38 weeks, ultrasound said already 4kg. Doctor booked me in to be induce. Bit scared..

[mandi85]

Hi, i have been measuring a few weeks ahead throughout my pregnancy. I had a ultrasound at 34 weeks saying she was 2.8kg and had another one yesterday at 38+1 weeks and she is now 4kgs. Hey head is meant to be normal size as i've been told but have a chubby belly. I have GD but hve had great low results throughout my pregnancy with just diet to the point they cut my amount of testing times down.
Anyways i know ultrasounds can be wrong, i'm just wondering how many are actually incorrect and correct. My belly is quite large which the ultrasound lady made very clear meany times but i've seen bigger bellies out there!
I'm not over weight and have been very active.
I have been booked in to be induced next Thursday so pretty scared now as all the natural water birth dreams i had are fading away unless she decides to come out before then but being my first time i doubt thats going to happen.
Please tell me what i'm in for and how many of your ultrasounds were correct.
:(
Thanks heaps ladies

[Chocolate All Gone Now]

:hugs:

At 35 weeks, a growth scan measured at 3.5kgs.
At 37w3d DD2 was born - 2.6kgs.

[headoverfeet]

DS1 my ultrasound was spot on. He was 8lb 3oz.
DS2 only had the 20 week scan, midwife estimated he was large but didn't feel the need to say anything. 9lb 6oz.
DD ultrasound said she was going to be bigger than DS2. She was 7lb7oz.

There is another thread around where the doc said her baby was gong to be 12lb baby was 10lb. They are so inaccurate and it gets worse the further along in pregnancy you are.

[crunchie]

Hi there, try not to stress. I was 41+6 on DS, I had a scan at 41 and the sonographer scared the crap out of me telling me he was a "huge baby well over 4kilos" well I had him 6 days later vaginally and drug free and he was 4.1kilos! On DD I was also told she was close to 4kilos but was born at 41 weeks 3.5kgs.

So I guess try and keep a positive mind, on DS I had wanted a natural labour and was so terrified that the minute I got to hospy I screamed for epidural, my midwife was fantastic and she reminded me I could do this and I didn't need drugs... I had him 20 mins later and only had 2 stitches!!!

I hope it all goes well for you and remember no matter how baby comes out as long as you are both healthy that's all that matters.

Sending good labour vibes your way!

[CakeyLoaf]

My us was spot on but its not an exact science. It all depends on the amount of fluid etc.

Good luck with your induction.

[Super Trooper]

Ugh. I was told DD was going to be big and i should be induced at 38weeks...

I refused, she came on her due date, was 8pd10 (so not small but def not too big for me)... She was born after 2.5hrs labour, no dramas.

In saying that i didnt have GD.. I was just a small young 19yo and the staff were using scare tactics on me *rolls eyes*

Sent from my GT-I9100T using BubHub

[Hamilicious]

Hi. I can't really help with the growth scan as DS was only 3kg when he was born, but I hope my induction story helps.

I had to be induced at 38+3 because I was bleeding and things weren't progressing on their own. I was pretty scared that it would lead to intervention upon intervention, but things went really well. I had my waters broken at 11.30am and contractions started after that. DH and I walked the hospital to try to get things moving but at 3.30 I was only 3cm so I was put on the synto drip. I continued walking until the contractions got too close together and I spent the remainder of my labour kneeling on the bed. I was on continuous feotal monitoring once I was on the bed but it didn't affect what I was doing. DS was born 8 hours after my waters were broken, 4 hours after I was put on the drip, and after only 2.5 hours of active labour. It was pretty intense, particularly once the contractions started coming without much of a break, but I had pethidine to help me relax. The only time I really struggled was during transition, but I think that's pretty normal no matter what type of labour.

I can't compare it to a 'natural' labour, but I have heard that inductions can be a lot more intense. It was hard work but amazing, I was really happy with my birth and I'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

Best of luck!

[Cluky79]

Hi Hun, I had GD with DS and I was induced at 39+3 although if we went by the ultrasound techs sizing I was due to have a small baby, I was put on fetal monitoring after that 36 week scan, DS was born a healthy 7lb 9. My OB was going to induce at 38 weeks he said that they usually do it around then anyway for someone with GD and he wouldn't let me go past 40weeks at all :(, because both DS and I were doing well with the monitoring he left us till 39+3.

