Big Baby at 34w, need some reassurance

[happyhomemaker25]

My baby measured 6 pounds at my 34w growth scan this week. I'm so upset. I have Type 2 diabetes, but according to all my logs I've kept it under control. My A1C is fine as well. My daughter was born at 38w5d weighing 7 pounds. I really thought I would have another 7 to maybe 7 and a half pounder. I know scans are off all the time, but his belly did look really big on the u/s. My OB will do a C-section if he is over the 90th percentile growth wise. Right now we are at 83rd percentile. My fundal height last Friday was spot on for 34w. Just 4 weeks ago he measure perfect maybe an ounce or two ahead. Now he is almost a pound a half ahead.Help, just reassure me that he MIGHT not be 10 pounds.

[Freckles]

U/S scans can be off. I delivered at 37 wks by c-section because they thought she would be 10 lbs. She weighed 7lbs 8.5 oz. I don't know maybe she would have gotten quite a bit bigger by 40 wks. My first dd was born at 42wks weighing in at 11lbs 10 oz. I feel your pain. Hang in there. :grouphug:

[Impish]

My OB was freaking about Boo being huge, u/s showed him big, etc, etc, etc

 

He was 7 lbs even.

[momofkhm]

Now I'm the opposite. My first was 8 1/2 lbs. The 41 wk U/S on the second said she would be about the same. Middle was 10 lb 4oz. They say the u's was off so bad because her head was engaged and the u's can be off by as much as a pound anyway.

 

But you can do it. Mine were 8.11, 10.4 and 9.13. No rip, tears or cuts.

[PentecostalMom]

Fundal heights can be off and ultrasound measurements can be off. I think if you feel safe and comfortable then you should do what you think is best for you and the baby.

[rdj2027]

I had a perfectly normal pregnancy and my oldest was 9 pounds and 24 inches. I didn't get an ultrasounds because we were poor, starving college students and they estimated he was going to be a 6 pounder at best.

 

#2 was estimated at 8 pounds at 34 weeks and that was his birthweight at 39 weeks.

 

Even with ultrasounds they can be off.

[Ravin]

Ultrasounds can be off. Also, I know plenty of people who have had natural births with babies well in excess of 9 lbs.

[Heatherwith4]

I was told that us can be off by a pound either direction. Considering that, I don't think your baby is extraordinarily large. DS7 was born at 35 weeks and was 5 7. DS6 was born at 35w5d and was 7 lbs even.

[zoobie]

If it's not a VBAC, you could refuse any future scans, couldn't you? I have had 3 c/s, FWIW, so I am not anti-intervention when necessary. My first was over 10 lbs, but she was 10 days late. I did not have gestational diabetes.

 

My last baby they did a later u/s to check for a fluid issue, and the sonographer estimated her weight at over 9 lbs 2 weeks before she was born. She was 9 lbs on the nose, 2 weeks later, so it was not correct!

[GSOchristie]

With Asher, they did an u/s at 30 weeks due to bleeding, and he was measuring a week and a half ahead. The doctor checked me two weks later, and she said there was no way he was that big, my fundal height was two weeks behind, another u/s, still a week and a half ahead. They induced me at 39 weeks, he was 9 pounds even. I think if they had let me go, he easily would have been 10 pounds. My second was a week late, so I pretty sure Asher would have cooked for another two weeks on his own. He was in the 100% percentile for weight and the 90th for height until he was four, then he slowed way down and is comparable to his peers.

 

ETA all my u/s were spot on with Asher, but I didn't have any problems delivering him at 9 pounds. I think I would have been fine even if had been bigger. Jax was smaller but had his hand ON his head coming through the birth canal, that, in my opinion, was far worse.

[I.Dup.]

Please don't stress. My 34 weeker was 5.14 at birth (he was born at 34 weeks) and my biggest baby ever has been 7 pounds. I am a small woman and my average baby has been 6.10 (3 out of my 6 have been exactly 6.10). They don't necessarily grow a ton those last few weeks, and measurements can be off.

[happyhomemaker25]

Because I have diabetes I have to have a scan every week to check fluid and placenta. They won't do another growth scan until about 37 or 38w. I just don't know how I went from a 7 pound baby three years ago to a baby who could be 10 pounds this time. Granted I've been hungry all the time with him, but I have done everything possible to keep my sugars normal. Everything was fine 4 weeks ago. He was average about the 38th percentile. Now we are looking at 83rd percentile just 4 weeks later?!

