[Little.One]

Hi everyone,

I am just over 35 weeks and at my last appt my OB told me baby has grown a lot in 2 weeks and that I may potentially be heading towards having a larger than average baby. All along she has been looking average until now.

This news concerned me so I went for a growth scan yesterday. Apparently baby's head is measuring average, abdominal is slightly above average and overall estimated weight s currently 3182g! Hello that 7lbs now! I have 5 weeks more of growing to do!

The US estimated my due date one week earlier than my Dr did which is strange considering I thought they'd be the same being an IVF baby.

So my fears are: what if. End up with a 9.5lb baby, will I be able to birth her? Would I be better of going for a c section?

As this is my rest baby I have fears of the unknown and am scared of making the wrong birth choice. I'd like to go natural but if its going o be an awful traumatic experience that would require loads of intervention would I be better off opting for a c section?

Any advice/experiences?

[pinkcupcakes]

if it's any consolation, op, i am only 5'2, had a c-section with my first bub, am overweight ( higher risk category) and ds was 9 pound born. i had a successful vbac in only a few hours. i did have tearing but i think that was because i was on birthing stool for those last few pushes ( not recommended) and i got a bit impatient so i think i may have been a bit hasty. if i had been more patient and also gone to all fours i think i probably would have avoided tearing. that aside though, it was a wonderful birth and only had gas in the first stages of labour. if you feel confident and you have a positive team of staff/support ppl, you can do it. but its a decision that only you can make.all the best though, op and congrats!

[Corella]

Growth scans have a huge margin of error at 35w. Bigger babies are easier to birth than little ones - less effort!

[mumofenergiserbu...]

my DS was measuring the same at 35weeks, he was born 2 weeks later at 8lb 6oz (3.79 kg)..... the baby may slow down growth.... either way do what you feel comfortable with, i had a natural birth and yes i tore but that was due to other reasons not due to the size of DS.

[mrsboof]

At 35 weeks with DD my fundal height was 38cm. We didn't bother doing a scan at that point, both DH and myself have long family history of big babies, so figured she would be big. We had an appointment booked on a Monday at 38weeks to decide whether to LSCS or not, but I had spontaneous rupture of membranes on the Sat afternoon at 37+6.

I was offered a C-section straight away if I wanted, but asked the OB what he thought and his concerns regarding risk. His response 'you'll never know unless you try'. And fair enough, both my mum and MIL had vaginally delived 11 pounders with no residual damage. So try we did.

Unfortunately, I ended up fully dilated and obstructed with an emergency C-section at 3am and a 9 pound bub. But you know what, as awful as that sounds, I don't regret it one bit. I'm happy I gave it a go and experienced labour, even though it didn't work out in the end. I am also very happy to have a planned C-section this time.

Mind you, If DD had stayed in until the Monday, and a scan showed she was already 9 pound at 38 weeks, I probably would have taken then OB's advice if they recommended a C-section.

This post has been edited by mrsboof: 25/12/2012, 05:23 PM

[Wild Strawberry]

Big babies are bot always scary. My boys were 10.5 lbs, 9 lbs & just over 10 lbs. I am average build and I had 3 easy births all under 4 hours abd each baby was out in about 3 pushes. My last bub was also born at home with a 38cm head ( which is the part that hurts the most rather than the weight!!).

Good luck. Hope you do get the birth you want

[bikingbubs]

My DS was measuring big at 36wks. He was born at 42 weeks weighing 7lb10oz. Ie, the growth scan was VERY wrong! Even if they are a bit out, the margin of error is huge!

[zlca_mummy]

I agree with the PP's, big babies aren't necessarily harder ones to birth.

My 4 were 9lb4, 10lb5, 10lb6 and 10lb - first one was a bit tough but the others were pretty easy. The size estimates were close with all of them so I knew kind of what I was in for!

I birthed all mine with no problems at all. Hope all goes well with the arrival of your baby!

[TillyTake2]

Honestly, don't panic!!

My son also measured "large". Or as my ob put it, he was a "good size overall". At 33 weeks his head was measuring 37 weeks!! They do grow in spurts & by 38 weeks he'd slowed (his head was measuring full term though).

He was a decent sized baby born, 3.9kg. But I had no tearing & I don't regret my vaginal birth at all. He was even born totally posterior (his head came out facing up!).

My ob wasn't concerned & just said that babies grow at different rates & they all fall somewhere on the curve. Some women have smaller ones, some larger, it doesn't matter either way.

[Mozzie1]

You could be me - I was told just yesterday that my bub was 3.2kg at my scan 2 weeks ago (then 35+1). The Ob is sending me off for another GD test, even though I passed the first one, because he is worried they just missed it then. That scares me a bit.

But he did say that if I don't have GD, he isn't worried about the size alone because the scans are not very accurate, and I shouldn't have trouble birthing a baby of that size (it's my first too). He did say he probably won't let me go much past 40 weeks though.

Good luck with it.