Positions for 'big baby'

Hey all you wonderfully inspiring BB women...

I had a scan on friday to see how big bubs is... and although I know that scans are not that accurate, its still freaking me out a bit. They said bubs is around the 8lb11oz mark at this stage. I know in my head that people birth extremely sucessfully babies bigger, but given that DD was only 7lb7oz, I am little put off.

I am looking at a stretch and sweep this wednesday to try and kick start everything, I will be 39+2 and possible induction on the sunday 39+6 if nothing has happened...

I am scared of tearing mostly I think, as I only had 2 internal stitches with DD and I bounced back within hours of her birth, I guess I am in the mind frame that I don't know what to expect. I have given the hosp a copy of my birth preferences which state that I want the perenium to have time to stretch naturally, and only an episiotomy if baby or I are at risk. I have also asked that when I ask for drugs, mainly epi that they dont give it to me and rather suggest positions and stratigies to help cope. I do know in my head that I want to start with the gas then panadine forte for pain relief if I need it, but I really want to avoid and epidural. I hope that this is making sense I feel like I am rambling... I think that as I am worried about the size of baby that I might demand an epidural and regret it later... I need to change these thoughts in my head, but how?

What worked for you and how did you get through it?

:wall:

hi mel,
i have 5 and number6 is on the way my first 3 were all under 7lbs8oz and was told number 4 would not be any bigger but she was 9lbs 2 oz and it wasnt much differant and i had her natrally in 28 mins number 5 was 9lbz 11oz and once again not to bad i was induced it took 50 mins from first pain to delivery i think bigger babies come quicker or at least thats how it been for me and i never had stitches with any of them ,had u/s at 31 weeks to check this babies size and he was 5lbs 5oz so once again another big babt comming they are doing another u/s next week to see how much bigger he is and i have told them i would rather be induced early then have a 11lb baby but i have been told that they get there weights wrong most of the time ,i dont think thats the case for me as my last to were big anf i dont have gd i just make big babies try not to stress to much they may have it wrong and if not it can be just as easy or hard to have a 5lb babie as it is to a 10lb baby.
good luck .

Hey Mel

firstly dont worry about number 2 baby being bigger than number 1
subsequent babies are generally bigger, with boys also being bigger than girls

you do not have to have a stretch and sweep or be booked for an induction if you do not want to. Induction of labor is associated with increased epidural use

you may find that if left alone you will go into labor naturally if relaxed and rested. Your uterus will reach a max size, stimulating activity in the uterine muscles, or your baby will send a hormonal message to your brain when he or she is ready :)

for positions to increase the sizeof the pelvic cavity: all 4's, squatting/supported squatting.

I have a pregnancy yoga pose on my link that is great for labor and promoting an open pelvis, feelings of calm and endorphin release

if you are left to labor uninhibited you may find that you will not push your baby out, but rather breathe him/her out

small baby or big baby they still have to navigate the same space with the same movements

you will do wonderfully, just trust in your ability to birth your beautiful baby

x

I would be more scared of an induction than an 8 or 9 pound baby! Even if the estimate IS right, your baby wont put on a pound a week, and any weight is all over the body, not just the head, so it wont be solid, fixed width etc that will be born... have seen and heard plenty of women birth 9, 10, 11+ pound babies without a tear! Definitely make use of your pelvis, so be upright and active, which is less likely with an induction and then more likely to have an epi - and more likely for assisted delivery... I'd rather give things a chance than have to end up with that lot!!!

Some of the best positions for larger babies are on all fours or an upright position as this gives your pelvis the best chance of opening wide enough to allow a large baby to pass through. Of my 4 babies I have had 3 large ones (4.18, 4.32 and 4.56 kg) and I birthed all of them on my back in a semi reclined position. It probably wasn't 'techinically' the best and or easiest way to do it, but that's all I felt like doing as it was how i felt the most comfortable. You may not feel like giving birth upright or on all fours, you just have to do what you feel most comfortable in or otherwise you may run into bother anyway kwim? And out of all of them my largest baby was the one that left the least amount of 'damage' LOL - I had only a tiny graze that required no stitching.

How well you fare out of it in respect to tearing has a lot to do with how the second stage is managed. If you have a midwife/ob who will let you wait for the perenium to stretch and if you gently breath your baby out instead of pushing then you should be able to give yourself the best chance of not having any tearing.

