anyone else's doctor said they are having a big baby?

jjm8604 · November 2014

I had my perinatologist ultrasound on Tuesday and was told baby is on the big side she already weighs 3lbs 5oz. So he doesn't want me to go over my due date and my doctor is talking about planning an induction.
Anyone else have this same thing going on?

ordinary1 · November 2014

Size is not a reason to induce. The u/s can be one to three pounds off.

lizzybean · November 2014

ordinary1 said:

Size is not a reason to induce. The u/s can be one to three pounds off.

^This. Estimating the weight in utero is REALLY not an exact science and Im surprised your OB would want to induce because of what they *think could be* a bigger baby.

Beth.1212 · November 2014

Here's my take.

Ultrasound estimates are notoriously bad when it comes to estimating size. Lots of women are told their babies are going to be big, and they end up being average in size.

The difficulty of labor doesn't necessarily correlate with the size of the baby. My first baby was almost 9 pounds and I had a (relatively) easy labor.

Generally induction means pitocin, which makes contractions pretty darn intense and painful - moreso than natural contractions. Your body/baby may not be quite ready for birth if you are getting induced. (Not that the baby would be in danger, but labor may not go smoothly.) A lot more women end up with more interventions when they go with an induction (ex. a diagnosis of "failure to progress" ending in a c-section). If the pregnancy is healthy and a c-section isn't necessary, you're best off avoiding major abdominal surgery. Minimizing unnecessary interventions leads to the best, healthiest outcomes for both mother and baby, statistically speaking.

Most women go into labor between 38 - 42 weeks naturally. Yes, you should be monitored at the end of pregnancy to make sure everything is going okay, but as long as things are going okay I'm a big advocate for letting nature take its course. As long as everyone is healthy and there are no problems, the best outcomes tend to result from letting the body do its thing.

Honestly, I wouldn't agree to an induction based on a size estimate from an ultrasound.

At the very least, I'd recommend getting a 2nd opinion before agreeing to an induction, preferably from a midwife or OB who was natural-birth-friendly. (Unfortunately, many OBs tend to want to jump in and manage things.)

I'm not a doctor nor do I play one on TV, so take the above for what it's worth!

bhjones1980 · November 2014

get ready to see the "big baby" topic threads popping up left and right....

"Am I having a big baby" is to third trimester, to "Guess my babies genitilia from this US pic" is to second tri

Nvywife · November 2014

With DS they were certain he was going to be well over 9 lbs, and wanted to induce early. However I refused to be induced until I was a week late. It was a terribly hard labor that ended in an emergency c-section. And my boy was only a 7 lb 10 oz baby, at a week over due. Ultrasounds are not exact. This pregnancy will be a scheduled c-section, but if it wasn't I wouldn't let them take her early because they think she is big.

dontgiveupnomatterwhat · November 2014

It's pretty early to even suggest you are having a big baby. Tell them to talk to again about this at 38 weeks...
Ugh! That irritates me they said that to you...and making you question and worry. Unless there is something medically wrong where they have diagnosed a reason why your baby is big, then I just wish that wouldn't be brought up. What purpose does it serve? So the fuck what if you have an 8 pounder....doctors can just piss me off sometimes.

jjm8604 · November 2014

Thanks everyone I just was curious and nice to know they can be off.

yesiknowwhatcausesthat · November 2014

My doctor didn't say anything and my baby was also measuring 3 lbs 5 oz on Tuesday (I'm 28 weeks). My dr only said "someone has to be in the 97%!" I think she would induce me on my due date if I wanted her to, but at this point the estimated size means nothing more to me than bragging rights. (Yesterday I bragged that baby's head measured 30 weeks, so order that epidural now please...it was meant as a total joke.)

sweetdreamz6700 · November 2014

I've also been told this little girl isn't really little. Last week she was an estimated 3.3lbs and in the 96th percentile. The plan is to wait it out.