Tips for a natural delivery of a large baby - Page 2

[Electra375]

If your midwife is suggesting induction and you have to give her reasons not to induce, she is a medwife!!!

Avoid induction, you have the right to informed concent and the right to refuse treatment -- it's in the ACOG guidelines.

Read The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer. I just got to hear her speak in Charlottesville, VA last Friday. Inductions lead to a higher rate of c/s. And when you are carrying a big baby (which I have) all I heard was oh boy this is a big baby, you may need a c/s. It sets you up for failure before you even begin.

A hint for Big Babies -- move in labor, rock those hips... I was primal and instictively swaying in labor w my HBA2C. She would not have come down to birth if I hadn't -- of course, I was just swaying because it felt good, staying still was too painful. I studied a similar birth relaxation techinque called hypbirth, but honestly I don't know how a woman can move a big baby down without movement. The best relief was in the birth pool, I swayed in there too. But I delivered in our bed, I spend a lot of time on the toilet pushing. My midwife forgot the birth stool, next time I'm getting my own birth stool.

I have heard that if the hospital staff is giving you a hard time you can hide out in the bathroom. And sitting on the toilet pushing was great, my dh was in front of me on a stool so I could hold on and pull myself more upright. I would suggest finding a doula with non-medicated natural childbirth experience, one who can help you voice your wants and desires and refuse treatments you do not want. It is super hard to think about all that while in labor and concentrating on birthing.

Sit Up and Take Notice -- Positioning Yourself for a Better Birth by Pauline Scott is also an excently book about getting your baby in the best birthing position before birth. This book can be ordered through Midwifery Today and ICAN websites.

www.spinningbabies.com also has some good positioning information

Having had a c/s for big baby and then successfully birthing a baby just as big leads me to believe that it's all about the position of the baby and your working that baby down and out. It isn't called labor for nothing.

Ina May Gaskin invented the Gaskin Manuevor for successfully delivering shoulder distosia (terrible speller). I would read up on this manuevor and ask your midwife is she has done it. Basically hands and knees opens up the pelvis a bit more to allow the stuck shoulders to get by the pelvic bone (there is more to it than that of course...)

Ina May Gaskin has two really powerful books the 2nd I liked best Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, the 1st is Spiritual Midwifery.

Remember the size of the woman says nothing about the size of her pelvis. I know 2 short and skinny woman who birthed 11 pounders with no ill effects.

As with any hospital birth, most woman suggest to other woman stay at home as long as you can. I just prefer to stay at home period. My hb was $2200 where as my hospital births leading to c/s were $18,000 and $16,000. We did finally get the insurance to pay for the homebirth, it took a year.

[Spark]

If they talk induction to you, I'd get on over to CNM Jackie Grue's birth center http://www.midwivescare.com/ It's right there in Cin and minutes from the hospital. And, just in case you're interested in homebirth, you can find midwives in Cin by this link and others http://homebirth.meetup.com/90/members/

Your body won't grow a baby that's too big. If big babies run in your family so does the ability to birth big babies! It's never too late to switch care providers or even talk to another to get another perspective. You may want to make an appt with the Midwives at the birth center just to get their opinion on big babies and the need for induction. Sometimes that extra information is just invaluable! You never know when you'll need it!

Best wishes! Peaceful, sweet, non-induced birth vibes for you!

Births of big babies stories:
http://members.aol.com/CookDeRosa/index.html
http://birthstories.com/stories/5601.htm
http://www.compleatmother.com/homebi...iferderosa.htm
http://www.birthstories.com/stories/4408.htm

[lucyem]

Big baby is not the problem. It is a big headed baby that's the problem. I delivered a 10 lb baby no problem. While his weight and length were right up there with the biggest babies his head on the other hand was small. My husband's cousin had a 7 lb baby with such a big head they ended up doing a c-sec. Think cupie doll big head. And this woman is much larger then I am.

As for the birth - lots of movement. The more you move the better. In my case we stared at the top of my sons head for an hour. Me on a birthing stool and midwife in front on the floor. They did check his heartrate many time and it never changed so we let my body do the work.

[RachelGS]

Get a doula and stay out of the hospital for as long as you can! You have the right to refuse an induction, and there's no WAY they should be pushing that on you this early. I'd be very, very wary. When you do go into labor, be sure you have a doula who can come to your home and help you labor there for as long as possible. The longer you stay out of the hospital, the fewer interventions they'll be able to foist on you.

If you can grow a big baby, you can birth a big baby. If big babies were impossible to birth, evolution would have taken care of that problem long ago.

[Artisan]

Originally Posted by Mammashari

Thanks again for all of the info. To whoever said "fat is squishy" that is WONDERFUL. I will keep telling myself that and any time I am reminded by people (which happens many times daily) how big I am getting ( "are you sure it is not twins?") and how big the baby must be I can use that line. That will become my new mantra.

YAY! Just keep repeating it anytime someone tries to dissuade you from your opinion.

Fingers in ears "LALALALALA! I CAN'T HEAR YOU! FAT IS SQUISHY!!!"

