Is anyone scare to have a huge baby? (edited)

emmeline714 · June 2016

so today i went to doc and baby is 5lbs, Doctor seems not to be concerned and stated i will grow from here on out some more until baby makes a debut. I am scared to the max because i sure want to make all things nice and smooth and possible to have a normal delivery, after reading that c-section story i am scare to even have one if it was to be the case. I hope and pray that everything comes out fine and these fears go away. (sucks to be FTM and not know what kind of pain or how you will have the baby be.)

ShanRum3 · June 2016

How far along are you? Did you have an ultrasound? I'm 32w3d and at my ultrasound yesterday they said baby was right on target at 3lb. 9oz.
5lb at this stage of the game does sound BIG, but keep in mind, ultrasounds can be off by + or - 1 pound.

JournoGrl23 · June 2016

I'm also afraid of having a big baby, but more along the lines of her getting way too big for my body to carry. She was already over 3 pounds at 29 weeks, which means she's probably closing in at 5ish pounds now at 32 weeks if they do grow a half pound per week. Both DH and I were 7 pounds at birth and our moms went well past 40 weeks, so I don't know how she's getting so big! I think the measurements can be off though.

searchingforameaning · June 2016

Both my boys were measuring big, but i went into labor with both of them at 38 weeks. So one was 7lbs 10 oz, and second was 8lbs 9 oz. If I had gone to 40 then they could have been closer to 10 lbs, but I guess I just cook my babies faster.... perhaps you will go at 38 weeks as well and have a nice 7-8 lb baby.

ballofmeat · June 2016

Yup I'm scared. Out of my DH's siblings and mine...I was the smallest baby at 9 lbs 8 ounces. I repeat, I was the SMALLEST.

emmeline714 · June 2016

@ShanRum3 i am 32w3d and yes they looked and she is doing just fine, my DH was a 9lb baby though so I am scared.

@JournoGrl23 I just hope she is not huge but as long is she is healthy I should be fine I hope

@searchingforameaning this is my first baby though my body must be good to carry, she is my rainbow baby

Jaspertheyoungturnip · June 2016

Yeah, I was a large baby too, somewhere around 9 lbs. DH was a pretty normal baby at 7 lbs 1 Oz, so I'm hoping she doesn't get huge. At 28 weeks, I was measuring two weeks behind, and then at 30 weeks, I was measuring about a week ahead, so she had a HUGE growth spurt. I'm a little lady, about 5'1" and around 105 lbs before pregnancy, so I'm not excited about birthing something potentially 1/10 my size...

Mfuller76 · June 2016

I had an u/s at 32+2 and they estimated him at 4 lbs. 14 oz. already. I was over 8 lbs, DH was 8 lbs. 12 oz. and BIL was 9 lbs. 5 oz. So yeah... I'm scared too!

kwilliams3402 · June 2016

JournoGrl23 said:

I'm also afraid of having a big baby, but more along the lines of her getting way too big for my body to carry. She was already over 3 pounds at 29 weeks, which means she's probably closing in at 5ish pounds now at 32 weeks if they do grow a half pound per week. Both DH and I were 7 pounds at birth and our moms went well past 40 weeks, so I don't know how she's getting so big! I think the measurements can be off though.

Complete ditto here. I worry more about carrying a 10 lb baby come August than necessarily delivering a 10 lb baby, because I have a scheduled C-section. Baby boy was already 1 lb by 20 weeks (2 weeks ahead), and my bump looks huge at 32 weeks, but never enough to push the due date. I have an u/s at 36 weeks, and am super anxious to see how baby boy is looking!

Edited to add that my husband was 9+ lbs, and my Mom had 3 9lb+ babies. This baby is destined to be big!!

emmeline714 · June 2016

@midwestbaby Oh my i feel for you and i can't believe your the smallest

@Knottie1442786653 i am tiny too i am only 5'0 and DH is 6'2 baby girl is long too

@Mfuller76 will see how our babies come out

cm716 · June 2016

I'm fairly certain I will have a big baby. My girls were 8'3 and 8'5. Doc told me baby is measuring two weeks ahead and he's a boy (boys tend to weigh more at birth and subsequent babies usually weigh more).she wants me to induce at 39 If i haven't delivered because of size.

To top it off dh is 6'3 and was 9'12 at birth.

So..... Looks like I'm in big baby camp too.

If it makes you feel any better my mom delivered my brother who was a 9 pound baby she is 5 feet and didn't even tear

MamaKSquared · June 2016

We're planning an unmedicated birth, so yes, I'm scared of having a massive baby. I was a small one. Born 3 days late and I weighed 6lb 12oz. DH was upwards of 8.5 lbs. At my 28 week appointment, my fundal height was 30cm, so this has been in the back of my mind since then. I measured right on target at my 32 week appointment. Hopefully, I'll just have a normal sized, healthy baby.

tisunge602 · June 2016

My first was a 9-pounder. I did tear pretty badly but I was also induced at 41w1d. So in retrospect, maybe I wouldn't have torn if we had waited til my body was ready (wasn't dilated or effaced at all). On the other hand, he may have been even bigger had we waited! Recovery wasn't fun but it wasn't the end of the world.

