Anyone noticed these BIG babies???

My full-term sibs and I were all between 8.5-10 pounds. My 35 week brother was 7.5.

My mom and her sisters were all 8-9 pounds. I think bigger is more normal with good nutrition. My MIL was from a family of 5, all smaller, but that was back when smoking and drinking all through pregnancy was ok and even encouraged. Her mom was on DES and was encouraged to smoke for the relaxation value. Drinking in moderation was not even questioned, but most of us would be shocked at what her family doctor defined as moderate drinking (no more than 2-3 cocktails/day). In addition to her 5 kids she had 4 or 5 miscarriages, some of them quite late.

Wonderful lady, but was given lots and lots of bad advice.

I think health and nutrition standards have improved dramatically and that will cause birthweights to rise. My family is the exception bc we were always farming--putting food by for the winter, practicallyliving on dairy, etc.--and too poor and too puritanical for the women to indulge in smoking and drinking. Lots of fresh air and exercise. Bigger babies are usually healthier and less delicate, aren't they?

eta:
oops, just moticed I crashed yer DDC. Thought this was the pg forum. I'm fromthe May DDC actually

My sis doesn't have great nutrition, I worry about her because she has had some "issues" about her body image previously. Not a full-blown eating disorder, but during ehr first PG she made a couple comments about how she had to tell herself when she was stepping on the scales that it was OK the numbers were going up... I've also seen what's in her fridge, and I know she east wheat even though she's allergic.

My youngest neice was just barely 6 pounds, full term. The other 2 were also under 6.5 pounds.

My kids tend to be in the mid-7 pound range.

My other sis who I KNOW eats well gave birth to a nice 8 pound 9 oz boy last month, at 41 weeks 1 day exactly (and she was keeping track of her cycle, her dates were right on).

I think nutrition absolutely has a lot to do with the size of babies. Some of it is genetic too. My sis who just had the 8 pounder, her DH's family were all around 10-11 pounds at birth, all born at home too.

My sibs and I were all around 7 pounds, I *think* DH was about 7 at birth.
No idea how big other BIL was at birth, but his family are all on the short side, so that may have contriubted to the smaller babies, but just the times I was around my sister and saw how/what she ate I am certain her diet was a factor.

Kathryn

Average sized baby in the US is (or was, 2 yrs ago) 8 lbs 2 oz. My ob said little things add an ounce or two here or there: prenatal vitamins/better nutrition, better "lifestyle" choices (no smoking is a big one, no drinking), plus even things like women being so careful not to sleep on their backs.

I was 6 lbs 13 oz at two weeks post due. But let's also keep in mind that my mom (who was quite thin!) was told to only gain 20 lbs. I think that used to be fairly common. She kept to that. For my brother, 12 yrs later (mid-80s), she had no such restrictions, gained about 30 lbs, and he was 7-14 at 3 days prior to his EDD.

My first was 8-11 (late) and this one is looking to be at least 8 1/2 lbs, if I were to deliver in the next day or so. (Har har) More than that, probably. I can't account for it, as I am the smallest person in my family by far. (DH was close to, but under, 8lbs.) All my friends IRL built like me get to deliver babies that are 6-7lbs. Hmph.