Big baby! Spontaneous, induction or C-Section advice please!

[BeingATwatItsABingThing]

After measuring 37w at my 34w appointment, my midwife referred me for a growth scan yesterday when I was 35w exactly. Baby’s head and stomach measured 39w and on the 98th percentile and his legs were 35w and pretty average. They’re estimating his weight as being around 6lb11oz currently. I’m being tested again for GD which will take 5 days and will change my options but for now they are:

1. Let my body go into labour naturally. This is my 3rd baby and I went into labour naturally at 40+5 with DD1 (8lb6oz) and 40+2 with DD2 (8lb 2oz). My concerns with this are that he will get too big and I will struggle to push him out (I’m average sized) but spontaneous labour would be my preference normally.
2. Induction at 39w. My concerns with this are he will still be quite big by 39w and might still get stuck. Plus, the increased risk of further intervention with induced labours and increased pain. I would rather avoid an epidural if that means I won’t be able to push properly.
3. C-section at 39w. Whilst this seems like the safest option in terms of getting him out without risk of getting stuck, the long recovery time afterwards really stresses me. It’s also fairly major surgery which scares me somewhat.

If my 5 day GD test comes back positive, I will be looking at induction/c-section at 38w instead.

My hope is that my body recognises that he’s too big and I go into Labour spontaneously at 37/38w but I can’t rely on that!

Any advice would be greatly received. I know there is a chance that their measurements aren’t accurate but I feel that’s unlikely with family history.

I don’t think I’ll make a decision until the GD test is complete. I had the fasting bloods at around 28w which came back fine but these are the 5 day finger prick tests.

I also add in the complication of being severely anaemic (issue in every pregnancy) to the point that my midwife has just doubled my dosage. The risk here is if I need intervention, my veins are at risk of collapsing. I’m also a redhead and apparently more likely to haemorrhage. 😬

I’ve decided being a woman sucks!

Thank you. That sounds like a really tough labour!

I very much doubt I’ll have a 7lber even if I wasn’t measuring big because of family history and my previous babies’ birth weights but he may be a more reasonable 8lb.

Yea that would be more my worry as a midwife, that you will have such a speedy delivery and then small chance you would have a shoulder dystocia (which would of been more than likely quickly resolved if midwife there) if you do opt for natural delivery then yes sounds sensible to get to hospital earlier rather than later and in worst case if deliver at home be on phone to actual maternity unit during delivery so they can advise you on what to do as if shoulders do get stuck once head out the actions that need to be taken are very effective but need to be done actioned very quickly! Good luck with everything x

Thank you! This is reassuring.

I'm a midwife. If I was in your shoes I'd choose spontaneous labour, without doubt.

I had an induction at 42 weeks with my first and although it was a long process, I had a good experience - my son was 9 lbs 7 so a big baby. He was predicted average size, but I think grew in those extra weeks. I had some minor tearing but healed quickly. I’m 24+6 now and if an induction is suggested this time then I would consider it again but I think I would like it earlier this time. Hope it goes well for you OP.

Thank you. I think I’m going to wait and see what the GD comes back with and then make a decision. I’d be much more inclined to go for an induction earlier on as he’ll likely be smaller.

Hello, can I ask what happened in the end OP

new to this site but just looking for a bit of advice.

mum of 3.
First labour really long until pushed her out in seconds -8lb 10

second labour- planned home birth. Again long drawn ou pains etc but again pushed him out very quickly and 9lb 5

so I’m on my third baby. Get sent for a growth scan as bump measuring small to be told my baby is measuring big. I’m 31weeks now and have another scan at 36 weeks.
I really wanted another home birth but feel like it’s slipping away as they keep telling me about the shoulders getting stuck ect . Another thing to add to this is my local maternity ward closing for 12 weeks (2 min car journey from my house) so if anything went wrong if have to travel at least 30min to nearest hospital.

don’t have GD.

what would you do? Had such a grim experience in the hospital with my first and I hear all these stories with inductions. My friend is literally day 3 into her induction with very slow progress. Just sounds like my worst nightmare.

do I stick to my guns for my home birth?
how accurate are these growth scans?

Hi. Sorry! Only just seen this.

My GD tests came back positive so I went with induction at 38w. The pessary did barely anything so they moved onto gel. Within a couple of hours, my contractions had ramped right up and I called the midwife in because I had fresh blood running down my legs. I went from 2cm to 5cm in 15 minutes and my body was trying to push him out already. In the time it took to get me on the labour ward, they called an EMCS due to my blood loss and DS’s heart rate plummeting. I had a cat 1 EMCS (risk to life of baby and/or mother) under general anaesthetic in the end. Obviously, my circumstances were specific to me but I am so glad I was in the hospital as he’s a beautiful, healthy 5mo now after being born floppy. He’s just the happiest little person!

He was 8lb 7oz when he was born at 38w so my biggest baby two weeks early. Because of the GD, his weight gain would have been massive in those last two weeks and clearly my placenta was giving in as I haemorrhaged.

Sorry. Not to scare you. If I were to decide again, I’d go straight for the C-section over the induction. Everyone I know who had an ELCS describes it as a lovely calm experience and the recovery was manageable.