I went in the night before the induction for the gel to be inserted twice once at 6pm then at 11pm (the gel burns a little but not to bad), I was taken to the delivery room the next morning (8:30am) where they broke my waters then started the centocin (sp??) drip, the contractions started right away, they were very manageable at around 11:30 they started to become harder contractions, I was having them every 5minutes (I think lol) lasting for 1minute, I was able to stay in an up write position or on a birthing ball for as long as I wanted, I wasn't able to labour in the bath like I'd hoped because they monitor you right the way through. My OB thought the whole process would take around 12hours however DS decided to make his entrance earlier at 3:12pm so just over 71/2 hours lol. It was painful but not unbearable, I had some gas that made me sick so I used it sparingly then at about 1pm they gave me a peth shot, just before his birth everything went calm and I couldn't feel contractions at all :) I loved the birth of my DS and would happily do it that way again :)

Good luck :)

[mandi85]

Thanks ladies, already starting to feel a bit less stressed. i have heard that being induce is alot more intense and being my first i was just hoping for a stright forward delivery lol everyone has told me nothing goes the way you want it with labour.

[mandi85]

Hi Hun, I had GD with DS and I was induced at 39+3 although if we went by the ultrasound techs sizing I was due to have a small baby, I was put on fetal monitoring after that 36 week scan, DS was born a healthy 7lb 9. My OB was going to induce at 38 weeks he said that they usually do it around then anyway for someone with GD and he wouldn't let me go past 40weeks at all :(, because both DS and I were doing well with the monitoring he left us till 39+3.

I went in the night before the induction for the gel to be inserted twice once at 6pm then at 11pm (the gel burns a little but not to bad), I was taken to the delivery room the next morning (8:30am) where they broke my waters then started the centocin (sp??) drip, the contractions started right away, they were very manageable at around 11:30 they started to become harder contractions, I was having them every 5minutes (I think lol) lasting for 1minute, I was able to stay in an up write position or on a birthing ball for as long as I wanted, I wasn't able to labour in the bath like I'd hoped because they monitor you right the way through. My OB thought the whole process would take around 12hours however DS decided to make his entrance earlier at 3:12pm so just over 71/2 hours lol. It was painful but not unbearable, I had some gas that made me sick so I used it sparingly then at about 1pm they gave me a peth shot, just before his birth everything went calm and I couldn't feel contractions at all :) I loved the birth of my DS and would happily do it that way again :)

Good luck :)

Thanks Cluky79, the doctor said i have to go in on wednesday night to get the gel then check in Thursday morning. I know it's going to hurt, the pain isn't too much of what worries me. It's the higher risk of c section that scares me because i can't get her out or from distress. I hope i have a birth like yours, it's amazing what hearing other peoples experiences can do for your stress levels when your entering the unknown!

:)

[missie_mack]

Size wise they said my DS was small. Like NICU small (I think they estimated about 5 pound) . He was born 9 pound.
With DD they were sure she was big. Like BIG 10 or 11 pound at least. She was born at 8 pound.

What is the issue with a big baby anyway? 4kg is only an average baby if you look at the Mothers and Babies report. Hardly big.

[Rose&Aurelia]

To be honest - being a 1st time mum, induced before 41wks you are looking more a c/s than vb.

does having a big baby scare you? Cos you can always go into labour naturally and if it doesnt work out then elect for a cs.

I refused a late scan for DD for this reason... DD ended up being 4kg and posterior but birthed vaginally with vac assistance (no tears) after being induced at 40+12. the induction did not help... it turned my beautiful anterior placed baby posterior and gave me horrific back pain.

[sweetpeamummy]

With my last I had an US on the Monday and they said 4.3kg give or take 800g. 800g is a lot for a new baby. He was born on the Friday 4.3kg.
Personally I would never be induce again after my DD1 and that was a best case scenario inducement.
Some people believes doctors know best, I believe we know what's best for our own bodies. So listen to what you think you should do.

[mandi85]

Size wise they said my DS was small. Like NICU small (I think they estimated about 5 pound) . He was born 9 pound.
With DD they were sure she was big. Like BIG 10 or 11 pound at least. She was born at 8 pound.

What is the issue with a big baby anyway? 4kg is only an average baby if you look at the Mothers and Babies report. Hardly big.

Truthfully yeah i am a little worried about having a big baby. I know 4kg is okay but if i were to let her go for another 3 weeks or so i am a little worried how big she will get.
Plus of course i'm not sure what i'm in for so have stupidly let others comments affect me. i had a lady say to me that having a baby at 4kg is going to be like ripping a chicken carcass in half nice eh! i try hard not to listen to all the negative comments but after a while they wiggle there way in.

[mandi85]

To be honest - being a 1st time mum, induced before 41wks you are looking more a c/s than vb.

does having a big baby scare you? Cos you can always go into labour naturally and if it doesnt work out then elect for a cs.

I refused a late scan for DD for this reason... DD ended up being 4kg and posterior but birthed vaginally with vac assistance (no tears) after being induced at 40+12. the induction did not help... it turned my beautiful anterior placed baby posterior and gave me horrific back pain.

