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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Big baby - any suggestions?

13 replies

Littlemissbusy · 23/05/2005 21:22

I'm 31 weeks pregnant (with no.3) and all the signs are that this baby is big (estimated at 4.5 lb already - so could be 9lb I guess at due date!) - both my two other babies have been relatively small. Does a bigger baby mean a harder delivery, and is there any reasons why I should suddenly produce a whopper? Should I be concerned?

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Bellie · 23/05/2005 21:24

littlemissbusy - not sure how accurate the estimates are - I was told that my baby was big - and would be well over 10lbs - she was 8lb 9oz and my friend was told that she was having a tiny baby and her dd was 9lb 8oz !!
I am not sure that it makes that much difference to delivery - but good luck!!

Twiglett · 23/05/2005 21:25

well for a start it is notoriously difficult to judge a baby's size pre-birth - it is just as often wrong as right so I wouldn't worry too much about it being that much of a whopper

sorry don't know about hard or easy deliveries - mine were both by section

Twiglett · 23/05/2005 21:25

also I would've thought its head circumference rather than weight that makes a difference - it could be a long baby

jampots · 23/05/2005 21:26

If your consultant or midwife isnt worried then I wouldnt worry too much either. Dont forget as well that they are only estimating hte weight of the baby. That said, when I was 8.5months preg I was told after a scan that my baby would be over 8.5lbs - she was born a week later at 8lb 9.5 so that was pretty accurate. Ds was supposedly much bigger but when he was delivered at 37 weeks he was 8lb 12 which was smaller than expected

debs26 · 23/05/2005 21:27

ds2 (8lb7) delivery was no better or worse than ds1 (9lb13) and ds3 (9lb6)was loads easier which i put down to being in the birthing pool. also tried yoga with ds3. when doing pelvic floor exercises dont just concentrate on tightening, practice relaxing as much as poss. i pushed v little with ds3, just relaxed as much as poss and the contraction pushed him most of the way out - much less tiring. and remember that thay are usually very inaccurate when guessing size - i was told ds2 was much bigger than ds1 and that was not the case

starlover · 23/05/2005 21:29

littlemissbusy... my DS was over 9lb and the birth was fine! I had ventouse, but only because he was coming out at a funny angle and couldn't manage to push him out!
I think that births vary SO much, and it isn't just down to the size of the baby... so don't assume that a bigger baby means a more difficult birth.

I know someone who had a much better and quicker birth with her DS who was nearly 10lb than with her DD who was only 7lb something!

vickiyumyum · 23/05/2005 21:32

apparently scan estimates of size can be upto 2lb wrong either way, so try not to worry too much.
i was told at a scan the day before my ds2 was born that he was about 8lb, delivered him the next day at 10lb 6oz!! (sorry i know that probably doesn't help, but they can get it wrong either way)
as said by some of the other posts if your midwife isn't worried and neither are doctors etc, then chances are you will be fine, especially as you have already had 2 normal deliveries.

vickiyumyum · 23/05/2005 21:34

oh yeah, size isn't always an indication of how the delivery will be, my friend who is a size 8, delivered and 11lb 8oz baby naturally without pain relief and only a small tear which required no stitching, but working as a student midwife i have seen many bigger women delivering 6 or 7lb babies that have required forceps, ventouse etc.
just goes to show you never can tell!

busyalexsmummy · 23/05/2005 23:14

I was told 3 days before ds was born that he was about 7lb, he turned out 8lb 13 1/2oz after a long hard labour, im only 5ft2 with size 4 feet so i found it very hard but you should be fine, how tall are you+shoe size?

Rachey1969 · 24/05/2005 11:27

I agree, doctors and midwifes often get it very wrong. I was scanned in labour (dd was a tricky face presentation) and they still got her weight wrong by about half a pound!

My ds1 was 9,5 and a forceps delivery cos his head was 39cm (ouch). At 22 wks I was told he was small for dates! ds2 was 8,12 (fairly normal delivery but the worst!) and dd was 9,2 (face first which is a massive circumference! but as she was no.3, a fairly smooth delivery - tiny tear). I imagine you'd know if you had gestational diabetes. I wouldn't worry about it

clary · 24/05/2005 11:57

Oh heck no.My third was 9lb, more than 1lb bigger than my first 2 and the easiest labour without doubt.

Original poster

Littlemissbusy · 24/05/2005 16:10

Thanks everyone so far for their comments! Really helpful. I'm 5ft 3in, and quite petite - first two children were 6lb 6, and 5lb 11. I have another scan booked for 3 weeks time (ironically the consultant is taking so much care because he was concerned that I might have a small baby!), so I guess that'll be my chance to ask more questions!

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motherpeculiar · 24/05/2005 16:32

again i can say not to worry. my second was 9lb15 and i had her with no pain relief and no tearing. did use a birth pool as debs (i think) below said which i think helped enormously. also did minimal pushing and allowed contractions to get her out (mostly). listened to the midwife when she told me to pant rather than push at the crucial stage.

good luck

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