Grab yourself a copy of the pink kit - you will learn so much from it in terms of familiarising yourself with your body.

and Mel

focus on pelvic opening positions until the little one is birthed

stand with feet hip width, toes turning in very slightly, opens the pelvic cavity

and the other positions I previously mentioned :)

x

Birthing in water (or at least getting to the pushing stage in water) is supposed to be excellent for keeping the perineum intact. (I did not tear at all with my water birth, but then I hadn't with the first two either.) The warm water helps the tissue relax and stretch, and actually provides a little "support". If you are not interested in a water birth or if it is not possible where you intend to deliver, see if you can at least get them to put fairly warm wet cloths on your perineum just before you begin pushing, and keep them there until the head is pretty much delivered. Being in the water during labour is also great pain relief, which will help you avoid an epidural if you don't want one. After two medicated births, my third, in the water, was all natural.
And as the others have said - the head is not going to change size at all now. Even if your baby gets nice and fat, fat is squishy, and shouldn't cause you too much trouble.
You certainly can do it! Don't even entertain the thought of failing right now! There is no reason that you can't birth this baby just as beautifully as you did your first, and, I believe you will find, as I did, that the second baby is much easier. Don't think about her being bigger - just think about little pudgy fingers and toes, and a nice round belly. :)
All the best for a great natural birth!

Mel- dont really have experience with positioning etc but with my DS i was stuck on a bed (being post date they broke my water and he had a monitor clip on his head) He was 7lbs 10 and i had bad tearing... i asked how many stiches and they told me "continuious". I only had a quick labour so i wasnt really pushing for a long time but from reading a few posts i think it may have been from only being able to lay down???

Hopeing this time round i can actually try a different labour position to avoid such bad tearing.

Good luck

Thanks heaps guys... I do feel much better now that I have heard what you've had to say... I do have a few questions though...

If I get a S&S is that more likely to bring on more medical proceedures - ie medicated inducing, or assisted delivery?

The hospital only has a largeish house type bath, do you think that will be ok to labour in... I would love a water birth, but not sure they'll let me???

Cricket - Thanks for that, I am trying to think pudgy now... not big! the sonographer actually said bub has a big tummy!

Natatlie - Your site is great, I will show DH these poses so that dont forget, and will start practicing them...

Sherie - I have put it in my birth preferences that I want them to give my perenium time to stretch naturally... so hopefully they will listen to that!

Frazaled - Thanks... although you almost made me cry (good cry) I do feel much better after your births... I just have to get in the right mind set... Maybe I can get DH to remind me what you guys have done, if I start to doubt my body!

One more question... What methods of inducment is there, I had the 'tape' last time and had a reaction to it, so want to avoid that, which is why I ended up with an epi I think... would the gel or something else be different?

I ahven't had a baby so i can't comment directly on birthing one but I've been studying teh Pink Kit and it mentions so many great positions for opening up your pelvis. to simplify, try to practice positions that feel like they open you up and concentrate of if they are actually opening you all up or is possibly closing up the back of your pelvis etc. Some good ones are squatting, standing with a leg up, say on the side of the bath, or lying on your side with one leg bent.

I'm curious why you're being induced when you're not even due yet? I'd be personally tying to avoid the induction.

Pip was quite large to me. I birthed him standing up and that was wonderful for me. Admittedly I had a tear, but that was from him having his chin on his hand! Little rascal!

Move around as much as you can, relax ... and good luck!

From my experience, provided your cervix is "ripe" enough (I hate that expression) an S&S is more likely to prevent a chemical induction as it can help things along a little.

I lost mu mucous plug within 24 hours of having amembrane sweep. I had already been booked in for induction and wasnt informed enough to know I could wait a bit longer (or I would have) but think that the S&S contributed significantly to me only needing 1 lot of gels put on, no drip etc.

Kaz - do you mean his hand on his chin? hehehe :)

Thanks again...

Ren - The Dr said that he would induce me as I haven't been coping at all, I requested a S&S and he said that he would do it this week, then talk about induction... Also as he thought bubs was big he wanted to start things happening.

Thanks Rayray - I am hoping my cervix is ripe... Dh and have been working on that one! hehehe

oh Mel, btw my DS was 10lb 04 @ birth - 41+3weeks, he was my first though so I didnt have a smaller bub to compare the experience against.

I had an u/s @ 36 weeks that measured him at 8lb 14oz, but the sonographer said he wasn't a "big" baby just long and lean, which is exactly how it turned out.

I was more scared about the possibilty of needing an episiotomy than tearing, and it only took a hint of hearing someone question whether I needed on for me push DS head out! :)

I wont say I didnt tear because I did. I think I had less than 10 stitches, and it happened right near the end due to his shoulders coming out too quickly.

ETA: WRT drugs, I did have gas, and it worked really well for me. I had indicated in my birth plan that I was not to be offered drugs unless I requested them. You could indicate that you dont want an epidural in writing if you want to. I really did not want an epidural.

