Big baby = induction?

Mamacat316 · January 2016

Hey, I feel like I need some advice as I'm not sure what to do. I'm 38+2 and yesterday my doctor told me that due to baby's big shoulders/midsection he wants to induce me on Monday, before he gets any bigger (he's around 8 pounds 10 oz now). He swept my membranes and said hopefully labor would start naturally over the weekend.

I DO NOT want to be induced and am a big believer that baby will come when he's ready. Also. I believe my body can birth a "big" baby naturally, even though my last kid was like 6 pounds. Plus, I just read about how inaccurate weight estimations for babies in utero are... I'm only 38 weeks, baby hasn't dropped, I've tried acupuncture, sex, raspberry leaf tea, you name it, and no dice. So just leave this kid alone, right? Or am I being silly and making a C-section more likely? At least with induction I still have a shot at a drug-free birth...

moomee · January 2016

Definitely go with your gut instincts! If you don't feel comfortable being induced, he can't force you. Good luck!

cMichelle0423 · January 2016

Baby being "big" isn't a good reason to induce. There's no way to accurately estimate baby's size before birth. Ultrasounds are notorious for being off by up to 2 lbs either way. I would refuse unless medically necessary (meaning your health/life, or the health/life of your baby was genuinely at risk).

Lindsaym5! · January 2016

With my first baby I was told he would be 9lbs. I went into labor that night and he was 7. I wouldn't do it.

Latina211508 · January 2016

I would also go with your instincts. With all 3 of my kids Drs and family thought I would have 5 lb little babies. All of them were over 8lbs and way over the estimates the ob assumed. I asked to be induced with second and third because I had a feeling they would be big for my size and I personally did not want to risk them not being able to come out vaginally. I was already past my EDD. If you feel you should wait till baby is ready, then wait.

Monkeybutt80 · January 2016

I say follow your gut and I believe PPs statements are true (measurement not being accurate/ induction posing a risk). However, I made the decision with my doctor today to be induced at 39 weeks due to my baby's size. There are several factors that went into this decision; main reason being that there is a lower risk with induction for me as I had a successful induction last time.
My first was measured to be 7 lbs or so. He was born 8 lbs and 11oz, so it is absolutely true that the measurements are inaccurate, just happened to be inaccurate the opposite way than most for me. I was induced last time not due to his size, but because I was 41 weeks and there were concerns about deterioration of the placenta. I successfully delivered vaginally but there was a scare when my large baby got his shoulders stuck during birth. So we know that I do have trouble giving birth to a larger baby, whereas some ladies do not have any issues. This girl is measuring on track to be bigger than my first. This could also be wrong, but based on the last time, I am worried that it is wrong the other way (she's actually even bigger than what they measured her at). So after my discussion with my OB, we decided that being induced at 39 weeks is the best option for me, and my gut tells me this is the right decision, but if my gut told me otherwise, I wouldn't do it.

VitaLuna · January 2016

If I was in your position, I wouldn't do it. Big baby is no reason to induce.

Also, the likelihood of a "drug free" induction is very slim. Pitocin can make pain/contractions so much more intense and difficult to bear.

Mamacat316 · January 2016

Thanks guys, you're all making me feel a bit more confident. @VitaLuna I live in Ireland, where they try to induce labor by breaking your waters before resorting to Pitocin. Hopefully that will be enough! I've devoted many, many hours to learning hypnosis techniques that will hopefully get me through.

jordans_wife · January 2016

I personally would decline the induction. Measurements can be way off and I'd give baby more time to come on his own. I'd be ok with sweeps but would say no to an induction. My friend who I'd describe as a bean pole just had her baby med free with only a 1st degree tear. He was 10lbs 5oz!!!!

g8trkim · January 2016

I think if you express your concerns and tell him you would like to wait another week he would likely agree.

Ju111310 · January 2016

Go with your gut! I was induced today at 38 weeks due to elevated BP. My cervix was favorable (4 cm & 80% effaced) but I was still terrified of an induction leading to a c-section. I delivered an 8 lb 11 oz baby with only 5 pushes and no tears. In my mind, 8 lb 10 oz estimate isn't big enough to cause any concern/induction. Now if they were estimating an 11 pounder I'd say otherwise...

cMichelle0423 · January 2016

Mamacat316 said:

Thanks guys, you're all making me feel a bit more confident. @VitaLuna I live in Ireland, where they try to induce labor by breaking your waters before resorting to Pitocin. Hopefully that will be enough! I've devoted many, many hours to learning hypnosis techniques that will hopefully get me through.

I don't know what the "rules" are in Ireland, by most places here in the US will end up doing a c section 24 hours after your water has been broken if you still haven't delivered your baby by then. (His obviously doesn't apply everywhere but that's the policy in a majority of hospitals/birth centers)

Mamacat316 · January 2016

@Ju111310 congratulations! that sounds awesome and I'm glad it worked out. I know, I feel like 8lbs10oz isn't that big...

