Just wondering for those who have a number of children, of both genders, was there any correlation between gender of baby and birth weight?
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Just wondering for those who have a number of children, of both genders, was there any correlation between gender of baby and birth weight?
My girl was lighter, boys heavier, is that what you mean?
DS1 - 6lb 4oz -39+2
DS2 - 8lb 1oz - 40ish
DS3 - 7lb 9oz - 39+3
DD - 7lb 15oz - 40 weeks
:D hth
Ds- 3.1kg - 40 weeks
Dd- 3.5kg - 39.3 weeks
I did read on my liner that apparently babies born in may are on average 200grams heavier
My son was the smaller of the three at 8pd, DD1 was 8pd4 and DD2 was 10pd. I don't think gender has as much to do with it as gestation length. DS and DD1 were both a few days before the due date, DD2 was a few days over so in there a week longer.
I have a younger brother, I was born right on my due date, he was two weeks early, but still bigger than me (not sure what the exact weights were, I was 7 something he was 8 something).
I don't think there is any relationship between them. I have two of each gender and DS1 was 4.18kg, DD1 was 3.85kg, DD2 was 4.32kg and DS2 was 4.56kg. the earliest was born at 39+6 and the latest at 40+4.
I don't think there is any relationship between them either.
DS - 39+1 - 8 pound 2
DD1 - 42 weeks - 8 pound 11
DD2 - 41+5 - 8 pound 10
DD3 - 41+4 - 7 pound 12.
If DS was left in there longer, he would have been around the same as DD1 and DD2 I imagine. I think DD3 was lighter because of my gall bladder issues during her pregnancy and I couldn't eat like I did with all the others. All the others I put on around 22kg - in hers I lost 7kg.
Ok, so apart from gall bladder issues is there anything else you can do to try to get a smaller baby?
Smoking works apparently.
I don't think so - like I said, its just a guess, DD3 might have always been that small regardless of what I ate.
Are you trying for a smaller baby?
Jokes aside, I had two big babies and I ate like the sugar-demon I was. A LOT of sugar and carbs. I tested negative for GD first pregnancy and didn't test in the second. I have a theory that my next baby will be smaller now that I don't eat carbs and sugar like that anymore. Will have to wait to tell you the results of my small study though sorry.
I'm not even sure eating has a great deal to do with it. I had HG with DS3 and DD so was pretty much completely starved and dehydrated for the first 5 months with DS3 and better medicated with DD so could eat and drink a bit more with less vomiting. Still they were both heavier than DS1 and not really what I'd call small babies.
Did you find that the HG tended you towards certain foods? Did you eat more refined carbs with those pregnancies?:
I think it is mostly genetics and gestation. My first was 2.9kg, second was 3.8kg. Both girls, same maternal diet but different father's where one was a rake and the other broad shoulders, well built. DD1 was 38w, DD2 was 40+3w so 2 and a half weeks extra.
I must say I preferred the big baby as both labours were the same in terms of pain and pushing but DD1 was a much more frequent feeder, DD2 just seemed more settled, more quickly as a baby.
I really had more aversions to foods than towards. But having said that I did seem to want more carbs with DD than I did with DS3 (both HG) When I could eat again with DS3 I ate whatever I felt like which included quite a bit of KFC tower burgers and chips! :hide: But that only lasted a few weeks then I had quite a good diet. I suffered with thrush quite badly so spent most of the last 3-4 months sugar and yeast free.
While I was in the thick of HG with DD things I could get down and keep down were potato gems for a few weeks, not large amounts though. Um I could eat toast and ham cheese and tomato sandwiches for another few weeks. McDonalds was something else I could stomach for a while too :( So my diet, even the small amounts I could eat was pretty crap with DD When I was a bit better it still wasn't great, I found I struggled with vegetables which usually I love. With so many aversions it's really hard to eat well :(
So two similar weights with quite different diets with those two.
When it came to the births DS2 8lb 1 and DD 7lb 15 were my easiest births with the least damage, so size didn't really factor there for me, as in smaller = easier, the smaller two were more difficult.
I have four girls all different weights.
dd1 9pounds
dd2 7pds
dd3 6pd 10ounces
dd4 7pds
I was much healthier for the last three children then I was for my first, not sure if that is the difference? I never eat take out, eat mostly organic and wholefoods and not much sugar, but some chocolate just not heaps. We have no chips or snacky things in the house. With DD1 i was working in a restaurant at heaps of junk and lollies etc plus takeout..
