Csection or normal vaginal birth? 38 weeks pregnant

[Hiramunir78]

Hi, Today i went for 38 week scan. Baby's weight is 3601grams or 3.6kg. From 28 week dr told us to be prepare for csection. Now he asked us which day we want to come for csection. Everything is normal. Placenta position is normal. Baby's head is down. I said i want normal v delivery. He said it's quite painful with this weight. He said if you still want then he will induce me next week. Next week tuesday he called us again to make final decision. I am so upset he even didn't check cervix. Looks like he will do csection only. All hospital fees and booking is done. What should i can do now? At 36 week baby's weight was 3.0 kg. 37 week 3.1kg now only in 1 weeks baby's weight is 3.6 kg.

[jolota]

It should really be up to you but it sounds like it requires your doctor to understand that! For what it’s worth, I had a scan at 38 weeks and the baby was estimated to be 3.5kg (and they are only estimates, my scan measurements had a margin of error of around 0.5kg!)

My baby was born at 41 + 6 and was 3.85kg, normal vaginal birth with no forceps etc, 2 small labial tears which are very sore but should have no long term effects. The labour was very slow & long but pushing was short, only around 20 minutes and not too painful compared to labour as a whole.

It definitely depends on your situation but a slightly larger than average baby doesn’t necessarily mean a difficult or painful birth.

I would ask the doctor if there are any risk factors that require c section/induction and then make a decision based on that. ‘More painful’ doesn’t seem accurate or a valid medical reason to do a c section or induce early.

[Milliemoo6]

So many things wrong with this! Firstly, that is not a large baby. Many women give birth vaginally to babies much, much bigger with no issues. Secondly, ALL labour and birth is painful, regardless of how big baby is. Thirdly, scans are just an estimate and are often quite inaccurate. Fourthly, unless there are other medical reasons for you to have a c-section, you should ABSOLUTELY be able to choose how you have your baby. This actually makes me feel quite cross. I'd ask for a second opinion, and be very clear with your consultant about what you want. I'm not sure what country you're in and what the guidelines are, but in the UK there is no way you'd be offered a section or induction if baby weighed that much, it's just not that big!

[Gladys_Friday]

Hi there,This sounds like a stressful time for you, I'm sorry you're going through this. The estimated birth weights are very unreliable, you may have a baby that weighs a lot less than they think. Lots of women on this forum have previously posted about how wrong their expected birth weight was and how they were induced early because their baby would have been too big to deliver vaginally if they went to 40 weeks.. However when their babies were born, they were only an average size, not big babies. It's not an exact science, but the doctor could be right.

I had a c-section 8 days ago and it was absolutely brilliant.. I couldn't recommend it enough. I honestly have no idea why anyone would prefer a vaginal delivery after how calm, controlled, and relaxing my c-section was. The pain afterwards is totally manageable just on ibuprofen and paracetamol ( you might need something stronger for the first 2-3 days, I had tramadol), period pains are worse in my opinion. I went out for a short walk in the woods today (day 8) but I've been busy in the house since day 5 and able to put my socks on on my own from day 4. Everyone's circumstances are different, but if you have some support at home for the first week, a c-section is nothing to be afraid of, nor is it a 'failure' to not deliver vaginally.

There is a risk that if you went ahead with a vaginal delivery you might end up having to have an emergency c-section anyway, which would leave you exhausted from the labour and then the recovery from an emergency c-section is not as easy as a planned c-section. Your body will have been through a lot if that happens - it's the worst of both worlds. If you decide to go ahead with the vaginal delivery, try and prepare for an emergency c-section at home by having everything you need at waist height (baby changing station etc) so you don't have to bend over all the time. Also big underwear to cover over the wound and stretchy, loose trousers that come up high over the wound.

Just to give you some reassurance, I am SO glad I had a c-section. A couple of other friends who had a vaginal birth for their first baby and a C-section for their second much preferred the c-section too. It was so nice to start out my motherhood journey not totally exhausted from labour and feeling good.

Whatever you decide, best of luck to you and baby! X

[Amyables]

Mine was 3.75 at birth, which was vaginal. I did need help at the end - ventouse and episiotomy, but by this point I’d had an epidural, which worked a treat. The recovery was fine, I was able to walk to the shower an hour or so after birth, and out of hospital the following day. I think it really depends- every birth is different. Across from me on the ward was a lady who was having a hard recovery from c-section, so maybe that’s turned me off?

I agree with others- your doctor should be able to give you more specific reasons for his recommendation, so you are properly informed.

[triplecats]

Good morning,Do you have any health problems? Gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, have you been diagnosed with a small pelvis? If you have no obvious medical needs for a c-section then you can refuse.

Women have big babies all the time without any problems.

I had 2 normal vaginally deliveries and recovered relatively quickly, I also had 3 c-sections for various medical issues.

My babies all weighed between 7lb 6 and 8lb 2, although they estimated my last 2 babies to be very high weights due to Gestational diabetes, they were not at all, 8lb 2 and 8lb 1.

This is your body, your baby, do not allow a doctor to force you into a c-section if you have no medical reason to need one.

[Cheekymonkey85]

I’m struggling to understand your doctors reasons for a c section. As other ladies have said that’s not a particularly big baby, my son was born weighing 4.050kg with no issues. Scans can only estimate a weight, it’s not going to be definite. One of my friends was induced early because she was told her baby was small- baby was a totally normal weight when she delivered. I was told my first baby would be big at a 36 week scan, but she was slightly less than the weight you were given 8 weeks later

Birth hurts no matter what, there’s no escaping it. A C-section comes with its own set of challenges so it’s certainly not an easy way out so to speak.

Have another chat and see if he can be any clearer but ultimately the decision is yours xx

[Emdog87]

I had my baby 2 weeks ago and she weighed 4.3kg I had a very quick labour (2 and a half hours) and I had a vaginal birth. We had a growth scan at 38 weeks and they did warn me that she was going to be big but they never said I had to have a C-section. I personally think when they tell you the weight it can’t be 100% accurate because of everything else that’s in your tummy. Also you may have a tall baby, my little girl was very long.

Have they measured your babies head? If the babies head is measuring big then I understand why they’d be concerned about a vaginal delivery.

If you really don’t want a c-section then call them back and ask them to explain why they are making you do this. This is your labour and you should have control unless they can give you a valid reason.