Delivering Big Babies

[rredfern]

Hi All,

This is my first child and I would like to give birth naturally if I can, however I am rather small built. I have a small head, small facial features and only weight 8 stone 6 (5ft 7 tall), My husband is 6ft 4 tall and he is also slim but he is well built. He was delivered with forceps and my mother in law told me last week that his head was so big at birth that they gave her an x-ray before delivery because they were worried he would get stuck. I am concerned that me being small, and him being big I will end up in a similar situation. His sister was a big baby too (of course I could end up having a petite baby). Does anyone have any experience of giving birth to a big baby? would it be more likely that the doctors would just suggest c-section if they thought there was a risk? or would they be more likely to try and make me deliver naturally and intervene with forceps?

all peoples stories appreciated.

 

[Me, My Girls & I]

The general rule of thumb is that your body won't grow a baby too big for you to deliver, although obvs it does happen sometimes! My first was 9lb12 and I was only 5'1 at the time! She was born naturally with no intervention. They tend to avoid c sections as much as they can. I'd read up on birthing positions, cos there are some that open the birth canal further than others - lying on your back for example narrows it cos the pubic bone moves backwards!

 

[rredfern]

The general rule of thumb is that your body won't grow a baby too big for you to deliver, although obvs it does happen sometimes! My first was 9lb12 and I was only 5'1 at the time! She was born naturally with no intervention. They tend to avoid c sections as much as they can. I'd read up on birthing positions, cos there are some that open the birth canal further than others - lying on your back for example narrows it cos the pubic bone moves backwards!

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Thanks a lot, that makes me feel a lot better about it. I'll take your advice and read up about the positions too

 

[mummywanabe]

My hubby was 10lbs his mum is 5ft im hoping this onebisnt 10lbs lol

 

[rredfern]

My hubby was 10lbs his mum is 5ft im hoping this onebisnt 10lbs lol

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lol scary isn't it!

 

[knopk@]

My DH was about 10 lb, his mum isnt big, she had him naturally.
Both my boys were however 8lb and 8lb 6 oz so not huge ( my DH is 6'3). You can always go for a growth scan in late pregnancy though. I really doubt they will offer c-section as there is nothing to suggest you will have a problem yet and its a major surgery

Tapatalking so cant see signatures

 

[Me, My Girls & I]

I thought I would have a small baby cos I was only 6lb, after K was born I thought about it and realised I was born at 36 weeks, so wasn't really a small baby at all I think my mum probably went early with me cos she was properly tiny (same height as me but tiny frame), but that said she went to term with my sister who was bigger! So I'm probably chatting shit

 

[Bethi]

Women DO sometimes grow babies too big for them. I did.
My mother is a midwife, and she has seen it before too.

I am the same as you - although quite tall, I've a very small build. I have to buy glasses from the children's section. I can never get watches/bracelets to fit. The dentist has to use a child's mould in my mouth. My bones are really petite (got a fair covering of fat on my arse though!).

My daughter was 9lb and could not even get INTO my pelvis, never mind through it. Despite three days of very intense contractions, augmented by the drip, she still could not engage. Her position was apparently perfect (lots of people like to claim it is just positioning.....often that is the case...but not always). But she was on the 91st centile, and HUGE. They weighed her three times because noone could believe that she wasn't 11lb. Her head was huge. Cheeks to her chest. She was beautiful. But too large for me. Ended with a section. Surgeon commented on her perfect positioning, but no way was her skull compatible with my pelvis.

Not sure why some midwives insist on saying we don't grow babies too large. Some of us do. Design flaw of nature, eh?

I am very worried about this baby. I hope to God it is a bit smaller!

Whatever happens, don't worry too much, your pelvis could be perfectly shaped. Baby could have a small head. There's no way of knowing. And if it comes to a section - well, it is woirth it a million times over. Baby will get out one way or another. x

 

[rredfern]

Women DO sometimes grow babies too big for them. I did.
My mother is a midwife, and she has seen it before too.

I am the same as you - although quite tall, I've a very small build. I have to buy glasses from the children's section. I can never get watches/bracelets to fit. The dentist has to use a child's mould in my mouth. My bones are really petite (got a fair covering of fat on my arse though!).

My daughter was 9lb and could not even get INTO my pelvis, never mind through it. Despite three days of very intense contractions, augmented by the drip, she still could not engage. Her position was apparently perfect (lots of people like to claim it is just positioning.....often that is the case...but not always). But she was on the 91st centile, and HUGE. They weighed her three times because noone could believe that she wasn't 11lb. Her head was huge. Cheeks to her chest. She was beautiful. But too large for me. Ended with a section. Surgeon commented on her perfect positioning, but no way was her skull compatible with my pelvis.

