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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Large babies - when do they suggest a c-section?

20 replies

gem1981 · 09/06/2008 21:46

had 20 week scan today and everything was fine.

They did say however that as DS1 was 9lb 3oz that they would like me to have a growth scan at 28 weeks and 36 weeks to see if this one (also a boy) is on the large side too.

sonographer mentioned double figures and then mentioned a c-section...

is there a certain threshold for weight and a suggested c-section?

I am 5ft 11 innches with (large (ish) hips )

really want a vaginal delivery like DS1

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HarrietTheSpy · 09/06/2008 22:10

This sounds like nonsense to be honest. My understanding is that these predictions can be really out, for a start. I'm pretty confident there is no 'cut off' weight as such at which point you are recommended to have a c section. I would just say, thanks, but frankly get lost.

girlandboy · 09/06/2008 22:19

My 1st baby was only 7lb 6oz but my 2nd baby was "bigger than average" right from the 12 week scan. They kept asking if I had my dates right. He was 9lb 13oz when he was born at 39 weeks. I had a vaginal delivery with no pain relief. No-one suggested a c-section. I'm 5ft 10in and the doctor only said that as my feet were big, and so were my hips there would be no problem. (Feet are size 6! not that big I thought!) He was right though.
If you want a vaginal delivery, then make sure it's in your birth plan and tell the doctor this is what you want, but you will go along with a c-section if there is an emergency. This should keep them happy.

Original poster

gem1981 · 10/06/2008 08:28

I think I would prefer to adopt a wait and see approah

girlandboy i have size 7/8 feet so that's positive!!!!

OP posts:

lulumama · 10/06/2008 08:34

there is every chance you grow the size of baby you can give birth to

have a look here on the birth announcements , many 10 + 11 lb babies born vaginally.

also growth scans are not 100 % accurate

i was told my second would be bigger and i was measuring bigger, she was lighter than DS and her head was 3 cm smaller in circumference.

no reason size of a baby per se should indicate c section

also, there are plenty of birth positions you can adopt to ensure your pelvis is as open as it can be

LeonieD · 10/06/2008 08:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

VictorianSqualor · 10/06/2008 08:48

IME, you need a good few growth scans for weight estimate to be accurate.
The estimate with DS2 was almost exact, but that was because I had a growth scan every two weeks from 26weeks, and he followed a standard growth centile, not all babies do, in or out of the womb.

Your body isn't stupid, nor is nature, it wouldn't give you a job to do that you weren't physically capable of.

I'd suggest you do as much research as possible into opening up the pelvis, birthing positions and the like if you want to give birth vaginally and put your foot down.

It's not normally the size of the baby that makes C-Sections inevitable but the way the woman is helped to birth, if you're laying on your back and dosed up on drugs/epidurals it is going to make it more likely even with a 5lb baby, but if you're active and in a good position it will be a lot less likely.

Good luck

zebedee1 · 10/06/2008 09:00

Hi gem, my consultant told me there is no "magic weight" over which they perform a c- section. He said that he prefers women to try to birth vaginally as there is less risk, but when making the decision he will take into account Mum and baby's health, fitness, due date etc. He told me if I was a very petite 5 foot lady or obese he might recommend a section, but I'm not!!

Try not to worry, I was told I was having a 10lb plus baby at all my growth scans, he was well over 6lb at my 32 week scan! Must have slowed down tho as he popped out at 9lb7oz and birth was fab. Big baby does not equal difficult birth, I had a far easier time than my friends who had little ones!

I think big babies are fab, eat well, sleep well and are quite robust with good head control so I was never worried about handling him.

Good luck !!

melly73 · 09/10/2008 12:46

hi ive been told my baby on the large size ie head circumference and abdominal scale is huge ive had numerous growth scans saying the same been to consultant midwife and obsectrictian.I got one child of 10 already who i had naturally weighing 7lb1 oz long labour as op position but managed without a c section but with the rate of growth with this next baby i`m bricking it and worried that there will be complications ie shoulders and head getting stuck etc i would rather have a c section to ensure baby is not distressed or myself ,it taken me numerous miscarriages and an ectopic pregnancy to get this far and i worry about things going wrong during the birth especially after the size of baby is an issue!i would rather go in to hospital knowing that all is going to go smoothly rather than have complications half way through and being rushed for a c section in an emergency causing stress for baby and myself!!!

