That's a tricky one...in the later stages of my pregnancy my doctor told me that she thought I had a big baby, judging by fundal height, how I was carrying (huge!), and ultrasound that put my daughter above the 90th percentile. My refrain became, 'but scans are notoriously innaccurate - can't they be out by ten percent?', and refused induction at 38 weeks based on the fact that a big baby was no reason to induce early. We continued to refuse this right past the due date, having faith in my body and our baby that things would be moving when the time was right.

We were prepared for a natural birth, total calmbirth devotes, and very focused on this objective. At 41+6 weeks my baby still hadn't engaged, and after my waters broke and I went into labour that afternoon she was still obscenely high in my abdomen. We ended up with a casarean because, apparently, she wasn't coming out any other way - my OB had to reach up to ease her out, rather than down into my pelvis! She was 4.97kg at birth. Science won! We couldn't believe it. Sometimes my husband and I wonder if she would have engaged had we agreed to an induction a month earlier - but then, what risks would that have posed to her? Despite ending up with the complete opposite of the kind of birth we desired, I'm glad she had all that extra time in the womb to grow and develop, and she's as strong as an ox.

I'd trust your body and its ability to go into labour naturally...when your baby has done all the growing she or he needs to in utero, then your body will respond in kind. Although my baby never engaged, this thread (and countless others) proves that many women birth 4.5kg+ babies with ease. If it happens for you, that's utterly wonderful. But if it doesn't - don't feel like you've failed, because at the end of it all what you have is a perfect and well-nurtured baby, regardless of how they arrived in your arms.