Measuring large.

[Jennah_Gole]

Hello everyone

well i am due in march with my third child and quite frankly i am worried as i am measuring large as my midwife put it.

i did a search on this subject and the threads i found did the opposite of putting me at ease.

i birthed naturally with my second baby on a birthing ball and i want to do the same with this baby but if the baby is measuring large - there is chance of a c-section among other things....

when i was 23 weeks i was measuring 28. i have an apptmt coming up in about 5 days...in which i can't wait to see what i am measuring now at 27 weeks.

i know my dates are correct...why is this baby measuring so large? is there anything i can do?

it doesn't help also that whoever sees my stomach thinks i am nine months pregnant or overdue....

i feel really heavy too.. i have gained around 18 kg already. and i breathe really heavily...i am not enjoying this pregnancy to say the least.

[Clarity]

It could just be a big baby...different babies even from the same mom can be big! My sis's first was 10lbs, born at home. A big baby does not always mean a c-sec if you have good support. Plenty of moms vbac babies bigger than the ones they had c-sec for for "cephalic disproportion."

Women with gestational diabetes sometimes grow big babies...if you don't want to test, I would just cut down on refined carbs and sugars. Increase protein and veggies. You're probably already doing that.

Otherwise, maybe you have too much amniotic fluid. Sometimes that happens and it's usually nothing at all of concern. If you're truly concerned you could have a u/s to look for abnormalities and to check fluid level. An experienced midwife might be able to palpate the baby a little and see how the size seems and you could discuss the need/desire for u/s.

[claire]

I palped too big for dates all teh way through my dates were 100% correct ( we are a lesbian couple)
after 62 hours in labour I had my son by c sec 10 pounds 10 ounces. Sorry to not be reassuring. Maybe you just have a big baby - there are advantages, he was hardier, fitted 3 month clothing straight away! And he was beautiful.
I HATED having a caesar but I love having my baby!!

[copslass]

"Measuring large" does not necessarily reflect size of baby!
Could be amniotic fluid, and/or placenta, even baby's position can affect fundal height at the moment.
My first pg was consistently "large." 42cm at 34.5 weeks.
5.9 pound baby born at 36 weeks. Dr. couldn't tell the dfference between polyhydramnios and fetus.
I always tend to measure several cm ahead, this is my fifth pg. All babies less than 8 pounds.
Oh, and I vbac'd two cesareans. "CPD." HA!

Hope you find this somewhat reassuring. I don't worry about it at all.

Tracy

[Stayathomemommy]

I HAVE TO SAY THIS MAY NOT BE REASURING EITHER...but at 21 weeks i measured 28 weeks....I am having twins! have you had an ultrasound? it was a fluke that i had one at 17 weeks. usually i get one at 24weeks because me and my husband cant stand not knowing the sex. well we found out alright. two girls. so i know why i am measureing big. all the other responces sound good too. lots of fluid, heavy placenta ect.....

dont worry too much, i worry all the time about everything and i am a wreck. just relax.

[zombiemommie]

Are you well padded in the abdomen ? Here are some things to consider - when the measure they measure from your pubic bone to the top of your fundus. If you have...sorry for lack of better word...fat...on your abdomen, of course you are gonna measure a little bigger than average because of how padded you are. What they SHOULD be looking for is consistent growth pattern as well, like you going up say 3 cm (and I don't know if that number is right its just for explanation) each month, if you are going up 5 cm a month, then maybe growing bigger baby or have more fluid. Also, as a 3rd time mom, your uterus may be a little more stretch and be a little bigger. If you DO want some reassuranc on the topic, try posting this on the midwife/doula board ! They should be able to give you a care provider perspective....

I am also measuring large but I AM growing a little bigger baby probably (first was almost 9 lbs) and this is my 2nd, I AM fat, and I think I am skirting GD as well... but even so my midwives are not really concerned as long as the growth RATE stays under control (like you go with your own numbers vs. trying to measure you against somebody else's body, does that make sense ? HTH)

[lilyka]

I measured large on two of my three pregnancies. Both of the large ones were combinations of above average size babies (though not abnormally large) and a ton of extra amniotic fluid. Both were were born early. My first came six weeks early after a very trumatic last couple of weeks. I will spare you the details but besides being born early and problems associated with that dd was fine. I was a little owrse for the wear but recovered in time. this time I was only 3 weeks early ad we are both fine. Also since my body had been pregnant before my uterus had a little more give to it and could stretch to accomodate a littl;e better. Both times I measured at about 48cm when I went into labor. guess that is the limits of where i can stretch (realy quite far enough ) Also recovery has been going a loit smoother this time.

