Baby too big!

JBurgos08 · May 2013

So I'm 40 weeks was due the 13th and got scheduled for csection on Tuesday May 21st. Had an ultrasound yesterday and baby is almost 9 pounds! Kinda scared but excited and kinda happy not to have to go through the labor part. Dr said because of my frame size and weight she is scared the head will come through but shoulders would get stuck. Any csection experiences welcome please!! :

CarolineEmma · May 2013

No offense but I'd be getting a 2nd opinion if I were you. My baby is tracking to be in the 9lb range and no talk of cs has happened at all from my midwives. I have a small frame but that has no bearing on the size of my birth canal. 9lbs isn't really that huge. Good luck with the section though since you seem into it.

c-elizabethf · May 2013

CarolineEmma:
No offense but I'd be getting a 2nd opinion if I were you. My baby is tracking to be in the 9lb range and no talk of cs has happened at all from my midwives. I have a small frame but that has no bearing on the size of my birth canal. 9lbs isn't really that huge. Good luck with the section though since you seem into it.

This. And you have to remember ultrasounds can be off

sugarfingers · May 2013

I guess this is why the cesarean rate is over 30 percent! I don't know why doctors do this to women. Sad face.

LaxMOM44 · May 2013

sugarfingers:
I guess this is why the cesarean rate is over 30 percent! I don't know why doctors do this to women. Sad face.

But at least the doctor will make tee time.

sugarfingers · May 2013

laxminavkar:
sugarfingers:
I guess this is why the cesarean rate is over 30 percent! I don't know why doctors do this to women. Sad face.

But at least the doctor will make tee time.

Yep. And it's probably more fun to get to do a surgery than to merely catch a baby.

Allure816 · May 2013

They did this to a friend of mine who had her baby in January. Said he would be almost 10lbs so they made her have a csection. He was 8.6! I had vaginal deliveries for an 8.10 and a 8.1 babies. I have a small frame and survived! Definitely get a second opinion!

sugarfingers · May 2013

Allure816:
They did this to a friend of mine who had her baby in January. nbsp;Said he would be almost 10lbs so they made her have a csection. nbsp;He was 8.6! nbsp; I had vaginal deliveries for an 8.10 and a 8.1 babies. nbsp; I have a small frame and survived! nbsp; Definitely get a second opinion!

My second really was 10 lbs and I pushed 10 minutes to get him out. And I'm a thin person. It's almost like our bodies were designed to do this!!

LaxMOM44 · May 2013

sugarfingers:
laxminavkar:
sugarfingers:
I guess this is why the cesarean rate is over 30 percent! I don't know why doctors do this to women. Sad face.

But at least the doctor will make tee time.

Yep. And it's probably more fun to get to do a surgery than to merely catch a baby.

Faster too....csection are much more time efficient than waiting for an unpredictable labour. That being said, thank god c sections exist for emergency situations and when women really do need them.

mslynn2012 · May 2013

Csection mom here, due to fetal distress after a 12 hour labor. I wish I would have been able to have a vaginal birth... 18 days later and I am still in pain, have numb spots and can't sit up on my own. Please please please get a 2nd opinion!!!

snowgirl427 · May 2013

Ok. Haven't posted my birth story yet but similar situation. Tuesday scan showed 9.5 lbs and large head measurements. I was immediately admitted as I was already scheduled to be induced. Dr told me this: we would do the induction and try vaginal birth but that we wouldn't "be Heroes". I was induced.. Progressed to 6 cm and stalled. After 3 hrs stalled they checked an his head wasn't Ben descending to a point to seeing it would fit. Dr gave me the option to try a few more hours or go with a csection. In his opinion web would end up with csection either way.

Baby was 9.2 lbs with a 15 inch head... Too big for my pelvis. I'm glad I had the csection, but equally glad my dr was so willing to try vaginal first. It just wasn't in the cards for me.

Recovery hurts, but its not unbearable. I'm taking the pain meds as prescribed and staying on top of the pain. LO is bfing amazingly... So while a difficult recovery, so worth it for LOs safety as well as my own.

Good luck!

botanicalbliss · May 2013

cgiles120812:
CarolineEmma:
No offense but I'd be getting a 2nd opinion if I were you. My baby is tracking to be in the 9lb range and no talk of cs has happened at all from my midwives. I have a small frame but that has no bearing on the size of my birth canal. 9lbs isn't really that huge. Good luck with the section though since you seem into it.
This. And you have to remember ultrasounds can be off

All this. 9 lb babies aren't that big.

blush64 · May 2013

CarolineEmma:
No offense but I'd be getting a 2nd opinion if I were you. My baby is tracking to be in the 9lb range and no talk of cs has happened at all from my midwives. I have a small frame but that has no bearing on the size of my birth canal. 9lbs isn't really that huge. Good luck with the section though since you seem into it.

This.

9 lbs isn't very big and small women with small frames have babies that big all the time. I have a small frame and had a baby over 9lbs.

That being said, if you are happy with your options than best wishes for a great delivery.

EDIT Your weight won't have much to do with how big of a baby you can birth. When having my first son I started out under weight and although I gained weight I was still small when I had him. I had no hips to speak of but I managed it because your body loosens and makes room. It's very few women who would actually not be able to birth their baby.

jaimesgang · May 2013

I'm about a size one when not pregnant and my last baby was 9 1/2 pounds. I delivered vaginally with no complications. There's nothing wrong with going the csection route if necessary but don't let the size of baby alone scare you.

