Large baby - sucessful VBAC??

[boo]

I'm almost 36 weeks pregnant and would desperately like a VBAC. DS1 was c/section due to breech position, pre-eclampsia & very high blood pressure - I didn't experience one single contraction. He was born 9pd 12oz (4.40kg) with very low sugar levels (he had to be placed on a drip in the nursery) Ob suspects that I may have had GD that wasn't picked up. This pregnancy I have been tested twice for GD and both times have come back negative. I had a scan a week ago to check the position of the placenta as it was low at the 20 week scan, thankfully it has moved up but when they did the scan they measured the baby at 7pd7oz (3.3kg) Ob is now saying that this baby maybe bigger than the first, if the scan measurements are right. He then proceded to tell me all the risks of VBACing a large baby which has kind of knocked my confidence a little. Ob is still supportive of VBAC, as long as I labour naturally and he won't let me go past 41 weeks (he did mention the ideal scenario would be for me to labour naturally at 38wks??) He also said I would have to "tick all the boxes" during labour and have everything to flow smoothly for it to be sucessful. He kept using terms such as "trial labour" etc etc
Now I know these scans can be wrong (they told me DS1 was 7pd9oz a week before he was delivered) and I keep telling myself there is still a chance I can have a sucessful VBAC but in the back of my mind doubt is now setting in - I need to snap myself out of it and start to think positive (although it doesn't help when everyone around me says "wow your game" when I tell them how big they think the baby is going to be). Has anyone here sucessfully VBACed a larger baby? I'd really like to hear some positive stories to help put my mind at ease...

[Trillian]

Rouge VBAC'd a 9lb12 baby (I think that's how big he was LOL) and Christy VBAC'd an 8lb15 baby. There have been some others that have VBAC'd large babies too but they are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head.

There is one flaw with what you were told. You have 4 weeks to go till your edd. In the last 4 wks baby will put on one ounce per day, so around 28-30 grams. Over 4 weeks this adds up to less than 800gms. Add that to the 'estimated' 3.3kg and you have a baby who is only just over 9lb - not big at all. Of course the scan could be out and he could be bigger, but did you know that they get the size guestimates by using a formula that includes the length of their femur? Now I would love to know how they know that the length of a leg bone indicates their weight LOL. You could have long skinny 8lb bub and a short chubby 10lb bub. It's crazy. A large baby should put no more strain on the uterus during labour than an average size one, otherwise simply having a second pregnancy after a cS would be a risk kwim?

But let me ask you this - if no one had mentioned the size of the baby before now, would you ever have doubted your ability to vaginally birth him? The way our mind works plays a HUGE part in this, more than you would think and once you let doubt start to creep in it is so much harder to maintain the assertion that you WILL give birth vaginally. Even if you weren't VBACing people would still say comments like that when you mention 'big baby' so put those comments out of your mind now

I am convinced more than ever that some obs will string you along with the promise of a VBAC and let you think they are supportive of that, but at the last minute, just when you are more likely to have a crisis of confidence anyway, they pull a stunt like this.

Anyway, I think you CAN do it and I can't wait to read about it when he finally comes

[julie_ann_jules]

Hi!
I had size scans done for my first two baby's. I was told that one of them would be 11 pounds if I went full term and the other would be 10 pounds. I had both of them at 38 weeks..... mainly due to the size (I did have gestational diabetes). First bubs was induction resulting in emergency c/s as bubs was in distress. Second bubs was c/s due to size at 38 weeks. Both of those bubbas were born 8pd6 so a good size but no where near the 10 and 11 pd that was estimated. I then had a successful VBA2C with bubs number 3. He was my biggest at 9pd1oz

Personally I would never use a sizing scan to make any decisions. I'd really reccommend u have a look at some studies on using sizing scans to determin the size of babys. I think u can find one on the plus size pregnancy website

Jules

[Bridg]

Logan was my VBAC bubba, and he weighed 3660g (8lb1oz).

Believe in yourself that you CAN do it. You know your body better than anyone else.

GL

[boo]

Thanks for the replies ladies. I did a bit of googling yesterday and had a big chat with DH and one of the midwives and I've decided that i'm still going ahead with the VBAC and I CAN do it!!
Trillian as you said if I hadn't of had this scan to check the placenta then no mention of a big baby would of ever come about and I wouldn't have been doubting myself at all. I would be shattered if I went ahead and agreed to another c/s based on what the scan is saying only to delivery a much smaller baby!
In the mean time I am going to try and do all I can to make this sucessful and prove my ob wrong! I am already taking RTL as I have heard this helps things work more efficently during labour. I had an appointment with one of the midwives at the hospital yesterday afternoon who was truly wonderful, (even after I got all emotional on her!) she's given me some tips on things I can do to get baby in the best possible postion so I started doing some of that last night. Hopefully in around 5 weeks time I'll be posting on here all about my sucessful VBAC story

[Arimeh]

You CAN do it!! I know Jasp had a VBAC baby that was over 10 pounds I think? (Jasp please correct me if I am wrong!)

