Hi everyone, hope everyone is well ❤️ it's been a while since I've been on. I'm now just over 36 weeks and have been told that baby boy is measuring big. At 35 weeks they estimated him at 7lbs 😳 due to big scan measurements for his head and belly in particular I've been testing for gestational diabetes which they think I now have as I've had a few high readings when testing daily. It come as a shock as I have a low BMI but they said its more due to hormones than what I eat even though I still need to cut carbs out. I have a consultant appt next week with regards to a birth plan as they don't want me to go to 40 weeks so they will either induce me around 38 weeks or do a c section. I'm split if I should try give birth naturally to a big boy (first baby) or push for a c section? Does anyone have any help or been through something similar? Thanks so much ❤️
Big baby: Hi everyone, hope everyone is... - Fertility Network...
Big baby
Your consultant will explain the reasoning behind your birth plan, and you will be able to ask any questions you may have.
Good luck for the future
Janet
Hi, congrats! I also had a big baby on my 37 week scan and they wanted to induce before 40 weeks and prepared me it could be a c section. They were slightly worried as I'm also very small! Looking back I would have liked them to have offered me a c section there as it ended up as an emergency one. Due to him not wanting to come out and I was in for 4 days waiting for the induction to work, which it didn't. Completely your choice just sharing my experience but I know many women where the induction did work. X
Thank you so much for your reply so helpful 🤗 that's one of my worries that I will need an emergency c section in the end xxx
Hi Littlepeax,
not from my personal experience but my 2 close friends...
So in both cases scans showed normal but towards heavy babies but at delivery babies were over 4.5kg! My first friend had to be taken straight to surgery after delivery as the baby ruptured her so badly and she lost so much blood (surgery lasted 2 hours to stich her up!). Same happen in her second pregnancy, this time doctors new the baby will be big but because it was her second baby they pushed for natural pregnancy. She had to take blood transfusion as she lost so much blood!
My second friend's experience is slightly less traumatic but she also needed blood transfusion.
So based on that - I would push for a C section especially if you are a tiny person.
Good luck! x
Your poor friends. Thank you so much for your advice, so helpful ❤️
Hi lovely, similar experience from me. My boy was measuring big at 36 weeks and I ended up being induced at 38 weeks, he was born at 8lb 6oz but was an extremely traumatic delivery, due to him being big his shoulders got stuck and I had to have an extreme episiotomy and very rough forceps to get him out, resulting in nerve damage to his shoulder and a big scar on his face. I've never recovered from the birth (he's nearly 3) Now, my experience was certainly not common but I just wanted to share my experience. I wish I had been offered a c-section!
Oh bless him 😔 that sounds so traumatic for you. That's one thing I'm worried about as I've heard about the shoulders getting stuck with big babies. Thanks so much for your reply ❤️ so helpful
The last thing I want to do is scare you! I just often wish I had known the possible risks. All the very best of luck my lovely x
Not at all. Exactly I want to know the risks ❤️ thanks so much Kitcat xx
I love a chunky baby 🥰!
My son was born a bit early and weighed 9lb 12. They said he’d have been about 11lb if I’d gone to my due date. I opted for an elective c section because I couldn’t deal with the panic of potential problems or an emergency section. It was honestly perfect for me - totally calm and the day couldn’t have gone better but it’s such a personal preference thing. I’d go with your gut and advocate for that, whatever you decide. Not long now, very exciting!
9lb 12 are how gorge I love big babies to squish and cuddle too lol 🥰 thanks Solly I think my consultant will prob advise me to have a c section but good to know what you guys think as I would prefer a natural birth as I know a c section is a major operation but hearing how smoothly yours went is nice to hear. As long as baby is safe that's all I care about. It doesn't help when you watch one born ever min and a baby gets stuck during birth as shes so big lol 🙈 wasn't nice to watch but gives me an insight xxx
I was measuring big with my second daughter and opted for a planned section. It was the best decision I ever made! The birth was amazing, calm & so wonderful! This was in contrast my my vaginal delivery with baby no.1 which was horrific and has left me with some life long issues.
As you probably know, many babies can measure big but then turn out to be normal size. I was in the 97th percentile at all scans but when she arrived she was a lovely normal 6lb 13! However, opting for the section was still the right thing for me and I wish to god I’d stuck to my guns and had a section as well for the first one.
You’ll also probably be home the following morning, so the hospital stay isn’t an issue, and recovery, for me at least, was a breeze. It’s sore of course but totally manageable with the pain killers. Xx
Hi lovely, thanks so much for your advice and help. Sorry to hear your first delivery was so bad 😔 that's horrible. Glad the c section went well 🥰 so good to hear after a traumatic first delivery. Recovery was a breeze is music to my ears lol 🤣❤️🤗
Wow! I can’t believe you’re 36 weeks already!! 💖💖💖 so pleased
As you know I opted for a C-section because they wanted Killian out early. It was dreamy compared to most other birth stories I’ve heard plus the recovery doesn’t seem to be worse than a traumatic vaginal birth recovery!