So, about 3 hours into my labour I started demanding an epidural while I was having a contraction, and the midwife would wait until the contraction was over and ask me again, when I'd say no and told her not to listen to any drug requests mid contraction :)

Sorry to hear things have been hard hon, can you elaborate what you haven't been coping with? If it's something you can bear with (and I don't know what it is so I am not saying you can or can't - dont mean to offend!) for a little longer because it will be hard to cope with bubby out too, as well as your little one... I don't know if you have read Alicia's story but she was induced early with a suspected big baby... have a read anyway... don't want to scare you but help you work out what's doable for you. Check out THIS.

I know it is so hard to wait out the last few days of your pg, but I have had one induction that wasn't exactly the best experience I have ever had. I wont go into detail here, but Paige's birth story is here if your interested https://www.bellybelly.com.au/genera...-of-paige-2004

Another thing, read this article here www.bellybelly.com.au/birth/induction-of-labour-to-induce-or-not-induce for the different methods of induction. At the end of the day it really comes down to how you really want to give birth when considering all your options. Many women have inductions everyday and they go perfectly well, but think about what you want from your birth.

Thanks for that Kel... I have been doing ok during the day, it's at night that I can't bare being pg anymore... I am sore, with Pubic Symphasis, My neck and back are killing and then there is the heart burn that keeps me up for most of the night. The heart burn is not just mild, it is sometimes that severe that I am up vomitting! Then there is DH, who has been great, but I have been taking everything out on him... I am always tired, and try to get as much rest as possible, but don't always get to... DD is great as she still has a sleep in the pm, so I try to sleep when she does... I know I sound like the biggest whinger, and I know that I could cope a bit longer, but what if I get close to 42 weeks and they induce anyway? I guess I am not too scared of being induced as I still delivered vaginally with DD and she was induced, agreed it was a crappy labour, but better than a ceaser...

I am thinking that I want to wait to go naturally... as that is a whole experience too, but I want this baby out! I will look up more on S&S... to make my decision...

PS... Kel its pretty hard to offend me.. dont worry!

Thanks Sherie... I am reading that article again...

ETA: OK I read the induce or not article, and the risks are much higher than I imagined... I still feel as though I should try a S&S... only coz I know that I am not coping all that well emotionally, and physically... Kel can you give me any more info on S&S statistics... risks etc...?

Oh and if anyone can tell me that my feelings are normal and I am being stupid, then that would be great too!

I would definitely find out what the hospital has to say about labouring/birthing in their tub. I laboured at the hospital with my first in their regular tub, with just the shower head on me. (They wouldn't let me have an actual bath b/c of the old fear of water getting in, infection etc.) But that was still helpful.
And yes, it will be quite busy having a baby and a little one at home, but I personally found I was so much happier that it was better that way. I was getting SO SICK OF BEING PREGNANT!!! I could hardly roll over or get out of bed. Getting up to check the kids or go pee at night was brutal. I could barely walk when I stood up. I was so sore and tired and emotionally at the end of my rope. I started having false labour and that was also very stressful - I thought I must be truly going to have this baby, and then the contractions would die out. :( I had two stretch and sweeps done, and a combination of herbal extracts prescribed by my midwife to encourage labour to start. Your feelings about pregnancy at this point are perfectly normal! It is a pretty miserable time for a lot of women, and it sounds like you have a particularly rough time. :hug: But give yourself a little more credit - you CAN do it! Hang in there! Oh, and can you see a chiropractor for the neck/back trouble? Lower back pain during pregnancy is pretty common, but the a chiropractor would likely be able to correct the neck issue, and possibly even help the heart-burn. And having your back and hips properly aligned before labour will give you a better positioned baby and an easier delivery. :)
All the best!

Hi Cricket.... THANK YOU!!! I feel much better and so does DH I just read him your post... I think I will go for the S&S and then see what happens... maybe I can get another done a couple of days later if it doesn't do anything??? How long did you wait between sweeps?

I guess I should wait to see if we are 'ripe' first... hey!

No problem Mel. :)
I believe I had one S and S done on a Friday, and another on a Monday, and baby was born on the following Wednesday at 40+1. At the first SnS, I was about 1cm dilated and somewhere between firm and soft, not at all effaced. At the second, I was 1-2 cm, cervix soft, and still not effaced.
Labour began at 6:30am or so, remained light until about 4:30 or 5:00pm, and then picked up. Baby was born at around 8:00pm. (My birth story is here on BB if you want to read it. I think it is listed as "Emily's Home Waterbirth" or something like that. (just looked it up - yes that's what it is - on page 3 of birth stories.)
Hope that helps!

I gave birth to my 9lb daughter in a semi-reclining position - the worst possible! I had two 1st degree tears and needed three stitches.

For big bubs, I hear that positions that utilize gravity are the best ones.

Good luck! :D