# women with gestational diabetes, how big was your baby?



## kittykittykat

im having my 2nd child, and they reckon i have gestational diabetes. i never had it with my 1st. im just scared at how big my baby could be, as iam quite big for 26wks


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## PrayinForBaby

I measured 2-4 weeks ahead my entire pregnancy until 35 weeks, then I measured bang on for 2 weeks, when I delivered at 38 weeks my LO was 7 lbs 2.5 oz, which was wayyy off what they were telling me the whole time was that she would be 10-12 lbs


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## sarafused

I had GD with both babies, first was diet controlled and second one I needed evening insulin only. First baby weighed 8lb 5oz 52cm and second was 7lb 15oz and 51cm. They love scaring pregnant women with GD that the babies will be huge, but both of mine were very lean, long and strong.:thumbup:


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## midori1999

I had suspected GD in my first two pregancies, but tests showed I didn't have it and babies 1 and 2 were 9lbs at term and 10lbs at 38 weeks respectively. I am 5ft 6, average size and had two normal births, no stiches or tears. 

Women with diagnosed GD don't usually have huge babies, it is more likely when it is undiagnosed and even then not as common as you'd think. GD can also cause low birthweight babies.


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## thesmiths88

I was measuring 3 weeks ahead since my GD diagnosis at 28 weeks, with an estimated birth weight of around 8lb11oz, but she ended up being 8lb2oz at 38+6.


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## Sarah&Ady

I am measuring 3 weeks ahead but have a growth scan next Tuesday so will let you know then for sure. I just proper scratched my stomach with the insulin needle tonight... my oh usually does it for me but he had to work... I cant see what I am doing so I managed to scratch myself and boy it hurts!!! Sorry, O/T there but anyways .... xx 

Btw ... what insulin dose are people on? I just got put to 6 x


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## andrea675

DD was 7lb 3oz with GD diagnosed late at 35 weeks and diet controlled till delivery, DS was 6lb 10oz as opposed to the estimate at 36 weeks of over 8lb with baby likely to weigh nearer 10lb at term estimated!

They do say anything up to a 25% margin of error, I spent a lot of time worrying, unnecessarily as it turned out!


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## jessabella

How is GD controlled by diet? Im a little worried as I was tested but it came back negetive. Im measuring almost 3 weeks ahead and had a growth scan where baby showed to be about 5.5lbs at 32 weeks..which they said was very large. Im woundering if I should just change my eating on my own ..even if my tests came to be negative?


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## TripleB

I'm also diet-controlled, its basically a low-GI diet. No sugar, wholewheat instead of white bread, rice, pasta etc and a balance of proteins, veg and carbs at each meal. If you didn't fail the GTT though it doens't sound like GD, maybe just a big baby? 

I am measuring 2/3 weeks ahead but at my growth scan at 30 weeks baby was estimated to weigh 3lbs7oz which I was advised is within normal limits. They said the important thing is the the head measurement is in proportion to the abdomen measurement i.e. its not just a big tummy caused by excess sugar but just a larger than average baby generally.

xxx


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## lizziedripping

Jessabella - if you tested neg for GD then you are fine hun. I have always been tested in pregnancy due to larger baby measurements - tests are always negative, but babies still big. Large babies are much more to do with genetics than they are GD. 

Estimates are more often inaccurate than not anyway - as the previous lady said, if baby is big all over i.e. large heah, leg and abdo measurements, then this is likely due to genes than GD - where the abdomen tends to get disproportionally large. 

I have found that all my babies have had extremely large heads/femur lengths (off the centile scale) and this alone has predicted a large baby - and has been an accurate predictor x


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## jessabella

oh that is interesting..they did mention that the abdomin was a bit big..but they didnt say anything else about it..


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## BrandysBabies

When I was pregnant with my first, they did my test wrong. I had GD without them knowing until 3wks before I was due. I was scheduled for a c-section at my last ultrasound. DS was 2wks early at 9lbs 13oz. I dont even want to imagine if we had gone 2 more weeks. As long as your GS is CONTROLLED you will have a normal size baby. It's only when GD goes untreated that babies are big.