Moosemonkey · May 2013

I had an ultrasound during my labor, where the doctor said the baby was nearly 10. I was in labor and in fluids for 36 hours, so her birth weight was certainly inflated, and she was only 8.5. So I'd reconsider locking into a c. My recovery has been... Less than stellar. I hurt and I can't always pick my girl up. However mine became necessary when we discovered my cervix was swollen shut, and my uterus was infected.

That said.. They brought her to me in recovery and let us try nursing for the first time. We got to try inside an hour and I think that was crucial for us. She's eaten like a champ from the beginning. I highly recommend taking that extra day in the hospital when they offer it. There's no scorecard for who goes home first, and I felt really helped by having someone else on top of my pain meds and whatnot.

JCRSMD17 · May 2013

sugarfingers:
I guess this is why the cesarean rate is over 30 percent! I don't know why doctors do this to women. Sad face.

Go google shoulder dystocia and brachial plexus injury ... Then maybe rethink your superior attitude towards doctors who are trying to get babies out safely. Maybe if people didn't sue at the drop of a hat, doctors wouldn't be so quick to recommend c-section.

annagrya · May 2013

JCRSMD17:
sugarfingers:
I guess this is why the cesarean rate is over 30 percent! I don't know why doctors do this to women. Sad face.
Go google shoulder dystocia and brachial plexus injury ... Then maybe rethink your superior attitude towards doctors who are trying to get babies out safely. Maybe if people didn't sue at the drop of a hat, doctors wouldn't be so quick to recommend c-section.

Yes, but it sucks knowing that your doctor has no confidence in your ability to birth your own child. I kinda resent the attitude that I WILL need serious medical attention rather than I MIGHT need it. It's too bad the system encourages this...

BeckyTheEngineer · May 2013

Like many others, I had 2 kids over 9 pounds, and I was very happy to be able to have vaginal deliveries. Obviously the scan could be off either way, but here's another vote for second opinion

emsuski · May 2013

My lo was measuring 9 lbs 6 oz the day before my due date. My Ob brought up csection because I also have a small frame. I told her I would like to try induction first if possible. We scheduled an induction for 5 days later. My lo decided to come on his own the next day and I was able to deliver him vaginally- and he was 9lbs 4 oz. don't let anyone talk you into something that you're not comfortable with!

SimplyMe111 · May 2013

Recovery is tough, pain meds are a necessity. I labored for 24 hours and was still at 1 cm so I had to have a c section. Just keep in mind that it is major abdominal surgery

JBurgos08 · May 2013

Thank you for all the replies. Just to clarify it was ultimately my decision to have csection. Dr did give me the option of going vaginally and gave me the pros and cons for both and her concerns. My aunt who is a LnD nurse was 100 percent for csection in this circumstance. She told me she couldn't tell me how many times a woman would try laboring for hours to only have to have an emergency csection because shoulders would not fit through pelvis. I just want to put my baby and I through as little stress as possible. Just knowing that dr put me in the higher percentage category for something like this to happen is enough for me to go the quote unquote safe route. Trust me I was all about vaginal natural delivery.

Lolalipsy · May 2013

I'd say 9lbs is becoming pretty much the norm now but then again I don't know your personal situation.

I was told that it's position more than size which can cause issues and shoulder dystocia is extremely rare. the MW at my hospital has only come across it twice in 20 years.

My cousin has just delivered an 11lb baby to a woman who's small framed and only 5ft. She said the baby was so big you could've put a school uniform on her.

D&S724 · May 2013

nola78:
Also, I totally give an eye roll to the women on this board who think they know so much more than the OP's OB. Tee time? Are you f-ing kidding me?

I agree with this 100%! It's one thing to encourage the OP to get a 2nd opinion, but it's another thing to assume that her OB doesn't have her best interest in mind.

That being said, I did have two vaginal deliveries. I'm a very petite person, and my kids were 8 lbs. 6 oz, and 9 lbs. 3oz. With my second delivery, I *almost* needed a c-section because my son was basically stuck. My OB told me to give it one more shot, and it worked. However, he did tell nurse to have the c-section room ready just in case. As far as I know, he didn't have a tee time scheduled that day...

OP - It wouldn't hurt to ask your OB if you can at least attempt a vaginal delivery first.

LaxMOM44 · May 2013

Oh my goodness the tee time was a joke. Clearly her doctor is not scheduling her csection around a golf game. It's just the joke you always hear when people bring up the high caesarean rate. Sorry I suppose it wasn't the most helpful thing. I am fully in support of having a csection if it's medically necessary and I try not to comment on what I think is medically necessary since I am not a doctor. Just wanted to make a little joke about golf. Last thing I want is for someone to go to her doctor and demand a natural birth because of some anecdote I heard from a friend of a friend, or my uneducated opinion. Sorry I will leave golfing out of all posts from now on.

LaxMOM44 · May 2013

Also read my second post about how grateful I am that csections exist. I am not doubting that between her doctor, her research and her own preference she will make the right decision for herself. I was commenting on someone else's post about the high csection rate, not the OP's particular situation.

gradmommy13 · May 2013

mslynn2012:
Csection mom here, due to fetal distress after a 12 hour labor. I wish I would have been able to have a vaginal birth... 18 days later and I am still in pain, have numb spots and can't sit up on my own. Please please please get a 2nd opinion!!!

I agree. I was all ready for a vaginal med-free birth, but after discovering that the LO was breech and a failed ECV, I had to have a c-section. It's not as "easy" as it sounds. My stitches and belly hurt like a mother. The first few days home I had to have my husband help me get out of bed. I'm not saying that vaginal delivery is less painful or that c-sections are bad, but just remember that a c-section is major surgery and should probably be avoided unless there's a real medical necessity to have one.

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