Thank you all for your reassurance. Sometimes I'm ok with it and think it will just work out and then the next minute I'm major stressing about it. LOL Gotta love the pregnancy hormones. I don't think I would have a problem pushing a 10 pounder out, I ain't no little girl :), but I do think my OB will fight me tooth and nail on it and I'm one of those all bark and no bite pregnant people. I want to stand up for myself, but then I get all scared and back down and worse, I get... weepy. UGH! I hate that. My little girl came at 38w so I'm kind of hoping this guy decides to come a little early as well, that would help a lot.

His belly looked really, really big on the u/s. Even I noticed it and I can't read those things for anything. I just keep hoping it's off and I'm going to be really, really strict from here on out, stricter than I have been with my food. It's good because I can only eat a little bit at a time at this point anyway, I'm all baby. LOL I have been doing well with my eating, but I might have let a snack slip in here and there that should not have been. It did not make my sugar spike though, because I tried to do it in the mid afternoon when I usually have the lowest blood sugar.

I'm sorry to ramble on, it's just not something I feel comfortable talking about IRL right now. I have a few worry warts in my life that will just bug me and make me worry more about it. Thanks so much for listening to the whinings of a crazy lady who is TERRIFIED of having a C-section. :)

[Mommy22alyns]

Ultrasounds are notoriously unreliable for predicting weight. I wouldn't lend any credence to them. As far as fundal height goes, I always measured small but both girls were an average weight. Rebecca was 7lb, 12 oz, 8 days early and Sylvia was 6 lb, 1 oz at 36 weeks.

[Dustybug]

I've had 3 big babies: 8lbs 8.5oz, 9lbs 6oz, and 9lbs even and fully expect this one to be large too. My two largest were my easiest deliveries. :) You should be fine.

[Bree]

Can you find another ob this late. My third baby measured large and she gave me no other option than a c section. I found a midwife for the next baby who was very supportive and I was able to vac with that one. I hate csections though, have had 2. They said they have had no problem delivering 9 and even 10 lb babies and my last birth was the best out of the 4 and having someone not push me was great too

[PeterPan]

I'm with agstefko. The issue is not the size of your baby. A 10 pound baby will birth JUST FINE with a midwife or attendant who knows what they're doing. I should know. I've done 9lb 4 oz and 11lb1oz. The 11 pounder, well I thought that was gonna kill me. Did it at home, in water, no ripping, no tearing, NOTHING.

 

You want someone with you who knows how to deliver larger babies.

 

Btw, just your word to the wise (and sorry to feed your nerves), but if you tend to go over, that's where you might draw the line. A kind lady here on the boards had the same progression (9, 11, 13) and then she and her midwife had this nice chat about how this isn't the dark ages, we can induce. If I get pregnant again (one can wish!), that's the plan. No going over. 13 freaks me out. 10, don't even worry. Just get somebody with you you trust and have water to labor in. It's fine.

[abacus2]

I do not understand why your doctor would plan a c-section for a baby larger than the 90th percentile. I am not aware of any increased risk with diabetes to birthing a large baby vaginally. I would expect induction, as diabetes does increase the risk of going overdue, but not a c-section. I personally have birthed three babies over the 90th percentile vaginally without issue. Also, as others have said, ultrasounds are very, very bad at estimating weight, and I would be very wary of a doctor wanting to c-section a suspected borderline-large baby based on such an unreliable measure.

[Dahliarw]

If you can't advocate for what is best for yourself and your baby you need to solicity your husband or a close friend to do so for you. To fight for you. C/s are risky for moms and babies, much more than normal vaginal births. They are great when warranted, but quite a risk to take if there is not a medical reason (and no, a big baby is not a medical reason in my book, most women don't grow babies they can't push out). There is not reason why you should not be allowed to labor first as long as baby is doing ok. If there is an issue and baby will not come out, then a c/s is warranted. This is coming from the 5'4" 120lb woman who pushed out a 10lb 10oz baby with a large head, naturally, with only a tiny tear. My first was 8lbs even, for reference. My 10lb 10oz baby measured behind by a week, going by fundal height!

[phathui5]

"My OB will do a C-section if he is over the 90th percentile growth wise."

 

Then maybe it's time for a new OB.