Not sure why some midwives insist on saying we don't grow babies too large. Some of us do. Design flaw of nature, eh?

I am very worried about this baby. I hope to God it is a bit smaller!

Whatever happens, don't worry too much, your pelvis could be perfectly shaped. Baby could have a small head. There's no way of knowing. And if it comes to a section - well, it is woirth it a million times over. Baby will get out one way or another. x

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Thank you. That was very informative. Makes me feel a bit better knowing that I will likely be able to give birth naturally and if my baby can't engage then the only option will be c-section which I am happy to do for the sake of the baby. Only time will tell. I'm only 10 weeks so haven't even had first scan yet but feeling rather ill at the mo and just getting a small bump (looks more like a pot belly at the minute though) x

 

[CARNAT22]

I think MW's tell you that you that because a) they don't want to scare you and b) it is very rare?

There is a school of thought that larger babies are actually easier to deliver because there is more weight pushing down on the pelvis and and more weight using the using the force of gravity.

Maggie Howell discusses it in her Natal Hypnotherapy book, which is worth a read in general as it is very interesting (even if you don't apply the techniques)

xxxxx

 

[l_maclean]

I'm not sure if its as rare as people think tbh, my mum had 2 c-sections cos she couldn't deliver naturally. Both were reasonably planned as her doc 'knew' from her size/build she'd not manage. Although she was induced with me and allowed to try - just never got passed 6cm.


Thing is though, if you are going to be in that sort of situation Drs and MWs have seen it enough before to be able to expect it, so can generally prepare you.


On my iPhone - so cant see tickers

 

[Robyner]

My friend delivered her second baby completely naturally, a whopping 11 1lb.

 

[Bethi]

Yeah, Carnat, I think you're right.
They are trying to keep mothers calm. And it IS rare. Not many grown women have a frame the size of an 11 year old. Sigh. Trust me, eh?

Rredfern, odds are that you'll deliver fine. (I also know tiny people who have had big babies naturally. I just wanted to point out that *sometimes*, some women do grow babies a bit too big for themselves.) No need to worry yet. After all, I'm giving it another go, so it can't be that bad
x

 

[LouiseH]

Hmmmm very informative thread! Guna stalk this x

 

[Roo3]

I'm not petite, I'm 5' 7" and oh is 6' 4". My lo was 9lbs 5ozs. Delivered with the help Of episiotomy and ventouse. My Los head is off the scale big. It's huge. He still looks like a bit of a lollipop and is nearly 2!
If you do need assistance with the delivery you'll be in the right place.

 

[littlemonkey]

My baby was 9lbs and he was delivered by c section. I was induced and didn't progress past 8cm, hence the section. Just to warn you, there was nothing to indicate how big he was. My bump measured bang on with my dates, so I didn't get a growth scan or anything. I have no idea why he is so big. My gtt was negative, I'm only 5'1" and OH is 5'10", but wee man is on the 98th centile for his height and 91st for weight.

 

[Pudds86]

My babies have both been average and Im not exactly small but as Alice says generally baby won't grow bigger than you can handle. My mom is 5ft and was a size 8 at the time of delivering my brother at 10lb 1oz 27 inches long. He flew out. I wouldntt worry about it!!

Tapatalking :-D Can't see tickers...

 

[Pudds86]

I think MW's tell you that you that because a) they don't want to scare you and b) it is very rare?

There is a school of thought that larger babies are actually easier to deliver because there is more weight pushing down on the pelvis and and more weight using the using the force of gravity.

Maggie Howell discusses it in her Natal Hypnotherapy book, which is worth a read in general as it is very interesting (even if you don't apply the techniques)

xxxxx

This is true. The contracting uterus reaches them quicker too Xx

Tapatalking :-D Can't see tickers...

 

[tabbi]

I feel for all ladies who have big babies but are Petite. I'm 6ft3 and my OH is 5ft8 both were normal average weight when born (OH was a twin) and our son was 8lb, my daughter was only 7lb5oz. I had a huge bump with my daughter too, but it was mostly water. Just because you have a big bump doesn't mean big baby per-say it could mean you have alot of water too. x x x

 

[Nicnax]

I am 5'2", and was only 6lbs at birth, yet had a little lady at 8lbs14oz, and a head on the 98th centile. I measured perfectly throughout my pregnancy, and never expected her to be that big! But, I delivered naturally, albeit with forceps, but this wad more to do with her being back to back. I had an episiotomy, and tearing, so a fair few stitches, but I had no problems from them at all. I was amazed at how good I felt afterwards- they ached, and I occasionally felt a pulling sensation, butgt that was pretty much it! The human body is a wonderful thing- what you can cope with is really quite incredible.