Anyone electing c section due to large baby?

[Livebythesea]

My baby is running 5 pounds and I still have 9 weeks to go. Is anyone electing a c section due to a large baby?

Thank you

 

[alicecooper]

I've had three previously large babies (10lbs 10oz, 10lbz 1oz, 11lbs 0.7oz). All delivered vaginally.
I reckon I could tackle another big one again. I'd rather take my chances with doing it vaginally than have to go through the major surgery of a c-section.

Besides, these growth scans are not always that accurate tbh. I'd take it with a pinch of salt if I were you.

 

[CatherineK]

They told me my first would be almost ten and he was 7lb6oz! The body is an amazing thing, even if I knew baby was larger I'd still go with vaginal again over major surgery.

 

[gk1701]

They cannot accurately predict baby size before birth: They told me my baby was going to be 6.5 lbs at the most and about 18 inches long. She was 9 lbs and 21 inches. I'm 5' 3" and delivered vaginally.

My sister in law was told her baby had stopped growing at 37 weeks and baby was 5 lbs. She was induced, baby was almost 8 lbs.

They told my friend who had the same due date as me that her baby was HUGE. She had a c-section. Baby was almost 8 lbs- smaller than mine.

They told another mom in my day care that her baby was HUGE, probably 10 lbs. She herself is a very tall person. They did a c-sec- baby was 7.5 lbs.

I encourage you to research very carefully before you have major abdominal surgery that is dangerous for you and the baby for no good reason. Your body can't make a baby that is too big for you to get out unless you have gestational diabetes. Maybe watch The Business of Being Born or just google how inaccurate birth weight predictions are especially if done by ultrasound. Good luck!

 

[Livebythesea]

Thank you very much for all of your comments. My brothers and I were all big babies as well as my husband - which makes me concerned but I will definitely do a lot of research.

My mom had a lot of incontinence issues in her adult life so it makes me nervous and just want to know all of my options.

Thank you!

 

[xsadiex]

Try not to worry too much, it's a scary thought having a big baby but in reality it's not always scary!! My son was 9 pound 7 and I had a wonderful labour, he was easy to push out and I didn't tear. I also don't have any issues down there. Pelvic floor excercises can help continence issues. Sometimes pregnancy can cause them whether or not you have a vaginal birth. Your body is very unlikely to make a baby you cannot birth. Good luck xx

 

[Jessica0907]

Also look up what could potentially happen to you and baby with a c-section. C-section babies have a higher instance of breathing difficulties after birth and many struggle with reflux for months after birth.

 

[CatherineK]

Yes, as one poster said, incontinance issues are often from pregnancy itself, not birth. Pelvic floor exercises can help big time. C-sections are literally life savers when needed, but studies like the increased asthma rates are enough to make me attempt vaginal first always.

 

[Julesillini8]

I've had three previously large babies (10lbs 10oz, 10lbz 1oz, 11lbs 0.7oz). All delivered vaginally.
I reckon I could tackle another big one again. I'd rather take my chances with doing it vaginally than have to go through the major surgery of a c-section.

Besides, these growth scans are not always that accurate tbh. I'd take it with a pinch of salt if I were you.

Holy smokes! Those are some big babies! And it wasn't just one of yours, it's all of them! Kudos! Mine was 8 lbs 10 oz, and she didn't seem tiny like a newborn to me even.
Just had to say wow, and bless your heart!

 

[laila 44]

Csection is not a big deal at all in my opinion anyway. I had one ( emergency) and it was just fine. I recovered super fast, within days and never took anything more than Tylenol for pain. No big deal. My friends with bad tears had it wayyy worse than I did. Thus being said though I wouldn't opt for a csection because of a big baby... My dd was 8.4 pounds 2 weeks early And I tried vaginally despite being told she was going to be big. I just think maybe u should try first

 

[aimee-lou]

I'm the same as alicecooper (although she beats me on weights lol) in that I've done big babies both times NVB and will happily go for it again unless it's deemed necessary for me to have surgery. I would only probably have a c-sec if baby was breech (I don't really fancy trying an NVB with a breech over 10lb - oooh eye-watering! lol) or in an emergency situation.

