How big is "big"? « Back to Group Discussions

[Kara9080]

Had another sono today and I see why these things can freak a person out. I've been having sono's because of an auto immune disorder I have. They were doing bi-weekly echocardiogram's on the baby from week 16 to 26. Now it's just monthly growth checks. Baby has always measured "big" and steadily climbing the fetal growth charts.

Today I'm 30w and baby is measuring 5# and a "big" head. Not to indicate something is wrong but just generally "big". Dr said next month he could weigh 7-8# but the head and overall size we'll be watching. Even though I've vaginally birth 2 before with zero problems, baby's dad is different this time.

GAZOOKS! I'm not 100% calm and confident about this now and I actually LIKE giving birth but I had 7# very "average" sized babies before.

 Check out his nostrils!!

Sweet baby face!

and the hair!

[bmcneal]

If it makes you feel better, DS was 10 lb 7 oz. when he was born. According to a lot of people, that was big. (I agree. But I disagree with the nurse(s) who said he wasn't a baby, but a toddler.) To me, anything more than 9 or 9.5 lbs would probably be big(ger), but then again, I'm not sure, because a couple of DF's family had 13 lb babies, so that might make me think 9 lbs would be completely normal.

[Munchkin08]

We have not had an u/s since 18w - is there any way to know how big the baby is? Will the MW get a better sense clser to the due date? I was born premature so I don't have any family history on my side to go by. I think DH was "average". But I am small and DH is worried.

[Greenlea]

Anything over 9 lbs I'd consider big, but big is not always bad. I had one 8 lbs 3 oz and one 9 lb 2 oz. I birthed both vaginally without pain meds and didn't tear. 

It really bothers me when docs won't even let moms try birthing a "big" baby...or induce because baby is too big.

[TIFF4NY]

FWIW, with DD1 I was told 3 weeks before I had her that she was 1.5lbs heavier than she wound up being born at.

[bmcneal]

Originally Posted by TIFF4NY 

FWIW, with DD1 I was told 3 weeks before I had her that she was 1.5lbs heavier than she wound up being born at.

That reminded me! When I went in at 35 weeks, they told me DD was going to be 7 lbs 6 oz. When she was born, she was 5 lbs, 12 oz. The closer to the end of the pregnancy, the larger the margin of error. We were told DS was 13 lbs by the tech at 40 weeks, but she said that that late, they can be as much as 3 lbs off, and she guessed he was going to be ~10 lbs. so there's that.

[1babysmom]

U/S measurements have been pretty accurate for me. With my DS he measured big, and he was....9lb 10oz (my first 2 were 7# as well)...and that wasnt an issue at all. His head did hold me up a little during the birth (15.5"!) but it wasnt a "hard" birth by any means. After all, it was at home unassisted and I pushed him out in 2 fast pushes with zero tearing. However, I know without a doubt that things would have gone differently in a medical setting, because I stalled stalled at a complete 10cm for 6 hours with pretty much no urge to push. I just think he was asynclyctic for a short time (despite suture lines indicating he had been optimally positioed before labor started), and obviously there was nothing to be concerned about, but it def. made me glad we weren't in a hospital!!! I have feeling I would have been sectioned for sure!

But I still adored the birth experience, and might be having a very similar one come April.....

[JennJenn84]

To me, 9lbs and up is a big baby. I was 10lbs when I was born (I was 8 days late) my DD was 7lbs 13ozs and had a bigger head. This one so far the only 'big' thing about her the U/S. Tech said is her arms, which measure long.

[Greenlea]

Originally Posted by 1babysmom 

U/S measurements have been pretty accurate for me. With my DS he measured big, and he was....9lb 10oz (my first 2 were 7# as well)...and that wasnt an issue at all. His head did hold me up a little during the birth (15.5"!) but it wasnt a "hard" birth by any means. After all, it was at home unassisted and I pushed him out in 2 fast pushes with zero tearing. However, I know without a doubt that things would have gone differently in a medical setting, because I stalled stalled at a complete 10cm for 6 hours with pretty much no urge to push. I just think he was asynclyctic for a short time (despite suture lines indicating he had been optimally positioed before labor started), and obviously there was nothing to be concerned about, but it def. made me glad we weren't in a hospital!!! I have feeling I would have been sectioned for sure!