I would prefer a smaller baby than DS, or at least not a bigger one.
Both my kids same parents, similar diet (nor perfect but pretty good), same gestation (41 weeks) but DS was an extra 1.3kg. They are different body shapes, but since birth to 1.5 years both then travelled down the growth charts to average or smaller sizes.
I put on a heap of weight during pregnancy, lots of fluid which i lose in the first month pp and then extra that drops off around 9 months pp. This is another area i'd like to see if i can do something about.
Have a placenta that doesn't work properly...:
I have had DS 3.6kg, DS4.5kg and then DD 4.9kg! If you look at the baby growth charts in your baby immunisation book you'll see that on average girls are born smaller than boys.
I tested negative to GD and I was worried and even asked for a 2nd test, but was told it wasn't neccessary. DD was my shortest gestation at 40+5. I did eat sugar and carbs a lot (whereas before her pregnancy I was off sugar and low on carbs).
I would also be interested to know what to do to have a smaller baby, if there is a next time for me.
Dd 8pd 2oz. 42 weeks. Ate Maccas nearly everyday and lost 4kgs in first Tri then gained 11all up.
DS 9pd 1oz. 42 weeks. Ate very healthy and only gained 4 kgs all up.
HotI, you know my DS1 was big like your DS. I was nervous... Well, let's be honest... I was terrified of having a bigger baby than him. I faced the added stress of hospital policy - because the jump from DD to DS1 was more than one kg, I was automatically at higher risk for GD, shoulder dystocia, blah blah blah. Thankfully the Mws at the FBC got me onto the sensible Ob at the hosp, not the procedure-sticker one, and it was all fine. But that's one thing you won't have to worry about hey :)
DS2 was only 9lb 8oz (4.3kg). 500gm lighter than DS1. Didn't change my diet. Didn't change my exercise level. Big difference I can see for me is gestation - DD was 39+5, DS was 41 and DS2 was 39+6.
So getting this one out earlier might help... Did you ever do acupuncture with your first two? I had induction acupuncture with DD and DS2... Something to keep in mind. I saw a lovely lady in Eltham, might be doable for you. Just a thought :)
I went from 7lb2 to 9lb1 to 7lb3.
Girl. Boy. Girl.
All born at 39 weeks give or take a couple of days.
After DS I was scared.
I'll admit I'm nervous about this birth. DD was 9lb4/4.24kgs. The birth was easy, no tears and everything fine. But everyone there was telling me how big she was, and when I went for my initial appointments for this pregnancy I was basically told to expect a big baby, I may be pre-disposed to GD and the first baby is always the smallest.
I'm measuring 1-2cm ahead in size, same as DD. I don't have GD so that's good. And even though DDs labor was good I can't help being nervous that maybe I won't be so lucky this time.
HotI, I'm not sure what your reasons are for being nervous, but my girl was my biggest at 4.77kg (10lb 8oz) and she did no damage coming out, even though it was quick and she had her hand against her face. I put it down to it being the first time I was 'coached' during pushing, being directed and encouraged to slow down and breathe. If that's one of your concerns, maybe asking for guidance to pant rather than heave-ho (like I did with the boys) might be worth considering.
(The boys were 9lb 4oz and then 7lb 9oz and pretty different, the heavier being long and skinny and the lighter being short and fat. Babygirl was the first to go 'over' though, by 4 days. The boys were 1 or 2 days before EDD.)
My three kids all have the same parents and were all born at around 39 and a half weeks (can't remember exactly!).
DD1 - 2.7kg
DS - 3.57kg
DD2 - 3.30kg
I ate the same diet with each of them and did not have GD with any of them. I gained around 12kgs during each pg. DD1 is still on the small side, she is now 10 and weighs 26kg. I think she is just made little, we come in all shapes and sizes and she is small. I am certain of her dates, she was not early. I agree with the PP who said that a bigger baby is easier! DD1 was jaundiced, sleepy, difficult to feed and had a poor sucking reflex. Everyone from the MCHN to the paed hassled me about her slow weight gain. The other two were better feeders and seemed more robust. DD1 was also the most difficult delivery by far.
While I don't have different genders, I was more inclined to eat more junky foods with DD2 and she was 9lb 2oz at 40 +6 (I gained 11kg). DD1, I was pretty strict on being as healthy as I could be - so lots of veggie soups for lunch, very little junk food (as in chocolate, potato chips, cake) and she was 7lb 13 oz at 39+5 (I gained 9kg).
