Size of LO and c-section.

sarakiefer

Hi Ladies!

I have GD and my LO is measuring to be about 8.5lbs as of Tuesday the 22nd.  I was 38w4d at this point.  The OB I saw at that appt said I should have a c-section due to his size and the risk of shoulder dystocia.  My heart sank when she told me that.  My other OB never said anything about needing a c-section.  Anyway, his head and everything is measuring average, except his belly is slightly above average.  I absolutely do not want a c-section and would like to avoid it if possible.  But then again, she is a doctor and would know more than me.  She didn't even want me to try for an induction until she saw how important it is to me to have a vaginal birth.  I just don't understand her reasoning at all.  People deliver 8-9lb babies all the time.  Not to mention, the other OB in the practice said those growth ultrasounds are notorious for being off. 

Would you allow a doctor to talk you into a c-section due to size alone?  It seemed to me like she was just grouping me with all other GD patients who may not monitor their GD as well as I do.  To her, GD = automatic c-section I guess.  FWIW, my induction is scheduled for Weds the 30th and I'll be 39w5d.

pepomntpat

I would at the very least get a second opinion with a different doctor and a different machine. Those u/s measurements are often very wrong. 

ChiTown Bridget

pepomntpat:

I would at the very least get a second opinion with a different doctor and a different machine. Those u/s measurements are often very wrong. 

This. Also at my last u/s before delivering ds, they said he was over 8lbs and when he was born he was only 6lbs7oz.

TimeRacer

I agree with the other posters: try to get a 2nd opinion.

My c/s was a surprise due to failure to progress, which did end up being due to baby's size, although my ultrasound put her at 8.5lbs (which is why we did an induction at first...) and she ended up being 9lb 14oz.

But c/s isn't what I wanted, and I had a great doctor who let us try for vaginal before whisking me away to an OR. Talk to your OBs and see if that can be an option for you before you pop under the knife.

bridein08

sarakiefer:

Hi Ladies!

I have GD and my LO is measuring to be about 8.5lbs as of Tuesday the 22nd.  I was 38w4d at this point.  The OB I saw at that appt said I should have a c-section due to his size and the risk of shoulder dystocia.  My heart sank when she told me that.  My other OB never said anything about needing a c-section.  Anyway, his head and everything is measuring average, except his belly is slightly above average.  I absolutely do not want a c-section and would like to avoid it if possible.  But then again, she is a doctor and would know more than me.  She didn't even want me to try for an induction until she saw how important it is to me to have a vaginal birth.  I just don't understand her reasoning at all.  People deliver 8-9lb babies all the time.  Not to mention, the other OB in the practice said those growth ultrasounds are notorious for being off. 

Would you allow a doctor to talk you into a c-section due to size alone?  It seemed to me like she was just grouping me with all other GD patients who may not monitor their GD as well as I do.  To her, GD = automatic c-section I guess.  FWIW, my induction is scheduled for Weds the 30th and I'll be 39w5d.

 

If it is important to you to have a vaginal birth, go for it. I found out at 37 weeks that my baby boy is measuring close to 41 weeks for ALL measurements (although due to PTL, I knew even at 31 weeks that he was way ahead), and is 8.5 lbs (and the guesstimate would be closer or over 10 lbs at birth). The main concern I have is the abdominal measurement/shoulder dystocia, but as you said these can be wrong. Personally, I would prefer a planned cesarian rather than an emergent one, or one after hours and hours of exhausting labor. 

I am taking my doctor's suggestion on this one, BUT I had no feelings on one mode over the other (vaginal versus cesarian). I have my C-section schedule for 39 weeks on the dot and couldn't be happier. Good luck!! 

 

Kristine Schilling

plan on a natural birth and remember that a CS is always an option. Doctor wont agruge with that, just tell him you want to try first. 8 pounds is not a huge baby. One of my sisters pushed out a 9 pounder no problem.

JCragg

I've heard of larger babies no problem. E was 8lbs 6oz, she wasn't huge and it was an emergency c section though.

Second opinion for sure. Ultra sounds are far from accurate. 

honkytonk_kid

Another vote for a second opinion.

pitterpatter129

I vote second opinion too.  My LO would have come out just fine had he not been sunny side up and he was 8lbs6oz.  I still think I should have opted for pushing another hour instead of a csection, but I was sooo tired at that point.  My friend was a 14 pounder and his tiny 5 foot mama gave birth to him vaginally!  It can be done!

caprocornia

A doctor in my OB's office was doing a study on shoulder dystosia when I was pregnant, and for one reason or another I got flagged for a growth u/s at 39 weeks.  I always measured right on time, so I think we got flagged because of some complications I had.  Anyway, they measured LO to be 8 lbs. 10 oz.  Even if she had come out that big (which would have made her over 9 lbs by the time I delivered), my doc never mentioned a c/s at all. 

Furthermore, DD ended up being 7 lbs. 8 oz, so the growth u/s was way off.  I did have a c/s, but it was because of failure to progress.  I think you should get a second opinion.