My VBA2C baby was 8 pound 10. I didn't have any scans or anything so I had no CLUE whether she was a big one or not - and you know what - I liked that

With my first DD, they told me she was going to be around 10 pound, 4 oz. She came out at 8 pound, 11.5 oz. She has really long legs (because my husband is really tall) so what Trillian says about them getting the measurements from their leg bone is correct. My first two have been estimated at being "large" babies - but they were born long and skinny - and still are!! And with normal sized heads (and really, thats all you want to be worried about) My VBAC baby was the one with the biggest head though.. LOL

Good luck. Have faith in yourself. You can achieve this.

[Trillian]

I would be shattered if I went ahead and agreed to another c/s based on what the scan is saying only to delivery a much smaller baby!

That is so true! And if you did agree and bubs was smaller, you wouldn't even get an apology for it.

[RoyaUK]

Boo - best of luck with your VBAC. I couldn't read your post and not reply. Going the opposite way, with DD1 from 35 weeks i had scan after scan after an insensitive doctor had the gall to say 'I think your baby is starving itself' when she thought she was a SMALL baby. The scans kept saying small baby but you know, i'm only 5 ft tall and DH is 5'7'' so neither of us tall so that's not really a surprise.

Even at the last scan before birth they were worried she would be small......and out she popped at 3.3kg, 50 cm long. COMPLETELY AVERAGE!!

Size is not a medical reason for not going for VBAC if that's what you want to do. Believe in yourself and your baby and you can achieve it!

[MummyTummy]

Stop telling anyone what size they are guesstimating the baby to be and if people do comment anyway tell them that comments like that are not helpful, it is your choice and they should be proud and supportive of you birthing your baby your way.

Sounds like your DH is on board and that is the most important person anyway!

Everyone else has told you stories of how wrong those scans can be so just focus on the fact that your body won't let you produce a baby that you can't birth. Mother nature has a very specific design when it comes to child birth so you have to trust in that and trust in your body. You CAN do it!!

Also in regards to 'trial labour' and everything ticking boxes and happening in a particular order and timeframe - pffffft! Unfortunately they do try to put these timeframes on you, and the body sometimes just doesn't work that way, especially when you just land yourself in hospital in an unfamiliar environment with lots of strange people buzzing about and poking and prodding you with barely your permission. I haven't yet attempted my VBAC, but my plan is to tell no one that I am in labour or that my waters have broken etc until absolutely necessary. Last time I rang them telling them that my waters had broken, and they told me to come in for monitoring the next day if nothing happens overnight. Of course it didn't and when I went in for monitoring the midwife told me I was staying until my baby was born. Luckily my Ob was on my side and let me go home for another night until my 'time' ran out. But from that I have learnt that they only start timing you from when you tell them..... so don't tell them unless you absolutely have to. Wait at home (or just around the corner from the hospital if you are worried) until your labour is well and truly established. Sometimes it can take days for it all to properly get in to rhythm. Use your instinct here... it is an inbuilt mechanism that has been around since day dot before such things as hospitals or medical staff. You DO know what is best for you and your baby. I can't wait to read your VBAC BA.

[Hannahbanana]

There is a lady on one of the other forums that I am a member and she has done it

A drug-free VBAC of a 12lb 11oz baby! Who on earth is going to believe that?!

That is from her birth story.

5760 grams, now that's big!!

[boo]

Thanks again for your replies ladies, they have been a great help in putting my mind at ease. I'm going to try my hardest to get my VBAC - no matter how big this baby is! Three weeks to go until my due date - Ob says he will let me go a week over before booking a c/s but we'll cross that bridge when & if we come to it. DH has been great too which has been a huge help.
MummyTummy - I was thinking about you said about not ringing the hospital until I was sure I was in established labour - I was thinking this myself after my appointment but not having experianced any labour before I'm really not sure what to expect or how long to leave it - I've read that a good time to call is when the contractions are 5 mins apart??
Anyway hope to update you all with some good news in the next few weeks

[Fleur]

You CAN do it!! I know Jasp had a VBAC baby that was over 10 pounds I think? (Jasp please correct me if I am wrong!)

Yep she was 10lb8 (4770g)


Glad to hear you're feeling better about it all, plesae don't be put off by the idea of a large baby, I have not heard yet of the size of a baby impacting at all on a VBAC, there are so many other things more likely to affect it & probably the biggest is how much support you have from your caregivers, IMO.
My dr did a quick scan at 41 weeks to check that she was head down & he commented on her size then... we knew she would be big although maybe not that big... anyway, they never mentioned size as an issue, not once.