Wish i refused it also but have just gone with the flow so far. :(

[sweetpeamummy]

The ripping chicken comment someone told you is disgusting. Personally I have birthed a 3.95 a 3.89 and a 4.3 baby naturally with no drugs and no stitches. I personally know of women who have birthed small babies and have had major tearing. It is not the size of the baby

[sweetpeamummy]

Oops pressed send accidentally. Birthing your first baby is a scary time because it is all so new but I just wanted to tell you that you can do it but you do need to listen to what your body wants to do.

[headoverfeet]

The ripping chicken comment someone told you is disgusting. Personally I have birthed a 3.95 a 3.89 and a 4.3 baby naturally with no drugs and no stitches. I personally know of women who have birthed small babies and have had major tearing. It is not the size of the baby

Totally agree! All 3 of mine were fine vaginal births with no issues all spontaneous with only my waters broken the first 2 times :yes: have you had a look at the cascade of intervention?

[mandi85]

The ripping chicken comment someone told you is disgusting. Personally I have birthed a 3.95 a 3.89 and a 4.3 baby naturally with no drugs and no stitches. I personally know of women who have birthed small babies and have had major tearing. It is not the size of the baby
Yeah i was so not impressed with the comment, i swear some ladies get there rocks off scarying the hell out of first timers.

[mandi85]

Totally agree! All 3 of mine were fine vaginal births with no issues all spontaneous with only my waters broken the first 2 times :yes: have you had a look at the cascade of intervention?

Thanks Thermolicious, i just googled the cascade of intervention. I wonder if it's still safe to wait with Gd? I might go back in and have a chat with the doc. I really had my heart set on a drug free water birth and if i get induced that goes out the window, at the same time if it's going to risk her health by waiting i will gladly give up my drug free water birth.

[natct]

My youngest sister had GD and went into ladour naturally at almost 42 weeks. She managed it with diet. My younger sister has GD but is due in a few weeks so don't know yet but they say ok size wise so far. I had threatened induction for my first with high blood pressure but went naturally while in hospital (lucky me) the labour went for 42 hours (OOOOCH) my second was induced early for blood pressure and came in 8 hours. The induced one I think hurt more because there is no break inbetween contractions to recover. It brought them on with one starting before the last was finished. I was on my back and I think because the waters were broken and me laying on my back he turned prosterior. That hurt a lot but I did manage to get him out and no there was no ripping of chickens anywhere. Labour both ways hurt like hell but just go with it, relax as much as you can and I repeated to myself it will stop when the baby is out.

Mine were sized larger than they were born at but they told me it wasn't an exact science and it could go a kilo either way of their measurement. I was more shocked at how inaccurate they knew it was and they were still scaring people.

Remember you are incharge and they can't force you to be induced. If you don't feel there is a valid reason for it then question it until you are satisfied otherwise this once off event will always play on your mind.

Best of luck and please let us know how everything goes.

[missie_mack]

Even if you asked the dr to assess it week by week. A week makes a big difference at this age. Fwiw most of my family have big babies, like 12 pounders. My Mum was the one who had the most traumatic births and my sibling and I were 7 pounders. Size has less to do with it than we think. Of course if your gd is presenting big issues that is different but size is only a guesstimate. Remember you have come from generations of women who have all done this and you were built to birth your babies xx

In a galaxy far far away....

[Cluky79]

Thanks Cluky79, the doctor said i have to go in on wednesday night to get the gel then check in Thursday morning. I know it's going to hurt, the pain isn't too much of what worries me. It's the higher risk of c section that scares me because i can't get her out or from distress. I hope i have a birth like yours, it's amazing what hearing other peoples experiences can do for your stress levels when your entering the unknown!

:)

I discussed with my OB how I didn't want a c-section or the induction to lead into the cascade of intervention, at 3pm he came into check me because earlier I had gone from 1cm dilated at 8:30am to 8 nearly 9cm at 12:30, he said that if DS wasn't out in 10minutes they would need to prepare for a c-section, DS was born 12 minutes later lol DH said it was like I said F off I'm not having that lol, my OB confirmed later it was a way of getting me to do the job lol.

Talk to your doc about your concerns and be upfront with the midwives too, they re there to support you :)

[headoverfeet]

Thanks Thermolicious, i just googled the cascade of intervention. I wonder if it's still safe to wait with Gd? I might go back in and have a chat with the doc. I really had my heart set on a drug free water birth and if i get induced that goes out the window, at the same time if it's going to risk her health by waiting i will gladly give up my drug free water birth.