[Mammashari]

Just to let you all know, I do have a doula and I am sure she will be helpful for me as well. She is very natural and is also familiar with hypnobirthing.

Midwives care no longer deliver babies there. They are a VERY good mid-wife group that deliver at a very natural friendly birthing center in a hospital. At one point in the pregnancy a couple of months ago, I thought that I was going to be able to switch to them because my law firm was merging with a big one and I could have switched to their insurance. I was sooooo happy and excited. Well that merge has since fell through and I am stuck with my very conservative insurance which they are not a part of.

If money were no option I would love to go there and deliver at the hosp that they deliver at, but that is just not possible. It would be about $800 just for the mid-wife services which might not be that much altogether but talking my husband into that is not a possiblity. We are first time parents and he will not go for paying that much money out of pocket, plus a doula when our insurance will cover someone for a fraction of the cost. I do understand completely though. It is unfortunate but true.

The mid-wife that we have is very aware of my natural beliefs. In fact, I just recently starting seeing her after switching from an OB that was all for natural in the beginning and then started changing. So she knows what is important to me. She has told me that she does not want me to have an induction. The reason I said she hinted about it is because at the beginning of an appointment I asked her about her reasons for inducing and one of them she mentioned a baby too big. That she was inducing a client of hers whose baby was already over 10 pounds. In that same visit, she found out that I am measuring very big and requested that I have an u/s. She said at the last appointment that although the baby is measuring big, it is still in the 68 percentile. So it is not completely abnormal, just a big baby. I told her I do not want an induction and she said she does not want that either. I don't think she has a problem with it, I just want to get as much information as I can on my end in case the need arises.

[Viola]

I had a 11-6 baby at home. She was pretty long and had a 15" head. My first baby was only 9-5, but she was several inches shorter. I had her in the hospital with an epidural and she was my first so it was a different experience anyway. My second birth was quicker and easier, although the shoulders got a little stuck, but I got on my hands and knees and the midwife helped her out.

I think no matter what the baby's size, proper positioning can help. I used the information at the proper foetal positioning and spinning babies websites and I really feel like it helped me.

[sarahloughmiller]

My son was 10lb 5oz and born at home no problem. He also had a huge head, but I did not tear at all. We expected him to be big, but not that big. He was 2 weeks late so that was part of it. I loved having a big baby, they are so much less fragile feeling. I feel the same way as you about knowing that you have the ability to birth the baby, just worried that you won't be given the opportunity to do it on your own. That is why I had my son at home. This time I am having twins and I know I can deliver them just fine, but worry that the hospital will not just leave me alone to do it. I would talk to your doctor a lot ahead of time about how you feel about it and make sure s/he knows how you want your birth to be. Make sure everyone at the hospital know also. Most of all just have faith in yourself that you can do it & remember you can say no to anything they suggest you do. Good Luck & wishing you a big, fat, healthy baby!

[cmb123]

I wish I had the percentages in front of me, but a VERY LARGE percent of babies that were labeled as being "big" in utero, are not.
Telling you your baby is big, is nothing but a head trip, and unfortunatly, it sounds like it may be working.
Even if your baby IS big, the chance that it will be too big for you are so, so, so, slim it is not worth your effort to worry about.
All of the suggestions for positions that pp's have given are great, and the the fact that you have a doula is fabulous.
I think you also mentioned you were doing hypnobirthing. Another thing you can do in conjunction with that, is a lot of visualization about opening and baby coming through. Also work prenatally with affirmations. Writing your own can a wonderful idea. Write affirmations that match your fears (i.e. My baby is just the right size" "my body is perfect for birthing this baby" "my baby knows when to be born")
You'll do just fine. From the sounds of your posts, I'd be more concerend about your medwife and induction than size.
Best wishes to you.

[natashaccat]

yup first read up on all the dangers of induction so thjat you are fully informed.

As for birthing itsself, get a doula who won't hesitate to give the hospital staff some attitude and read up on active birthing positions. Then tell you MW that you will not at anytime during your labor allow yourself to be on your back during labor and delivery. Make the staff talk to you through your doula. Get her to tell them that you need peace to concentrate or whatever seems appropriate. They'll be less able to spook you into submission if they have to do via another person.

Whatever "monitoring" they need to do can be done in some other position. If you get challanged on this just inform the staff that they need to be a bit more creative. Remember this is your body and your baby!

[cmb123]

Originally Posted by natashaccat

As for birthing itsself, get a doula who won't hesitate to give the hospital staff some attitude and read up on active birthing positions. Then tell you MW that you will not at anytime during your labor allow yourself to be on your back during labor and delivery. Make the staff talk to you through your doula. Get her to tell them that you need peace to concentrate or whatever seems appropriate. They'll be less able to spook you into submission if they have to do via another person.

