measuring ahead

I had similar measurements with my pregnancy, meauring 2-3 weeks ahead the whole way through. I was borderline macrosomia, which means large baby sydrome. I was told at my 34 week scan that Lauren was already 7lbs 4oz and I freaked out, I had fortnightly scans from 28 weeks to determine how fast this baby was growing!

She was born at 38 weeks at 9lbs, so she was a big bubba and especially for my first! I wasn't induced, she came early naturally.

I never wanted to be induced even though I was having a whopper, I was all for a natural birth. I ended up with an emergency c section as she was clearly a big baby, posterior positioning and forehead presentation. There was no way she could fit out that way!!

Hope my experience can help a little bit!

Baby's size can be one indication for a c-sect, one of our Oct '06 mums just had baby #2 by c-sect as baby was big and malpresenting. They tend to look at the bigger picture tho, not just baby's size - how is baby presenting, gestation, obstetric history (with your first baby they like to avoid a c-sect where possible as it can limit your options with subsequent births), mother's wellbeing (anxiety towards the birth etc.).

They don't routinely induce due to big-for-dates, but you can request it.

My Maya was 7lb9oz at 36 weeks on the growth scan, she was born at 38 weeks 9lb1oz after a spontaneous labour. I did seriously consider a c-sect as she was my first baby and I had no idea what to expect, and we knew she was big and posterior. My midwife was confident that I could deliver her vaginally and whilst I had a long labour, the delivery itself was straightforward and because I didn't have a c-sect I was later able to deliver my twins vaginally, had I had a c-sect they probably wouldn't have allowed me to try.

I'd have a chat to your midwife, explain your fears to her and maybe even ask for a referral to the hospital to talk it over with an OB, they can let you know what your options are and hopefully reassure you.

Best of luck!

ETA: Maya's weight

Edited by Maya

I only had a scan once I was a week overdue, and although the estimate of size was pretty bang on (3.9kg, and she was 4.08kg), my labour was very straightforward and I had only 8 hours of active labour. I think baby's presentation is a far bigger factor as to the difficulty of the labour (and things like head size etc). I honestly believe that your body will generally not grow a baby that you cannot birth. There are of course factors that come into play, out of your control that mean you might end up with a c-section, but your body recovers so much more quickly from a vaginal delivery. As Emma mentioned also, you might end up going into spontaneous labour before your due date.

My advice - try and trust your body, and definitely talk to your midwife. Good luck!

ETA for spelling....

Edited by blondy

They will usually not look at a case at all unless you are over 4 weeks ahead or behind. I was measuring 5 weeks behind from 34 weeks which trust me is of greater concern than ahead unless you have GD, and I was borderline, just had to be monitored and was threatened with induction every week until the got to Xmas and didn't have enough staff to bother

Also, if baby is 7lb4oz at the moment at 36w, your probably not going to have a 10lb'er. They grow about 1 1/2 lb by then end on average I think (sorry been a while) so you will probably have a normal sized baby if you go on averages.

Best of luck! Oh, and the size doesn't matter really anyway (unless of course they're 12lb +!) its the head circumference and the presentation. A 5lb posterior baby can often be harder to push out than a 10lb anterior baby IYKWIM.

Ah I wouldn't worry about it. There is some give and take with weight estimates from scans and bubs will be just rounding out the final growth spurt before birth anyway - so I reckon it will all even out.

Also weight is not always an indication of fitting out or not - if baby's length is adding to the weight then you'll have no problems at all, because it's the head and shoulders that make all the difference.

Final thought, c/s is not an easy way out. As a mum who has had c/s and VB, let me say that they are the same amount of work and recovery, just the VB is more preliminary and the c/s is more recovery.

busymum wrote: Final thought, c/s is not an easy way out. As a mum who has had c/s and VB, let me say that they are the same amount of work and recovery, just the VB is more preliminary and the c/s is more recovery.

That is so well put! I was trying to have a discussion with someone about this the other day when they said they didn't want to push a baby out their v-jay-jay.