Big baby?!

[Dolmiofamilyxo]

Hello, I just wondered if anybody has had a similar experience to me so far and how it resulted for you really!

I’m 28 weeks + 2 days (first baby) and I had my 28 week appointment a few days ago where they measured my tummy and referred me to hospital for another growth scan as said they thought I would be having a big baby! Went for my growth scan today and as expected, quite a big baby so far haha. They’re currently 3lbs 3oz still with 11ish weeks to go!

I have no problem with the prospect of having a big baby, i actually kind of love it as know they’re growing well (baby was very happy and healthy on the scan) and I kind of expected it regardless as big babies run in my family. The hospital midwife has booked me in for a scan at 38 weeks where they’re going decide what to do i.e let the baby continue to stay there until they’re ready to come out or induce me.

Has anybody else had a similar experience at this stage in pregnancy and how much more did your baby grow by the end? Did it sky rocket or sort of balance out? Did you have to be induced?

Sorry for all of the questions I’m just curious to see how this could pan out! 😊

Thank you x

It depends on your size and the fact it's your 1st baby means they're a bit in the dark with how you'd manage a big one.
I've had 4 larger than average. Consultants have never been that worried about it tbh.
Our 2nd was 4wk ahead on growth at 28wk but didn't get any higher up the centiles at other growth scans. They were going to let me go until 42wk before induction. Had my final check up at 39+6 and was 1cm dilated then, he arrived at 40+5 2hr 19mins after they broke my waters (14mins unassisted pushing). He was a very chunky 10lb 12oz.
3rd was measuring slightly smaller than 2nd so again left me to it, she arrived at 40+2, 2 days labour 11 mins after they broke waters with just a few unassisted pushes 9lb 10oz.
Our twins were ahead too but breech and transverse toward the end, they brought them at 38wk via elcs. 8lb 5oz & 8lb 11oz.
Our 1st was a very average 7lb 7oz at 39+6, they used vontouse on her due to fetal distress (full induction). I've got growth scan for this one at almost 32wk, they've said they want to bring her early if she's very big. Would be choosing elcs over an induction.

Good luck

before anything else may I ask if they tested you for gestational diabetes?
sometimes that's the reason for babies becoming big and you'll need a care plan for your health.

apart from that some babies, as you say, are just big (mine were ranging from 8lb 3oz to 9lb 14oz, all the boys were 55cm and DD was 53cm). they are all very tall (now aged 19 - 6), DS2 is 17 and 6'7"!😁
no idea what they weighed at any given point during pg sorry.

it's not just baby's weight but length and babies head circumference v. size of pelvis that matter. if they can see there would be an issue they will likely suggest an elective C-section (ELSC).
when it's borderline and they advise that V birth is fine there's still a risk of foreceps or ventouse or an emergency section.

none of these can be decided now, which is crap and worrying, but trust that they will offer you whatever option is best for baby & you when the time comes.
you can always request an ELSC.

does that help?

@Chelyanne
10lb 12oz?! my vagina just cringed at that.🤣
bet the twins would've felt like a sneeze in comparison if not for ELSC.

Hi OP, I'm just short of 36 weeks and my baby was yesterday weighing in at 8lb 8oz according to growth scan. He's been measuring over since 20 weeks but has remained nicely on the 97th centile since so they are very happy with his growth - he's just 'constitutionally large' (no HD). I'm booked in for induction (VBAC) at 38 + 1 as he's likely to be well over 10lb. My last birth was a cat 1 EMCS with twins at 34 weeks so I have no experience in birthing big babies and I'm pretty terrified, I won't lie, but I'll do anything to avoid another section after the last horror show so now doing my perineal massage and keeping my fingers crossed 🤞😊 good luck!

Thank you all so much for your very helpful feedback! Wow lots of big babies, how lovely! @Chelyanne 10lb 12oz is incredible!

Can I ask if any of you would say an elective c section is the safer route to go down if it turns out the baby is very large or is induction and labour the best way to go from your experience? It may be there is no ‘best way’, I guess I’m just a bit worried about any injuries to the baby or me when they come out. I also have an anterior placenta and have heard c sections can be dangerous due to the position of the placenta ie more blood loss etc?

I have been tested for gestational diabetes and preeclampsia throughout and no sign of either so far 🤞 I’m on the curvy side naturally as am a size 16 so I did have my concerns about that. I have been eating pretty well throughout although have had horrendous cravings of anything sugar related from time to time (I’m usually a savoury person!) so I am going to keep an eye on that regardless as really don’t want to develop gestational diabetes. I was a 9lb 5oz baby myself as was quite a long baby so I’m hoping it’s just hereditary.

@SamoyedFan123 best of luck with your induction, I hope it goes well for you! 😊

It sounds like it’s kind of a waiting game from now then! I have another scan at 38 weeks so I guess they’ll assess where we go from there...eek!

yes to ELSC.
it's major abdominal surgery, cutting through 7 layers of tissue.
not something they would offer "for fun" or "too posh to push" (which is what some people still think!🙄)

if told it's the safest route then yes, I'd not argue, they are the experts! the placenta thing I can't answer, but if the head is physically too big to go through birth canal there's no choice.

I had ELSC with DS4, he was footling breech.

@Dolmiofamilyxo Induction can go great for some. Others it can be stop start and you have higher chance of needing interventions, especially with a big baby. The shoulders were a worry with my big lad and he had meconium in his waters, there were so many people in the room for his delivery and most of the midwives came to look at him on the ward too lol.
My 1st's induction was a long process for me, 3 days and 4 nights on a ward before I got to delivery. 7hr 38mins on the hormone drip, made me vomit and the pain was much more intense than my spontaneous labours. I spent a total of 6 nights in hospital and I hate being in hospital, back then dh could be with me most of the day but that's not possible these days. 2nd I was in 3 nights, 3rd 2 nights, I only spent 1 night in after my elcs.

@ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba most people cringe at his size, I was terrified I'd not get him out but surprised myself.

@Chelyanne

could add a tiny commemorative badge saying "DC1 was here"🤣

sorry, in a giddy mood

@Dolmiofamilyxo Try not to overthink it just now! Baby could have just had a bit of a growth spurt and may still level out. I can’t remember weights but my first DC was measuring big from 28 weeks. No gestational diabetes or health concerns. I was given growth scans at 32, 36 and 38 weeks. Predicted weight at 40 weeks was to be around 10lb 8oz so I was induced at 39+5 as it’s what the doctors advised.

Induction took quite a while for me. 3 pessaries to get me to 1.5cm dilated. Contractions started an hour after the first pessary. My waters were broken at 1.5cm and I was put on the hormone drip for 14 hours. Took 39 hours total. 38 hours in I was only 3cm dilated 🙈 then went from 3cm to 9.5cm in 20 minutes and baby was here within the hour 😊

You’ll constantly read that the hormone drip is horrendous and the pain is much worse than natural labour but honestly, I just figured if it’s my first baby I have nothing to compare it to 🤷🏻‍♀️🙈😅 baby ended up being born on due date weighing 8lb 11oz - nowhere near the 10lb 8oz that had been predicted the whole way through! I managed with gas and air, baby was absolutely fine and we had no interventions. We were home that afternoon 😊