Marcosomia

[butterflywolf]

So my first (daughter) was born at 39w 6d and was 9lbs 3 oz and 22inches. She only ever measured a week ahead at times. So nobody thought she'd be that big. Besides me being obese I had no indication of her being big. I ended up hemorrhaging real bad after I had her 2 liters blood loss.

My doctor said it is not a danger for me to be pregnant again in the future. However, they will keep a close eye on me.

Fast forward to now, I am 28w 5d and by fundal height measuring 31. I have a growth scan on April 20th so around 32w 4d. I already have a strong feeling he'll be another large baby. All the symptoms that I had with my daughter are here again or just starting. The massive heartburn was a big one.

So if he does measure big on this one I will have one more growth scan around 36 weeks and more than likely I'll be induced early. I have no problem with being induced early, but my concern is having a C-section.

So a few questions,

1) if you had a large baby for your first did you have another large baby for your second?

2) if you where induced did you end up needing a C-section. And what week where you induced.

 

[misspriss]

I wish I could answer your question, but I just wanted to say I have massive (max dose of Rolaids and Zantac sometimes and still suffer!) heartburn suddenly in the 3rd tri with both pregnancies, and DS was small (even for a preemie) and I am measuring right on track with this time.

 

[Eleanor ace]

DS was macrosomic (just, in my notes it says 9lbs 15oz and above is macrosomic and that's what he weighed). My 2nd was only 8lbs. I wasn't induced with her but I was with my DS and didn't have a c-section. Do they know what caused the haemorrhage, is it something that's a risk if you have to have a c-section?

 

[butterflywolf]

DS was macrosomic (just, in my notes it says 9lbs 15oz and above is macrosomic and that's what he weighed). My 2nd was only 8lbs. I wasn't induced with her but I was with my DS and didn't have a c-section. Do they know what caused the haemorrhage, is it something that's a risk if you have to have a c-section?

Around here anything above 8 lbs 13 oz is macro. Good to know your 2nd was smaller!
My hemorrhage was caused due to a tired uterus from having a big baby for my first pregnancy. It was just too exhausted to clamp down. And no matter what I'm at risk for another hemorrhage even if I am forced into a C-section. Doctor says no matter what it's a 50/50 shot of me hemorrhaging again if I have another large baby. Which is why he wants to closely monitor baby to make sure he doesn't get too big and induce if he is going to be big. He knows if I flat out say no to the induction until 40 weeks he'll let me, but he knows I know the risks as well. Personally if I have to be induced I'm looking at 38w 5d, but again I really want to make sure my cervix is ripe enough to be induced kind of thing.
I want to do everything in my power not to have a C-section and hopefully to have baby come on his own.

 

[Delphine11]

I had a PPH ( big bleed) with my 2nd baby. This time around they're doing a managed third stage. My consultant says I'll have a drip for an hour after birth to help the uterus clamp down.

Have they offered you anything like that?

As far as big babies go, my first was almost 9lbs but my second was smaller. I think it depends on the reason why your daughter was big. Some people seem to naturally have larger babies, but for others there are medical factors that can influence the weight.

 

[butterflywolf]

I had a PPH ( big bleed) with my 2nd baby. This time around they're doing a managed third stage. My consultant says I'll have a drip for an hour after birth to help the uterus clamp down.

Have they offered you anything like that?

As far as big babies go, my first was almost 9lbs but my second was smaller. I think it depends on the reason why your daughter was big. Some people seem to naturally have larger babies, but for others there are medical factors that can influence the weight.

I had an IV in already and was given Pitocin around 2AM I think it was (I went in at 9PM) and I had stopped dilating but still had weaker contractions. I was at a 6cm. So they hooked up Pitocin. So I already had an IV in for fluid and Pitocin. And it's something they do standard there to have you already equipped with an IV in case you do hemorrhage. So sadly there isn't much more they can do than what they did last time and I know that, but it still was scary.

And my daughter was big because she wanted to be big ^^;; No reason for her to have been just that she was. I had only gained 23 lbs with her so literally all baby, no GD, my husband and I are not tall people but I do have tall people in my family on my mom's side. (I'm 5ft 4in and DH is 5ft 6in). The only thing I can think of is I was a 'freak of nature' and was my height by the time 4th grade hit so I was taller than all the girls and majority of the boys for a long time very early on, but I had stopped growing after that. So I grew very fast very quickly. But other than genetics that's it.

glad to hear that your 2nd baby was smaller.

 

[Delphine11]

Ah, ok. Well, at least you know they'll be doing everything they can to prevent another bleed. I'm nervous this time too, but my consultant has been quite reassuring and told me they'll be completely ready for any problems. I've also read personal stories on the Internet where people had a bleed with one baby but not with any of the following ones. That's quite common, and it made me feel better to read that.

