Positions for 'big baby'

[Mel09]

Hey all you wonderfully inspiring BB women...

I had a scan on friday to see how big bubs is... and although I know that scans are not that accurate, its still freaking me out a bit. They said bubs is around the 8lb11oz mark at this stage. I know in my head that people birth extremely sucessfully babies bigger, but given that DD was only 7lb7oz, I am little put off.

I am looking at a stretch and sweep this wednesday to try and kick start everything, I will be 39+2 and possible induction on the sunday 39+6 if nothing has happened...

I am scared of tearing mostly I think, as I only had 2 internal stitches with DD and I bounced back within hours of her birth, I guess I am in the mind frame that I don't know what to expect. I have given the hosp a copy of my birth preferences which state that I want the perenium to have time to stretch naturally, and only an episiotomy if baby or I are at risk. I have also asked that when I ask for drugs, mainly epi that they dont give it to me and rather suggest positions and stratigies to help cope. I do know in my head that I want to start with the gas then panadine forte for pain relief if I need it, but I really want to avoid and epidural. I hope that this is making sense I feel like I am rambling... I think that as I am worried about the size of baby that I might demand an epidural and regret it later... I need to change these thoughts in my head, but how?

What worked for you and how did you get through it?

[frazaled1971]

hi mel,
i have 5 and number6 is on the way my first 3 were all under 7lbs8oz and was told number 4 would not be any bigger but she was 9lbs 2 oz and it wasnt much differant and i had her natrally in 28 mins number 5 was 9lbz 11oz and once again not to bad i was induced it took 50 mins from first pain to delivery i think bigger babies come quicker or at least thats how it been for me and i never had stitches with any of them ,had u/s at 31 weeks to check this babies size and he was 5lbs 5oz so once again another big babt comming they are doing another u/s next week to see how much bigger he is and i have told them i would rather be induced early then have a 11lb baby but i have been told that they get there weights wrong most of the time ,i dont think thats the case for me as my last to were big anf i dont have gd i just make big babies try not to stress to much they may have it wrong and if not it can be just as easy or hard to have a 5lb babie as it is to a 10lb baby.
good luck .

[blue daisy]

Hey Mel

firstly dont worry about number 2 baby being bigger than number 1
subsequent babies are generally bigger, with boys also being bigger than girls

you do not have to have a stretch and sweep or be booked for an induction if you do not want to. Induction of labor is associated with increased epidural use

you may find that if left alone you will go into labor naturally if relaxed and rested. Your uterus will reach a max size, stimulating activity in the uterine muscles, or your baby will send a hormonal message to your brain when he or she is ready

for positions to increase the sizeof the pelvic cavity: all 4's, squatting/supported squatting.

I have a pregnancy yoga pose on my link that is great for labor and promoting an open pelvis, feelings of calm and endorphin release

if you are left to labor uninhibited you may find that you will not push your baby out, but rather breathe him/her out

small baby or big baby they still have to navigate the same space with the same movements

you will do wonderfully, just trust in your ability to birth your beautiful baby

x

[BellyBelly]

I would be more scared of an induction than an 8 or 9 pound baby! Even if the estimate IS right, your baby wont put on a pound a week, and any weight is all over the body, not just the head, so it wont be solid, fixed width etc that will be born... have seen and heard plenty of women birth 9, 10, 11+ pound babies without a tear! Definitely make use of your pelvis, so be upright and active, which is less likely with an induction and then more likely to have an epi - and more likely for assisted delivery... I'd rather give things a chance than have to end up with that lot!!!

[Trillian]

Some of the best positions for larger babies are on all fours or an upright position as this gives your pelvis the best chance of opening wide enough to allow a large baby to pass through. Of my 4 babies I have had 3 large ones (4.18, 4.32 and 4.56 kg) and I birthed all of them on my back in a semi reclined position. It probably wasn't 'techinically' the best and or easiest way to do it, but that's all I felt like doing as it was how i felt the most comfortable. You may not feel like giving birth upright or on all fours, you just have to do what you feel most comfortable in or otherwise you may run into bother anyway kwim? And out of all of them my largest baby was the one that left the least amount of 'damage' LOL - I had only a tiny graze that required no stitching.

How well you fare out of it in respect to tearing has a lot to do with how the second stage is managed. If you have a midwife/ob who will let you wait for the perenium to stretch and if you gently breath your baby out instead of pushing then you should be able to give yourself the best chance of not having any tearing.

Grab yourself a copy of the pink kit - you will learn so much from it in terms of familiarising yourself with your body.

[blue daisy]

and Mel

focus on pelvic opening positions until the little one is birthed

stand with feet hip width, toes turning in very slightly, opens the pelvic cavity

and the other positions I previously mentioned

x

[Cricket]

Birthing in water (or at least getting to the pushing stage in water) is supposed to be excellent for keeping the perineum intact. (I did not tear at all with my water birth, but then I hadn't with the first two either.) The warm water helps the tissue relax and stretch, and actually provides a little "support". If you are not interested in a water birth or if it is not possible where you intend to deliver, see if you can at least get them to put fairly warm wet cloths on your perineum just before you begin pushing, and keep them there until the head is pretty much delivered. Being in the water during labour is also great pain relief, which will help you avoid an epidural if you don't want one. After two medicated births, my third, in the water, was all natural.
And as the others have said - the head is not going to change size at all now. Even if your baby gets nice and fat, fat is squishy, and shouldn't cause you too much trouble.
You certainly can do it! Don't even entertain the thought of failing right now! There is no reason that you can't birth this baby just as beautifully as you did your first, and, I believe you will find, as I did, that the second baby is much easier. Don't think about her being bigger - just think about little pudgy fingers and toes, and a nice round belly.
All the best for a great natural birth!

[Je$$_84]

Mel- dont really have experience with positioning etc but with my DS i was stuck on a bed (being post date they broke my water and he had a monitor clip on his head) He was 7lbs 10 and i had bad tearing... i asked how many stiches and they told me "continuious". I only had a quick labour so i wasnt really pushing for a long time but from reading a few posts i think it may have been from only being able to lay down???

Hopeing this time round i can actually try a different labour position to avoid such bad tearing.

Good luck