[chichimama]

I just had to chime in and say I also measured large both of my pregnancies. At about 21 weeks, consistently at least 5 to 7 centimeters bigger. I had a c-section before labor started because or the "big baby" b.s. for my first, she weighed 11 pounds 5 ounces. I got educated and saw that for the b.s. it was (assuming my baby would get stuck, that my body would not accommodate her during labor). Then I had a wonderful VBAC homebirth this July and gave birth to a beautiful, healthy 12 pound 1.6 ounce boy!

A big baby is not a medical indication for a c-section and don't let anyone scare you into thinking it is. If you are having a nice big baby, do yourself a favor and have a natural labor so you don't end up lying on your back numbed and unable to push that baby out.


Congratulations on your pregnancy!!

[Jennah_Gole]

thanks for the responses...i have to say that I dont feel reassured...but I will find out more tomorrow when I have my ultrasound and midwife visit.

plus all the kicks I feel, are really really low...

i have to say this whole pregnancy has been real different.

[chiedza]

I was measuring large for almost my whole pregnancy and toward the end they thought the baby must be really big OR I had a lot of amniotic fluid. They wanted me to have another ultrasound but I had already had 3 and was not pleased about that. Anyway ... the day the ultrasound was scheduled, baby came (18 days early)! And he only weighed 6 lbs, 15 oz.

So ... don't worry! Measuring large might not mean anything at all.

[seraph]

big for dates

I'm measuring big for dates too. I expected I would, because I'm a fat mama and I have all that extra padding up front, but I went from 28 cm at 25 weeks to 38 cm at 29 weeks. My MW is a little worried, but she's going to measure me again at 30 weeks and then decide what to do next. In the meantime, I'm doing the low carb high protein thing... ugh! I'm so tired of protein!
Keep us posted on how you are doing and I will do the same...

[Jennah_Gole]

I couldnt log in and post my response earlier...my computer was acting up.

Well ladies, it seems to have been a mistake cuz i measured the same as i did last month and that means i am perfectly on track. i did an ultrasound and found out the sex of my baby and i saw her face beautifully as she was face up! it was sooo exciting that i really wished my dear hubby was with me to see. I hope that everything works out for u Seraph as it has for me.

They now have my due date by scan as March 17th and by my last period as March 11th.

[seraph]

Things are going fine for me too - I think it must have been positioning - I meastured 39 cm at 29 weeks and 35 cm at 30 weeks, which is right about where I should be. My MW was puzzled but relieved that I wasn't quite so enormous as I had been the week before. I really do think it's positioning - when I sit hunched over instead of straight up, sometimes the baby curls up right under my ribs and makes my belly poke out much more.

[grace's voice]

Just a little info, and someone may have said this already, I didn't have time to read all the responses... but a larger baby is easier to push out than a smaller one. Of course if the head is too big for your pelvis, they will have to do a c-sec. However, if not, larger babies slide back less with each push, which means less time and effort for you! My first was 9 pounds 4 ounces, it wasn't the worst thing ever. I know it's easier said than done, but take some deep breaths and try not to worry. The good news is, you've got a good, hearty baby! Or, the docs are wrong, and I wouldn't be shocked, it happens.
Best of luck!

[KittyKat]

Ummm this thread is THREE YEARS old...

It's probably a non-issue anymore.

[grace's voice]

LOL...that's funny, I hadn't noticed!

[scatterbrainedmom]

i measured large also. at 23 weeks i was measuring 27 weeks and at my 36 weeks appointment i was measuring 39 weeks. midwife guessed i would have at least a 9 pounder. to our utter amazement when i went into labor at a little under 37 weeks baby was only 6lbs 15oz and midwife said he looked more like 34-35 weeks gestation . i had a huge amount of fluid. she has been a mw for over 13 years and said that i had the most fluid she has ever seen. it doused her from her shoulders to her feet when i pushed him out.

i always wanted a big baby, espesially for my home birth. i wanted to say to everyone who just knew i couldn't do it that i had a 10 or 11 pound baby at home. lol

[Metasequoia]

Sorry, I could just be reading this wrong, but didn't you say you're due in March & you're 27 weeks? I'm due in early-mid March & I'm only 21 weeks, I don't think you can be 27 wks & be due in March?? Not that that clarifies anything, it would mean that you're measuring even *bigger* for an earlier date. I'm confused.....

[mighty-mama]

just joining the bunch. I always measured between 4 to 6 wks bigger. Everything was normal. (althought I was high/risk ) Had glucose test done 3x. Amniotic fluid was normal. Just was carrying a big baby. Ds was 9.6 and was born 1 day before due date. I did have a c/s due to malposition.

ob's drove me crazy, 'cause something must be wrong. I told them at every visit that my dh was 9.15 at birth and is now 6'3". So maybe genetically this one will be just bigger than your other two..