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## TripleB

jessabella - do you have your scan reports in your notes? If you have a look at the graphs on abdomen, head and femur you can see how each are measuring. For my baby femur is average and both head and and abdomen are above the average line but still within the 95th centile line. This is what they showed me to explain that everything was ok, its just not a small baby.

BrandysBabies, thats exactly what I was told. If its under control there is usually no problem.

xxx


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## angelstardust

6lb15oz at 37 weeks.

And a possible undiagnosed GD baby born at 33 weeks weight 5lb12.5oz.


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## kittykittykat

thankyou for all your comments. i have a glucose tolerence test next week, so will know then


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## jude71

I wasnt diagnosed with it untill i was 33wks. I was measuring big from 27 wks but they said it was ok. Harry was born at 35+3 weighing in at...8lb 13oz! lol


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## daisygirl

i went for a routine water sample and she detected sugar, so i had a glucose test and it came back normal, but i feel huge :( people have even commented i'm big and i'm only 24 weeks :(


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## Chocciebutton

I was borderline gestational diabetes and had a 10LB baby boy 3 weeks early...I was induced


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## angelstardust

daisygirl said:


> i went for a routine water sample and she detected sugar, so i had a glucose test and it came back normal, but i feel huge :( people have even commented i'm big and i'm only 24 weeks :(

'Bump' size gives no indication of the size of the baby. 

People always comment hun, more so because they may be used to seeing you not pregnant and the bump is more obvious to them. Sit in a room full of pregnant women and you will see that you are probably about normal.


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## Sarah10

I had Jayden at 39+3 (induced at 39) he weighed 8lb6, bearing in mind they didn't get my results back til 34 weeks, had ++++ glucose in my urine from 19 weeks! If i would of cut out everything white/sugary from there he would of been lighter. I was measuring 2 weeks ahead, i was massive though, looked like i had a 15lber in there haha xx


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## oxfairycakexo

I had GD with my son, had a growth scan at 37+4 and was told he was about 10-11lbs so booked in for induction the day after and turns out he was only 7lbs 7oz!! Growth scans can be very misleading so don't worry too much x


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## Tanikit

I am a type 1 diabetic on 4 injections a day - my first baby was 8 pounds 3 ounces at 38 weeks (and the U/S scan done two days before the birth was totally correct) My next baby has been measuring 1 week ahead since 12 weeks, but I know the growth begins now and will have to see what happens as the pregnancy progresses (I am having 4 weekly scans at the moment)


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## DanielleM

I have just been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, been in hospital for the past week on a insulin sliding scale finally come home last night I am on 3 novorapid injections at 24 units and 2 insulatard injections also at 24 units. had a growth scan whilst in hospital and baby was weighing 3lb 5oz at just under 30 weeks. Being monitored closely from now on and keeping sugars under control will hopefully keep the baby at a nomral size but more importantly the baby will not have to produce extra insulin to counteract the high sugar levels it is receiving from me and will help to stabalise the bab's blood sugar levels once the baby is here. I am more concerned about the effects it will and can have on the baby than the actual size.


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## angelstardust

DanielleMitch said:


> I have just been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, been in hospital for the past week on a insulin sliding scale finally come home last night I am on 3 novorapid injections at 24 units and 2 insulatard injections also at 24 units. had a growth scan whilst in hospital and baby was weighing 3lb 5oz at just under 30 weeks. Being monitored closely from now on and keeping sugars under control will hopefully keep the baby at a nomral size but more importantly the baby will not have to produce extra insulin to counteract the high sugar levels it is receiving from me and will help to stabalise the bab's blood sugar levels once the baby is here. *I am more concerned about the effects it will and can have on the baby than the actual size*.


This is what it is all about really. Amber was on a drip for a week to regulate her blood sugar levels and it wasn't a nice time for any of us. Although she was within normal weight range for her gestation, the GD affected her quite a bit.


