Doc says baby is HUGE - *UPDATE* page 4 - Page 2

[MammaB21]

Ditch him. 20 week induction talk is totally scary. Baby has a lot of growing to do in the next 20 weeks, and there's no way of telling if he'll stay "big" or even out. I was measuring behind for the first 18 weeks, and at the 20 week ultrasound baby was right on track. So they do catch up/slow down. The measurements are just estimates and all babies grow at their own rate. That's not even to mention that size is no reason for an induction anyway.

[sosurreal09]

they were concerned about my babies size so i went on a strict diet so i didnt gain too much more weight.

she was 8lbs 6 oz and my first and she came out ok! btw they "estimated" she was 10 lbs at 30 wks...

[Adamsmama]

My dr. thought DD was 11 pounds ... u/s said around 10 ish pounds ... she was 8.9lbs. I even birthed an almost 10 pound baby (a boy) with no problems...I wouldn't worry about it.

[painefaria]

They told me that DS was going to be over 9 lbs, when he was born 1 day later he was 7lbs 14oz. They were wrong Go with your gut!

[birthangeldoula]

RUN!! Find another provider. Anyone talking induction based on a 20 week ultrasound is a nut..

[kittywitty]

Originally Posted by thefreckledmama

Your doc scares me. This is your 6th birth-I seriously doubt you'll have any issues, even if you were carrying a baby that was 12lbs.

The fact that he's mentioning an induction at 20 weeks would be a flashing red sign to find another care provider asap.

Seriously!!!

[bananabee]

Originally Posted by birthangeldoula

RUN!! Find another provider. Anyone talking induction based on a 20 week ultrasound is a nut..

[umsami]

My first baby was 8-1/2. My next two were close to 10 pounds. On #2, I remember going into "triage"..and some resident doing an U/S... and totally freaking out that I was having a 10 pound baby. My OB, who I loved--and who was very hands off, just told him... "Women have 10 pound babies all the time... don't worry about it." And I did. #2... came in about 3 hours.. vaginally... natural. #3, also 10 pounds.. .same story.

I'm pretty much 99% sure that even the ACOG says macrosomia is NOT a reason for induction... and I would definitely think that fits for somebody who has previous given birth vaginally.

If it were me, I'd be looking for another provider.

[umsami]

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/262679-overview

A diagnosis of fetal macrosomia can be made only by measuring birth weight after delivery; therefore, the condition is confirmed only retrospectively...

Attempts at perinatal diagnosis of macrosomia have proven difficult and are often inaccurate.

Induction of labor for probable macrosomia has not been shown to significantly change outcomes. Some studies have shown increased rates of cesarean delivery when labor induction was attempted because of macrosomia.

http://www.drplace.com/ACOG_Issues_G...s.16.27195.htm

Recommendations based on good and consistent scientific evidence (Level A):

* The diagnosis of fetal macrosomia is imprecise. For suspected fetal macrosomia, the accuracy of estimated fetal weight using ultrasound biometry is no better than that obtained with clinical palpation (Leopold's maneuvers).

Recommendations based on limited or inconsistent scientific evidence (Level B):

* Suspected fetal macrosomia is not an indication for induction of labor, because induction does not improve maternal or fetal outcomes.

* Labor and vaginal delivery are not contraindicated for women with estimated fetal weights up to 5,000 g in the absence of maternal diabetes.

[wavybrains]

I would strongly urge switching providers. We switched at 6 months with my daughter, and I credit the switch with her successful vaginal delivery. Some more positive "big" baby stories for you:

My mother is five foot even and of average frame. She delivered a 9 lb, almost 10 lb, and almost 11 lb baby. All born naturally w/ no pain meds. My brother the nearly 11 lb giant did have a bit of sticky shoulders, but a skilled doctor had her change position and avoid any serious complications.

My doula is probably around 5'4" or so and slender has delivered 3 large babies and her latest was over 11 lbs. He was a homebirth w/ a midwife and an uncomplicated delivery.

My friend had a 12.5 pound baby at home with a midwife. She did have sticky shoulders, but the midwife team delivered the baby successfully and no transport was needed and no lasting problems.

Also, they told us that my daughter would be "huge" at 20 weeks, but she was born at 42 weeks at 8lbs 1 oz. Perfect size.

I, personally, would not consent to a "big baby" induction at all.

[bjorker]

A) I've heard that story so many times, with the dr ending up being WRONG, wrong, wrong. And that was WAY after 20 weeks, I can't imagine anybody determining anything of that nature at 20 weeks. That's complete crap.

B) I have a friend who had a 11+ lb baby recently, maybe closer to 12, I can't quite remember. Birthed vaginally. Everything was fine. She was at a birth center though, but she switched from hospital to birth center at the very last minute (literally, that day). Otherwise I think she would have run into some problems at the hospital with the baby being that big. Is there any way you can see someone else? I would NOT trust any dr talking of interventions because of what they think they see at 20 weeks.

