Vent: Big Babies

[Bloom]

I am a bit over hearing from the hospital staff (mainly the OBs and ultrasound people): "So your first baby was 3.6kg and your second was 4.5kg and did you have gestational diabetes? No? Are you sure?" And then they see that the little girl is measuring "big"and I get the second round of comments about how big she is and how is my gestational diabetes (which I don't have!).

It doesn't seem to occur to them to notice that I am a solid 175cm and that I birthed Mr 4.5kg in less than 3 hours naturally. Or to notice that both boys were on (and still are) the 99% for height. Grrr. Some people just have big babies! Nothing wrong with that and I am a bit over being made to feel like it is odd to have a big baby!

[Trillian]

It's ****house isn't it? It's like they just can't break free of the mindset that there are babies born outside of the *average* size with no problems at all. I've had 3 babies well over 4kgs and they were all really long too - it's just the way it was meant to be.

[willow5]

It ridiculous! People have been having big babies for years with no troubles, before unecesareans became routine at the mere hint of a 'big' baby. Big babies were also made long before GD was an issue, shows the kind of training those in the medical profession get now, and common sense is definitely a thing of the past.

[Kazzo]

That would get me angry too. Do any of the people makingthese comments read your notes at all because I am sure if you did have GD it would be written there intstead of them just assuming you have it.

[luna moth]

I have copped it this time too because Miss Firstborn was 4 kg. Two GD tests, although fortunately no further comments. Whatever. Big babies are awesome.

[Chrispe]

My mum had the same. Most of us were 9lb something but her 4th was 10lb 7oz and 57cm long. They thoroughly tested her for GD and found she didn't have it. Needless to say my 'little' brother is now 6'2" and has been since he was 16. (now 26)

[Lisa]

My firstborn was 4.2 kgs, so I have copped this with all of my pregnancies since. I have had many heated debates and many tears after being told some horror stories about my apparently gonna-be-huge babies. Out of the babies that have been born at term, my last was the closest to my first borns weight at 4.1kgs. My family have bigger babies. My nanna had babies that were all 9lb & above. My sisters last bub was 5.1kgs. Neither had GD.
I feel your frustration. It would be SO nice to not be dumped in the 'might have had GD' basket.

[Blondie]

Argh! I copped that treatment too. Or people saying "Gee your big, baby must be huge in there" DS was 3.8kg so not big and everyone kept asking about GD, yes I have done the test, no I don't have it don't know why they feel the need to comment! Your body will only make a baby that you can get out.

[Chrispe]

When I had DS2 at 33 weeks he was 2.750kgs. Was constantly asked about GD. Luckily my dr had accidentally sent me for the long test instead of the short one. So absolutely no GD. Dr told me if DS2 hade gone to term he might have been 10lb +

[Three Graces]

Yep, been there too. DS1 was 4.1kg, DS2 was 4.7 kg and I was accused in theatre of having GD. This was after trying for VBAC, overdue and nobody having any idea how big he was, until he was born. You'll be glad to hear that our third, a girl this year was our smallest (at 3.6kg), but I carried big cos the tummy muscles had given up. Ultrasounds are notoriously bad at judging baby size, so if you've birthed your previous two biggies fine, you'll probably do the same again. Pfft with the GD accusations!

[onthefly]

Yep, I got the same schtick about GD after my son was born. I just do great placentas!
You go have a perfectly lovely sized baby!

[luna moth]

Argh! I copped that treatment too. Or people saying "Gee your big, baby must be huge in there" DS was 3.8kg so not big and everyone kept asking about GD, yes I have done the test, no I don't have it don't know why they feel the need to comment! Your body will only make a baby that you can get out.

Meanwhile, I was really small last time, my midwife said "where were you hiding THAT?"

Now I'm just responding with "yeah, I'm really looking forward to it." because I am!

[willow5]

The estimates on size are often wrong anyway. I was told with DS1 at an antenatal check at 36 weeks (before the GD trend many moons ago) that the baby was really big and if I didn't go into labour on my own in the next 2 weeks I would have to have a c/s because there was no way I could birth such a big baby on my own. Well I went into labour on my own at 39+2, and birthed a 6lb 4oz baby. Huge NOT! LOL With DS2 I was told he was probably going to be about the same size as DS1, wrong again, he was 8lb 1oz so it seems these size estimates are not spot on at times anyway.

[Mum2twoBoys]

Yep I kept measuring small, 2 weeks so they were close to recommending an ultrasound. But then was shocked to have a 9lbs 6oz baby, who was 55cm tall. And he was born 3 days early so not because I was overdue. And afterwards I found out from my DH aunt that they were all 9lb something. And now my DS is around the 50th for weight but 90th percentile for height. My DH is also 6"2' and I'm almost 5"9'.

[*Efjay*]

yep, same here. My last 2 were 9lb 9 oz & 9lb 6 oz and I was asked was sure I didn't have GD. My last (9lb6oz) was 59cm tall also so he is going to be tall. But I am 178cm & DH is about 182 so, its not that surprising

[peanutter]

I'm 160cms and I've had a 4.2kg and a 4.5kg, both a bit early.

No one ever seemed surprised that I didn't have GD, and no one ever suggested I'd have to go early because of their size ...

People are strange.

[Cocolove]

I DO apparently have GD (even though every darn blood test is perfect) and they told me at 35 weeks my baby was 7lb 3oz so to expect a 9lb + baby which im having on Wednesday via C section!

My DD2 was 7lb 10oz at 36 weeks so maybe im just meant to have big babies, its really doing my head in hearing about how he wont be small for long and ill miss out on the little baby stage etc etc it actually upsets me

[~clover~]

Can I ask your reasons for a c/s threetimesblessed? Or is the suspected GD the reason?