I would go with your gut. You’ll probably have a feeling one way or another.
The whole c-section process is incredible and at the end of the day you want your baby out safely 🥰
Eeeeek! So exciting!
I would also say that the sizing is only an estimate so he won’t necessarily be huge xx
So nice to hear from you Millbanks 🥰 bet you can't wait for Christmas with your little boy, how is he and how are you? Thanks for letting me know. So glad yours went went so well. ❤️
Aw yes! So excited!!
He’s so wonderful 💖 once we got past 12 weeks he became a dream! He’s just started crawling so I’ve got my hands full!
Xx
Has he really 🥰 wow so crazy xx
I was literally thinking of you yesterday evening - no advice from me but wanted to say eek not long now! Heaps of luck lovely x
Aw thanks Daisy ❤️💫 how are you getting on now? All good I hope xxx
Hiya, I’ve just been reading people’s comments and just wanted to jump in as I have a feeling a similar thing might happen to me and I will be making similar decisions as our baby is measuring with a big head.
I’m completely up for a c-section, the only worry I have is that we were hoping to try for a sibling after about a year of giving birth. Do you know if having a c-section will mean we can’t?
Hi lovely, my consultant said I should wait 1 year before becoming pregnant again (as if it would be that easy 🤦🏼♀️)
Xx
😂🤦🏼♀️If only!!!
My baby is 7.5 months (IVF) and emergency c section (general anaesthetic) I had a call with the consultant when my LB was 6 months and was told I could start again whenever I want. I'm hoping for egg collection before Christmas
my fertility clinic told me I could have another embryo transfer when my periods returned to normal (said they didn’t take delivery into consideration). Lots of luck 💕
Gooosh time is flying, you’re already 36 weeks! Sometimes I forget I’m about to start week 33! I would go for a c section if baby is measuring big especially with the first baby! Have you put on much weight? I worry my baby is small, not sure why, it’s just my feeling and my scan is in a month 😱
Hi lovely, glad to hear you're all good 😊 I kind of have the same body but with just a big bump lol thanks for your advice. How you feeling? ❤️
I feel so unprepared about things to be sorted at home, hospital bags etc. silly things! Not thinking about the birth itself yet. Not long at all now! ❤️
I had this with both babies.. but no diabetes. Second baby was estimated over 9lb as he was measuring this weeks before birth and above the 97th centile However... he came out weighing 8lb, smaller than my first and on the 42nd centile 🙄 I had both babes naturally and was induced with the pesseries and drips for both. First labour wasn't great as none of the pain relief worked, but second one was fantatsic though as the epidural worked like a dream. I had a 2nd degree tear with my first and just a graze with my second. I had postpartum hemorrhages with both but they arent common. My advice if you go for natural rather than a section and are induced would be to go for the epidural before the drip. I considered a section due to my first labour and the prediction of baby being big but the recovery put me off and I'm glad I didn't. They induced me around a week before my due date because they were worried about them both getting stuck but they both came out fine. I really wanted vaginal deliveries as I felt so much had been taken from the pregnancy process for me to begin with. all the best!!! xxx
Thanks so much Holly ❤️ lovely to hear from you. Hope all is well xx
Hi Littlepeax so glad you’re safely at 36 weeks. Congratulations 🥳 I was diagnosed with GDM at 39 weeks due to inconsistent results in urine and occasionally my sugar level spiking once I did the test but tests were so inconsistent I wasn’t convinced I had it. Nonetheless I changed my diet and all was fine. I didn’t have to even cut out sugar entirely just very sugary things. They wanted to induce me at 40 weeks because of this and my age. I really didn’t want to be induced. They thought I would have an 8lb 12 baby at 40 weeks but even the guess on the final weight was largely overblown and by then I was 41+3 she was only 7lb9oz when she arrived.
I did not want an induction and put it off for nearly a week. It wasn’t good for me in the end. I was also offered a c section when going in and in hindsight - since I ended up having an emergency c section I’d have rather have booked in and know what to expect. Given you have an extra reason to have a c section I know what my choice would be. I wanted a natural home birth and couldn’t be further from that but sometimes it’s not worth taking a bigger risk to have a vaginal birth. Although they said I’d be fine to have a VBAC if I did it again I think I’d opt for a c section. Sorry if this is too much info and not at all helpful for your state of mind or what you think but I wish I’d had a clearer perspective of how bad an induction would be compared to an organised booked c section before I went in.
