Naturally Delivery a Large Baby

[heather]

Hi everyone,

I would really appreciate hearing ladies experiences on naturally delivering large babies. I am reallly keen on having a natural birth, and while the safety of my baby is my upmost priority - having a drug free vaginal birth is also important.

I had my fetal anomaly scan three weeks ago and it shows our bean is bigger than average with a head circumferance which is off the scale for bubs at this age. I am also quite small weighing before birth 51kg and having narrowish hips. I am not concerned about the pain but i am worried that the bean wont be able to fit down the birth canal.

Any of your advice would be appreciated.

[Lucy]

Olivia wasn't large (7lb 2oz) but I (apparently, according to my OB) have a very small narrow and tight pelvis. And I did manage to deliver her naturally (vaginally, no drugs) but it was tricky as she got stuck and her shoulders could literally not fitr through my pelvis.

My OB has recommended inductin at 38 weeks for me with my current pregnancy, suggesting that if this next baby is any bigger than Olivia was, that at 40 weeks, he would have no option but to do a caesar.

So, like Fletch suggests, have a long chat with your Dr and get them to really look at your pelvis to see if you are in with a chance......

[min]

Heather, you will most likely have a catsscan at around 36 weeks if bubs is larger than average to determine if you will need a c/s. is not really anything t do with your weight, but the size of your pelvis and birth canal, and these can still be large enough even on shortasses like me. this is what the catscan will tell you.

I had to have a scan at 36 weeks until yesterday when at 29 weeks 3 days i found out that Jackson is already weighing around 7.5 pounds. I freaked out a bit when OB told me that. Is definately safe to say now that I am having a c/s catscan or not, and may end up with an 11 punder!

[heather]

Thanks for your advice girls - i have my next doctors appointment next weeks so will discuss our options then. Min - my DH was an 11 pound bub, but i was only 5 pounds - looks like its taking after daddy!!

[min]

my aunty had all 11 pounders. i was a bit emotional when he told me after i walked out of his office burst out crying, bloody hormones, is funny now i think of it, we have now taken to calling Jackson gigantor

[heather]

mum2boys - i would be really interested if you could ask your mum about the hand thing

[Antheia]

My DD was born 9lb 7oz and i delivered her naturaly, but it was quite difficult getting her out. First her head got stuck unter my pubic bone then her shoulders got stuck, so she had to be delivered by vacuum extraction. I had gas and pethadine during my labor but by the time i was ready to push the drugs had worn off so i guess you could say i did it without drugs.

[Lucy]

That is fascinating about the hands!

I have a wide arse and "child-bearing hips" so I always presumed I would be able to deliver babies OK, but as I mentioned earlier, I did struggle to get Olivia out because of a very small pelvis..........& if you could see my hands & feet.....they are very small, with very short stumpy fingers and a very square shape, so I guess there may be something in it!!

[heather]

Thank you so much for asking her!! Well i have long hands (and fingers) and long narrow feet - so there maybe a positive!!

[BellyBelly]

Heather - stay positive mate!!! My mum was one of those twiggy stick girls when she was pregnant with me, most of the time she didn't even look pregnant! But she delivered all four of us no problem. I was an 8lb'er, my brother a 10lb'er and the other two I can't remember - but no stitches!

All of my babies were small but John and I were bigish babies. Elijah was 5lbs15oz and Marisa 6lbs10oz. We were both over 8lbs, but John was a premmie at 7mths as his mum fell down some stairs and he came early. His weight was a corrected birth estimate I think - but if the way he eats now is any proof, I reckon he would have been double!!!

[~Raven~]

I was worried about having small hips but I gave birth fine. My DS's were 7lb4oz and 7lb2oz.
My dear friend had 12lb2oz and 12lb6oz babies naturally but she's taller and broader than me.

[Tracey]

I was told I'd need a caeser with DD, but went on to deliver natuarlly with no probs.

Our next door neighbour was a wide hipped, big bottomed lady whom everyone said she had great child bearing hips,m she had 2 boys & a girl all by caeser & they were all arounbd 5pound!

My Mum tall & thin had 3 giirls all naturally no probs & I think my oldest sister was biggest at 8.5pound.

My cousin tall, but with big bottom had her first at 17 & began fitting, she had been told to stop smoking due to babay being of very dangerously low birth weight, but the baby was just under 14lbs! She had epileptic fits for a few weeks after (not being an epileptic though) & eventually they disappeared, her 2 consecutive kids were born by ceaser & both were 9+lbs!

My sister whom is thin had 2 kids naturally both at 8+lbs & then my other friend with a wide arse had a caeser with a 6lb!

It's got nothing to do with the size on the outside I don't think anyways!!!

Your Dr will let you know & you can opt to labour first & maybe say 8hrs max etc...???

[heather]

Thanks for your advice and support guys, the more i am reassured i can at least try. I see my doctor on monday so hopefully she can shed some light on the issue.