Daisy22

I would try for your induction if that is what you want. With my first I ended up with a c/s bc he wouldn't drop and I couldn't get past 1cm. When he came out we knew why he was 9lbs 12oz and I'm a petite person with narrow hips. There was no way for me to birth him vaginally. But when I was still in the hospital on day 2 another baby came onto my pp floor weighing 9lbs 14oz and the mother had him vaginally so it is possible. 

lewis514

I think if your other OB didn't mention it, I would discuss at your next appt. If a vaginal birth is important and baby isn't in distress, then you should go for it. 

When I was in nursing school, I observed a woman who gave birth to an 11/12 pound baby vaginally. This was her third baby - her other 2 were 8 and 10 lbs.

I'm having a repeat c/s but it's for a myriad of reasons that work for us.

chicsub

I was also a diet-controlled GD mama with my last pregnancy.  Although I was with midwives and they would have let me go to 42w and a growth u/s was optional. 

Anyways, my c/s baby was 8 lb. 2 oz. and my VBAC (GD baby, although she was proportional and GD didn't play into her size) was 8 lb. 11 oz.  

If I wouldn't have been diet-controlled or on insulin, I would have been more concerned, but I wasn't.  

mrsseguin

I would talk to your doctor about an induction for macrosomia.  I was also diabetic with both pregnancies.  I had a section for DS after pushing for 3 hours and failed forceps. I wouldn't wait for your scheduled induction at 39 weeks.  There are increased risks with having GD, but it doesn't always mean c/s...plenty of women can deliver vaginally.

DS was 8lbs 3oz

DD was a repeat section and weighed 6lbs 1oz

Daisy22

GhostMonkey:

Daisy22:

I would try for your induction if that is what you want. With my first I ended up with a c/s bc he wouldn't drop and I couldn't get past 1cm. When he came out we knew why he was 9lbs 12oz and I'm a petite person with narrow hips. There was no way for me to birth him vaginally. But when I was still in the hospital on day 2 another baby came onto my pp floor weighing 9lbs 14oz and the mother had him vaginally so it is possible. 

Being petitie with narrow hips is completely irrelevant. You can have narrow hips and a large enough pelvic inlet to pass a child. My co-worker's tall, thin wife had their child vaginally- he was 10 lbs. 5 oz. I would put her in the narrow hip category. You can have wide "birthing" hips and have a narrow pelvic inlet (yo). Dh has a niece that is quite a big gal who couldn't have a 6 lb baby vaginally.

 

Sorry actually mention narrow pelvic. My OB at my last appt with DS1 mentioned I had a narrow pelvic and then during my c/s another OB at my practice said my narrow pelvic would have never allowed a 9lb 12oz baby. And was one reason DS1 would not drop into the birth canal. Not sure why I typed hips. I know narrow hips do not mean a thing when having babies. Ugh, this 3rd pg is killing more brain cells! 

girllennon

I didn't have GD, but my OB measured my son to be 6-7.5 lbs when he was actually 5 lbs 9 oz. He was small and healthy, but an emergency c-section for other factors.

U/S size estimates are normally way off, so I would get a second opinion to err on the side of caution.

ghdst1

With DS I measured big for weeks and weeks.  I asked my drs if they would induce due to size of the baby and they said no.  I told them about my concern the size of the baby would lead to a c-section, which I didn't want.  They would not induce based on size, only if mom or baby were in danger.

I went into labor naturally but it turned out I needed a c/s anyway because DS's head size was very large.  He got stuck in my pelvis and so I didn't dialate completely to even try to push.

aubreyalise

Justsummie:

With DD the ultrasound predicted her to be 9lb 11oz. As soon as I heard that I knew I was having a c-section.  I really liked my OB and trusted her opinion.  When she suggested the c-section she seemed really remorsful and afraid I was going to be upset or something.  As soon as she realized I was totally ok with it she let out a huge sigh and told me about the horry-story delivery she had just endured with a "big-baby" delivery.

In the OR as soon as she opened me up she was like "Oh, yeah...there was no way you could have done this naturally"  Apparently I have a narrow pelvis? Who knew? And DD ended up being 10 lbs 7 oz at 39 weeks with much of her body measuring off the charts.

I don't regret my CS one bit but then again I never really had any high hopes for any kind of specific birth plan....all that ever mattered was a healthy baby and in the end that's what I got.

 

my situation was almost exactly like yours. i had a growth ultrasound at 33w that showed he was 7+ lbs. she scheduled me for a c-section at 39 weeks but my water broke at 37w2d. i discussed all of my options with my dr and we came to the conclusion that even that early, he was still a linebacker. my guy was 10lb 3oz and a ridiculous head circumference (i think 17 or 18"). my dr had the same reaction as yours when she got him out. 

RaeAnt

DS was supposedly measuring around the same as yours and he was born 7lb 12oz and was pretty small. People sometimes thought he was a preemie. While the idea or chance of shoulder dystocia would scare me, as you mentioned, plenty of women birth babies that are quite large. I personally would at least want to give it a go before going under the knife. Just be aware and know that having a c/s may still happen. I just hate when they tell you right away that's what you are going to have when it's based on just a measurement that is often incorrect.