36 week growth scan estimates baby weight at 7 and a half lbs. Had previous difficult delivery with 9lb+ baby and am seriously nervous

[serialmum]

Any advice ladies, have spent today panicking about a repeat of delivery of DS1 and really cannot face going through that again.

Is it really true baby will gain 1lb per week between now and term?

aww don't panic!

this is my experience:
ds1- 9lb 1. horrid labour, very long, had epidural which slowed everything, ended up on my back, no idea when i was having a contraction, ventouse delivery, nasty tear

ds2- 9lb 5, born at home, stayed upright, no pain relief=- absolutely beautiful labour. no tears

ds3- 9lb 11, born at home in 45 mins! no tears again

I honestly believe that how easy (or not) your baby is to deliver has far less to do with their weight than it does with where you are, how you are coping, your position, the size of their head/shoulders etc!

I thought it was half a pound a week? am sure that's what sonographer told me.

I believe it's true that your body will never grow a baby too big for you to deliver. maybe your problems with your last were more to do with how the labour was managed than the size of the baby?

hopefully, I had an awful midwife and an epidural. I am trying to keep relaxed as I don't want to get so uptight that my fears have a dertrimental effect on what could be a perfectly normal delivery!
Thanks for the reassurance think i am probably worrying over nothing but at the same time I know how much DS's delivery affected not just me but him and DH. My DS still has scar on his head from failed ventouse and had black eye from forceps delivery (he was delivered facing my left leg as his head was stuck in my pelvis) he had to be resuscitated and i was stitched like a patchwork quilt.
This on top of a midwife who asked me why I was complaining - I was in labour not having a walk in the park!! needless to say, I have changed hospitals.
i would love to deliver at home but am terrified of any complications.

I had 8'10 first time round, induced, nasty midwife, I felt panicked and ended up with a very nasty tear which caused me immense discomfort for months. Second time round my baby was 10'5, had a lovely midwife, good calm labour and just a 1 stitch tear which I barely noticed. So don't worry, size is not all that matters!

Having my dd was horrendous - she was 10lb 2oz, and back to back, i was continuously monitored and not allowed off the bed and ended up with a 3rd degree tear.

I was determined not to let that happen again, and DS was born on tuesday - he was guesstimated at 7lbs at 35 wk scan, and 4 weeks later was 9lb 15 and a half oz. My birth experience with him was much more positive, despite him being transverse and me having an epidural and a small second degree tear.

I think it has much more to do with the relationship/trust you have in the people looking after you then anything else. I was terrified with my dd - she was a vbac and i had no idea what was happening, with ds i was much more in control.

Good luck.

I think they often over-estimate the weight - they told me my son was going to be well over 9lbs and he was under 8lbs (still had a yucky ventouse and episotomy delivery!)