4+ kg Baby? How accurate can docs be?

[Grake]

Hi,

Just came back from my 37 week appointment and my doc is making me stress out!

My fh was measuring 4 weeks ahead at 34 weeks so I was sent for a growth scan which I had at 36 weeks. Scan came back saying that bubs was in the 95th percentile and was estimated to already weigh 3.2kg. So at today's appointment fh was 2 weeks ahead and doc said that I would definitely be having a 4+ kg baby! I don't have gd and this is my first bub. He said that because of its size I might have to be induced or possible cs.

I have a friend who was told at 32 weeks her bubs was in the 75th percentile and when she was born at 38weeks she was only 2.85kg. So my question is has anyone experienced this and baby turned out smaller than docs predicted? And if it was a larger baby what was the outcome?

[westy]

Hi Grake,

Dont panic too much about the fh measurements as it has alot to do with the position in which bubs is laying at the time of the measurement.

I gave birth to my third child just last week, after lots of scan's i was told at 34weeks that my bubby was already 7lb 8oz. I ended up going 9 days past my due date and bubby was 9lb 14oz ....so yeah i think going by the scan results you have bubby quiet possibly will be a big bubba. Goodluck for the impending birth, i hope it all goes well.

[Kitt3n]

LOL they can be waaaaaaay off.

Did you read about that 13ish pound baby that was born recently? Docs told the mum is was about 8pounds.

Don't stress, it can be far off EITHER way.

[Early Kids]

I have no experience with this sorry, but I just wanted to point out that the scans aren't entirely accurate (depending on the type of scan done, most can be out by around 500 grams) and neither is basing the entire weight of baby on fundal height. I think you should trust your instincts, your body is perfectly capable of birthing a baby born 4kg or more, if you don't want to be induced or have a c/s then don't let them push you into it.

All the best xx

[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.

[Jennifer13]

My baby was estimated at 37 weeks as being well over 6 lb. She was born two weeks later at 5 lb 10 oz, well under what they estimated even two weeks earlier!

It'd be like trying to measure a person's weight from their height and photo - bit tricky really! How do you measure weight with a ruler?

[onthefly]

Don't worry about it, 4kg isn't that big anyway and it's the head and shoulder size that's the issue when birthing, not the weight. You can birth the extra chub rolls or length just fine.

[BellyBelly]

How accurate can you be? About that accurate

[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

[ElleJay]

Yep! I was HUGE with DS! At 30wks I looked like I was ready to pop at any time, and I was always measuring so far ahead it's not funny. At 15wks I looked like I was 25wks, and at my 30wk checkup I was told he seemed like he was going to be a big baby, probably aboud 3 and a half kilos.
He was born at 3.18kgs or 7lb exactly. Don't worry about what the dr says, just remember it's only an estimate

[diva det]

my scans were accurate for all my kids
they told me my 3rd would be 4kg plus if i went full term- however my body told me he was ready at 37+5 and he was delivered naturally /no drugs/ no probs and weight 3.6kg- so he would possibly be over 4kg if i went full term. They tried to scare me with the size as well but it never got a chance to be an issue- i wasnt worried- i knew my body would only bake a baby big enough for my body to birth!
btw its the size of the head that is the ouch rather than the baby's weight lol
good luck

[Baby14]

My OB said they could be out by up to 10% either way. We had a growth scan at 36 & 38 weeks with different operators and they were almost spot on for the final weight, no GD & first bub but he was big.

I know someone who was told she was having an 8 pound bub but ended up being 11+ so they can be way off!

I wouldn't be letting them push you into a c/s or an induction if you are not comfortable with it. My OB was happy to let me go to full term.

[PollyA]

The scans are often wrong but more importantly you don't have GD like you said, your body is making your baby and there is no reason to think you can't have this baby

My first was 4kg on the dot and Asynciltic (wonky and hard to push out (similar to posterior) I had her all on my own
My second who is a beautiful big bouncing boy is 7 weeks old and was 4.81kg, again no intervention necessary and it was definitely an easier birth than my first
No matter what size your baby you can give birth if thats what you want don't let anyone take the chance away on an inaccurate test.

Take all the positive stories hear as your sheild and don't let your doctors scare you into an elective C-section unless that is what you want.

My friend had her baby 2 days after me, they guessed (with ultrasound) that he would be 4.6kg and he was 3.7kg. Wildly off.

Also I have been present for a number of births and there is something about big babies...they are often easier births. In my mothers group the person with the most horror birth story was the woman who had a 6lb bub.

You can do it!
You really can!
And there will be help IF you need it!
And...my big beautiful boy is such an easy baby...many people have told me big babies are often easy... so embrace the idea of a big healthy bub! sounds great to me!

[Mildez]

I work as a midwife and recently a woman came in to birth at term and her scan at 38weeks (2weeks before delivery) estimated bub to be 5kilos. We were expecting a big bub and he popped out a healthy 3.4kilos. Then only a little while later another lady came in and the estimated weight was 3.5kilos only a few days before and he came out 5.7kilos (13lbs)

A lot of scans are accurate and alot are not. Agreed 4kilos isn't big. Yeah its bigger then average. Humans are getting bigger as are babies. When your birthing its not going to make much difference if bub is 5lb or 10lb.