[gcgirl]

Originally Posted by SeattleRain

I can't speak to stories about induction or ultrasounds or whatever since I'm pregnant with my first, but 20 weeks seems to be WAY to early to start talking about induction. I'd mention to him at the next appointment that you'd really like to avoid induction and that its not really something you'd like to even consider until at least 38 weeks. I don't even see how he can suggest something like induction without knowing how the next 20 weeks of your pregnancy are going to go.

nak but...


Also, FWIW, I just had a 9-pounder with no tearing, and a friend recently had a 10.5-er at home w/o complications. And she's fairly small.

ETA: Also, my OB told me ultrasounds have something like a 10-15% error rate, on top of a large spread of potential values. So if you have a baby measuring, say, 9 lbs, that actually means something like 8-10 lbs, with an error rate on top of that, if that makes sense to you.

[BethSLP]

I had my son via induction with no pain relief vaginally and he was 9 lbs 5 oz. with his hand up by his face. little punk! No tears either.

My friend just had a 10 lbs. 15 oz. baby vaginally with no pain relief and no tears. She did say they frogged her legs up like a pretzel to get him out, but he was out in less than 3 pushes. It was her second baby (but her older son is 13 yrs old so it had been a while since she had given birth).

It definetly can be done.

And I agree that having this discussion at 20 weeks is absurd.

That said, while I always hear about U/S weight estimates to be inaccurate, the ones I know were pretty friggin accurate They were done late in the pregnancy though (not the 20 week). For example, my friend with the 10 lb. 15 ouncers was within 2 ounces of being correct. I know of a few like this.

XOXO
B

[MaerynPearl]

Day of birth ultrasound estimated my son at 9lbs 1oz

which I totally expected. I was a 9lb baby.

He was 7lbs 4oz... DD ended up being in the 7 lb range too. Oddly. I really expected to have HUGE babies but both so far have been tiny (compared to what is usually born in my family...)


oh also, their father was 10 pounds and born vaginally to a somewhat small woman. No problems with the weight (only problem was meconium in the amniotic fluid more likely caused by the fact that he was born at 43 weeks.)

[Juvysen]

My first two babies were 8lbs 9 oz and 8 lbs 3 oz. My third was 9lbs 8 oz and was by far my easiest labor, also only 6 minutes of pushing, no tearing. I'd be looking for another doc (well, I'd be looking at a homebirth, but ymmv ).

ETA.. I should add that I'm a pretty small person - 5'2'' and not overweight (if you go by the weight for height charts out there). My hips felt pretty unstable for a week or so after Ds2 was born, but binding them helped a lot. I had some spd, but I think most of the instability was from Ds2's size - my hips just stretched to let him out

[Qbear'smama]

I agree with what others here have said across the board. I would add that I would be concerned with the fact that this doctor has this strong of a belief to the extent that he is talking induction this early and what that will mean if he is in fact the birth attendant? Even if you disagree about the indiction and don't follow this advice (which doctors love), his opinion/presence may mean more interventions than you want at the birth. He believes this will be a huge baby and may not change his mind, he may want to "augment" your labour, he may want to use an extraction device, at the very least he may not have a lot of confidence in your ability to birth this baby, which for me would add stress unncessarily. I would definitely find someone else to avoid that drama.

[Quinalla]

I too would recommend switching care providers if at all possible. Talking about induction at 20 weeks? That is a huge red flag as others have said that he is very pro-intervention.

And I also wanted to mention don't feel bad about being shocked into no response at something like this, it happened to me at one of my OB appointments when I was pregnant. I was pissed at myself afterwards for awhile, but then I realized it is easy to get shocked into silence when something so out there is suddenly sprung on you especially from a doctor or other "authority" figure.

[LadyCatherine185]

I agree with all the PP's, RUN AWAY from this doc if you want anything resembling a natural birth.

Story-wise-- I am a small person (5'1") and birthed a 9 lb 3 oz baby, drug free, with no tearing.

[AmyKT]

Oooohhhh! This makes me so angry! How dare doctors doubt women like this? Especially someone like you, who has been through this 5 times already!

Funny story --- my SIL is tiny and short and her first baby was predicted to be large, so the doc didn't just want to induce, but she wanted to schedule a c-section at 39 weeks! My niece was over 9 lbs, but luckily my SIL went into labor at 38.5 weeks and the baby was born while the primary doc was on vacation. SIL had a short, easy birth with no tears.

Now SIL is pregnant with twins, and the same doc isn't talking induction or c-section or anything. She now has faith in SIL and is just letting things take a natural course. So at least some docs can learn a lesson!

And as everyone else said, I would sooooo switch providers if I were you. You don't need that kind of doubt and worry thrown at you for 20 more weeks.

[COgirl19]

Run mama run.

After I gave birth to DD (induced) at a tiny 5 and a half pounds (perfectly healthy) my OB recommended that if I have a baby that is potentially over 6 lbs that I should consider a C-section because I am so small. That's right SIX POUNDS = C-SECTION from this doc. Going through a midwife this time. Funny because I was induced for "growth restriction" because they thought DD was too small. Why do docs insist that every woman have a perfect 6.5 lb baby or it's otherwise unsafe?