A question for those who went post-dates

[eilonwy]

I was wondering if your babies have actually been bigger than average? I keep hearing that going post dates makes that eventuality more likely, but most people I know in real life who have gone or were themselves born postdates haven't been all that big. My mother was 10 days late and she weighed 8 lbs 15 oz at birth (*huge* for a baby girl in the late 40's!), but I was 8 days late and only 7 lbs 10 oz (not all that big for a baby girl in the late 70's).

It seems to me that these days, babies born post dates aren't any more likely to be big/huge than babies born at term or even earlier. In fact, I have a friend who had a baby at 34w2d who weighed nearly 10 pounds at birth (and yes, he was actually premature; went to the NICU and everything, poor kid). His mother said that he was in a NICU pod with a set of triplets and "he looked like he'd eaten the babies that were supposed to be in his isolette." So I'm curious-- are the babies really bigger if you're late, or do some babies just need longer to cook to get to average size?

[aprilushka]

I think more are slightly bigger but by and large those who cook longer need to do so to get to an average-ish (that is, could be bigger but not huge) size, or the right size for that baby. I know someone via 'net who gave birth at 45w5d to a 9 and a half pounder a few months ago (uc). Bigger than average yes, but by no means gargantuan.

[MomBirthmomStepmom]

I'm an April 01 mom and Feb 04 birthmom, but both went 'post date', so figured I'd answer to give you an idea on how things went for me. (not in this due date board, or even pregnant now)

First baby was 8 days post date, and was 8lbs 11ozs, second was 6 days post date and was 8lbs 6ozs. I think this is about average. although some say this is 'big'. Either way, they weren't tiny

[Bartock]

My first DS was a week early and was 7lbs 12oz, my second DS was 2 weeks overdue and was 8lbs 15oz, not to much of a difference. All babies are different.

[Kathryn]

My dd went post date and was 6 pounds 8 oz. I think it depends more on the parental size than the date.

[BetsyPage]

My dd was 9 lbs 5 oz at 42 weeks 1 day (what I am today!!!), and I don't think she was that huge... she was the same length as her earlier, 7-lb cousins, so basically she was just a chubby baby. I know a mom who went at 38 weeks and her dd was almost 9 lbs I think.

My MW doesn't seem to think this is a huge baby... last week she guessed 7.5 to 8 lbs give or take .5 lb... so I'm probably looking at another 9 lber.

[squeakermansmom]

nak...

41w 2d ....... 10lbs 0oz. my first was 2 days early and was 8 lbs 3oz

[Titus2fam]

All of mine have been overdue, I'm a BIG GIRL, and they were 7.5, 7.5, and a little over 8 pounds. (((((HUGS))))) sandi

[ZenMamaJen]

My dd was born 40w5d and weighed 6 lbs 14 oz.

[FreeSpiritMama]

I'm 40w3d and no sign of anything happening soon! My DS was 39weeks and 8lb12oz so it will be interesting to see how big this babe is going to be. I'll come back and edit when I know

[Mom2-4Gs]

My first was 2 weeks early and was 6lbs 13 1/2 ozs. I had her at 16.
My second was right on time and was 8lbs 4 ozs
Third was 10 days late and was 7lbs 14 1/2 ozs
Fourth was 12 days early and was 8lbs


Allison
Mom to 4 daughters and ? due end of April

[KittyKat]

I went 1 week "over" with two of mine, and neither was huge. In fact, I am pretty sure #5 was my smallest. I saw several different weights written down for him in metric and pounds, but they seemed to be in the 6 pounds 15 oz range.

#4 was 7 pounds 8 oz.

This is the longest I have gone "over" and I don't feel like this baby is huge. In fact someone said to me over the weekend "So, you only have a couple weeks left huh?" and was SHOCKED when my DH said the due date was last week... I said I'd take it as a compliment I look good enough to have a couple more weeks to go. My sister went one week one day past her EDD, and she looked like she was literally about to explode. She gave birth to a healthy 8 pound 9 oz baby boy. Bigger than any of my babies, bigger than our siblings were at birth, bigger than my sister's 6 pound lightweights, but MUCH smaller than her DH's 10+ pound siblings were! (They were often "late" too, but the family are all tall and big boned, so it's unlikely going past their EDD caused them to be bigger than average)

Kathryn

[mama_b]

I went 4 days over my due date and my dd was 6lbs. 13oz.

[2+twins]

I think it's largely a genetics factor, combined with nutrition. Both my 40+ week babes have been big (8lb 8oz at 10 days over & 9 lb 8 oz at 5 days over). But it seems as though dh's side of the family tends to make little chunksters.

[Tracyn]

My DS (babe #1) was born at 42weeks at 9lb 1oz (I'm normally 120-125# and 5'5", DH is about 5'8" 165#) - so that seemed pretty big to me!

I was 7.5 pounds when born as was DH. My brother was 9# which seems more in line with our DS. I remember reading that birth size of babes is related to one's mother's baby(ies)'s birth size, not necessarily the size of the parents.

Overall, it seems pretty random (reading the previous posts!)

Cheers

[eilonwy]

fascinating... but my babies have all been much smaller than my mom was at birth (she was a moose! ).

i'm sure that nutritioin plays a large role; i spent much of this pregnancy unable to eat. in fact, i'm still having a hard time eating enough, and i'm still losing weight despite having lost all my water... but at least Bella's getting bigger. I guess breastmilk is better for the baby when mom is malnourished than being inside.

[TheaGraham]

My brother was two weeks late and 8 lb. 10 oz.
I was two weeks early and 8 lb. 8 oz.

For the most part, I think babies that come late know they still have some cookin' to do.