 

[xsarahxxannx]

https://www.aafp.org/afp/2001/0701/p169.html
"The term fetal macrosomia implies fetal growth beyond a specific weight, usually 4,000 g (8 lb, 13 oz) or 4,500 g (9 lb, 4 oz), regardless of the fetal gestational age. Results from large cohort studies support the use of 4,500 g as the weight at which a fetus should be considered macrosomic.
Weighing the newborn after delivery is the only way to accurately diagnose macrosomia, because the prenatal diagnostic methods (assessment of maternal risk factors, clinical examination and ultrasonographic measurement of the fetus) remain imprecise. Leopold's maneuvers and measurement of the height of the uterine fundus above the maternal symphysis pubis are the two primary methods for the clinical estimation of fetal weight, according to ACOG. Use of either of these methods alone is considered to be a poor predictor of fetal macrosomia; therefore, they must be combined to produce a more accurate measurement. Ultrasonographic measurement of the fetus serves as a means to rule out the diagnosis of fetal macrosomia, which may aid in avoiding maternal morbidity, but is considered to be no more accurate than Leopold's maneuver.”

Also:
“The ACOG committee provides the following recommendations for the management of fetal macrosomia:
Recommendations based on good and consistent scientific evidence (Level A):
• The diagnosis of fetal macrosomia is imprecise. For suspected fetal macrosomia, the accuracy of estimated fetal weight using ultrasound biometry is no better than that obtained with clinical palpation (Leopold's maneuvers).
Recommendations based on limited or inconsistent scientific evidence (Level B):
• Suspected fetal macrosomia is not an indication for induction of labor, because induction does not improve maternal or fetal outcomes.
• Labor and vaginal delivery are not contraindicated for women with estimated fetal weights up to 5,000 g in the absence of maternal diabetes.”


*Just researched this with a friend of mine because she was being pressured to induce for "big baby". Baby came on his own and was 9 pounds even. She had an uncomplicated vaginal delivery. *

I have personally had a c-section. I would not say that my recovery was "hard", but I would not choose it. I did not get the experience that I wanted. I did not get to hold my baby right away and I was completely high from the drugs for hours after his birth which wasn't ideal.

 

[Sweet Lullaby]

Also look up what could potentially happen to you and baby with a c-section. C-section babies have a higher instance of breathing difficulties after birth and many struggle with reflux for months after birth.

Ummmm thats not true!!

 

[Jessica0907]

Also look up what could potentially happen to you and baby with a c-section. C-section babies have a higher instance of breathing difficulties after birth and many struggle with reflux for months after birth.

Ummmm thats not true!!

https://health.howstuffworks.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/pregnancy/labor-delivery/c-section2.htm

https://www.google.com/search?q=c-section+reflux&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari

One is an article on the risks of c-section and toward the bottom it talks about respiratory distress in c-section newborns

The other is a google results page for c-sections and reflux

 

[alicecooper]

I've had three previously large babies (10lbs 10oz, 10lbz 1oz, 11lbs 0.7oz). All delivered vaginally.
I reckon I could tackle another big one again. I'd rather take my chances with doing it vaginally than have to go through the major surgery of a c-section.

Besides, these growth scans are not always that accurate tbh. I'd take it with a pinch of salt if I were you.

Holy smokes! Those are some big babies! And it wasn't just one of yours, it's all of them! Kudos! Mine was 8 lbs 10 oz, and she didn't seem tiny like a newborn to me even.
Just had to say wow, and bless your heart!

lol thank you. Yeah my youngest was a bit like a baby elephant, though funnily enough he slid out the easiest despite being the biggest

goodness only knows what size this one is gonna be. Hopefully not a world-record beater anyway lol.

 

[ShirlWirl]

Oooooo my goodness!!! Alicecooper - how tall are you out of interest? I'm 5'9" and had 2 8.5lb boys which I think is normal for my height - I think this one might be bigger because I am huge but I wouldn't dream of having an elective cs, it's my worst nightmare! I had keyhole surgery last yeat which really knocked me for six!

 

[alicecooper]

Oooooo my goodness!!! Alicecooper - how tall are you out of interest? I'm 5'9" and had 2 8.5lb boys which I think is normal for my height - I think this one might be bigger because I am huge but I wouldn't dream of having an elective cs, it's my worst nightmare! I had keyhole surgery last yeat which really knocked me for six!

I'm only average height - 5'4". I just carry them all out in front like a torpedo lol

 

[ShirlWirl]

Lol! Well you are a trooper for sure!!

 

[Jessica0907]

Oooooo my goodness!!! Alicecooper - how tall are you out of interest? I'm 5'9" and had 2 8.5lb boys which I think is normal for my height - I think this one might be bigger because I am huge but I wouldn't dream of having an elective cs, it's my worst nightmare! I had keyhole surgery last yeat which really knocked me for six!

I'm only average height - 5'4". I just carry them all out in front like a torpedo lol

You're awesome!

 

[AlyssaAngel]

My brother was 13lbs and my 4ft11 inches mother birthed him naturally By no means will she ever say it was easy lol but I was told not to worry and to try anyway