Help! They want me to have a C/S!

[New_Natural_Mom]

am 40w2d and my mw wanted me to get an US today to check the size of the baby. He came back at an estimated 10.5lbs. She is now recommending a C-section. She told me all these scary reasons why they want to do that. Now I am freaking. out. I realize that the US isn't necessarily accurate, but now I am scared I am being selfish to still want to try for a natural birth. Not only that, but now I have all these scary doomsday thoughts! Anyone else been here? Am I a bad soon-to-be-mom that I still want to try a vaginal birth? She says they recommend a c-sec for any baby estimated over 10lbs. I need some calm down vibes and advice. PLEASE!

[Goddess3_2005]

Thats silly. Late ultrasounds are so inaccurate its crazy to even do them. The can be off by more than a pound at this point. I can't even believe that they would recommend a c-section for this reason only.

[thomlynn]

Even if the scan is correct and your baby is that big does not mean you would not be able to push the baby out. Your body was made to do this and unless you had major malnutrition as a child and a malformed pelvis you should have plenty of room.

That said, are you going to a hospital?? Is there some reason that if you pushed for hours with no progress they couldn't do a section then?? I don't understand why they don't even want to let you try.

[xekomaya]

Whoa.. that's crazy. No you're not a bad mom for wanting a vaginal birth at all. The ultrasounds can be off regularly by something like 2.5 lbs. IMO, there is no reason to have a c/s based on just the estimated weight from the ultrasound. That's crazy.

I'm sure other mamas have better advice, and there will be plenty who have btdt. You're full term. Your baby is coming. It's time to trust your body, relax and wait.

[amaayeh]

Ultrasounds that late are very inaccurate. My baby was estimated to be almost 9 lbs...um, she was 7'12".

At my birth center last month there was a woman that had an 11 lb 5oz baby girl naturally...and she did great!!! They regularly have babies over 10 lbs. I am shocked beyond shocked a midwife would suggest a c-section like that.

I would tell them no and do everything you can to go into labor ASAP! Good luck to you.

[mama_ani]

As a pp said, you CAN have a vaginal birth even if the baby is that big!

unless you had major malnutrition as a child and a malformed pelvis you should have plenty of room.

I don't believe late ultrasound estimates at all, they are notoriously inaccurate. Twice I was told my baby was "at least 9 lbs if not larger" and those babies were 7lbs 11oz and 7lbs 14oz. Once I was told "the baby is maybe 5lbs" and she was 7lbs 3oz.

[spookymama]

Ugh!

:

Echoing what everyone else has said.. ultrasounds late in the game are not accurate estimates. They can be more than a pound off. Also, there is nothing to say that if your baby was ten pounds that you could not push your baby out. Your body was made to birth your baby!

What this means is when they imagine a baby that is ten pounds, they fear things like shoulder dyscotia. If that was the case, it is a rare complication, and there ARE ways to deal with it.

They fear a complication, so it's easier for them , not for you, to have you consent to the c/s. That way, they don't have to deal with possible labor complications (which can happen even if your baby is 5 pounds!). Fear of being sued, etc. Only complications from the c/s which they can put off as "life saving". They aren't there to hold your hands afterwards after the recovery, they don't recover with you. Their objective is to see the baby delivered. If you have a complication from the surgery later down the line (like infection, like scar pain) they are not accountable.

As for not wanting the c/s.

please please please don't feel selfish for not wanting it! If your baby needed truly to be born by c/s , I have no doubt that you would go for it willingly. But this c/s is just for the comfort of your birth team. They have not even tried to let you GO into labor.

That's a heck of a thing to put a shadow across the rest of your reproductive life, your life, your childs life for.


You can do this, mama! Stay strong. Listen to your gut instinct.

[elleystar]

:

Spookymama, you rock. There's no way I could have gathered my brains together to put all that into words and have it in any way comprehensible. Thanks for saying so well what so many of us have in our thoughts!
(It makes me so mad anymore what they do for the comfort of the birth team. C/S INDEED!)