Just remember your body is made to do this. You can do it and you will survive! Don't go into it fearfully. Be confident in your body's abilities. You got this!

KMeredith82 · June 2016

With my first I was told he was in the 90th percent for size from late u/s - so I was prepared to have a huge baby. He was 8 lbs 3 oz and born just past 39 weeks. I'm also only 5'-2", and while it took a little while of pushing and I had a 3rd degree tear, his size wasn't a big issue at delivery. He also wasn't nearly as big as they were predicting. This time around they are saying the same thing, LO is measuring several weeks ahead, but now that I know how off the measurements can be, I'm less worried.

lotsofsunshine · June 2016

I hate when docs predict the size of baby. Unless you have GD, it shouldn't even be a concern. My first baby was 7lbs (for some unknown reason, they gave me an episiotomy. pretty sure i didnt need one. Just standard for the doc that delivered). My second was 9 13 (3 weeks early).This time they let me tear naturally and honestly the second one was a lot easier to recover from. I think(for me) tearing naturally vs. episiotomy had a lot more to do with my recovery rather than the size of the baby.
Edited to add: I didn't mean it shouldn't be a concern for you as the mother who has to push the baby out. I totally get that... I just mean it shouldnt be a concern for docs. Sometimes they like to deliver babies on their time. And I feel like a lot of moms get scared into doing certain unnecessary interventions. That's all. Don't get me wrong, I think most OBS are amazing and we should definitely listen to their advice, but we also need educate ourselves and not let them make ALL the decisions. Ok. Rant over.

squishy0511 · June 2016

I'm more concerned about my baby's head size haha.. Today at my ultrasound 31w4d his head was measuring 35 weeks! The doc said measurements can be off and not to worry but it's hard not to!

ThisisNumber3 · June 2016

I just looked it up and at 36w4d my daughter was already measuring 8lbs 13oz via ultrasound. Aka already full size and I had a month to go as a first time mom. My OB did let me induce at 39 weeks to try to avoid a section. She was born vaginally at 9.5lbs.

My my second was large too but not officially LGA.

ccfc1984 · June 2016

squishy0511 said:

I'm more concerned about my baby's head size haha.. Today at my ultrasound 31w4d his head was measuring 35 weeks! The doc said measurements can be off and not to worry but it's hard not to!

Ditto. My baby's head is the only thing measuring 'big' (2 weeks ahead consistently) and my husband has a big head. He's totally getting blamed!

Alygohome · June 2016

I was told at 33ish weeks dd was 5 lbs 6 oz. I had her at 35+2 at 5 lbs even. Those u/s can be way off.

Alygohome · June 2016

Also my friend had a 7 lbs 6 oz baby 3 weeks early and tore so bad she needed reconstruction and couldn't sit for months. Her second was 9 lbs 14 oz with a small tear. It was because of babies position the first time she tore so bad. So size doesn't always mean tearing and small babies don't guarantee no tearing.

SkiChic626 · June 2016

My daughter was 9lb13oz when she was born at 38w6d, so I'm expecting this baby to be just as big or bigger. Though, on Monday, at 32w4d he was measuring 4lb10oz, which apparently is right on target for average, but my OB said my belly is measuring 36w, so who the heck knows. I have a scheduled C-section so it doesn't really matter much for me.

DDRRT1982 · June 2016

More than likely your body will be able to handle the size of baby it creates. I have had a 1lb 14oz baby, a 6lb 14oz baby, and 7lb 6oz baby. All took 15 minutes to push out regardless of size. If you have a good physician or midwife he will be able to help you birth whatever size baby you produce. Like said above, the position of the baby is the one major think that influences how hard it is to get the baby out.

ccfc1984 · June 2016

It's one of those parts of having a baby and labour that I've boxed off into the 'there's nothing I can do about it so no point worrying about it' part of my brain. There's no way to know accurately whether baby will be big or small, and there's no way to know if that would have any effect on your birth or tearing anyway. There's nothing you can do to control or change it, so I would try to work on not stressing about it. The fear of it could be worse that the reality.

Duffgurl · June 2016

After hearing I was measuring big at my last appt. I've been a bit scared. Although our 1st was 8lbs 11oz and our 2nd was 7lbs 9oz so maybe I'll be ok. Im curious to see what they say at my Ultrasound in July.

mamaqdubu · June 2016

I'm jealous of all of you with late u/s! I only had one at 20 weeks and 24 weeks (baby didn't fully cooperate the first time) and I don't get anymore unless it's medically necessary. Everything measured "average" at that point and my fundal height is right on par as well, but I was 8lbs 3oz, and DH was 10+ lbs, plus I'm tall(ish) at 5'8" so I feel like I could easily end up with a 9 lb babe.

Bookhousegirl · June 2016

@squishy0511 I'm with you on the head size. This LO's consistently in the 85th percentile for head size... DS was in the 75th percentile for head size, and had his hand on his head when he came out so pushing him out was challenging to say the least. I'm hoping this little guy just keeps his hands down when he makes his exit!