Mamacat316 · January 2016

@VitaLuna It's a little different here, I think. It has to do with the fact that health care is socialized, and if you opt to book into the hospital as a private patient instead of using the free system available to everyone then you are essentially hiring a doctor and going with his or her "policies" as they act autonomously from the hospital. I'm keeping my fingers crossed my third acupuncture session tomorrow morning will get some baby action going and none of that will matter

=caenis= · January 2016

I'm reading with interest. My midwife has also mentioned induction due to the baby's size, if he's not here by his due date.

cbou · January 2016

My doctors keep telling me that my baby is on track to be a 10lber, but they are giving me the trial of labor and said they do not routinely induce for the size of the baby unless they have other concerns or the baby is estimated to be 11 lbs+. Here is a great article about why inducing for supposedly big babies is not common practice anymore. https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-for-induction-or-c-section-for-big-baby/

mommaz1 · January 2016

I'm having the opposite struggle. We found out today baby is tiny (< 7th percentile) and while everything is functioning well, they want to induce in Monday at 38 weeks. I was really hoping to let him cook til he is good and ready but that's not happening and the risk of him failing in utero is to great for my taste. First hard decision as a mom!

Edit: heartburn at 4 am makes grammar hard

cbou · January 2016

@mommaz1 - I have read good things about inducing for smaller babies so they can monitor and control nutrition intake. Their measurements can be off, but if I was in your shoes I would probably go for the induction. Good luck!

Mamacat316 · January 2016

mommaz1 said:

I'm having the opposite struggle. We found out today baby is tiny (< 7th percentile) and while everything is functioning well, they want to induce in Monday at 38 weeks. I was really hoping to let him cook til he is good and ready but that's not happening and the risk of him failing in utero is to great for my taste. First hard decision as a mom!

Edit: heartburn at 4 am makes grammar hard

Hmmm my first baby always measured way behind. They actually changed my due date three times. In the end he came on his own at 38 weeks and weighed a totally respectable 6lbs 8oz. My midwife told me the issue is less with baby size and more consistent growth. Either way, your momma instincts will guide you to make the right call!

Mamacat316 · January 2016

cbou said:

My doctors keep telling me that my baby is on track to be a 10lber, but they are giving me the trial of labor and said they do not routinely induce for the size of the baby unless they have other concerns or the baby is estimated to be 11 lbs+. Here is a great article about why inducing for supposedly big babies is not common practice anymore. https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-for-induction-or-c-section-for-big-baby/

Good article, thank you! This is all in keeping with what I've read, though I should mention that I am unusually petite...like, I shop in the kids department regularly. Still, I feel like my body wouldn't make a baby too big to birth unless something was wrong.

Monkeybutt80 · January 2016

Mamacat316 said:

cbou said:

My doctors keep telling me that my baby is on track to be a 10lber, but they are giving me the trial of labor and said they do not routinely induce for the size of the baby unless they have other concerns or the baby is estimated to be 11 lbs+. Here is a great article about why inducing for supposedly big babies is not common practice anymore. https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-for-induction-or-c-section-for-big-baby/

Good article, thank you! This is all in keeping with what I've read, though I should mention that I am unusually petite...like, I shop in the kids department regularly. Still, I feel like my body wouldn't make a baby too big to birth unless something was wrong.

That's what I used to think! But per my OB, the size of the baby is largely dependent on genetics. I was a small baby and my side of the family have small babies. I'm not skinny at all but I have a very typical small Asian frame. Whereas my husband' family all have large babies and are all freakishly tall and big; my husband and his brother were both over 11lbs but his mother is also a very tall and large framed lady. So I think the size of my babies are heavily influenced by the genes from my husband, not necessarily for the size of my frame and my genetics. Just something to consider if your husband's family tend to have large babies.

4N6s · February 2016

If you don't want to get induced early, don't!!
ive always heard the measurements are way off anyway.

ashton2190 · February 2016

cMichelle0423 said:

Mamacat316 said:

Thanks guys, you're all making me feel a bit more confident. @VitaLuna I live in Ireland, where they try to induce labor by breaking your waters before resorting to Pitocin. Hopefully that will be enough! I've devoted many, many hours to learning hypnosis techniques that will hopefully get me through.

I don't know what the "rules" are in Ireland, by most places here in the US will end up doing a c section 24 hours after your water has been broken if you still haven't delivered your baby by then. (His obviously doesn't apply everywhere but that's the policy in a majority of hospitals/birth centers)

That's interesting because at my hospital they just give IV antibiotics if your water broke 24 hours ago. I think they move to a c section on a case by case basis

MrsCurlyFries · February 2016

Just curious if most of your baby weights are being estimated by ultrasound or ...? And what prompted the ultrasound- was it your fundal measurements? I'm measuring 40 weeks but I'm just 37. My midwife asked today if I wanted a referral to an ultrasound to check her size. I opted to wait to see what was up next week bc I'm not ready to discuss induction at this point unless medically necessary. We're also checking my blood for preeclampsia/HELLP stuff bc of headaches and right upper quad abdominal pain (bp and urine are fine though) so the visit today was a little overwhelming. I'm hoping to avoid induction at all costs, myself. Although being this big already is pretty tough stuff.

Mamacat316 · February 2016

Update: Baby was born last week - I was induced at 38+4 using "the gel" (I'm not sure what it's called in the US) and labored naturally for 14 hours with no tearing when he was delivered. SURPRISE! He was only 7lbs 5oz - so not the giant baby we were expecting! Am I glad I was induced? Not sure...that labor was much harder and longer than my previous one. But he's here now and perfect.

mwmiller4 · February 2016

@Mamacat316 so glad you're both doing well! Can't wait to see pictures!!

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