4+ kg Baby? How accurate can docs be?

[westy]

They take measurements of bubs arms, legs, belly, head etc and it works out an estimate of bubs size based on the measurements they have taken, like Sally said they can be out either way by up to 500gms but for me it proved to be correct and i did end up with a big boy!

[Kazzo]

Just to let you know that they do get it wrong, except mine was the other way around. My FH was measurring 3 weeks behind and I was told that bubs would be small. At 41 weeks I gave birth to a 4.176kg baby girl while still meassuring 3 weeks behind. She must have just been really curled up I guess.

[Curly]

My first obstetrician guessed DS would be 8lb 8oz just by feeling my tummy. DS was 8lb 7oz. I was impressed. (3.83kg).

Second obstetrician guessed that DD would be about the same as DS. She was 9lb7oz - 4.25kg.

This time around I have had an ultrasound to estimate the weight because obstetrician has been a bit twitchy about me having an even bigger baby this time. Ultrasound said that as of 36 weeks baby was 3.3kgs and so they are telling me an average size baby this time and I don't know what to think! I do "feel" smaller but then I was never huge with the other two either, everybody was shocked when they saw the size of DD.

I have to say that the concern about another 4kg baby has left me a bit nonplussed because honestly, DD's birth was just fantastic. No drugs at all, I was just in the shower till they made me get out and push - 15 minutes, only 3 tiny little stitches, and I left the hospital after 2 days.

No gestational diabetes.

I wouldn't let your ob put you off. Just do your research on labour positions, breathing, coping techniques etc etc. I'm surprised he isn't saying that he will at least let you attempt labour. My first ob said there was only one way to find out if a baby was too big and that was to let the mother go into labour first. The reaction of other people when they hear how big DD was is always but I can honestly say I really didn't think it was that bad.

[~breeze~]

I didnt have that test done but for other reasons I was told DS was going to be 4kg+ & the Drs were trying to convince me to have a c/s. I went through a period of time really stressing about it & ALMOST had the c/s. I'm glad I didnt, I had DS at 39+2 & he was only 7lb 3oz!

(DD was 4kg & I gave birth to her vaginally.... no problems here Try not to stress)

[Miss E]

I'd take what you've been told with a grain of salt. When I had my 36 week scan in the OB's office DS was measuring at 40 weeks so he sent me off for a growth scan. That scan had bubs already measuring at close to 8 pounds and the average size of a 40 week pregnancy. I was stressing thinking I was going to have a huge baby, but he was born 4 weeks later weighing 3.7kg (just over 8 pounds). From what I know the scans at the later stages of pregnancy are notoriously in accurate, that's why they use your earliest scan to base the due date on. So if it was me in your position I definately wouldn't be considering an induction or CS based upon the predicted size of your baby.

[~breeze~]

So if it was me in your position I definately wouldn't be considering an induction or CS based upon the predicted size of your baby.

Same here