how good is a MW guess at size??

[KelliHope]

My midwife made a prediction yesterday (not very willingly, but she obliged me) that our baby is currently mid to high 8s for weight! I'm almost 39 weeks, and dh & I are quite tall people, so this didn't shock me. Just wondering though, how accurate MWs usually are at this sort of thing? I would think their experienced hands would do a better job than an ultrasound, but that's just my theory. I was hoping for a big baby, but if she's already high 8s and doesn't arrive til after her due date, she could be quite a porker!! Again, not worried, just curious!

[Jannah6]

My former MW told me that DS1 was going to be big. He was only 6 lbs 14 oz, but he was long, 21 1/2 inches. She never made any other predictions with my other DC.

[beanbean]

I've had a 2 midwives and a Family Practitioner before my current midwife (this is my 4th) and they've all been spot on with their weight estimations.

I think this baby will be about 7.5 lbs. Which is a wonderful thing, because I was 9 lbs, my brother was almost 10 lbs, and my MIL insisted that DH was 13 lbs.

(However, DH has since found his birth certificate, which indicates he was less than 8 lbs. But MIL has BPD and tends to, um, "embellish" everything.)

I had an episiotomy with my first (pushed for 4 hours, was exhausted) and unfortunately that scar tends to open up. I've needed stitches every time except for the last, which healed up nicely on its own, thank God. Hoping for the same outcome this time.

Edited to add: Head circumference makes the most difference when it comes to delivery...as they say, "fat squishes, but bone doesn't". So I wouldn't be concerned in the least about a large baby.

[mama to 2 girls]

Not in your ddc club but saw this in new posts.....Just thought I would add...I saw 3 m/w's during ds's p/g and the only one who was right was the student m/w....the other 2 m/w's told me he would only be in the mid 8's. He was a 10lber. She also said he had a big head and sure enough he did!

I think it is just a talent that some people possess and some don't. I don't think it necessarily has to do with how long they have been a m/w. Just like some people are good at guessing how many jelly beans are in a jar and others dont' even come close....some people I think just have a knack for it.

FWIW u/s said he was average size also.

[mustangtbn]

I also think it depends on the MW. My last MW was adamant that DD was going to be over 10 lbs at term, and then DD was born 2 weeks late - as a very long, skinny 9 lb-er. The same MW totally freaked out one of my friends, insisting that her DS2 was going to over 10 lbs as well, and he ended up being about 8.5.

Generally, I'd take a MW's guess as just that - an educated guess, but probably with a decent room for error.

[caedmyn]

Not in your DDC, but I think it depends on the midwife. I had different homebirth midwives for my two pregnancies, and the first estimated DD's weight exactly right...I think she guessed 6 lbs 2.5 weeks before she was born and she weighed 7lbs3oz at birth. The midwife I had with DS estimated that he weighed about 6 lbs a few days before he was born...he also weighed 7lbs3oz at birth.

[~Katie~]

Not in your DDC, but my midwife and her apprentice both described DS as long and skinny in the 7lb. range. He was 7lbs. and 20 inches, so pretty spot-on for me.

[Moonprysm]

Not sure if she's acurate yet or not, but a friend of mine who's a midwife did an estimate for me (I didn't even ask - she was checking position and just gave me this look and then asked if I was aware that this was a HUGE baby). I wasn't quite 38 weeks and she said a good 8-8 1/2 lbs, and she was leaning towards 8 1/2. DS was 5lbs 8oz at 35 weeks, so it's definitely possible that this one is as big as she thinks it is. Kind of nervous about delivering a baby that big, but it's just stupid little thoughts. I KNOW I'll be fine. My body won't grow a baby that I can't birth. *repeat* lol

[MeadowAndColtsMama]

I was just going to add that I had an ultrasound about 3 weeks ago (34 weeks) and the tech said my babe was 6 pounds 9 ounces-give or take a pound either way. So I thought that was a pretty broad guess, which I like. So that means he was between 5 pounds 9 ounces and 7 pounds 9 ounces 3 weeks ago, and now is ANYWHERE between 7 and 9 pounds! Not much to go on, huh? I agree with pp about the jelly bean jar guess That's awesome! Hee-hee.

[inthezoo]

My former midwife predicted that DS2 was going to be over 10lb and fired me as a client at 39wks because I wouldn't do a sizing ultrasound to find out "for sure" (huge margin of error there) he was born on his due date at 8lb 12oz. I also firmly believe that I won't grow a baby too big for me to birth.

[tay_tay]

Im soo in the wrong DDC but id say no, that their predictions can't be trusted at all when it come to weight.. Unless an ultra sound is performed. im tall also.. And so is my DP. My doc told me my daughter would be underweight prolley 6 pounds... we'll she was 8lbs 6oz. 21in. Soooo...

[Moonprysm]

Originally Posted by tay_tay

Im soo in the wrong DDC but id say no, that their predictions can't be trusted at all when it come to weight.. Unless an ultra sound is performed. im tall also.. And so is my DP. My doc told me my daughter would be underweight prolley 6 pounds... we'll she was 8lbs 6oz. 21in. Soooo...

In my experience, a good, experienced midwife is a lot more accurate than an ultrasound. Ultrasounds are ridiculously off quite a lot of the time.