Talk to me about babies measuring big (5.5lbs at 32 weeks), monitoring and avoiding induction!

[mella]

@omnitude It is not evidence based to induce based on large size estimates alone. If there are legitimate medical reason to induce only then consider it. You get to politely decline any and all treatment as it is your healthcare. There are consequences to choosing things that can clearly be sighted as detrimental to your child’s well being but this is not one of them because the evidence to back up this move is spotty at best and downright wrong at worst.

 

[robin459]

@omnitude You don't need to get induced for a "big baby". I was told both my babies were big at ultra sounds. My first was 7 pounds born at 37 weeks, my second was 10 pounds at almost 40 weeks. They were both born at home. Everything was fine. I know people make it seem like big babies are the end of the world but they are not

 

[timothy91]

@omnitude 1 week before my due date, little guy was measuring “8.5 lbs plus or minus a pound.” I had a gut feeling he was closing in on 10, not 7.5, so I asked my doctor how soon we could get him out because I didn’t want to deliver a 10 lb baby.

My cervix wasn’t showing any signs of being ready to get a baby out, so I sat in the hospital for a day and a half with cervical softening insert pills that were supposed to get me ready for an induction. However, my body was not responding. And then the on duty doctor came in that day and he was ROUGH doing my cervical exam. As soon as he left I told the nurse “that man isn’t touching me again, and I’m not sitting here for several more days waiting on this to work. Call my doctor. I want a c section.” I got a c section the next day, and little guy weight 9 lbs 9 oz. with a massive melon. When the nurses measured his head they laughed and laughed and said he was never gonna come out of me. If I had proceeded with a vaginal birth, it likely would’ve turned into an emergency c section.

Moral of the story? Follow your gut, and listen to the universe. As much as I hated that male doctor for how rough he was, I feel like it pushed me into making the right decision for my situation.

 

[missonbound]

@omnitude I honestly eye roll when they use the “measuring big” excuse. Gotta remember an induction means $$$$$ for them. You naturally going into labor and having a vaginal birth is financially not what they want. They want that induction and cascade of interventions for profit and the golden nugget would be to end up in a csection for “fetal distress” or “water being broken too long” or one of their many other catch phrases. I’ve lived and learned a couple times

 

[omnitude]

@missonbound I totally agree with this- however it’s so nerve wracking to hear a phrase like “fetal distress” or “elevated heartrate “ and then make a decision not to do what the doctor says. I wish we could just trust them. It’s so crazy.

 

[missonbound]

@omnitude Honestly just educate yourself and be your biggest advocate because they’ll feed off that fear. I had to stand my ground on a lot of things and they would flood my room with doctors and corner us and eventually make us sign consent forms because I wasn’t willing to just hand over my baby or my body. You know yourself best!! wishing you all the best.

 

[polygonon]

@omnitude Every woman and every labour is sooo different.

With my first, I had an induction at 40 weeks after a week of prodomal labor & my water breaking. Baby was stuck and I needed the pitocin to get her unstuck. She was born literally a minute after she was flipped. Some women can deliver sunny side babies - my anatomy said no.

With my second, I pushed hard for an induction. Baby was measuring much larger, also sunnyside. I felt like if I went a week early it would give me the best chance of delivering her vaginally. My OB was all about the ARRIVE study and had offered me 39 weeks. Covid changed all that and our (both my OBs and my) reasoning for an induction was no longer considered acceptable by the hospital. Instead, at 40+3 I laboured for hours to 10 cm before they conceded that she was good and stuck, and we needed an emergency C.

 

[lharabauer]

@omnitude My scans leading up to delivery were showing babe would be like 8lbs. Ended up being just a hair over 6 lbs so....

 

[clh777]

@omnitude Our midwives wouldn’t give us suspected measurements because it isn’t accurate enough.

 

[mochadiva]

@omnitude Unless there's an actual medical reason for induction or you you want one, I would personally decline to be induced for size alone. The size of the baby generally has little to do with complications, it has more to do with your physiology and the baby's position. Anecdotally, I knew I'd have a big baby (husband and I were big babies so the odds were good, she was 9lbs10oz. I pushed her out in three minutes and minimal tearing, meanwhile, some birthing parents have instrument assisted births with a 6lber.. I wouldn't worry about the size.

I'd suggest reading the articles on the topics of large for gestational age and induction on Evidence Based Birth, or listen to the podcast.

As for your doula, you're paying for her expertise and support, have a conversation with her about how you want to be supported if you don't feel like you're being supported.

 

[rarapvpi]

@omnitude I wouldn't worry so much although I don't know what happened with your induction the first time. I have had 3 completely different births. The first birth took so much longer than the following, past the time considered normal. It is likely that your second birth will be different and not take as long. I don't see any reason to make a decision now at 32 weeks unless they suspect you or the unborn baby has a medical condition. Ask them what they are looking for because you are not having the baby at 32 weeks. With my first baby, they said I was wrong about when I got pregnant. They did two ultrasounds a month apart to measure the baby's head. Then changed my due date to a month earlier meaning my pregnancy was a month further along then I thought. He did have the biggest head in the nursery at birth, my pushing was futile, and the ob had to use forceps. The second baby was a girl with a smaller head but heavier. I was ready to push at arrival but hemorrhaged afterwards. The third baby was scheduled for induction and I received an epidural. Took longer than the ob wanted but way less painful and traumatic with no negative outcome. So many women now have caesarian section now and have problems that require it like hypertension in pregnancy. Hopefully you are taking your blood pressure at home. Don't worry because you can get through anything that happens and your doctor may be one who is cautious.

 

[saidagha]

@omnitude My first baby was measuring 4 lbs at 36 weeks. Dr wanted to induce and two days later, he popped out, 6lbs and some change. He didn’t gain two pounds in two days. Ultrasound is not always right. Maybe your baby is just gonna be tall.

 

[poetryoflife1971]

@omnitude I think inductions will slowly fade into the abyss someday. Don't let anyone strongarm you into an induction. There is plenty of research showing that not only those measurements can be wildly inaccurate, but that inducing puts undo stress on the baby and the mom for creating unnaturally strong contractions.. Honestly Reddit isn't the best resource because they are generally pro-induction, I would talk to other mamas groups on Facebook and hear their experiences

 

[kroglk51]

@omnitude Doctor told me baby would be average and all was normal after I raised concerns that I thought he was big and his movement was limited.

I was right, A 9lb 14oz baby stuck in my pelvis.

Trust your gut.