Big baby...gestational diabetes??

[Dorset555]

Hi there I've just had a growth scan...as I was socially smoking at the time of conception...but things seem to have gone the other way and the baby is in the 99th percentile and weights 4.5lbs at 31 weeks...I've been told to get the midwife to test for gestational diabetes at the next appointment and im suddenly racked with guilt for every chocolate croissant or bowl of white pasta I've eaten over the past months..

I don't think im unhealthy...I walk an hour a day and have a fairly balanced diet def lots of veg and no sugary drinks. I have been having more toast (wholemeal) than I normally would but I thought going low carb was a bad idea?! I think I have been indulging in a few sweet treats but I thought pregnant women were allowed to eat cake!
I was hoping other people might be able to share their experiences...I just don't want to have put the baby in any danger...I'm not fussed about a more painful birth as long as the baby is ok! (May regret saying this !!)
also are rhe measurements accurate? And my last midwife appt they did a urine test - would it have been flagged up then?
Thanks so much for any wise.words.

My first was over 9lb and this one is predicted to be the same, no gestational diabetes with me, just some babies are bigger! The midwife checks for sugar in your urine at every appointment so something would have flagged up, don't worry about it. Also, I know people who have ate nothing but healthily their whole pregnancy and still ended up with diabetes so it isn't a reflection on you either way.
And btw, bigger babies are much easier to birth so don't worry about that either!

I'm in a similar position. I was referred for a growth scan last week as my bump is small (like way under 5th centile small), but the baby turns out to be over the 90th centile for weight and 97th centile for abdominal circumference! Not sure how that works, she's obviously hiding herself well in there.

I've since heard anecdotally from lots of people that the measurements are not all that accurate. The Dr said there's a 10-15% margin of error but I've heard lots of stories of people whose measurements have been even further out. Often it seems to be smaller women with taller partners (which is my situation) - I guess maybe a long baby has to squidge up a bit more and can make the abdomen look fatter, which throws out the estimated weight? Not sure how the calculations work though, that's just a guess.

I don't fall into any of the risk factors for GD either - healthy diet, walk 10000ish steps a day, low end of normal BMI. You never know though. I had the GTT test today though so will find out tomorrow. It was fine - the drink is a bit disgusting and make sure you take a good book as you have to hang around the hospital for ages between blood tests!

I was a bit freaked out by it - I was quite looking forward to giving birth naturally but now I have visions of induction and forceps and all kinds of horrible complications. But, baby might still be a normal size, and I guess being too big is better for the baby than being too small. I have another growth scan in 10 days or so, and am talking to the consultant afterwards to make a plan.

Good luck!

I had a 10lb 12 then a 11lb 13 baby and had tests for gestational diabetes both times. I didn't have it, I just grow large babies.

I was diagnosed with GD a couple weeks ago. Same guilt about every cheeky chocolate I've had.

After a bit of monitoring turns out during the day, before and after meals my levels are normal. I go to bed with normal levels then my body goes crazy in the night and I wake up with too high levels.

So sometimes it's not what you eat. It's just the pregnancy sending your body crazy.

I'm now trying to manage mine with meds, but not found the right dose yet (it takes some trial and error).

Hopefully you get a negative test.

Thanks so much sorry I thought I'd posted a reply but seem to have deleted it!! So nice to hear your experiences..and if it is GD it does sounds like it can be managed. Great to know they tested for it at the last midwides appt. too. Its so hard not to feel the guilt.. I guess this is what being a parent will involve very regularly....
As long as baby is healthy and growing....just a shock as partner and I both short! But sounds like there is big margin for error on the sizing. Its just horrible when they leave something like that hanging over this...oh you might need to get tested for this..type thing. Anyway got midwifes appt. Wednesday so not long. Veggies for tea!
But much less stressed now thanks ladies! Hope you're all doing well too! What a roller coaster x

I had GD with both pregnancies - my first pregnancy it was managed through diet alone - baby was 7lb 4.

Second pregnancy I was on Metformin and then insulin daily. Just really struggled to get my fasting levels down and I was extremely worried. Baby was 7lb 1 and her blood sugars were fine.

What I'm trying to say is that if you do have it, it can be managed successfully x

GD doesn’t always show sugar in the urine which is why good to have the GTT test.
I don’t have GD (despite having all the risk factors for it!) but baby is measuring big!

thnks guys, trying to see it as a positive to kick start a VERY healthy diet, but trying not to get ahead of myself till i know if it is GD or not. no harm in starting the healthy life now though. ah i was hoping urine test would be all they needed to do - just read about the 12hr fast and blood tests...sounds like a right faff!!
glad ive got a midwife apptmnt tomorrow so hopefully i cant cause too much worry googling too much by then!!
with your bigger babies are you being told youre more likely to be induced early/have a c-section? do you know by what week these kind of discussions happen? im 31 wks atm

I've had the same this pregnancy. My baby is off the scale for abdominal circumference and they've had me do a GTT 3 times. I don't have GD. At 32 weeks baby was 5lbs but at 36 weeks he was only 6lb 6oz. I'm being induced at the end of next week (at 39 weeks) and I don't think he'll be any more than 8lbs, if these scans are even accurate!