But I still adored the birth experience, and might be having a very similar one come April.....

If you fear the same thing happening with this birth (baby being asynclytic) look into a rebozo.  My midwife friend got her client's baby to out of that position into a good birthing position very quickly with a rebozo as the OB wanted to cut her soon.

[Cali2SC]

for what it is worth, as I neared my edd with dd, I was told by my mil that the "Jones" babies have big heads.  WTF!    Who says something like that?  She insisted that I tell my midwife.  I did so that she wouldn't keep bringing it up.  I told my mw "My mil wants me to let you know this and then I never want to talk about it again....."    I was also told that dd was measuring a little larger than she actually was so there was concern that I would be birthing a larger baby, since she was close to 42 weeks before labor started.  I am also on the small side.  This was not the case, and she was just under 8 pounds.  

I have also been told that this baby was measuring a bit large at our 20 wk us.  I really doubt that this is the case.   I'm still small and can feel just about every bit of this baby.  Latest guess has us right on track.  I tend to do a lot of smiling and nodding when the obs tell me such things.  

[Kara9080]

Well my little "freak out" expired over the weekend. I feel much better after talking to people and reading stories of "inaccurate weight estimates". Even if he is "big", so what? I'm certain I'll be fine. I've always trusted my body and believe I can do this. I'm going to see the midwives on the 20th and I'm going to ask about skipping the next sonogram. If they approve, I'm skipping. There is nothing wrong, the period for checking baby's heart is over and I don't want to get unnecessarily freaked out again for a baby that may or may not be "big". I worry that they'll say he's "big" and then advise the midwives that I should deliver at the hospital. I really, really want to deliver at the birth center - I feel like a little kid looking forward to a field trip or a birthday - it's an important event/experience I'm looking forward to.

I am a big girl myself (5'11", 250#) so it's reasonable I'd have a big baby. I was surprised that my first 2 were "only" 7~ pounds each.

[bmcneal]

Originally Posted by Kara9080 

Well my little "freak out" expired over the weekend. I feel much better after talking to people and reading stories of "inaccurate weight estimates". Even if he is "big", so what? I'm certain I'll be fine. I've always trusted my body and believe I can do this. I'm going to see the midwives on the 20th and I'm going to ask about skipping the next sonogram. If they approve, I'm skipping. There is nothing wrong, the period for checking baby's heart is over and I don't want to get unnecessarily freaked out again for a baby that may or may not be "big". I worry that they'll say he's "big" and then advise the midwives that I should deliver at the hospital. I really, really want to deliver at the birth center - I feel like a little kid looking forward to a field trip or a birthday - it's an important event/experience I'm looking forward to.

I am a big girl myself (5'11", 250#) so it's reasonable I'd have a big baby. I was surprised that my first 2 were "only" 7~ pounds each.

I'm glad you're feeling better. That's one thing I'm worried about with having to deliver with an OB at all, DS was 10 lbs 7 oz, and at my appointment in either October or November, they were talking about how DS being big was a sign that this LO would be big, and all these different things that I would need to do to try to "have a normal sized baby." I'm almost exactly your same size, (Either 5'11" or 6', depending on who measures, but... when you're that tall, it doesn't make that big of a difference. :P ), DF is very tall/big (6'2" and 260-ish), with his family having a history of big babies, so I'm not at all surprised DS was that big, and wouldn't be surprised if this LO is that big, as well. (Although, I kind of hope not.)

[Kara9080]

Originally Posted by bmcneal 

Either 5'11" or 6', depending on who measures, but... when you're that tall, it doesn't make that big of a difference. :P

I've measured 5'11" or 6' for years but recently I even measured 5'10" (twice). Dr said I could be "shrinking" already.  No bueno!

My ex was only 5'8" and smaller framed (yes, odd couple LOL). He was the first guy I ever went out with that was shorter than I was and I had 2 kids with him! So it's no surprise I guess I had "normal" sized 7# babies. My oldest "baby" is now 13 years old, 6'2" and 185# and not slowing down.

My DH now is the exact same height I am so big+big=big probably.