38 weeks pregnant 90/97th percentile baby c-section pushed back to due date second opinion

[Mum122342]

Among a lot of issues I’ve experienced with the trust I’m assigned too we’ve received notification on our c-section date yesterday but only after waiting 5 days after the original advice deadline from the consultant (we under the impression if we had not chased we’d likely have been forgotten about) but initially was advised that due to baby size (97th percentile head, 90th weight, 13th percentile legs) that we’d need a section no later than 38 weeks. However, due to the over capacity we’ve been told this has been arranged for 40 weeks.

Im exhausted of fighting my corner, its not been the only issue since falling pregnant that I’ve had to chase, advocate or even tell DR what I need but this time I feel it involves the wellbeing of my child.

I have itchy palms and feet now, bloods had to be chased (twice lol) and only got told yesterday to go follow up with GP as not liver but by the time I get an appointment now baby will be here.

Any insights or second opinions?

I'd ring triage and say you're worried then go in to get checked and just keep doing it until you're satisfied. You can also escalate to the head of midwifery if you have concerns but might take a little while to get an appointment.

It was the head midwife (matron) that called me for the initial complaint and sadly she’s been no help. I’ve called triage and they’ve just said speak to consultant which never got in touch :( really do feel helpless.

Please take their measurements with a pinch of salt.

I had two 90th percentile children born at 6lbs12oz (50% pc in the end) and 7lbs10oz (60th pc in the end) both via c section due to their "large" sizes.

I had to go out a buy newborn clothes for my first as we only had 0-3 month clothes totally missing out newborn and up to a month.

We have! Even sort out second opinion, concerns on his size are due to the contrast in his head to legs ratio, me and my partner certainly aren’t large so think that the assumption he’s 10lbs is a little on the over the top side (well hopefully)

More just lack of care/reassurance, not being given any same advice from anyone and ultimately being in agony most days/nights due to him being stretched out under ribs.

It will depend on who else is booked in before you. DD2 was breech and my c section was booked for 39+5 as there were no other slots available. I was very worried as DD1 had been born at 38w and i also had v high BP which turned into preeclampsia and i thought it was leaving it way too late. They said they would check the lists for me each day and let me know if a slot had opened up. Anyway, I went into spontaneous labour at 39+3 and I was told to just come in straight away (this was 30mins after contractions started) and they triaged me there and then. I actually didn't have the section in the end because DD2 had turned head down, but if she hadn't, I'd have just been taken through as an emergency.

You don't say how far you are along now? But what I found was as things got further on, everything was taken more seriously and I started getting proper answers. At the end, I was being monitored every other day for the BP issues and it was very clear they were doing their best to try and get me sorted out. It was just bad timing with bank holidays and other emergencies pushing back the elective lists.

The other option if you feel your complaints are not getting you anywhere is to talk to PALS and see if they can help advocate for you.

I’m 38+4 now, was originally recommended to be section at 39 had the call with the consultant to discuss that at 37+1 and was told we’d have someone reach out no later than 38 weeks to book in my date etc, nobody reached out till after I’d rang and complained to triage that I still had no date which is why we highly suspect we’d been forgotten about or put on the wrong list - took them 20 mins to ring back and book me in just a week later than advised due to the current waiting list.

See we’ve had no reassurance on monitoring, what’s happening and the whys (hence why midwife has suggested PALS so going to reach out today) was due to get a call last night or early this morning which I’m going to have to chase - again. I understand they’re inundated but if I’d have known it was this bad I’d have gone for another hospital.

My son’s gf opted for ELCS as they were told the baby was big. They were called into the hospital last Thursday to get her high blood pressure under control and were put on the list for theatre. No slots became available because of emergencies and they understood that and were patient. It got to the point were she was getting distressed so my son went to have a word with the midwives (she was 40 weeks at this point). Managed to have the section Tuesday morning and the baby was 10lb 1oz. They were right about him being big and we are all so relieved they delivered him when they did. Can you go in to triage and explain your concerns?

Bless I’m not surprised she became stressed, situations like these become so stressful so quickly totally understand they have emergencies but equally become emergencies themselves in a click of a finger.

Just spoken to triage, consult last night on call hadn’t the time to review my notes but she’s going to pass it on to someone who’s on call today. Once again, if I’d not called it’d likely been forgot about again.

It’s true thry can be way out, but I had similar measurements to OP and baby was 10lb 11oz at 38.5weeks, which was skewed to his preposterously massive head and broad shoulders. As my first baby got stuck and was delivered via forceps I pushed for an ELCS and was indeed glad I did! His head was so big we ended up having brain scans to check everything was normal!

(incidentally he is now 8 and his proportions are evening out a bit now - his previously stubby legs are now very long but he still wears adult size hats!)

What are you actually worried about, OP? Going into labour before your C-section date?

At what point did they say he was big and what percentile?

Going into labour before date, his sizing issues, lack of communication and aftercare at this point given the mismanagement of everything till now.

If you go into labour and you're booked in for a C-section you just go in straight away and you'll be categorised as an emergency. The rest of it is frustrating but there's not a great deal you can do about it.

Been told a chance that might not happen with how busy they are with sections this month so just having to pass that over to whatever happens I guess.

I think towards the end of the pregnancy ie def the third trimester and he was measuring 99 percentile. Possibly 23 or 26 week scan? Kept saying he had a big belly