Try not to stress and good luck.

Me and my younger sister was pregnant at the same time she's younger, fitter, and a lot more healthier than me she got GD And I didn't her dd was born at just over 7lb and my ds was 8lb 1.

And the growth scans can be inaccurate

In my 1-3 pregnancies my babies were big (ranging from 8,11 to 9,10lb) but routine growth scans weren't done.

In my 4th my BMI meant I needed a diabetes test at 28wks. Which was normal no diabetes.
Then I had the routine growth scan at 37wks, and he was estimated to.be just under 9lb at 37wks. So I had to have another diabetes test, and again it was normal.

I did opt to be induced at 40wks with that pregnancy but only because I was on blood thinners that I was allergic to, and because I have gone to 41+ weeks with my previous and 1&3 were induced at 42wks so likely to be induced anyway. And finally I was 40, and they induce 40yos at 40wks, but weren't because I was only just 40. So I accepted induction but the size wasn't really a factor. They don't generally induce for size, but my consultant was concerned he would be over 5kg if left to 42wks.

He was born at 40wks and weighed 9lb5. I just grow big late babies.

I'm tiny and had whoppers no GD 🤷🏽‍♀️

I had a 10lb-er, no GD. But I know plenty who have had it and I wouldn’t judge them and consider it their fault to so tried to apply that thinking to myself as well when I needed to do the test. Even if you do have it, it’s perfectly manageable and hopefully you won’t blame yourself xx

thanks guys its so nice to hear other peoples' experiences.
such a minefield! i guess some babies have to be big - someone has to be the tallest/smallest person in the class - its normal!

My babies were big, both born at 38.5 weeks abs 9lbs 3oz then 10lbs 15oz. I was tested both times (in fact 3 times for the 2nd) and no GD - I was 8lbs 10oz and my mums smallest baby and DH was 10lb 7oz so I always knew I’d have big babies!

They’re now 10 and 12 and both perfectly averaged size

My three dc were all over 10lbs. I was tested for gd on the 2nd two and it was negative. Some people just have big babies. My dc are 8, 10 and 12 and are all average height and weight and very healthy.

size estimates are notoriously inaccurate. I was told I would have babies about 7lbish (both were actually enormous!) and I had friends being told they were going to have 10lb babies who ended up with 7 and 8lb babies. Usually if they say it is going to be big they are wrong going by the ones I know!

Mine were just big - healthy, no GD just big.

if you are short it seems to make their measurements even more inaccurate

I've had 2 big babies, never had a gestational diabetes test. Pregnant with the third now and because my last baby was big, they want me to have a test for it now 🙄. I haven't been yet. I just grow big babies. I'm 5ft 10 and dp is 6ft 3.

I've just been diagnosed with GD at 31+3. My midwife picked it up through glucose in my urine. What was really weird was that I had the GTT at 28 weeks and i didn't have it then. Baby is now 95th centile for head and stomach. I'm now 32+3 and sugars are under control with metformin.

Ah thats interesting to hear - how is the metformin...any side effects? Did they give you this straight away or recommend diet changes first for you? Hope you're feeling well - sounds like we both have 'robust' babies on the way!

Hi
I am going for another growth scan in an hour at 36+4
I had one at 32 weeks and was on the 98th centile. Tested for GD. Negative.
My baby jumped from around 25th centile to 98th so curious to find out what he is today?
I don't feel massive, I have had sickness throughout though. My diets not been the best but I have not gained much weight either. Little and often.

I have only been having scans as my previous son was born on the 2nd centile.

No real advice but I'll update you when I'm back if you would like? X

DP and I are not big either 🤷🏻‍♀️

@Dorset555

Ah thats interesting to hear - how is the metformin...any side effects? Did they give you this straight away or recommend diet changes first for you? Hope you're feeling well - sounds like we both have 'robust' babies on the way!

Sorry for late reply @Dorset555 !

Given the stage I'm at in pregnancy they wanted to get the sugars under control sooner rather than later, so I was put on metformin within a couple of days of diagnosis.

How are you getting on?

@aquicknamechange2019 no worries im new to this so don't think I'd tagged you in the post...
Ah thats interesting to hear i had the test on Friday so hoping to get the results tomorrow or Tuesday and take it from there. Met a nice girl who was having the same tests done at the same time and she was equally baffled by why she might have it as she didn't tick any of the at risk boxes...but I guess it can just happen and its better to be aware than not :-) or it could just be a big baby...or it could just be mismeasured...either way all.these options are very manageable so im so lucky.

Is the metformin working well? Hope you're feeling good not long to go now!