MamaG · 09/10/2008 12:50

I've been told this baby is going to be big, both by midwife by feel and consultant by scan, but nobody has mentioned a cs. I'm only 5 3 with average hips and size 5 feet! My other babies were 8 4 and 8 9 so I'm not too worried, if its over 9lb its tough, I'm sure that as this is my third he'll just sliiiiiide out

CS7 · 09/10/2008 12:55

My cousins baby was 10lbs 4 she had her vaginally. She's 5'8 and a size 12 (My cousin, not the baby!)

artichokes · 09/10/2008 13:04

My DD was 9lb 4oz (at 38 weeks) and I have not been offered any extra scans. When I raised concerns about the size of this one I was told it should be OK as DD never had problems getting her shoulders out (the main risk factor for a large baby.

phdlife · 09/10/2008 13:11

Looking at my ridiculous bump the consultant obstetrician and the consultant MW said I would "probably need help" - but this was because I was "old" as well as having a large(ish) baby.

All they said was that they would prefer I went to the MLU in the hospital rather than the MLU with no hospital (or doctors) attached - just in case. Nobody mentioned a CS until I'd been in pushing for 2hrs and ds was asleep somewhere under my ribcage!

mamakim · 09/10/2008 13:59

I don't trust growth scans. Mine said at 38 weeks i was having small/average baby. He was 9lb 7oz. I'm 5ft, size 6 however and did need c section in the end. And they had to get him out with forceps. I wouldn't worry if i were you.

broodymom · 09/10/2008 21:16

My dd was 9lb 13oz and i delivered her naturally, they told me she was large but never had any extra growth scans and only had a tiny tear.

But a girl i know who had her baby this week has been told for weeks her baby was bigger than ave and would not agree to start her .even though she was a week over and she ended up with a c section because she could not deliver her dd was 10lbs 4oz!(she is about 5'4/3 in hight), I think they just say what they feel like sometimes!!

MildWest · 10/10/2008 11:38

We had a scan this week to check for placenta position - all fine, but then they started measuring stuff, turns out the baby is measuring 39 weeks (am only just 34 weeks). So was then whisked off for tests to check for gestational diabetes. Fair enough, but I could have told them I know it would be big as I was big (9lb 4 oz) and all family members on both sides are tall. MW said they wouldn't have sent me for a growth scan as am tall (5'8), bump measurement bang on and have only put on 7kgs.
But, as you have found there seems to be an awful lot of differing opinion - one MW I spoke to said they might induce shortly after 40 weeks for a big baby, and another said they don't 'normally' induce for big babies. And that is within the same clinic! Honestly. So, as others have said, I know that our family history indicates big babies, I'm not worried as I know that we are capable of pushing them out! As others have said, scans can be out by as much as 10%, and nature knows what it's doing!

idobelieveinghosts · 10/10/2008 11:46

My 10lb ds3 was induced 2 weeks early. Normal vaginal delivery with just grazes and gas and air. (I'm 5'6..size 6 feet)

ds4 was only 8lb 5 (induced at 40 weeks as they thought he was big , it was the birth from hell!

I was told it depends on the position of baby as to if you have problems or not.. not the size.

interflora · 10/10/2008 15:27

my biggest baby was nearly 13lbs, i am just over 5ft tall and size 6 shoes.....big baby very easy birth just like the others, who averaged 10lbs+, no worries at all with popping them!!!

as for scans - i was told that they are only accurate up to approx 9lbs. and there's a cut off point at 9lbs 1oz where they can't even guess the weight of baby.......no worries honestly.......shoulder of biggest baby got a bit stuck but all over very quickly and all well..........and the saying that 'every birth is different' is very true - my 7 were all different births. good luck xx

kazbeth · 10/10/2008 18:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ellenjames · 12/10/2008 22:16

i am 17 weeks pregnant and have been told i will need extra scans as ds was 10lb 3 but never has a c section been mentioned, but this will be my third with other 2 beibg born vaginally. I explained to them my family history is that we have big babies, upto 13lbs, and dh's side 14lb!

elmerthe1st · 13/10/2008 09:26

Hi Gem - I have also just been told at my 20 week scan that this baby (my second) looks to be on the large side. My first was 8lb 4 which doesn't seem too huge but I'm not even quite 5ft and gave birth to him vaginally with just gas and air and didn't have any tearing... I'm confident that your body can accommodate the baby you've grown and planning to do the same again (hmmm, optimistic!). I'd been told all the way through firt pregnancy that he was going to be big but if he hadn't been overdue, he would only have been 7lb something which is very average. Babies on my husband's side all tend to be huge - his mum had 7 all over 8lb (and some up to 11+) - all delivered naturally and she's only about 5,7". Hope this makes you feel more confirdent - do it as you feel happy...

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