Did anyone have a predicted big baby... But they weren't?!

[Braylen]

Every midwife that feels my tummy says oh, this baby's big!

I had a growth scan last week at 36 + 4 - measured 7lbs 3.

I'm also a bit scared of health complications for baby as they say abdomen circumference is off the charts, 99+% this prompted home glucose tests for me, but they've all come back normal range. I don't know what to expect 🤷‍♀️

Yes me, all along the midwife would say my bump was very big fit my body etc. He'll be a large babu.
Had a growth scan fairly late on too and was estimated high 6lbs9 or something then plus extra weeks to grow.
Son was born full term 39+2 weighting 6lb on the dot. The duty midwife then asked me if he was premature due to his low weight. I was a little puzzled but 11 years later all is well with him and he's one of the taller ones in his school group and always has been.

Yes, had a scan which showed 10lb+, had the baby 12 hours later 6lb 6.

Mine was predicted in the 50th percentile and came out in the 1st percentile so my perception is that they're very unreliable.

But also, even if it is large don't underestimate what your body is capable of. Your vagina during childbirth is very different to your vagina on other days!

Yes- both of mine estimated 10lb+ on scans, both around the 8lb mark at birth!

Yes and it was really annoying. They put him at 10lbs. He was 8.11!

Yep, DD was huge apparently, additional scans, was told I defo had gestational diabetes she was so big (tested, I didn't, so yet more growth scans), under constant 'threat' of CS during labour due to her size etc etc.

When she was born she was bang on average on every measure they give you. She was so average as to be noteworthy in her averageness!

Other way round - Ooooh your baby is tiny, constant scanning and fretting. Both times. Baby will be 5lb. Might need special care.

Both babies came out a comparatively whopping 8.5+.

I reckon it’s a bit of a guessing game.

good luck with the birth

Well mine was the other way round for me. Had my son in 2021. Had a growth scan 2 weeks before he was born and they estimated that he was 6lbs12oz. 2 weeks after the scan I had him at 38 weeks and he weighed 9lbs6oz.

However fast forward to now I am currently 31 weeks pregnant. Had a growth scan at 28 weeks and they said baby was 3lbs13oz and I was told she is going to be big.. I have another growth scan on 19th of this month so we will see

@Catswillbecats same! 😂
Scans at 36, 38 & 39 weeks predicted DS to be 10lbs 8oz at 40 weeks 😬 induced at 39+5, born on due date weighing 8lb 11oz. So he was on the bigger end but certainly not massive!

Yes. I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant with my son. I was told he had grown “too big” because of this and was measuring at the 90th percentile. This wouldn’t usually be a problem but earlier on in the pregnancy he’d been the 49th percentile so it was a lot of growth. I was induced at 39 weeks because of this and he was born… at the 49th percentile, 7 pound 4 ounces. He wasn’t big at all! This was quite annoying because being induced was horribly painful and as it turns out happened for no good reason.

Yes, predicted 11lbs, i had gestational diabetes too.

So had a c section, she was 8lb 1oz, which I'd of had a vaginal birth.

Predicted 50th centile born on 25th (8lbs vs. 9lb predicted)

Yes, we had to rush out and buy newborn clothes that we were told not to buy.

Yup - DS was measuring off the charts (literally, the dots for both head and tummy circumference were way off to the right beyond 100th centile) and I had to have additional growth scans to monitor. Went for elective C-section as I was scared he would be too big to push out. In the end he weighed 9lbs exactly, so a big baby but not exactly elephantine!

My brother on the other hand weighed 11lb 11oz at birth but it wasn't picked up as my mother had low amniotic fluid and therefore midwives didn't think her bump was particularly big. She had to have an emergency section when he got stuck...

Basically, scans are only a guide and can be incorrect either way!

Wow thanks for sharing everyone. These predictions can obviously can be wildly inaccurate then! It had been stressing me out but it's a comfort to know that this won't necessarily be the case. What will be will be and I'll need to trust my body to handle it 😊 I don't want to be scared into induction or section.

Kind of yes, kind of no.

At 36+2 the me predicted he'd be over 10lb. He was born at 36+5, 7lb 7oz. I guess he would have been pretty big if he'd stayed in there for another month.

Yes both mine were predicted to be 10lb. One 7lb 5 the other 7lb 7!

Me! Weekly scans and then induced. Lots of teeth sucking and comments about a huge baby and likely 9-10 lbs. She was 8lbs 6 oz.

Ds3 was 10lb 8. Hen I was pregnant with dc4 was told he was bigger than that. He was 8lb 10 🤷‍♀️

I don't know a single woman who was induced for size or growth related concerns where the results turned out to be true.

I know this is anecdata... but I'm personally taking the fact that I have a very active baby in there and no concerns about my health to mean that I am taking their scans with a fistful of salt.

Yes. My 1st child was 9lbs.
I was told my 2nd was much bigger. 10lbs+ had extra scans near birth and they confirmed he would be over 10.5lbs

He was born 7lbs7oz.

@Braylen @Inyourwildestdreams It caused me so much anxiety. Also very midwife who saw me made comments like “how many do you have in there”. I dreaded giving birth - DS had to be induced at 42 weeks. I’m sure my anxiety kept him in.

DC1: predicted 11lbs, was 8.10
DC2: predicted 6.5lbs, was 8.12

🤷🏻‍♀️

Yup, told was over 11.5 lb- 3rd baby of 2 biggish others (8lb +). Scans every 2 weeks from 30 weeks. Much clucking. He was 9lb 10. Ok, big, but not mahoosive.

@Braylen Definitely don’t let yourself be scared into anything that you’re not comfortable with 😊 Do some research into all your options so that you feel comfortable having potential conversations with doctors etc and feel comfortable advocating for yourself, and just see how things go 😊