Aaaaaannd... I ended up 10 days past my EDD. Hospital was ok with me going to 42 weeks; I was booked in for monitoring but that was more for my peace of mind, they only offered it cause I was getting a bit stressed

Thanks again for your replies ladies, they have been a great help in putting my mind at ease. I'm going to try my hardest to get my VBAC - no matter how big this baby is! Three weeks to go until my due date - Ob says he will let me go a week over before booking a c/s but we'll cross that bridge when & if we come to it. DH has been great too which has been a huge help.
MummyTummy - I was thinking about you said about not ringing the hospital until I was sure I was in established labour - I was thinking this myself after my appointment but not having experianced any labour before I'm really not sure what to expect or how long to leave it - I've read that a good time to call is when the contractions are 5 mins apart??
Anyway hope to update you all with some good news in the next few weeks

WRT waiting until you are in established labour - I planned to wait until my waters broke, or my contrations were closer than 5 minutes. As it happened... my contractions never got closer than 5 minutes, and my waters broke about 10 minutes before she was born.
So, wait if you want...just be aware that it doesn't always happen like it's 'meant ' to, lol. I was thinking I could have hours to go, and in reality she was minutes away; however my contractions did become more intense about half an hour before.
I was at hospital at 10am for a monitoring appt, but I was feeling like I wanted to go in anyway...she was born at 6:30pm... so I probably would have been there by then anyway IYKWIM. I would just trust your instincts you'll do fine.

Wishing you all the best for your upcoming birth! Looking forward to reading your BA

[MummyTummy]

That sounds quite reasonable to me Boo in theory. I think you will just know when it is time. I know a number of people have said to me that you 'just know' when it is time to go to the hospital. It is when you instinctively know that if you don't leave now you are going to stay where you are to have the baby. So, hand over your logical thinking to your support team and just go with your instincts. You were born to do this!!!

ETA - Jasp posted as I was writing this - just read it and it sounds like we've just written the same thing!! Trust your instincts!

[JellyBean]

Don't be scaremongered Boo - if your body couldn't do this, you wouldn't be in the position you are now! Have you checked out the photo thread by Kelly on small women birthing big babies? Worth a look!
Also, what they never tell you is that the head circumference of a 'small' baby is often the same as a 'large' baby. Both my DS's had a 35 cms head circumference and #2 was a pound and a half heavier.
A couple of extra oz of meat on the legs and arms aint gonna make any difference once you have birthed the head- only your baby will look a bit healthier than a 'small' baby!!!

Also - please check out the free How to have a Better Birth videos on the Mothers Advocate website.

Quote: Ob says he will let me go a week over before booking a c/s but we'll cross that bridge when & if we come to it.
He is in no position to let you do anything - who is in control here!!?? Especially considering that EDD are a rough estimate at best - and are in most cases incorrect. Whos to say that 41 weeks is actually 41 weeks afterall - iykwim? The dates have been predicted by a piece of machinery!! gggrrrr....
Please don't be pressured into an induction that you may regret - spontaneous labour (letting bubs choose when they are ready to be born) is the single most important factor for a successful VBAC, as induction causes distress to bubs in most cases. 38 - 42 weeks gestation is the normal length for any pregnancy and no Ob has a right to push you into an induction at 41 weeks when you and bubs are perfectly healthy. Let gravity and optional birth positioning assist you and let your body do what it was made to do. Write out your birth preferences and make your Ob clear about your wishes. Its their job to serve you - not the other way around!!

Best of luck!!! You CAN do it!!

XXX

[HollyC]

I have been having growth scans due to potential health issues with my baby. The weight they give you is only accurate to plus or minus 15%. So there is a 30% variation! It is a very inaccurate method of measuring.

[boo]

Hi ladies, just thought i'd pop in and say that I managed a successful VBAC of our second son at 41+1 (assisted - needed forceps as he was OP, and he's heart rate was getting to high).
At 39 weeks my Ob said he wanted to do another scan to check the size of bubs, I refused saying that it didn't bother me how big he was and that I didn't trust the scan to be acurate, turns out this worked in my favour as Ob said after the birth that if I had've had that scan and he knew that he was going to be over 10pds then he would've booked me in for a section as vbac was too risky. In saything that though he also said that after checking my scar it was hardly visable and seemed to have healed very well.
I was booked in for an induction on Monday morning - I went into labour at 10:30pm Sunday night, once contractions started they went from being 5 mins apart to 2.5 mins in a matter of about an hour. The midwives were great and very supportive throughout the labour, apart from one midwife whom we had trouble with at DS1's birth also. When I got to hospital my contractions were only 25seconds but they were 2 minutes apart - she was trying to tell me that I wasn't in labour and that I just had an irritable uterous (she never corrected herself, just left me there wondering - luckily they changed shifts about 45 mins later), then she went on to roll her eyes and express her doubts that I would be able to vbac my baby as she thought he was going to be too big - Not what you want to hear when you're only 5hrs into labour! Well i proved her wrong and Harvey was born at 9:50am Monday morning weighing a huge 10pd 9oz - 56cm long - head circ 37cm. He had to spend the day in the nursery has he had a temp and breathing issues but he was back with me first thing the next morning - we're both home and healthy just trying to get the hang of breast feeding, i'm having trouble keeping up with him at the moment. Speaking of which, he's calling me now

[Trillian]

Well done and congratulations on your new baby boy! I hope that medwife came back on shift so you could show off your very big vaginally birthed baby to her

[Bridg]

Boo- WELL DONE AND CONGRATS!!!