[paphia]

Really, stay home and away from those people until you are hitting transition. It's really awful that they would recommend a c-sec for a large baby when plenty of women have ten pound babies all the time. You will be able to birth the baby that your body is growing! Babies slow down in growth after 40 weeks. Fat squishes! Think positive and tell them to forget the c-sec!

[Contrariety]

Originally Posted by paphia

Fat squishes!

:

[MamaHen2J&J]

Looks like you got some great responses, just wanted to add : and tell you to hang inthere!

[Jennisee]

Ditto everyone else! I am shocked that a midwife would say that.

(You're in northern Illinois, right? On the off chance you're in Champaign, PM me, and I can recommend a couple MW's that I think would be more open-minded.)

[Ironica]

The ACOG doesn't even recommend induction or c-section for suspected fetal macrosomia. The reason for this is that there is NO reliable way to gage an infant's size before its born. While it's true that babies over ~4500 grams do have (slightly, but statistically significant) better outcomes if delivered surgically, the methods available to gage size are so inaccurate as to nullify the improvement in outcomes. Too many babies who do NOT meet the definition of macrosomic would be delivered surgically by mistake, which would overall degrade outcomes.

Ask them if they'll sign a legal document stating that they are SURE your baby will exceed 10 pounds. If not, why not? (We all know the reason, but...)

[~Megan~]

I agree that the ultrasound estimates are not accurate and even if it was it doesn't mean you will have any trouble giving birth to a 10lb baby. The risks are much greater to you and baby to schedule an ultrasound.

I would be concerned having providers that do not trust the body to give birth though. I would definitely push to be allow to move about as I wished and push in position that didn't have my lying on my back. Do you have an advocate, like a doula, coming to your birth?

[chely7425]

I agree with everyone else... late ultrasounds are SO inaccurate and your body grew and nourished a baby you could give birth to!!!

[kjoy2]

Oh, boy - what an un-midwifely thing to say.

Everyone has given wonderful advice, and I second the PP who mentioned having a birth advocate beyond you and your partner at the birth, b/c I sense that this MW isn't going to be much help.

You can do it, mama!

[eksmom]

Just wanted to add another vote of confidence that your baby is the right size for your body. I didn't have any late u/s with DD, but the OB estimated her to be 8-8.5 lbs and she was 9 lbs 7 oz. (However we weren't too surprised because I was 9.13 at birth and DH was 11 even.) Anyway, I agree with what everyone else has said and you are not a bad mama for not wanting a c/s. Stick to your guns.

[Alpaca Wacka]

This is SOO wrong! remember mama! I'm 5'1" and I just pushed out a 9 lb 13 oz baby. I might even have had a 10lber if she hadn't pooped in the birth canal and as soon as we got her out. The only reason I can think of it being dangerous would be shoulder dystocia. You can pretty much combat that with the Gaskin manuver of pushing while on your hands and knees. This ALSO does mean you need to be SURE not to give in to the allure of an epidural-because you NEED to be mobile so you can assume that position if you need to. What other reasons did they feel it would be dangerous?

Hugs mama! Take a deep breath!

[VijayOwens]

They told me at 41 weeks 3 days that my baby was at least 8lbs and we should induce right there and then. She was born vaginally no drugs 4 days later at 7lbs 4oz.

-V.
eta it was at an ultrasound that they said this

[justmeandfamily]

Originally Posted by New_Natural_Mom

: but now I am scared I am being selfish to still want to try for a natural birth. Not only that, but now I have all these scary doomsday thoughts! Anyone else been here? Am I a bad soon-to-be-mom that I still want to try a vaginal birth? She says they recommend a c-sec for any baby estimated over 10lbs. I need some calm down vibes and advice. PLEASE!

Not in your DDC just stalking from May DDC First off (((hugs)))
Please do not feel selfish! Vaginal birth is better for your baby! I have had 2 c/s's by being pressured into it! Both times the baby's were just fine and would have been delivered vaginally w/out a problem. There are benefits to going through that squeeze that the baby just doesn't get with a c/s! You are not selfish! You are not a bad mom!
Just FYI I have a friend who just delivered a 12 pounder at home! It can be done!