Homebirth of small baby, concerns - Page 2

[smeep]

Originally Posted by Breathless Wonder

How little would be "little" for you?

Yeah, that's a very good question. Size can be so relevant from one mother to another. When I tell people DS was 8lb10oz I often get, "Wow, that's big! My baby was only 6/7lbs!" and when they say that I reply with, "Wow! That's tiny!" To me, anything under 8lbs is "small" (6lbs being tiny and anything under 6 is miniscule to me) and I don't consider a baby "big" until 10lbs. That's just how it works in my brain at least.

[goldingoddess]

Hi OP I'd like to share my story, because I could have written your post when I was pregnant with my first (except for the fact that he was my first.) I felt all along that I was not big enough, but was not concerned with it enough to get an ultrasound, as he was continuously growing.

My mother and sisters all had 7 pound babies or more and gave birth around their due date, with about 12 hour labors, so I was expecting about the same.

What really happened is that I went 10 days past due, was in active labor for 2.5 hours, and gave birth to a 5lb6oz baby (and my conception date was exact). I feel so blessed that I didn't have an ultrasound or hospital based care, because I'm sure if I had they would have induced me when really my small baby just needed more time to cook.

I have been to more than 30 homebirths before and was a little shocked at how skinny he was. He had great apgars 8 and 10. My midwife warned me that sometimes small babies have a harder time nursing, but we had the easiest nursing relationship, and he was a strong nurser right from the start. Even though he was skinny, his length and head circumference were average. He remained in the 5-10 percentile until he was about a year old.

Later I learned that my mother's mother gave birth to 5 pound babies and had the same kind of labor I did, she never knew it was happening until she was pushing. So I assume I just got all of her genes when it comes to making babies.

[47chromosomes]

Thank you for the story. I had had the thought that perhaps I should expect to grow this baby past my due date (which I am also certain of) after having had my other boys before our due date. Maybe this one is just needing more cooking time. Good to know that a smaller guy may have a harder time learning to nurse. I can be prepared for that. Actually, DS1 was a VERY sleepy, but average size baby, and was hard to establish nursing. Of course then he went on to nurse for 3 years.

And smeep, I know it is all relative, and that some folks just make them smaller. My boys were 7lbs 4oz, and 8lbs 8oz. The first born about a week earlier than the second, so really they were similar in rate of growth. So, for me, a baby who is smaller than my boys would seem small. I am not really concerned with what actual size our baby will be. But if he were to in some way be smaller than *he* needs to be to be a healthy, alert, temperature regulated, ready to learn to nurse kind of guy.

Really though, after voicing these concerns to my midwives recently, and having them pay more special attention to his size while palpating the babe, I feel much more at ease. He's not looking like a large baby, but he does not feel small to their hands, either. I do feel reassured. And, I figure I will either be thankful for my intuition when my baby is born and I am prepared to keep a little guy extra warm and take special care to nurse him well, or I will have a good laugh when he slides out a strapping 8lbs of chub.