28 weeks, LARGE baby. Induction? C-section? I don't know what to do!

[Decaffrappe1988]

I'm 28+3 and I had a growth scan today as my fundal chart was showing baby was on the large side and it was right, baby is on the large side (I don't have GD as was tested a few weeks back).

Head and stomach circumference are 95% percentile and legs are 51% so averaging at 87% and currently weighing 3.2lb. HOLY SH*T.

I'm now being monitored every two weeks but the consultant advised that if baby continues growing at this rate I'll be looking at an induction or a C-section and the choice is completely mine. (However, baby currently in breech position at the moment so I may not even have a choice) but if you had to choose between induced or c-section what would you pick, and why?

TIA! :)

I had 2 big babies ,11lb and 10lb
I was very worried both times ,but I knew I had not over eaten during pregnancy,and not put much weight on ,any they were both late by 2 weeks because I refused to be induced,I wanted a natural labour.
Both were very very long and thin ,so not difficult births at at all.
I just wanted to say ,I expected a dreadful time with both ,but it was fine ,and they are adults now ,and I still have a good pelvic floor

@Decaffrappe1988 I'm following with interest as I'm in almost exactly the same boat as you (worse even!) I'm 27+5 and baby is measuring 3.6lb and in breech position atm. I am absolutely petrified of the thought of another c section after my previous horrific crash caesarean and have twin toddlers to look after this time so can't go through that awful recovery process again. I'm desperate for a VBAC but now terrified I'm going to get pushed into an induction which will fail if they can't use the drip and/or another c section. I'm literally having nightmares about this every night now, and seriously considering just stopping eating as much as I can to see if it shows baby's growth down (GD test was negative), although I am also worrying that if his growth skiwear this point that will be another factor that will lead to induction/section! It's nice to see some positive stories in this thread, but also plenty of negative ones so not sure what to think at the moment. I really hope you get the birth that you want OP xxx

Is there a particular reason why they’re concerned? For example are you black or Indian or really slim or over 40 (in which case are they concerned about placental failure?)

I don’t think a healthy white woman under 40 with a 95% centile baby would be offered an intervention for a baby who was near the 100% growth mark unless there were other concerns and so I’d probably listen to medical professionals advice.

I had an induction and they have the risk of fast labour which could potentially put you and a large baby at risk, especially if they get stuck. So I would be keeping an open mind about the c-section. Just be aware that breastfeeding strategies may need to be different after an early C-Section do try and get in touch with a lactation consultant before delivery so they can guide you

I'm sure someone will have already said this, but... it is against NICE guidelines to induce due to size of baby now. Doctors love a medical intervention. Much easier for them to have you hooked up to all their monitoring or have a section, they like the control. These measurements are also renowned for their inaccuracies. My 'large' baby was born at 40+1 weighing 7lb6. Hardly large!
Don't let them force you in to anything. If you decide to go for a section or induction, that is fine. But do your research and make a decision based on that. Not their desire to control the event!

@Itsallthedramamick

I'm sure someone will have already said this, but... it is against NICE guidelines to induce due to size of baby now. Doctors love a medical intervention. Much easier for them to have you hooked up to all their monitoring or have a section, they like the control. These measurements are also renowned for their inaccuracies. My 'large' baby was born at 40+1 weighing 7lb6. Hardly large! Don't let them force you in to anything. If you decide to go for a section or induction, that is fine. But do your research and make a decision based on that. Not their desire to control the event!

Oh for the love of goodness... not again!

Inducing and c sections involve far more resources and expense than the alternative. Doctors don't love them at all! They do them because they MIGHT be required to save a baby and/or mum. Perhaps they are over cautious, but I think you would be too if you'd witnessed a mum holding her dead baby! And I'm damn sure I'd rather my doctor/midwife be cautious vs too relaxed.

I'm not debating that sizing is inaccurate, we've all heard a million stories about that. And yes there are additional risks to both inductions and sections, but can we please stop throwing out lines that suggest medical staff do it for their own benefit.

Try not to panic too much until you've had another scan. My fundal measurement at 28 weeks was at 90th centile and I had a growth scan the same day - ironically only because they were concerned about growth restriction because of false info on my file. Anyway, he came out measuring above 97th centile so they started freaking me out with early induction chat because I had a precipitate labour with my first and they said there were risks if he's big and comes fast he could get stuck and I could be in trouble if I didn't make it to the hospital in time. So I was freaked out! I'm 34 weeks now and had two more scans since and he's measured just above 50th centile in both. They now think that was just a bad measurement and don't think he's big at all. I had known the scans could be out, but mine was massively out. Hopefully your next scan will give you more of an idea. On the plus side I'm now way more relaxed about induction in case I do need one for any other reason. Personally I'd prefer induction over a section, but I hate needles so I'd much rather give the pessary a go to see if I could avoid the scary needles. It's totally your personal choice though.

No advice but I'm currently 39+5 with a baby on 97th centile and they've not suggested any early intervention apart from offering a sweep at 39 weeks.

The trusts all appear to have different guidelines and I honestly wouldn't worry too much.

@Decaffrappe1988 Is this your first baby? I don’t think you’ve mentioned that. You’ll hear horror story after horror story about induction and how more painful it is with the drip than a natural labour is etc...in reality, if it’s your first, it might well be more painful but you won’t know as you have nothing to compare it to 🤷🏻‍♀️😊
I was induced in Nov with my first at 39+5 because they were worried about baby’s size and the risk of shoulder dystocia. I had 4 growth scans and they all predicted baby to be about 10lb 12oz by 40 weeks. I agreed to the induction.
My induction took a while - I had 3 pessaries (mild contractions started about an hour after the first one and got more intense as time went on). Finally I was 1.5cm dilated and they managed to break my waters. Contractions got much more intense after this. After a few hours they put me on the drip for a few hours to speed up dilation and bring my contractions closer together. I said no to epidural or pethidine and just used gas and air. Baby was born 39 hours after my first pessary right on his due date. We didn’t need any interventions, baby was perfectly healthy and I only had a minor internal tear which needed a few dissolving stitches. He weighed 8lb 11oz so he was a bigger baby but nowhere near the 10lb 12oz that they predicted!!
For me, it was painful but manageable 🤷🏻‍♀️ I have no idea if it was worse than a natural labour because it was my first 🤷🏻‍♀️ My baby was born at 3am and I was home by 3pm 😊

Please don’t stress about baby being big. The growth scans are notoriously inaccurate!! But if you do end up with an induction, just know that it can and probably will go perfectly smoothly. I was bombarded with horror stories when I asked for advice. My friend went into labour naturally with her first...7lb exactly...she passed out from the pain and had to have a large episiotomy and suction to deliver baby because she got stuck. Every birth is different!

I have no experience of c section. Obviously if baby stays breach you won’t have an option but if you do have the choice then just bear in mind that a section is major abdominal surgery and recovery could be longer 😊

1st baby i had pre eclampsia so they induced a few days early. I never felt my body was ready. Syntocin drip makes labour go from 0 to 100 quickly so get an epidural early if you go down this route. Ended up with failure to progress and baby distressed so had emergency section. Baby 7lb8

2nd baby was told baby was bigger. No pre-eclampsia so went naturally at 40+4 vbac 3.5 hrs start to finish. 6lb 10

3rd baby was breech was told also a very big baby. Had elective section, all very calm. Recovery easier than emcs. Up and showered next morning although walking a little painful and could have gone home next day.

From my own experience I would choose the section over the induction if I could do it again. But your body might be ready and induction might work quickly for you and be grand but don't be afraid of the section.

I must admit I wouldn’t go through another induction, it would be planned csection for me.

@RedSauceSpaghetti

My fundal height for DD1 was really small so I had a growth scan. Suddenly, she was predicted to be 95th centile and there was talk of inductions and c-sections and expecting a 10lb+ baby. Given the quick about-face of the measurements, I decided to wait and see how labour progressed on its own at full term, and have a c-section if things stalled (she was back to back so I was told I'd probably end up with a section anyway). It was a 2.5hr labour start to finish and she weighed 7lb 7oz so all that panicking was for nothing.

If you don't want to wait it out like I did, I would wait and see and probably go for induction over c-section if baby is still looking bigger when you're closer to your due date. (This is if you plan to have other children due to risk of complications with subsequent pregnancies/births. If this baby is likely to be your last then I'm not sure what I'd choose).

Yep. I had small fundal height and yet was told through growth scans I was having a 13lber!

He was 7lb2oz and my labour (after the irregular latent period of chat) was about 45 minutes - incredibly intense and left me feeling rough and utterly shaky but there we go. No need for a section, completely wrong estimate and no need for concern. I’m now considering birthing a breech baby vaginally if they don’t turn. It tends to be GD babies who are the worry, my mum, when a midwife, delivered a 16lb baby by section. It’s shoulders were as wide as a toddlers and it was the size of a 2 year old to look at. That’s really when a section for big babies is needed.

Also I think it’s perfectly acceptable to say doctors aren’t always right and are sometimes over cautious. Yes, it’s understandable, as it is for any of us who’ve witnessed or lost or nearly lost a mum or baby, but the reality is plenty of big babies are not in danger while others are. Doctors are called to these far more often than witnessing happy, normal births, but really it depends on the doctor. Some doctors are more pro intervention and some are not at all. Usually the important difference is if fundal height is also large, if mum is obese, if mum has diabetes etc. Growth is more likely to be correct as high. If mum is a small woman measuring small but growth scans are high, we know to worry less as inaccuracy is more common.

Csection 100% here. I had induction for my first, he was 95th for most things apart from his head but still after 47 hours of induced labour got stuck and ended up emergency csection.

In my hospital, induction outcomes are 27%csection and 25%instrumental delivery so more than 50% chances will be a horrible traumatic birth outcome.

Funnily enough i was not told these rates until afterwards otherwise I would've absolutely gone with csection

@Muststopeating I disagree 🤷🏻‍♀️ yes it is more expensive, but of course it is better for the medical professionals to have a predictable birth plan. Anyone's job is 'easier' when you know what is going to happen! They wouldn't be going against NICE guidelines otherwise.