[joannqn]

My babies all weighed between 8lbs 10oz (a girl) to 9lbs 4oz (a boy), which is right around the 90th percentile, and I didn't have gestational diabetes. With the largest baby, they did an ultrasound hours before his birth to check for amniotic fluid and size. I was 15 days overdue. Their weight estimate was off by 20oz. In my case, this was a good thing, because the estimate was under. Because he was expected to be my smallest baby, they felt I could safely deliver him vaginally despite the additional risks that come with being low on fluid. Had the ultrasound been accurate, they would have required a c-section. He was born vaginally without incident.

 

I only share this because ultrasounds really are inaccurate...in both directions.

[KungFuPanda]

Both of my babies measured at 7 lbs just before birth. One weighed 5 1/2 lbs and one weighed 9. Both were born vaginally without complications and the 9 pounder was a far easier birth.

[itsheresomewhere]

According to the us a few days before DD was born, she should have been over 8lbs. She was a little over 6. DS should have been over 6. He was a little over 4.

[Parrothead]

I understand that early scans are much more accurate than later scans. With everything everyone has said on this. Thread it seems to be more true than not.

 

I wouldn't worry, but just keep it in mind.

[Tammyla]

The day ds was born the experts insisted he was 8lbs at least...My sweet guy born that night and was exactly 7lbs.

 

Ask for another check and reassurance /a plan from your doctor or midwife.

[momto10blessings]

One of my babies was born just shy of 35 weeks and was 7 lbs. Ultrasound said he was 5.5 lbs the day before he was born. It can be way off and I hate to think that a Dr would plan a c-section knowing that ultrasounds can be off. I would talk to another Dr. They should let you try to birth your baby.

[melmichigan]

How in control is controlled? Are you seeing an endocrinologist? I was surprised at how much they lowered the blood sugar level requirements for my last pregnancy.

 

That aside, I wouldn't base delivery solely on the U/S and not on just one U/S.

[Myeightkiddies]

Some of my "big" babies, according to U/Ss, weren't all that big, and some of my normal "don't worry" ones were huge.

 

Edited to add: I've delivered a 10+ pound baby. It was one of my fastest and easiest labor/deliveries (no pain meds either).

[Joyofsixreboot]

I never had an accurate weight estimate. My big babies were no harder than my smaller anyway. Let mother nature do her thing, watch your diet and you will be ok.

[chickenpatty]

(((Hugs))) those pregnancy hormones are tough. I've had 9 and 10 pound babies, then a 7lb 15oz baby (all vaginally) , and then 35 week 6 pound twins by c/s. Unless the baby was looking to be 12 or 13 pounds I would NOT elect to do a c/s. Too risky, painful, awful recovery, etc... A 10 pound baby is not that bad and I'm not a big person. I would press the doctor for a vaginal delivery.

[clarkacademy]

My son was a monster 10 and half pounds 24 inches long. I would like to add I am not even 5feet tall. I had massive pain in my chest during labor they did an us said he was about 8 lbs. Yeah right. I won't give details let's just say it wasn't a good time. My last baby I was scared too death she would be giant. At the end I had an us said she was already 10 lbs they decided to induce. That little girl barely tipped 6lbs and was only 19 in long. She was way early, no tears very see through nails etc. I don't put faith in us at all anymore.

[ktgrok]

First, they have growth spurts. So he might be ahead today because of a growth spurt, then even back out. Second, ultrasound is an AWFUL predictor of weight. They did a study, and had moms who were carrying their second or subsequent baby guess how big the baby was, and had them get an ultrasound to assess the weight. AFter the baby was born the moms were more accurate with their guess than the ultrasound was! So if you don't think baby is big, baby is probably not big. (i KNEW my big babies were big. My midwife and I had a tacit "don't ask don't tell" policy about it. I never asked her how big she thought this last one was, cause I didn't want to hear her say he was huge. She never offered to tell me how big he was, as she knew I didn't need to hear he was huge. As she put it, "why would I tell you that? It would just psych you out." In fact, at my biophysical profile at 41 weeks she did NOT have them do a weight estimate. No need, no point.

 

This website is GREAT! http://www.pregnancy...om/Big_baby.htm

 

Also, big baby does not, and according to ACOG guidelines SHOULD NOT, mean automatic c-section, and certainly not induction. Babyfat squishes. Women give birth to big babies every day. Were either you or your husband big babies? My husband was a 10lb baby, and so I blame him for my big babies, lol. But seriously, my "normal" sized baby was 7lb 13oz, and labor was 40 hours ending in a c-section. My next was 9lbs even and was born vaginally in less than 9 hours. My last was 10lbs 2 oz, and was born vaginally in 10 hours, and that would have been much much shorter, but i spent 4 hours trying to avoid pushing. (I hate hate hate pushing, and so despite being completely dilated I did whatever i could to barely push, or just blow through contrations...kept changing position to avoid it, etc. finally I started getting hungry and tired and went ahead and pushed..he was born shortly thereafter. I basically just wasted everyone's time for 4 hours. So if I had buckled down when I first started getting pushy I'm sure labor would have been more like 6-7 hours).

