don't know what to make of this....

pregmama

At my last appointment, my doctor literally used her hands to feel my belly (the baby) and proclaimed "your baby is not that big! ... about 7lbs. 6 oz.!" (She had been previously worried about the baby being "a big baby.") She has been practicing for over 20 years so I want to trust her, but how can she tell from just feeling? 

LilBigBug

I have no idea how they do that.  Last OB I saw, she felt my stomach, and told me the baby was breech, and then 5 minutes later told me that she had moved.  How she did that without an ultrasound is BEYOND me.

nikkks84

if u have good enough experience u can definitely tell the position and rough baby weight by feeling and palpating in a full term woman .. i know coz there are three ob-gyns in my family

Josie22

I can look at a stack of money, and just by knowing the denominations I can guess the approximate amount. Because I use to work in cash vaults and banks. I know what different amounts looks like.

When you work with something a lot, you learn about it. You feel a belly, and have an idea what that size is. Then the baby comes out, and you see how much the baby weighs. Do that a hundred or so times, and you figure it out.

kris_kelsey

Josie22:

I can look at a stack of money, and just by knowing the denominations I can guess the approximate amount. Because I use to work in cash vaults and banks. I know what different amounts looks like.

When you work with something a lot, you learn about it. You feel a belly, and have an idea what that size is. Then the baby comes out, and you see how much the baby weighs. Do that a hundred or so times, and you figure it out.

nice analogy!

jandb2011

The OB I had with my son, estimated him to be 7 1/2 lbs, by feeling my belly.  When he was born and weighed, she was only 1 oz off.

MRSR08

My OB felt mine and proclaimed...hmm all baby in there. Ummm yeah! 

QueenofAnything

Actually, some really experienced OB's/midwives SWEAR that it's more accurate to do it by "feel" than by ultrasound.

MelissaMiso

kris_kelsey:

Josie22:

I can look at a stack of money, and just by knowing the denominations I can guess the approximate amount. Because I use to work in cash vaults and banks. I know what different amounts looks like.

When you work with something a lot, you learn about it. You feel a belly, and have an idea what that size is. Then the baby comes out, and you see how much the baby weighs. Do that a hundred or so times, and you figure it out.

nice analogy!

yes, good analogy. Makes me want to add that I am a mental health therapist and can spot crazy anywhere. Ha ha   I guess it's the same, too, with being able to feel how many cm a cervix is dilated. Must just take practice. I believe that OBs/midwives/etc include their intuition/instinct too and again that is affected by experience.

geauxfrogs

I bet your OB is close, but I will say less than a week before I had my DD, my ob guessed about 7 1/2lbs by feel. DD was 8lb 6oz.

ABeautifulMind

QueenofAnything:

Actually, some really experienced OB's/midwives SWEAR that it's more accurate to do it by "feel" than by ultrasound.

This is what my MW told me too.  And, FWIW, I totally trust her more than an U/S.