Weight and big baby

GalLaura · May 2013

I learned yesterday that the baby is now 7 lbs and there is lots of fluid again which can be very dangerous during delivery. So the midwives don't usually weigh you but my doctor did and I've gained 30 lbs. holy moly! I almost fell over! How much have you all gained? At some point I saw a chart saying this is babies weight, fluid weight, etc. anyone know what in talking about?

I'm being sent for my 3rd gestational diabetes test even through the first 2 came out negative. They want to double check since he is so big. Now they are starting to talk c section which I'm not to happy about it. I suppose it is all out of my hands though. :

Just needed to vent...

MdWestMom · May 2013

Are you on board with the idea that your baby is "too big" to be born vaginally? Just curious if you & the Dr agree...I would not at all say it is "out of your hands"....I know you didn't ask for opinions, BUT....you can decline a c-section, and there is a ton of reading out there about unnecessary C's and how inaccurate the estimated birth weight is (typically can be off by 1-2 pounds). Personally, I picked a provider who does NOT do C's because of "size." IMHO, our bodies are built to deliver a baby, even a bigger baby.

notquiteblushing · May 2013

MdWestMom:
Are you on board with the idea that your baby is "too big" to be born vaginally? Just curious if you & the Dr agree...I would not at all say it is "out of your hands"....I know you didn't ask for opinions, BUT....you can decline a c-section, and there is a ton of reading out there about unnecessary C's and how inaccurate the estimated birth weight is (typically can be off by 1-2 pounds). Personally, I picked a provider who does NOT do C's because of "size." IMHO, our bodies are built to deliver a baby, even a bigger baby.

This. The American Academy of Gyn and Ob does not support c sections for just "big babies."

I won't be having an ultrasound until my due date unless it's medically necessary. An average pregnancy weight gain is 35 pounds IIRC.

sweetheartsimplegurl · May 2013

My last u/s showed our LO at 7 pounds 9Oz. I've gained about 20 pounds so far. My doctors are somewhat concern bout his size and don't plan on letting go to 40 Weeks. I'll be 36 Weeks tomorrow. My DD was 8lb 6oz a week before her due date. My doctor talked about a c sec when I was pregnant with DD, but this time around they have not mentioned it since I had a natural birth.

emolm · May 2013

It's not out of your hands. Get informed and be your own advocate.

skio · May 2013

How far along are you?

It grinds my gears when doctors send pregnant women into a tizzy over their babies being on the big side. Some babies are bigger. People have been delivering big babies for thousands of years. There's no reason to threaten surgery simply because he's measuring big; GD is another issue and it's good they're being thorough in that. But still...a 30lb weight gain is not that much, and although I'm not a doctor, I don't see a reason to test you again based on a 30lb gain.

I gained just over 30lbs with DD and she was 8lbs13oz. I'm on track to gain a little more this time, and baby was 6lbs at 33w, 80th percentile, on track to be 9lbs at 40w. I'm a small person but like all the other small women in my family, I have big babies. It doesn't concern me. I don't believe that my body will grow a beautiful human that I can't birth. And I won't have my doctor using scare tactics; I'm declining further growth scans [the 33w scan was considered a medical necessity due to hypothyroidism] and will not even entertain the idea of scheduling a c/s as long as she and I remain healthy.

Hang in there and don't be scared to stand up for yourself if you're feeling pushed in directions you don't want to go. Good luck!

ETA: It took me forever to write this an get it posted because it was cranky toddler at bedtime hour, and in the meantime, a bunch of other people said what I am getting at. So, ditto all of them. It's not out of your hands.

TchrKate · May 2013

GalLaura:
I learned yesterday that the baby is now 7 lbs and there is lots of fluid again which can be very dangerous during delivery. So the midwives don't usually weigh you but my doctor did and I've gained 30 lbs. holy moly! I almost fell over! How much have you all gained? At some point I saw a chart saying this is babies weight, fluid weight, etc. anyone know what in talking about? I'm being sent for my 3rd gestational diabetes test even through the first 2 came out negative. They want to double check since he is so big. Now they are starting to talk c section which I'm not to happy about it. I suppose it is all out of my hands though. : Just needed to vent...

Don't stress about it. My coworker was getting weekly u/s because they thought her daughter was so big. 6lbs 4oz. :P It's all guess-work.

jaymiegerard · May 2013

30lbs isn't abnormal in terms of maternal weight gain.

Also, whatever weight they tell you the baby is is an estimate, and scans are notoriously off (by up to 3 lbs). I know 4 women personally who were told they were having big babies and were induced early and the babies ended up being low-normal weight.

ilovemarfa · May 2013

Take those weight estimates with a grain of salt. On the day I delivered according to the ultrasound my son was going to be over 10 lbs. My ob actually offered me a c section as he said that the baby was so big that there was a high risk for shoulder dystocia. I delivered vaginally and my son was a whopping 8 lbs 9 oz. they have been saying this one will be big but I don't even listen to them anymore as they were so off with my son.

kimberly_ann81 · May 2013

Taking the baby's "weight" can be notoriously off by a lb or more. The baby I have for daycare was said to be 8 lbs three to four weeks before he was born. He came out at 7.5 lbs. They were expecting a 10 lb baby at birth.