 

So..first, relax. There is nothing you can do about how big he is, so don't waste time worrying about it. Second, you won't know if he is big until he is born. So just forget all about it, and then weight him after birth. He'll either be average (my guess), or he will be big and you get bragging rights. Either way it is all good.

 

Oh, and I'm only 5 ft tall.

[xixstar]

I hope you can get the support you need to have the birth you want. Perhaps consider hiring a doula for support as well or attending any upcoming ICANN meetings. Your body, your birth, you can do this. :) And late term ultrasounds are often wrong; measuring can be misleading too - my second I was expecting to be barely 8lbs considering how small I felt and minimal weight gain too, quite surprised to see her so big.

 

Oh and my 10 pound babies (well 10lb1oz and 10lb9oz) babies came out just fine, the largest much easier than my 7lb7oz baby. And differences wise, babe's heads were also in the 98th percentile or so, so it wasn't so much being a chubby baby as much as they were just big babies -- I blame their father's stature and his big head too.

 

Your body can do this, any size baby, and so can you.

[phathui5]

Ooh! I want to second the recommendation to look for a doula. You can probably find one near you at www.doulamatch.net

[MomtoCandJ]

When I had my last u/s with dd they told me she would be over eight pounds. She was 5 pounds 7 ounces.

[Janie Grace]

One of mine was 9.5 pounds. I have size 2 hips. It was my fastest, easiest labor (of 5). There is *so* much more that matters besides poundage. You'll be FINE! :)

[JennyD]

<p>Hugs to you! FWIW, I had gestational diabetes with my second pregnancy (not the first nor the third) and had, conservatively speaking, eleventy-million ultrasounds, and every time I would ask the sonographer, "What is the error rate for this?" and s/he would say, "Plus or minus a pound." Until the last month or so, when they would say, "Plus or minus two pounds." PLUS OR MINUS TWO POUNDS???!!! For something that we all know is going to be between 6 and 10 pounds total? Are you kidding me??!! Why is my insurance even paying for this??

 

Well, I didn't actually say those last two, at least not to the sonographer. But really, I know it's hard not to worry, but try not to.

[misidawnrn]

I am amazed that your doctor would even discuss c/s with someone having their 6th baby (if all the others were not c/s)! U/S can be off by 2 pounds and someone already said a "big" baby is not an ACOG reason to induce or do a C/S unless a baby is suspected to be over 11 pounds. They actually say that inducing can be harmful because baby can't get in the right position before contractions get too strong. I would kindly tell my doctor that I will NOT be having a C/S. Big babies do fit!!!

[J-rap]

My #4 was 9lbs. 9ozs, and that was my easiest, quickest delivery of all!

[happyhomemaker25]

I am amazed that your doctor would even discuss c/s with someone having their 6th baby (if all the others were not c/s)! U/S can be off by 2 pounds and someone already said a "big" baby is not an ACOG reason to induce or do a C/S unless a baby is suspected to be over 11 pounds. They actually say that inducing can be harmful because baby can't get in the right position before contractions get too strong. I would kindly tell my doctor that I will NOT be having a C/S. Big babies do fit!!!

 

Technically this is only my 2nd baby. We adopted the first 5. Probably a good thing too, because I deal with anxiety when I'm not pregnant, add in hormones and it gets ugly around here. LOL

[happyhomemaker25]

LOL, Thanks for the reassurances. They did work and I decided to let it go and not worry. Then at my appointment this week 36w baby flipped to breech. Yeah. This guy is not making pregnancy very easy for me. :p Hoping he's easier to deal with on the outside. LOL

[ktgrok]

LOL, Thanks for the reassurances. They did work and I decided to let it go and not worry. Then at my appointment this week 36w baby flipped to breech. Yeah. This guy is not making pregnancy very easy for me. :p Hoping he's easier to deal with on the outside. LOL

 

Well he can't be overly large if he has room to flip around in there!