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## DanielleM

angelstardust said:


> DanielleMitch said:
> 
> 
> I have just been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, been in hospital for the past week on a insulin sliding scale finally come home last night I am on 3 novorapid injections at 24 units and 2 insulatard injections also at 24 units. had a growth scan whilst in hospital and baby was weighing 3lb 5oz at just under 30 weeks. Being monitored closely from now on and keeping sugars under control will hopefully keep the baby at a nomral size but more importantly the baby will not have to produce extra insulin to counteract the high sugar levels it is receiving from me and will help to stabalise the bab's blood sugar levels once the baby is here. *I am more concerned about the effects it will and can have on the baby than the actual size*.
> 
> 
> This is what it is all about really. Amber was on a drip for a week to regulate her blood sugar levels and it wasn't a nice time for any of us. Although she was within normal weight range for her gestation, the GD affected her quite a bit.Click to expand...

Is everything ok with Amber now? Have there been any other complications later on caused by GD? I also see you have a 5 year old with cerebral palsy, my son also has this and he is 6!! I suppose when you already have a child with special needs you are constantly thinking about it with the new child, well I know I do!!! xxx


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## angelstardust

DanielleMitch said:


> angelstardust said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> DanielleMitch said:
> 
> 
> I have just been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, been in hospital for the past week on a insulin sliding scale finally come home last night I am on 3 novorapid injections at 24 units and 2 insulatard injections also at 24 units. had a growth scan whilst in hospital and baby was weighing 3lb 5oz at just under 30 weeks. Being monitored closely from now on and keeping sugars under control will hopefully keep the baby at a nomral size but more importantly the baby will not have to produce extra insulin to counteract the high sugar levels it is receiving from me and will help to stabalise the bab's blood sugar levels once the baby is here. *I am more concerned about the effects it will and can have on the baby than the actual size*.
> 
> 
> This is what it is all about really. Amber was on a drip for a week to regulate her blood sugar levels and it wasn't a nice time for any of us. Although she was within normal weight range for her gestation, the GD affected her quite a bit.Click to expand...
> 
> Is everything ok with Amber now? Have there been any other complications later on caused by GD? I also see you have a 5 year old with cerebral palsy, my son also has this and he is 6!! I suppose when you already have a child with special needs you are constantly thinking about it with the new child, well I know I do!!! xxxClick to expand...

She was released from hospital and was fine. Didn't do to well being exclusively breastfed though. She was always so sleepy. Combine fed her from about 8 weeks and then fully formula fed from 14weeks and she started putting on weight and waking up. 

Since then she has been fine. Okay, at the begining of the month she suffered from Acute Hepititis and was in hospital (scary times). But that had nothing to do with the GD... or we don't think it did. She is recovering from that and we just have to wait on all the blood tests to come back to normal and wait for the big tests to see if there is anything long term (hopefully not). 

DS2 has a right sided hemi. He was born at 33weeks when I had an abruption caused by pre eclampsia. He does amazingly well though. Walking, running... speech is coming on well. Goes to a small ASN unit in a mainstream school. 

You are right, one of the things I had to think about was the prospect of having another child with special needs which is very scary since you already know what it's like. I read up on the dangers of hypoglycemia and made my mind up that I would do anything to try and prevent it. So she got formula top ups in hospital before she went to SCBU (a lot of the pro breastfeeders have been a bit off with me because of that). She ended up with a drip and after a few days I had to assert myself...loudly. They were trying to make her go 4 hours between feeds which is far too long for a breastfed baby, my boobs were saying 3 hours. I had to sit through a lot of dirty looks and sighs before they accepted that I was right and her blood sugar levels were improving with the 3 hourly feeds. Probably good that I had lots of practice at being assertive with DS2 :D


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## Tanikit

My first DD was born at 38 weeks and was taken to ICU immediately after birth because of a large hematoma on her head from the ventouse. Her sugars did drop low (to 1.2) and she was on a drip and had some glucose but was back out with me the next morning. She did also develop bad jaundice - I called someone to help with the breastfeeding at that stage and had her under lights at home where I was less stressed.

I am worried about the birth of the next one - my sugars were low a lot of the labour and yet she still went low afterwards, but will see how it goes. I did manage to breastfeed all the way through (til 26 months) but even that was a battle as I kept going low with the diabetes from the breastfeeding. At the same time a healthy baby is all I want so they must do what is in her best interests.