Thanks lovely 🤗 so helpful really appreciate the advice xxx hope you're all good ❤️
At my 35 week scan my bubba was also measuring big at 7.5pounds. They didn’t offer me a c-section tho and I was induced at 40 weeks. She came out weighing 9.5pounds, natural birth & I had no tears at all and a relatively easy recovery. I did a lot of perenium massage from 33 weeks and I think that helped x
That sounds so positive ☺️ thank you so much for your reply xxx
Very exciting! I had a similar dilemma as I was told that my bump was off the chart and the baby was huge... Was advised not to go beyond 38/39 weeks and although my consultant said I could try vaginal birth, he thought in all likelihood I would end up needing an emergency section and in his opinion that was the least desirable and safe option. So I went for a planned section and it was a totally bizarre experience, but was so calm and quick. That was even with complications I wasn't aware of like losing a lot of blood, baby being so big and swollen with fluid and stuck in my narrow pelvis, they had to pull her out with forceps anyway! They said after I would definitely have had a section so that made me feel better - not that I should have felt guilty for asking for what I wanted and thought was best, but a little part of you does feel you've somehow failed or chickened out. Ignore that little voice as what matters is the health and happiness of you and your baby 
Recovery was very easy for me and way better than I expected. Best of luck with whatever you choose or happens x
Thanks so much Mrsorange. Can't believe they still used forceps for c section. Glad you made the right choice ❤️💫 completely understand about that little voice. But agree c section is not an easy way out. Its major surgery. But v glad to hear recovery went well for you. How much did baby weigh? Xx
Yep, I didn't know at the time (which I am glad about) but apparently she got stuck - she was absolutely fine so didn't do any harm, I was just a little surprised as I thought that particular problem and solution wouldn't happen with a section. She was 9lb, which really isn't as massive as they were making out but I guess if I'd gone to term or overdue she could have been a real whopper. x
I’m just one week behind you with my second who is a 98th centile baby and I’m a narrow slight build myself. My first was on the 99th centile and I had him by emergency section which was quite traumatic and he got very stuck. I’m opting for an elective c-section. This time. I had a very positive experience with my section recovery last time and feel very comfortable with my choice to go elective this time. Scans *can* be inaccurate and you may find baby isn’t as large as they predict so see what your consultant thinks.
Thank you so much ❤️💫 very helpful xxx
Hi hun! Eek also so close! But having to make these decisions can be hard! Have you come by the BRAIN acronym? Look it up if not as it will help to ask the right questions with benefits and risks and alternatives etc of both options when you see your consultant. Remember you are allowed to make the choice! Your body, your baby, your choice.
It is hard as indeed the baby might be measuring big but might not be but if he is of course that could impact birth. Also induction has ‘a significant influence on the birth experience and is more likely to lead to an assisted birth (in various ways)’ according to the NICE guidelines (the ones the NHS works from for evidence based treatments). I guess the risk is that if induction isn’t working it can lead to risks of tearing/assisted delivery/unplanned C-section. Where a planned C-section can be much calmer. But of course does have an impact on your recovery. Have you ever had major surgery? Maybe that helps to decide how you recovered? If going for planned C-section, ask for a gentle/natural one!!! Even better as they will try to make it more like a natural birth which is better for you and the baby. (Low lighting, skin to skin, delayed cord clamping, taking the baby out slowly, everything a vaginal birth has as the evidence is overwhelming how important this is for you and the baby).
In the end it is your choice and also follow your gut feeling! Very important! Hopefully you can gather more info about all options and then make an informed decision and what ever you choose will be your choice which should help to feel empowered and good about your birth! Good luck hun! We are almost there! Hopefully we will both meet our babies soon 🥰
Thank you Riri ❤️ very helpful. I just looked at the Brain Acronym and it was very interesting. I like the idea of a natural c section. Didn't even know that was a thing. Really appreciate your comments xxx
Hello! I’m 37+1, also big baby 😆. Really pleased to hear you’ve got this far. Bubba estimayed 8lbs 6 currently and head is 98th centile.
I’m hoping to have an induction pre 39 weeks. I had an induction with my daughter and it was great. Quick and straightforward.
It’s important to have a detailed conversation with your consultant with all the benefits & risks spelt out clearly. Then you can make a decision you’re comfortable with. Your situation is personal to you.
Really hoping to hear of some baby arrivals soon ☺️Xx
Thanks Jenroy ❤️ nice to hear from you and glad all good your end. Crazy how quick this pregnancy has gone. You don't have long to go at all then, have you started maternity leave? So there's 3 of us including me who have written on this page whose baby head is measuring around 98 centile! Doesn't seem as rare as it sounds 🤔 yes defo more clued up now when it comes to my consultant appt next week thanks to you guys 😅 X
Induction booked for next week but I’m hoping things will happen naturally beforehand.
I’ve heard that IVF babies tend to be bigger, not sure why that would be but have been told a few times.
There’s around a 10% margin of error on estimated weight etc. My daughter was estimated at 8lbs 8 but was only 6lbs 14! Her head was 70% centile.
So it would be a shame to go for a C-section due to large size and turn baby comes out average size! All a balance of risk though.
Last month or 2 has flown by. I think this week will drag. Desperate for a safe arrival 🤞🙏. Good luck!! Xx
C section has been recommended by my consultant. They are asking if I want 38 weeks or 39 weeks.. what's better guys? They said not much difference 🤯 what did you do/have? Any help xxx ❤️
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