JLyn821 · June 2016

There's nothing to worry about. Unless you have x-ray proof that you have a small or misshapen pelvis, you'll be fine. Not to mention, your OB predicting the baby's size at this point is just shooting in the dark.

I had my son at 41w6d, med-free, and he was 9lbs 10oz and 23.5". I barely tore. I measured on track my entire pregnancy and he was always measuring on track, too.

This time, my OB isn't concerned at all about size because I have a "proven pelvis".

SkiChic626 · June 2016

DDRRT1982 said:

More than likely your body will be able to handle the size of baby it creates. I have had a 1lb 14oz baby, a 6lb 14oz baby, and 7lb 6oz baby. All took 15 minutes to push out regardless of size. If you have a good physician or midwife he will be able to help you birth whatever size baby you produce. Like said above, the position of the baby is the one major think that influences how hard it is to get the baby out.

Actually, this isn't necessarily true. My midwife was telling me that because of the "cross pollination" of ethnicities and races, many women are now having babies who just aren't meant for their body-type. The examples she used were Indian women with larger white European men - Indian babies are typically smaller, but those two people procreate, the woman might grow a bigger baby than her body was meant to. I always thought that our bodies wouldn't give us babies we couldn't birth, but what she explained made total sense!

tinkerbell11210 · June 2016

This has been my worry since my 20 week ultra sound and baby was measuring in the 85th %. I pushed for an hour with DD1 and had stitches. She was only 6lbs 6oz. I was also told I couldn't birth another baby much bigger than that after she was born. Needless to say that comment has stuck with me and I am very nervous this time. I have an US scheduled for tomorrow to check the placenta and growth.

cait5413 · June 2016

ccfc1984 said:

squishy0511 said:

I'm more concerned about my baby's head size haha.. Today at my ultrasound 31w4d his head was measuring 35 weeks! The doc said measurements can be off and not to worry but it's hard not to!

Ditto. My baby's head is the only thing measuring 'big' (2 weeks ahead consistently) and my husband has a big head. He's totally getting blamed!

>>Stuck in box. Big headed baby here too. My mom had 2 c-sections because her pelvis was too narrow for my brother's big head and they didn't even let her try with me, so I am definitely nervous! My cousin also had a c-section due to her 100th percentile headed baby (but that's mostly due to her husband), but my other cousin delivered vaginally and her son is now at the 95% for head size, so that gives me some hope.

DDRRT1982 · June 2016

SkiChic626 said:

DDRRT1982 said:

More than likely your body will be able to handle the size of baby it creates. I have had a 1lb 14oz baby, a 6lb 14oz baby, and 7lb 6oz baby. All took 15 minutes to push out regardless of size. If you have a good physician or midwife he will be able to help you birth whatever size baby you produce. Like said above, the position of the baby is the one major think that influences how hard it is to get the baby out.

Actually, this isn't necessarily true. My midwife was telling me that because of the "cross pollination" of ethnicities and races, many women are now having babies who just aren't meant for their body-type. The examples she used were Indian women with larger white European men - Indian babies are typically smaller, but those two people procreate, the woman might grow a bigger baby than her body was meant to. I always thought that our bodies wouldn't give us babies we couldn't birth, but what she explained made total sense!

Um, I did say more than likely and two I think your midwife is making that up. People have been "cross pollinating" for centuries. Women have also been having large babies for a variety of reasons without intervention for a very long time. To have a baby that is too big for you to birth is rare.

gadzooks_3 · June 2016

SkiChic626 said:

DDRRT1982 said:

More than likely your body will be able to handle the size of baby it creates. I have had a 1lb 14oz baby, a 6lb 14oz baby, and 7lb 6oz baby. All took 15 minutes to push out regardless of size. If you have a good physician or midwife he will be able to help you birth whatever size baby you produce. Like said above, the position of the baby is the one major think that influences how hard it is to get the baby out.

Actually, this isn't necessarily true. My midwife was telling me that because of the "cross pollination" of ethnicities and races, many women are now having babies who just aren't meant for their body-type. The examples she used were Indian women with larger white European men - Indian babies are typically smaller, but those two people procreate, the woman might grow a bigger baby than her body was meant to. I always thought that our bodies wouldn't give us babies we couldn't birth, but what she explained made total sense!

It sounds like your midwife could benefit from reading "The Mismeasure of Man" by Stephen Jay Gould. The idea that different races have differential craniometry is pretty darn thoroughly debunked. There are some size differences in populations but those are better accounted for by nutritional differences by region. (Don't even get this medical sociologist started on the problem of "biological race").

In the absence of gestational diabetes a "too big baby" is really quite rare (1-3% depending on whi you ask). Even with GD the concern is more around head to tummy symmetry - you don't want to end up being able to birth the head but get the shoulders stuck.

I am looking at a pretty big baby (as far as science can tell us) with a Big Ole head (99th percentile), but the head and tummy are symmetrical so for now, we aren't looking at interventions. We just have big noggins in my family. I can never buy hats, it is really frustrating.

bsamples381 · June 2016

I am nervous about it, but I just tell myself she is coming. Big or small, ready or not, she is coming into this world. Whatever the process throws at me, I will deal with it the best I can. My only prayer is that we both come out the other side happy and healthy.

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