Manderlin923 · May 2013

30 pounds isn't that much. I've gained 38. I gained 50 with my son. He was born vaginally at 9 pounds 8 ounces. I'm not even going to bat an eyelash if they suspect this baby will be larger as well. Fat squishes.

Secondly, growth scans are notoriously inaccurate and I personally wouldn't feel comfortable basing anything off of one of those. And even if they are right, there's no saying you would be unable to birth vaginally if you want, let alone that you would have a difficult birth. Some women have trouble birthing 6 pound babies. Some are fine birthing 11 pounders. I personally feel a baby's position has way more to do with the ease of birth than the size.

cynthia071173 · May 2013

FYI - DH's cousin gave birth to a 10 lb baby vaginally last year. She did have 3rd degree tears though but if you want to avoid a C section, I do agree with MdWestMom, it's not a must because of size.

GalLaura · May 2013

Hi ladies, thanks for all the advice and encouragement.

My doctor hasn't said I have to have a c section yet but has mentioned if he gets to big that its a possibility. I'm living in Australia and c sections are not as "popular" as they are in the USA. I guess really I'm venting because I'm scared of birthing a huge baby and fearful since there is so much fluid. The fluid can cause him to be strangled on his cord which terrifies me! I was told if my water breaks to get myself to the hospital immediately and not stay at home at all.

I'm trying to believe your body produces the baby you can birth....bit it's hard sometimes.

Hopefully I won't have gestational diabetes when I get my 3rd test this week!

Lil Kate · May 2013

At 38 weeks ds was estimated to be over 10 lbs with a large head and broad shoulders. I was scheduled for a csection a week later and he was born 8 lbs 3 oz. In hindsight the doctors scared me discussing all the complications of delivering a large baby. I could have delivered him. Ultrasounds are off.

REWOP2 · May 2013

With my first I only gained 19lbs and had a 10lb2oz baby. I opted for the c/s as I was a week and a half overdue and my body was not going into labor on its own at all. My cervix was high tight and closed and while my baby was head down, he was not engaged at all. I didn't even so much as have a BH contraction, nevermind a real one. My doctor whom I trust wasn't worried about me getting his head out, but rather his shoulders if we even got to that point at all. The u/s estimated him to be over 11lbs. I did not have GD. I was also offered an induction but my OB seemed to think that since my body just wasn't ready I was not a candidate for a successful induction. At the end of the day it was the right decision for us and I will be having a RCS with this LO as well.

nikel13 · May 2013

I recently jumped in weight gain to 37lbs gained. The doctor doesn't seem too worried because there is no where I could have gained it except in baby and fluid. When they did my scan, DD is in the 50th percentile in weight with an excess of fluid. I now have to have NSTs twice a week to make sure everything is okay (the first one was weird, so we went to twice a week). Nobody has said anything about c-section if DD is big. I do know that a c-section could be a probability should the cord get tangled around baby, but the doctor has not gotten to that point yet.

Stand up for yourself. If you don't want a c-section just because the baby is big, then fight to not have one. But the cord getting tangle could be an issue and it sounds like your doctor should be communicating with you a little better.

GalLaura · May 2013

nikel13:
I recently jumped in weight gain to 37lbs gained. The doctor doesn't seem too worried because there is no where I could have gained it except in baby and fluid. When they did my scan, DD is in the 50th percentile in weight with an excess of fluid. I now have to have NSTs twice a week to make sure everything is okay (the first one was weird, so we went to twice a week). Nobody has said anything about c-section if DD is big. I do know that a c-section could be a probability should the cord get tangled around baby, but the doctor has not gotten to that point yet.
Stand up for yourself. If you don't want a c-section just because the baby is big, then fight to not have one. But the cord getting tangle could be an issue and it sounds like your doctor should be communicating with you a little better.

What does NST stand for? Currently, our little guy is in the 95th percentile. My sister had 2 babies over 10lbs too and had to have c sections. My doctor has not said I have to have one yet but let me know as things progress there is a possibility. She is still optimistic.

GalLaura · May 2013

nikel13:
I recently jumped in weight gain to 37lbs gained. The doctor doesn't seem too worried because there is no where I could have gained it except in baby and fluid. When they did my scan, DD is in the 50th percentile in weight with an excess of fluid. I now have to have NSTs twice a week to make sure everything is okay (the first one was weird, so we went to twice a week). Nobody has said anything about c-section if DD is big. I do know that a c-section could be a probability should the cord get tangled around baby, but the doctor has not gotten to that point yet.
Stand up for yourself. If you don't want a c-section just because the baby is big, then fight to not have one. But the cord getting tangle could be an issue and it sounds like your doctor should be communicating with you a little better.

What does NST stand for? Currently, our little guy is in the 95th percentile. My sister had 2 babies over 10lbs too and had to have c sections. My doctor has not said I have to have one yet but let me know as things progress there is a possibility. She is still optimistic.

BLT20051 · May 2013

NST is a non-stress test.

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