This is absolutely NOT the roll of a doula. If you have a doula that is claiming she is going to do this, she's on a power trip, and not an effective doula.
A doulas role is to empower you through this process. She can help YOU to communicate, and facilitate conversations and interactions between you an hospital staff, but it is not her job to speak "for you" at any time. That would be turning your power over to her. She should be empowering YOU not, taking your power.
She should be knowledgable about positions, and how to help you effectively birth this baby with out intervention should that be what you want. She should know how to deal with hospital staff and build rapport with them, yet still have your comfort and safetly as her first priority. A doula that goes in and "gives attitude" can actually cause staff to treat you with hostility, and possible have you end up with even more intervention etc..out of spite. They also can kick her right the heck out.

[mwherbs]

So here goes something I will need a flame proof suit for-
on occasion flat on your back with your knees almost in your armpits is sometimes the way a baby will finally slip under the pubic bone-- I don't mean you do this the entire labor but have seen in work --- it is similar to a squat and if done right the tail bone is not on the bed
but this does not mean semi sitting in a bed with a monitor strapped on for hours and hours-- upright - standing, walking, dancing, kneeling, squatting, resting on your side,are all things that can be done before and after this move.

[cmb123]

Originally Posted by mwherbs

So here goes something I will need a flame proof suit for-
on occasion flat on your back with your knees almost in your armpits is sometimes the way a baby will finally slip under the pubic bone-- I don't mean you do this the entire labor but have seen in work --- it is similar to a squat and if done right the tail bone is not on the bed
but this does not mean semi sitting in a bed with a monitor strapped on for hours and hours-- upright - standing, walking, dancing, kneeling, squatting, resting on your side,are all things that can be done before and after this move.

No flames here!! This is absolutely true, and can keep you out of the operating room.

[Pandora114]

How to deliver a big baby naturally:

Stay out of the Stranded Beetle Position

Let Gravity work for you.

Stranded Beetle Position = Bad

Hire a Doula

[EmmalinesMom]

Originally Posted by mwherbs

So here goes something I will need a flame proof suit for-
on occasion flat on your back with your knees almost in your armpits is sometimes the way a baby will finally slip under the pubic bone-- I don't mean you do this the entire labor but have seen in work --- it is similar to a squat and if done right the tail bone is not on the bed
but this does not mean semi sitting in a bed with a monitor strapped on for hours and hours-- upright - standing, walking, dancing, kneeling, squatting, resting on your side,are all things that can be done before and after this move.

No flames here either... I didn't intend to deliver dd2 on my back, but that's how she came out, lol. I was up and active for the VAST majority of my labor, but when show time came, I felt best in a semi-reclined position, knees to armpits.

And I LOVE the "stranded beetle" name... :LOL That's how I felt with dd1's delivery, where I labored on my back way too much because I wanted to be a good little patient. :

[Pandora114]

It's a term someone coined while on a mainstream sites child birth choices debate board

[Mammashari]

Thanks so much for all of this useful information. It really helps and give me so much more confidence in the event that I need to stand up for myself. I don't think that our doula would want to do that. But my husband will. He is very gentle and laid back, but he also knows how important this is to me and from everything he has learned in classes realizes how natural this is. So he would be my voice if one is needed. I am just hoping that we do not even get to that point. A lot of times a positive attitude is contagious so going at it with that approach is in my mind, the most constructive. Everyone, including my midwife, knows what is important to me, so I am going to have faith that they respect and honor that,

Plus my adorable little squishy child seems to know exactly what to do also. The baby has been breech and posterior. Well as of yesterday I am starting to get some Braxton Hicks so it seems like he/she is getting ready well in advance for the big day also.

[4forme]

Water was what got me through my first home birth (10 pounder). I birthed her in the water with just one small tear. Not sure if you have access to water, but use it if you do.

My second home birth was so fast. I was standing upright and swaying or on a birth ball untill I got on all fours to push. I had the pool ready, but didn't feel like moving from all fours on the bed. I had my 11 pound baby with just a few pushes and a small skid mark. Try to stand as much as you can during labor, and use a pushing position that gives the baby as much room as possible

[WinterBaby]

Well, first, I'd be pleased at the idea of a big baby and not a bit worried. Big babies are great!

As for induction? I mean, aside from the 101 reasons no woman wants an induction... Women I know birthing big babies have often had somewhat longer labors and pushing stages. So the best thing I can think of that helps in birthing if that ends up being the case is patience. Don't feel pressured. When they induce you, you're sort of on their hospital clock from the get go. The longer you're hanging around there, the more they feel the need to *do* something with you - especially if they've this ridiculous notion your baby is "too big" anyway. I think it would be easiest to labor at home for quite some time before you arrive at the hospital. And don't let them have you begin pushing before you feel the need to. (Try to keep those vaginal checks to a minimum!) Sometimes babies need more time to mold and position. And hospitals can get antsy over the amount of time you're "pushing" even if they had you begin before you felt the need to. (You don't need to hurry to tell them when you do start pushing a little either, in my opinion. Some do I'm sure, but most people's 10lb+ers don't just come shooting out, lol. It affords you just that much extra time when they aren't staring at a clock during your pushing stage.)