Another thing I think about is that hopefully this labour will be quicker (3rd baby for me) so my uterus will be less tired. For me, part of the problem was the labour suddenly going pear-shaped when a new midwife stressed me and started interfering. I think that interrupted my body's own natural rhythm.

One positive thing is that you've already given birth to a larger baby so know you can do it. As you say, your daughter was the size she wanted to be, and your son will be too. We have to trust Mother Nature and our bodies.

Best of luck for a trouble-free birth for both you and baby

 

[butterflywolf]

I have read stories too about it happening on one baby but not the others. One of the nurses at the time I had my daughter said she hemorrhaged with her first but the other four kids she did not. Her second one she barely bled at all afterwards. And my doctor keeps telling me that they will be right on it like last time and will stop it just like last time if it happens. He calms me down and then when I get home I just start thinking about what if again XD

And I'm sorry to hear that your body got out of whack during that labor. For me I'm hoping for a shorter labor too. First was 11 hours and 90 minutes of that was pushing so not too bad. I would be happy if it cuts down to half the time though. I wouldn't complain XD

When it comes to labor I trust my body fully to do what it wants to do to get baby out. I think I need to try to focus on that than what may or may not happen afterwards. You don't know and wont know until afterwards. Problem is...I can sometimes be a control freak and when I am not in control I freak out. (mainly when it comes to my body).

And thank you. I hope everything goes real well for you too when the time comes ^^

 

[Eleanor ace]

That sounds scary . I'm sure that now they know to potentially expect it they'll be prepared and if it does happen again it will be easier to manage quickly.
The women in my family (on my mothers side) all have babies on the larger side, we're all 5ft 2in and under and mine, my mums and my aunts etc 1st babies were all 10lbs or there abouts, randomly!
Good luck

 

[NDH]

Interesting that the definition of macrosomia varies so much. I swear I was just reading about macrosomia not being til 11 lbs (or 9 1/2 lbs in diabetic women) but I can't find anything about that definition now. The most common measurement seems to be 9lbs 9oz (4.5kg).
(In my circles 9lbs is definitely considered within aveage/normal range , 10+lbs is considered big and 12+lbs is huge)

But size seldom has much bearing on whether one will hemorrhage.

 

[kit603]

I can't really answer any of your questions but didn't want to read and run

I'm pregnant with my first and also measured just over 31 weeks by fundal height when I was 28+2 pregnant. I already had a growth scan scheduled for the same day and they estimated baby was just under 4lb already.

I'm a bit worried about it because I don't have any more growth scans scheduled and I'm not seeing consultant again till 37 weeks Midwife said she'd try and refer me for another growth scan at my 34 week appt. with her - had my 32 week appt. today and I'm still measuring ahead by fundal.

Fingers crossed we're both surprised with smaller babies lol x

 

[Eleanor ace]

I can't really answer any of your questions but didn't want to read and run

I'm pregnant with my first and also measured just over 31 weeks by fundal height when I was 28+2 pregnant. I already had a growth scan scheduled for the same day and they estimated baby was just under 4lb already.

I'm a bit worried about it because I don't have any more growth scans scheduled and I'm not seeing consultant again till 37 weeks Midwife said she'd try and refer me for another growth scan at my 34 week appt. with her - had my 32 week appt. today and I'm still measuring ahead by fundal.

Fingers crossed we're both surprised with smaller babies lol x

With my 1st (my larger LO) I measured ahead by a few weeks for a while, I was measured frequently and my fundal height didn't increase in the last couple of weeks and according to their other measurements LO didn't pack on much weight in those 2 weeks either; my MW said that LO wouldn't grow too big for my body and that eventually he'd run out of room. I don't know how true that is, especially when you read about people having 14lb babies (not very often, don't worry ) but might offer you a bit of reassurance!

 

[bungle]

Hi hun, I completely understand your worries. DD1 was 8lb 10oz and DD2 was 10lb 9oz! However my bump didn't start to measure on the large side til the very end and her size was only picked up when I went for a scan at 32weeks to see if my placenta had moved. I was lucky in that I had a very smooth birth and she entered the world pretty smoothly but a couple of days after giving birth I went out for lunch with my family and suddenly realised I was standing in a pool of my own blood. That was quite scary, albeit really embarrassing at the time too! This time around I'm going for another scan at 32weeks as once again my placenta was in the wrong place at 20wks. At my last midwife appointment bump was measuring 'normal' but I take that with a pinch of salt now. I want to know what she's measuring at 32weeks and then have a serious conversation with somebody as to what the plan of action is. Last time I was told that as a 'strapping young lady' I was 'more than capable of pushing out a big baby' (I'm 5ft 11") and then they let me go overdue. Considering the risks of pushing out such a large baby I think it was really irresponsible just to leave me to 'get on with it' I want a lot more reassurance this time around, especially if she's going to be bigger! X