Some Babies are Just Big

Two weeks ago my friend birthed her son, lying on her side, 5 days past her estimated due date.  Her baby was 10 pounds 4 ounces.  Now we know mom's apparent "size" doesn't matter, the size that counts is the pelvic inlet and outlet.  My friend should be the poster child for moms who are nervous about big babies because the reality is that too many women with "small hips" worry about big babies.  When not pregnant my friend wears a size 2 and is 118 pounds (she is quite tall, about 5'8).  She has the kind of hips doctors might like to fret about, but we know better.  Immediately after the birth my friend noted, "it wasn't that bad at all."

Now what do you think would have happened if this mom had been told repeatedly before the birth that her baby would be AT LEAST 10 POUNDS!!!!!!! and that she should be concerned about shoulder dystocia....

Comments

[EnjoyBirth]

Very nice story. I agree, if she had care providers telling her she couldn't do it, then it could have impacted her birth.

When I birthed my 9 pound 4 oz VBAC baby, my OB said, "If I had known he was going to be this big, I would have never let you try for a VBAC." I said, "Thank goodness you didn't know, because I obviously could do it!"

[Grace]

Exactly what is happening over here: findingyourself.net

[Kat]

Grace, I am not sure I understand your comment. From reading your blog, it sounds like you had a very traumatic birth experience and I am glad you have found healing, it can't have been easy. Fear of losing a baby is not an easy thing to handle. I had hemorrhaging with my second pregnancy and the medical community was pretty certain I would not keep the baby, and yet I went on to have a glorious VBAC. Sometimes babies are indeed too big for mom but it isn't just about the weight/size of the baby. Many (but not all) moms birth "big" babies with little effort. It is about the passage and the position of the baby as well and each mom/baby story is different. According to ACOG, there is no way to predict a big baby until it is out and ACOG also acknowledges that palpation by a trained attendant is just as good as ultrasound. That said, you also have to listen to your body and your heart. If you are afraid, your body might not be able to open up and birth safely, whether your baby is big or small. I wish you the best of luck on your journey! It is what your heart, not your readers tells you to do that is important.