lb 12 oz at 40+8 days a pound smaller than her estimated weight 3 weeks before!

I ignored the sonographers advice telling me mine was a big baby As I wanted to try for Vbac with number 2. She suggested speaking to consultant when baby was measuring 8lb or so at 36 weeks (no GD). In the end I went to nearly 42 weeks, 72 h in excruciating back labour and only got to 2.5cm. I opted for a csection rather than further induction etc and baby was 2oz shy of 10lb! So they were right. I just wanted to say that as I read so much about how wrong it often was that I was really confident in declining speaking to the consultant, but it was in fact pretty accurate. Opting for an elective with baby 3 needless to say!

I had an instrumental delivery (failed ventouse then forceps) and i really believe a section would have been much easier to recover from. Mine was complicated by the fact baby was back to back and shoulder dystocia m-which was a big surprise at 7lb 8. I had a large episiotomy m, haemorrhage and sepsis following this and took a good 12 weeks to fully recover. I am pregnant with number 2 atm and have book an elective for 39 weeks. With regards to BF my milk took 10 days to come in as I was ill and my baby had facial nerve damage from the forceps which effected his latch/suck. The best birth plan: mum and baby alive and well at the end of the it it’s not about the experience but the outcome IMO

For those of you with big babies did it run in the family? Both me and my sister were over 9 lb, my father and uncle both over 11lb and my partner was over 10.

On his side of the family he's had an uncle born at 14 lb 10 also!

I'm 20 weeks at the moment and getting more and more worried 🤣

My husband was 11lb (although skinny now!) and my dad was 10lb. But myself and my siblings were all around 7/8lb. My first was 8lb 9.

@puppypeach My mum had a 9lb 8oz, 10lb & 10lb 8oz. My sister had 9lb 13oz and 10lb 5oz. I've had 10lb and 10lb 12oz so far and currently pregnant with twins. Hoping they won't be 10lb-ers!
Big babies do seem to run in my family, no history of gestational diabetes, so no idea why that is.

My first was 10lbs and was born with forceps due to shoulder dystocia. DC3 was even bigger though (10 lbs 3) and she was born with zero issues. It can go either way but you are definitely at a higher risk of requiring instrumental delivery or emergency c-section.

I’m pregnant with DC5 who weighed 7lbs at 34 weeks according to growth scan so another big baby, it’s normal for me!

@pleasenodont that's reassuring as I've had my first at 10lb and it was an intense labour. What did your other babies weigh if you don't mind me asking? And how were there labours