Would be so grateful for help!

[Harry26]

Hello! I am looking for some advice please. My baby is measuring on the 93rd percentile and they have recommended a c section. I have heard that they do get it wrong quite a lot and it’s just an estimate when they take measurements. I really don’t know what to do, I have to make my mind up before my next growth scan where I will be 36 weeks. Has anybody else experienced something similar?

I chose a planned section for other reasons but honestly it was the best experience. I had a natural birth with my first and a planned section for my second but I wish I'd had two sections.

Don't write it off, feel free to ask any questions about it

https://www.sarawickham.com/articles-2/induction-for-big-baby/

This is about induction as opposed to c section but still a useful discussion on the accuracy of the measurement and chance of any issues being caused.

I am intrigued by the fact that they've offered a c section rather than induction? Is there anything else going on there?

I had to opposite I was told she was small. I was overdue by 12 days and ended up with an emergency section ( which was absolutely fine, I had a real positive experience). Anyway when she was out she was actually classed as big, I had a big baby/a large placenta and a lot of fluid ( the doctors told me ) I didn’t even look that big while I was pregnant. Not everything is 100% correct. Just go with what you feel is best but take into account medical advice

Are you a tall/big person or a small person? I had a baby who measured on the 97th percentile at his biggest (we had lots of growth scans once they noticed he was big) although he was down to the 88th percentile on our final scan (at 38 weeks) so we had a lot of similar conversations. Nobody offered me a C section but we did discuss early induction. However in the end because he was trending slightly smaller (went down from 97th to 93rd to 90th to 88th) and because I am quite tall myself (5'10") the doctors and I agreed to wait and see and in the end he arrived at 41 weeks exactly and I had an unproblematic vaginal birth. He was 8lb 11 in the end so big but not enormous.

However I think if I had been tiny with a big baby the calculations might have been a bit different and I do have a friend who recently did have to have an emergency C-section when they realised her baby was big (9lb+, hadn't been picked up on previous scans) - she is about 5'4" (I think?) so littler than me!

You should talk to a doctor about your options and maybe see if they can book you in for a final scan at 38 weeks so that you can keep an eye on baby's size as birth approaches.

I’m in a fairly similar position. Our baby was 97th percentile at our first growth scan, 93rd at our last growth scan and we have another scan next week (33 weeks). I’ve had some interesting conversions with consultants and midwives which have been very different. My midwife has been adamant that I shouldn’t let it put me off a vaginal birth as he may not be as big as they expect. Plus, even if he is, she says a positive vaginal birth is still very possible. I’m in the same place as you finding it hard to know what’s ‘right’. I’m currently planning to continue with a vaginal birth versus c section. If I hear or read anything else helpful in the coming days I’m happy to share!