How big is too big?

[Anglyn]

Seriously, just had a 10lb6oz baby who had to be pulled out! He barely fit. What if next one is bigger? How can you tell if its too big to fit? Every woman/baby is diffrent but can they tell ahead of time or not until you labor awhile? Anyone had a baby that wouldnt fit? Already worried about the next one!

[Electra375]

I wouldn't worry about the next one. I would watch very carefully what you eat next time. Milk products are notorious for producing large babies. If you follow a careful diet and don't do what I did and splurge on junk, your baby should be just right. I was told it looked like a nice sized 7 1/2 - 8 pounder and then I exploded with eating donuts, brownies, rolls, just way over eating even good stuff and she ended up being 9.1 -- I did this in 4 weeks!!! Sugar does create big babies.
An added benefit is that you've done it once.
I would highly recommend reading Sit up and Take Notice: Positioning yourself for a better birth as well (Midwifery Today and ICAN sell it). It goes into a lot of detail about how position is everything. So, even if your next is big, you've got a good chance of getting him or her out if she/he is positioned right.

This thread might be moved over to the birthing forums.

[khrisday]

My first babe was 10 lbs, 9 oz. Everyone was worried when I was pg with my second that it woudl be even bigger, but she was only 7 lbs 11 oz.
Don't worry too much- time is spent better elsewhere

[Irishmommy]

Moving this to Birth and Beyond...

Though the title was great for Parents as Partners!!

[Greaseball]

By "pulled out" do you mean with forceps/VE?

If there is room to get the forceps in, there is room to get the baby out without forceps. I had a forceps delivery (after 4 hours of pushing) with a 7.5 lb baby, and my next baby was just over 8.5 lbs and I pushed her out myself, in 5 hours. Sometimes it just takes some extra pushing, I guess.

Maybe the issue wasn't the baby's size, but your positioning during labor? I would not do anything to try and "make" a smaller baby. Some babies just need to be big.

[sarajane]

My mid-wife says that "Your body won't make a baby that is too big for it."

She is a firm believer in that and has delivered many a 10 pound baby. Most without even a tear.

[Britishmum]

I had three big babies - 9lb, 10lb 4oz, 10lb 8oz. The births got easier each time. Dd #1 took hours of pushing at 9lbs, but Ds at 10lb 8oz just about shot out - literally, two contractions.

I really would try not to worry about it. And certainly I wouldnt worry about trying to make a smaller baby by what you eat. After all, the head is the issue, and babies don't put on much weight on their heads. I would trust that your body knows what it needs to do. Now it has birthed one baby, the chances are high that it will do it easier second time around.

[BabyOsMommy]

I was in the same thought pattern as you were, and people telling me not to worry, I birthed a big baby before, I can do it again didn't make a bit of difference to my fears. My happy ending to pg #2 might help you though: Ds#1 was 10lb 10ounces and I had a horrible labour and delivery (2hours of pushing and then vacuum extraction). I was really scared that ds#2 would be bigger. I was proud that my body grew and birthed such a big baby, but I was afraid of going through that again with an even bigger babe. With ds#2 I watched my diet carefully, limited refined sugar and tried not to binge on any one food group. It worked and ds #2 was 8lbs 14oz, my labour was 6hours with 4mins of pushing.

I have to say also that I attribute my labour being so uneventful to having mw's this time instead of an ob/gyn. The support I was given was incredible and the encouragement and education during my pregnancy was very important. It is true that now that you know your body can birth a 10lb 6ounce babe, you can birth a babe that's bigger. The first baby paved the way (so to speak). I do believe that your body won't grow a baby too big for it to birth, but I know how hard it is to say it and mean it with thoughts of a 11lber in your head. I wanted you to know that it's not always the case that the second baby will be bigger.

[Anglyn]

I was squatting. What I meant was, with my first two, once the head was out, the body just slid on out no problem. He felt stuck. I was pushing for all I was worth and the midwife had him by his neck and shoulders and was pulling on him for all she was worth and he wasnt coming! Well, obviously, finally he did, but it was a very tight fit, thats why Im worried about the next one being bigger!

Never considered diet. I cant do diary much anyway so that wasn't a problem. With dd I craved junk and she was only 7'5, with this one, I had a bit here and there but during most of pg. I couldnt stand the thought of junk food. Although there was all that sweet stuff right at christmas time....

[mom2tig99Nroo03]

my dad weighed over 12 pounds. he was one of 8 kids, and he was the second largest my grandmother had. she was a very small woman too.

i was terrified i waszgonna get dad's genes and have to push out a 12 pounder, lol

ds was only 6-10 and dd was 7-2

[Artisan]

My first was 10lbs, and I was worried about having an even bigger baby. My second was 8lbs 9oz. You never know how the baby is going to position itself (and there are exercises you can do to help this during pregnancy) or how much your body is going to stretch. Try not to worry about it now -- there's nothing you can do now anyway.

[pamamidwife]

I've had two 13lb babies in my practice and a number of 10lb and over.

The biggest risk of bigger babies is the mother being forced to push to early and pushing on her back. The best way to push any baby out - big or small - is upright, off the tailbone. Our tailbone moves to allow the baby more room through the pelvis - if we're sitting on our tailbone pushing, there isn't much room for the baby to come through.

I don't worry much about "the next baby". One can never tell! But, I will say that I really love those 9lb+ babies - they're so much fun to snuggle with!

[CortLong]

Originally Posted by sarajane

My mid-wife says that "Your body won't make a baby that is too big for it."

I am a believer in this. But only just as long as the mama is able to move around and isn't lying flat on her back- then the baby may *seem* too big because the space it's supposed to come out of is pressed all together and can't move for him/her to come out.

[cottonwood]

Being in an upright position is good, good, good! But if I were you I would also insist that the pushing phase *not* begin until the body is actively pushing the baby out itself. "10 cm" doesn't mean that everything is in place yet, and positioning isn't everything. I wouldn't worry, if you're eating well throughout the pregnancy and allowing your body to birth spontaneously (not being told when, how, and what to do) you'll be fine.

[ikeysmomma]

Been in the same boat

My first baby was 7lb 15 oz and 3 weeks late. My second baby was 10lb11oz and 2 weeks late, her shoulders were stuck and a midwife team helped 'unstick' her. I am pregnant with my 3rd right now and as birth approaches I am feeling very nervous about a 11 or 12 pound baby (whether rationally or not).

I appreciate the advice about not pushing on your back. I tried many other positions, but by the end of the pushing stage I was just too tired! I will try to avoid that. As far as sugar goes, I ate a lot of junk and sugar and gained 50 lbs with first baby. With second and larger baby, I gained just 20 and ate carefully. So who knows! Its definately better to eat healthy.

I also have babies late and never show any signs of cervix softening or dilating until I am actually in labor. Should I try out any of the herbal items out there like Evening Primrose Oil, Black Cohosh, 5-W, etc or is it not worth the bother?

I drink Raspberry Tea all the time and always have and believe it is useful. Thanks for advice ladies!