My friend had a big boy as her first, almost 10lb and her second was a petite little girl (same gestation) at just over 6lb.
Way back when my grandmother was having her babies, she'd had two big boys and her third was on the way. She was put on strict doctor's orders to consume no salt so she could have a little baby! I don't know what size my aunt was though. My grandmother always said how difficult it was to stick o any sort of salt-free diet.
I don't know if what I was eating contributed or not, just thought I'd give you more to ponder!
ETA - The comments about pushing and being coached ring true to me. DD1 was smaller in both weight and length, I needed a forceps delivery (plus epi) and I ad superficial tears. I had no idea what I was doing. Second time round, I went with what the midwife said, she coached me through and I didn't need forceps and no tears at all. (I did need an epi though but that was because the cord was around her neck an they had to cut it before she was born - they couldn't get to it without the epi.)
DS1 - 39 & 5 - 9lb 3.5oz
DS2 - 39 & 0 - 9lb 9.5oz
I only have the two boys but they were both 8lb 6oz, DS1 was born at 41+5wks and DS2 at 38+5wks, I shudder to think how big DS2 would have got if he was in there for another 3 weeks like DS1! However both pregnancies were exactly the same! Sickness, cravings, aversions, weight loss, symptoms etc. all exactly the same but if they had the same gestation DS2 would have been significantly bigger
How much do babies actually grow in the last week or two (e.g. from 40 to 41 weeks or 39 to 41 weeks)?
It's not just for birth that i would prefer a smaller baby, my tummy muscles are quite damaged from previous pregnancies, and holding a bigger baby in is both more difficult and can lead to more damage. DS was bigger than your girl and i birthed in water. My pelvis opening to let him through hurt more than when he came out. I am not into coached pushing, but talking through with my midwife during my pregnancy allowed me to just breathe him out. I just hope that i can do that again, no matter how big baby is.:
One of the issues with bigger babies can be shoulder dystocia. My DD 4.9kg had a mild/moderate issue with this. No assistance was needed in the end but it was a bit panic-y right there at the end. I had a natural labour with midwife led care (as had been my two previous births).
Side note: apparently my DD's placenta was huge and very healthy contributing to a big baby.
We were told up to 500gm p/week from 38 weeks. :o
Interesting, DS had a huge placenta too.:
Ive had two boys...
Dj was 7lb15oz - feb 7th had a noice hot summer. 11 days late
Vic was 9lb6.5oz June 30th fatty boomba in the middle of winter. same-ish diet (less maccas banana bread and KFC pop corn chicken with vic)
My 'big' baby's placenta was large too. HotI, no matter what size the baby ends up being, any pregnancy is going to put strain on your stomach muscles and you might find that even with a small baby, you still suffer issues because the damage has already been done so to speak. So you may need to get one of those support girdle things to wear during this pregnancy.:
I wish I could help you out with the whys and wherefores - I cook particularly small full term babies. DD1: 2.56 kg at 38+6; DD2: 2.8 kg at 40+2. Both were also only 48cm long.
Easily the tiniest babies produced in my family, despite me being one of the tallest women (around 5' 5") and having children with the tallest partner (6' 2"). I'm quite petite in build though and DP isn't broad.
I eat healthy food, but a lot of it, particularly in the first tri. I don't get m/s so I tend to start putting on weight quite quickly.
Wondering what this one will weigh and if a boy might be bigger.
Are you seeing a physio who can help with your core muscles? I still have a split from DD2 (despite her small size). :/
Sorry, chaos here so have not read all replies... may have been said. My midwife tells me there is increasing evidence around maternal diet and baby weight in that high GI diets tend to produce big (chubby) babies. A super low GI diet will not creat an underweight baby... will just prevent bub from getting big peaks in blood sugars which is converted to fat.
Low GI diets are also seeming to correlate with (she tells me... have not read the research myself, but i do trust this woman) spontaneous onset of labour -as in high fluctuations in blood sugar may prevent or delay labour and increase risk of induction - and more 'efficient', uncomplicated labours.
Interesting, Santosha. I looked it up and my diet is made up almost entirely of low GI foods, with the very occasional medium GI food. I don't eat anything on the high GI list I read. Might explain my small babies after all!
That explains my big babies. :doh: :lol:
:lol: me too.: