Bloody great enormous bump

[peggotty]

I know there's probably been a few threads bemoaning the size of bumps, but really, mine is flipping huge. I'm only 30 weeks and today someone trilled at me 'Not long to go then?!' The thing is, I don't think it's just a case of certain people seeing that I'm big and others not thinking I am - I am actually bloody huge. I'm starting to worry about the labour (this is my 2nd) and whether I will be able to have the home birth I want. Night time is awful because I'm as uncomfortable now as I was in the last few weeks of my last pregnancy and I still have 2 - 2!!! - months to go!! Please tell me I am not alone......

Firstly, a big bump doesn't always mean a big baby.

Secondly, this shouldn't affect your wish to have a hb. If you are having a big baby, there is no reason to not have it at home. It helps that this will be your second as in theory your labour should be quicker/easier.

Have a look on homebirth.org. They have info on suspected large babies. Although I'm sure you have already looked at this site!

Well I don't think it necessarily means a big baby. I had an average bump and ds was 10lbs none of us saw that coming so my bump was literally all baby. So by the powers of my very scientific mind I would say the reverse could be true.

Although you could be housebound by the end of november

Well, I have been eating A LOT, would that make any difference? Although the actual bump is tight as a drum, doesn't seem any room for fat on it from excess eating. Will have a look at the homebirth webpage as I haven't looked for a while so haven't seen the info on large babies. I was measuring quite large last time I saw midwife (going back tomorrow so will see if I'm any bigger) - how much bigger than average do you have to measure before they'll scan you?

I have nothing useful to add other than you have my sympathy. I convinced myself that I was sylph like last time but the photos say otherwise. . There isnt much you can do about it and as the others say it doesnt necessarily mean you will have a big baby.

Connor, wow, 10lbs

I have developed a waddle. It's all so humiliating this pregnancy business.

Have you got your dates right?

Be warned, once you get caught into the large baby trap you will have large baby scare stories thrown at you from every direction. I had a scan as they believed I was going to have a big baby. After the scan (at about 32 weeks), the sonographer said 'you have got a big baby there'. When I asked how big was big, she said that she couldn't really say as scans were inaccurate in guessing a baby's weight. WTF????!!!

I than had scare stories of shoulder dystocia chucked at me by the Ob's, which really freaked me out and put a LOT of stress on me.

Once you get caught in the system, if indeed you are deamed to be having a large baby, they may pressure you to be induced early and discourage you from having a hb.

My mw's were great and were not overly concerned. A v experienced mw had a good feel of my tummy and told me that the baby was big, but not oversized and would be long. When ds was born, she was spot on. He was 9lb3 (born at 40+9) and a lanky streak of piss!

You'd better start walking downstairs backwards so as not to topple over

sorry i'm not going to get anymore helpfull.

Iliketomoveit - dates are correct. I can relate to the 'large baby trap' theory - my friend is currently in that situation. Was being scanned at 32 weeks for something else and was told then it was a big baby, and now she has to go back to be scanned again to check the size. Part of me thinks well, what's the point of that, because I'd heard too that the scans are really quite innaccurate at predicting weight. Another friend was measuring small and was being scanned regularily, and her baby girl was 8lbs 4 when born, hardly a tiddler! Rationally, I know that my ginormous bump doesn't mean bruiser of a baby, but I also know that it's a boy, and I'm buying into the whole 'boys are bigger' thing (had dd first time). It's not easy to stay all rational and objective about yourself, only about other people!

Connor - be off with you!!

I know exactly what you mean about being rational about others, but not yourself. I suffer from that too!

I can sympathise - I am huge this time compared to DD who was only 7lbs. I don't have anything v comforting to say on the birth front as I am booked in for an el-cs because of the whole large baby thing but a lot of that is due to personal choice of wanting to avoid an em-cs which is how DD entered the world (breech,nothing to do with size).

However, I have masses of sympathy for the unwanted comments - if one more person asks me if I'm sure I don't have twins in there, I think I will shoot them (really - they should be far more careful around a hormonal heavily pregnant lady for their own safety!). Absolutely amazes me that people think it's completely acceptable to comment on someone's size and appearance when they're pregnant in a way that would be sooo rude otherwise (and other mums are not completely blameless either!).

Well, that's my rant over - just try and smile serenely and remind yourself you are not alone!

I'm 26 weeks and measured 30 cm when I went to see the midwife about ligament pain the other day...I'm a bit staggered. Not to say, pissed off too, because yes, I do look large (but I'm 5'2") and complete strangers have been casting me fond looks and saying stuff about 'christmas babies', damn them. I say 'perhaps an Easter baby!' and they recoil in horror. And I do get the 'twins' line - a lot.

But I'm thinking that this bump measurement can be so inaccurate I'm not sure why they bother. I'm now down for a scan, and I'm worried it won't be much more accurate. I don't want to be pressurised into not going to the local midwife unit...