 

Please go to a chiropracter that specializes in pregnant women, and get that baby turned back around. Chiropracters are extremely skilled at this. They don't adjust the baby, they just adjust your pelvis so there is room for baby to turn back around. Also, spend time every day on your knees and forearms, butt in the air, to help baby back out of the pelvis and flip around.

[happyhomemaker25]

 

Well he can't be overly large if he has room to flip around in there!

 

Please go to a chiropracter that specializes in pregnant women, and get that baby turned back around. Chiropracters are extremely skilled at this. They don't adjust the baby, they just adjust your pelvis so there is room for baby to turn back around. Also, spend time every day on your knees and forearms, butt in the air, to help baby back out of the pelvis and flip around.

I've already looked up the names of several chiros who do the Webster technique. I'm working all weekend on doing exercises here at home to see if he'll turn. I have another u/s Monday if he's not turned then I will call the chiros and find one I can hopefully afford. :) My Bradley coach from three years ago had one she highly recommended so I'm starting there. I watched videos last night into the wee hours of things to do to get your baby to flip and started some this morning. No stone will be left unturned. :) Thanks!!

I was thinking the same thing about his size though. He flipped head down at 32w stayed that way until 34w and then flipped this week at 35w. I feel him moving around like crazy, rolling even, I told my OB he's got lots of room because his movements haven't slowed at all. He looked skeptical, but I'm optimistic he's going to turn.

[SLT]

My baby measured 6 pounds at my 34w growth scan this week. I'm so upset. I have Type 2 diabetes, but according to all my logs I've kept it under control. My A1C is fine as well. My daughter was born at 38w5d weighing 7 pounds. I really thought I would have another 7 to maybe 7 and a half pounder. I know scans are off all the time, but his belly did look really big on the u/s. My OB will do a C-section if he is over the 90th percentile growth wise. Right now we are at 83rd percentile. My fundal height last Friday was spot on for 34w. Just 4 weeks ago he measure perfect maybe an ounce or two ahead. Now he is almost a pound a half ahead.Help, just reassure me that he MIGHT not be 10 pounds.

 

I wouldn't be worried. Even so, from my anecdotal experience- 9 pounders don't have any more issue coming out than a 7 pounder in general. FWIW, my son was measuring 5.5 pounds at 32 weeks (about the same, maybe ahead of what your LO is measuring) and was 9+5 at birth (39 weeks).

[AK_Mom4]

I'm pretty sure Happy had that baby already......

 

yeah... here it is.....

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/476549-introducing-my-big-boy/

 

[kbutton]

http://evidencebasedbirth.com/ This website has an excellent big baby article. I don't know if it has any breech articles. Best wishes! My grandmother's babies were all 8-10 pounds, and her first--one of the 10 pounders--was a 3-hour labor. She was a very petite woman--less than 100 pounds when she graduated from HS.

[swellmomma]

My 3rd was born at 36 weeks exactly (we induced that day as my water has broken at 35weeks and he still had not made an arrival and I had to get back home to my other kids.

Anyway at 36weeks he was 6lb 6oz.  Dr said the fact that my water broke the week before likely slowed down his growth and had things gone as they should have he would have easily been 9.5-10lbs.  I am so very very glad he was early lol  My biggest baby to date has only be 7lbs 6 oz, but that is because 3 out of 4 have been early.

So have you had the little one yet? what did his final weight end up being?

[happyhomemaker25]

My 3rd was born at 36 weeks exactly (we induced that day as my water has broken at 35weeks and he still had not made an arrival and I had to get back home to my other kids.

 

Anyway at 36weeks he was 6lb 6oz.  Dr said the fact that my water broke the week before likely slowed down his growth and had things gone as they should have he would have easily been 9.5-10lbs.  I am so very very glad he was early lol  My biggest baby to date has only be 7lbs 6 oz, but that is because 3 out of 4 have been early.

 

So have you had the little one yet? what did his final weight end up being?

I did, thanks! He was born on May 28th at 9lbs 6oz. I did end up with a c-section because he would not descend at the end and Dh and I had already decided if he did not come down after an hour or two we would take the c-section because it could indicate that he could not get down due to size. It was actually a great experience and I had the guy in my arms within minutes of getting back to my room. We were separated maybe half an hour and he was busy bonding with daddy during that time. I was so scared at first, but they did such a great job talking me through it all I never even came close to having a panic attack which I am prone to. Recovery was rough the first two weeks, but after that I felt great. :) 

Here is a pic of my monster baby at 6w. He's quite the little chunk a lunk but I could not be happier!