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## thesmiths88

I had GD and was predicted around a 9lb baby but she ended up being 8lb2oz. I was massive all the way through too and wondered what kind of monster I would have!!!!


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## TripleB

At my growth scan yesterday at 33+4, current estimated weight was 6lbs4oz! I was really surprised as 4 weeks ago it was 3lbs7oz so this seems like a massive difference when I have been controlling my blood sugar. One odd thing is that 4 weeks ago femur length was just below average and now its 90th centile - contributing to the high estimated weight - do unborn babies have growth spurts in their legs?! They have now put me on night-time insulin (dosage 6) as my morning sugars were right on the limit. Seems to have done the trick as it was much better this morning, I just hope it slows the growth down too. I was also given an amniotic fluid index of 21.1 and am really worried about the size of this little one! Induction wasn't mentioned but at this rate I can't see me going beyond 39 weeks.

xxx


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## Tanikit

Because of what they are measuring (head, abdomen and femur) the growth scans are not always that accurate - you need to see if you can check what percentage the other measurements are on - for example if the abdomen is 60% and the head is 65% and the femur is at 90% then most probably the weight they are giving you is not that accurate - however if they are all very close to the same percentage (eg all on 60% then the weight is more likely to be accurate) - your baby may just have longer than normal legs.


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## TripleB

Just checked - both the femur and abdomen are over 90 (not sure exact number) and head is around 50. Not sure what that means, maybe the estimate is a little over but not by that much? xxx


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## angelstardust

Abdomen size is too variable for my liking. Femur legth can mean he or she is a tall one. Head circ is bang on normal. If anything I'd ay you will have a long baby.


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## TripleB

Thanks ladies - I really appreciate it. Hate coming away without proper explanation then trying to interpret my notes! xxx


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## Tanikit

Diabetic babies apparently do tend to have a larger than normal abdomen with a normal head size - well that is what I have been told - that is why they are always worried about shoulder dystocia, but a long femur length would be more likely just to mean a long baby.


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## angelstardust

Our babies have wee fat bellies. All the better to blow raspberries on ;)


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## TripleB

angelstardust said:


> Our babies have wee fat bellies. All the better to blow raspberries on ;)

:rofl: cute. xxx


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## AmeliePoulain

My baby popped out weighing 6lb 7oz when I was induced at 39+1.

I am a bit dubious about the scan I had at 35+4 now that said she was already 5lb 9oz!

The nurses on the ward found it a bit strange that the only GD lady on the ward had the only baby under 9lb.......hmmmm


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## Caezzybe

Logan was 6lb 13oz, arrived spontaneously at 38+5 and was long and lean on his body, with no sign of a tubby tummy!


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## tjw

I had Ruby at 36+2 and she weighed 8lbs 3oz.


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## going_crazy

My baby was estimated to be born at about 11lb (- my GD wasn't THAT under control TBH)
She popped out spontaneously at 40+1 weighing 9lb 6oz, which was average for me as my last baby was 9lb 8oz!

Good luck ladies xxxx


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## kirmal12

I was induced at 38 weeks. I was 34 weeks before i was diagnosed though. The scans showed my LO was measuring big round his belly and his head and also his leg length. He was born 8lb8 with a normal belly but on the 99th percentile for his head measurement and 99th for his length. Both myself and OH are tall so most of his size i believe is hereditary not from GD.

All the docs/consultants just kept on telling me how big he was, so i was expecting a heffer, he turned out so petite in a big kind of way if that makes sense!!. Just very long and dainty. Try not to worry xx


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## Pixelle

I had GD and was controlled by diet, tablets and insulin. 

I was actually measuring 2 weeks ahead but then further along baby measured small.
My little boy came out at 7lb 1oz in the end and all measurements were in proportion. :) I was induced at 38+5, not just due to GD though.


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## Floralaura

I was induced at 40+1 and a scan at 39+3 had showed LO to be around 7.5lbs..he was born at 10lb 3oz though. He did have to go to scbu as I went from 7-10cm in mins and thne pushed him out in a little over 10mins so he was shocked. His bs levels were all fine though.


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