Hellobee Boards

My LO was measuring big so they made me get an ultrasound. They said she was bigger than average but not big enough that I'd have to get a c-section. She was 8 lbs 13 oz, on my due date. I have friends with bigger babies than that who also didn't have to have a c-section.

My MW has delivered a LOT of big babies!

Just last week she delivered a 9 1/2 lb'r to a mom & a 10+lb'r to a ftm mom. The 9 1/2lb baby took a tad longer since his hand was up at his face but neither had any issues. Both were able to move & change delivery positions to what worked for them though so that is likely what may their delivery possible.

I know my MW has delivered even more large babies, but these are just the recents =)

My daughter was 8lbs 15 oz and I delivered her without a problem. My mom delivered all of her babies without any issues and we were all pretty big (her first was 10lbs 10oz).

I also had a c-section because my son was breech and I agree with @livsmama, the c-section (at least for me) wasn't bad at all. For baby #2, I chose to have a repeat c-section! A very close friend of mine had GD and her baby was 9lbs 10oz and she delivered her baby naturally. So it can happen either way!

My BFF had two 9+ lb babies vaginally (with epidural) and my cousin had her 9+ lb baby vaginally without epidural! It definitely can be done although you don't hear about it a lot these days with the rise in C-sections. Good luck! Wishing you a healthy and speedy labor and delivery!

@bree72: glad to help. There is more info here in her birth story that I wrote http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/baby-kellyvs-birth-story

My brother and SIL have 8 children and the last 2 have both been 10lbs+ (within a few oz of eachother!) which she delivered naturally. One was a waterbirth and one was not.

I went through a long labor, pushed for 3 hours, and ended up with a c-section for a lot of reasons (heart rate dropped to 80 and didn't really recover, lots of meconium in the fluid, head a bit twisted in the canal, and failure to progress after pushing for 3 hours/being at 10cm for 4 hours). Baby ended up being 8lbs 1oz-- not huge but still apparently big enough for me to have a tough time. Anyway, DH was with me the entire time during labor, pushing, c-section, and recovery. Baby X was with us the whole time too, after he came out I was alert during the c-section and felt no pain-- just pressure and tugging, Baby X was held by DH as soon as they cleaned him off and got his APGAR scores, the anesthesiologist took pictures of the 3 of us while I was on the table being stitched up, and when we were all wheeled to the recovery room, Baby X latched on right away and I've been able to BF (5.5 months and going strong)-- he was alert and happy. None of those horror stories you hear about the babies being whisked away or the support person not being allowed or abnormal difficulties BFing. I was in pain after the c-section, and looking back, I was in more pain than I realized (after the first couple of days it was just when I was raising myself to a seated position from lying down, getting in and out of the car-- anything that used abdominal muscles), but the pain from labor contractions was so fresh that the pain from the incision felt like NOTHIN'. I was on percoset and a giant dose of ibuprofen for 2 weeks, and after that was pain free and back to normal in another week or 2. I was exhausted easily for 4 weeks, and moved slowly, but it wasn't awful. But overall, I'd say the c-section was a good experience, better than what it would have been with a vaginal delivery. I'm still keeping the VBAC option on the table with any future babies because I know it's better for me, but I have to say, in terms of recovery, I'd take the c-section over vaginal delivery.

On the other extreme- my son was estimated to be 9lbs + at birth, I was positively feaked out! I didn't think he would be able to come out naturally, he had been measuring big all along. My doctor gave me 3 hours to push, otherwise we would go to surgery, which he wanted to avoid if possible. At 3 hours and 20 minutes of pushing my son came out naturally- at 6lbs 11 oz. He was very long, which had made their estimates much higher than he was, so their estimates are just that- estimates.

Hang in there, while labor isn't exactly something you can control, in the end you will have a perfect baby, so all you can do is go along for the ride! I wish I had that mind frame before labor, I probably would have pushed harder had I not expected it all to end in a c-section.

@LivsMama: Thanks for the link. I forgot you had written a whole post on it. I just knew that I had read a few things about your experience in different replies. I remember the post, now, though.
And I am a bit worried about BF after a c-section, but luckily I was listening half heartedly during that part of my breastfeeding class, and remember the lactation consultant said we could ask for one of them to be in the room when we deliver to help you feed immediately after birth. I guess you're drugged pretty well and the LC said that they've been known to hold the baby and your boob for you while your sleeping from the medications. I'll probably give her a call here in a few days to be sure I know what the plan is.

I had GD but the baby was the opposite on the small side. I had to get induced because too much fluid. Honestly, as long as you get the epi you'll be fine. I didn't feel anything