If your gestational diabetes is being controlled then I don't see a reason to induce you early? Perhaps you should speak to your care provider about the benefits, risks, alternatives and doing nothing then liste nto your instincts. I agree with a previous poster who said at this gestation you'll be heading straight for a CS because your body is just not ripe and your baby isn't ready, forcing it to bloom before your both ready is going to more than likely be a long draw out procedure that could not only have negative health effects on both of you but mental ones as well.

IF it were me I would probably leave well alone if my GD was being controlled well. I would worry about the cascade of intervention and especially my baby having breathing difficulties at this gestation. If it came down to it and I had to choose between a vaginal birth now and a baby with breathing difficulties or a Cs later and a baby who has very little breathing difficulties (due to method of birth not gestation) I would choose the risk of a later Cs. Knowing that my GD was managed well my risk of growing a too big baby would be low and the possibility of a vaginal birth high.

Talk to your care provider, if your not happy seek a second opinion, it's your body your baby :)

[mandi85]

Thanks heaps ladies! I talked to the doc and he said due to the GD and as this is my first they dont want to take the risk of her getting too big and there being further complications as a result. He said we will try our hardest to avoid a c section but he believes i will be able to birth her viginally. As this is my first i think i will follow his advice and i'm only getting induced 4 day earlier then my due date. With GD they wont let me go a week over either so i would probably be getting induce then anyways. Still got my fingers crossed she'll decide to come all on her own before Thursday and then i get my planned birth but i'll just take things as it comes. Thanks for all the reassuring comments and all the important information, i really appreciate it all! I will let you all know how it all pans out.:fingerscrossed:

[Hamilicious]

Good luck! Now you need to get busy trying to convince her to join you earthside :goodvibes:

[Rachell]

Good luck!
I had an ultrasound at 38 weeks as I was measuring (fundal height) 6 weeks ahead. They thought I had to much fluid so was sent for a scan.
I was told bub was 9lbs 1oz and fluid was fine.
I was induced 2 days before my due date for other complications.
DD was born 10lbs 2oz (4.6kgs) So for me the scan was pretty spot on.
A girl at my husbands work just recently gave birth completely natural to a 11lbs 12oz baby.
She is a very petite lady, she told dh that it was an amazing birth, and he came out after 3 pushes and had a very speedy recovery.
Goodluck!
Sending some labour dust, let's hop bub comes soon for you.

[Atlantic Puffin]

Hey hun, my ob did a series of ultrasounds on the same machine every 2 weeks from 32 weeks.

My bubba was measuring big (9lbs 7oz) at 38+2... The decision was made for a few personal reasons to have a CS, and my bundle of love was born at 39weeks at exactly 9lbs 7oz (4270grams).....

So I'm my case yep the measurements were spot on!

[the girls mum]

How stressful for you! xxx

Ive had both types of birth - first one was induced with drugs and second drug free water birth - the second was by far the nicer experience and believe it or not LESS painful than the induced with drugs.

I am not sure with GD but dont be scared of 'big' babies.

I am tiny - 50kgs when not pregnant and tall and skinny - my first bub was 3.25kgs, and my second bub was 3.95kgs so just shy of 4kgs! I didnt need any stitches and only had slight grazing.... so i agree its definitely not the size of the babies, Ive had friends have tiny babies with tears, so dont focus on the size.

Perhaps talk to your doctor and say if they believe the GD is under control and baby is ok then you would like to see if you can go into labour naturally - then you can see how you go from there? You can always get intervention into the labour if needed?

Good luck - I know its very overwhelming with first bubs but if I could have my first birth over I would NOT induce. xxx (BUT I didnt have GDx)

[River Song]

my first bubba was 10lb 4oz (4.666kg)...natural, no drugs. i did end up with a few stitches but nothing major. Labour was 6 hours.

You can do it...being induced a few days before DD does not = c section.

Have a look at some things you can do to help before induction, natural remedies etc...things like epi no can help prepare you too. Massaging with oils can help too. Practice breathing and consider using a tens machine for pain relief to hold off drugs relief (if you need it).

Mainly, relax as much as you can. IF you need intervention you will be in the right place so surrender yourself to the birthing process and mostly, have a wonderful birth day of your little one, it is the start of a wonderful adventure of parenting.

[albear]

Truthfully yeah i am a little worried about having a big baby. I know 4kg is okay but if i were to let her go for another 3 weeks or so i am a little worried how big she will get.
Plus of course i'm not sure what i'm in for so have stupidly let others comments affect me. i had a lady say to me that having a baby at 4kg is going to be like ripping a chicken carcass in half nice eh! i try hard not to listen to all the negative comments but after a while they wiggle there way in.

I've had a 3.7kg bub and a 4.3kg bub, and my 4.3kg bub was an easier labour and birth! I don't know why that lady thinks it'd be like ripping a chicken carcass in half, but I had zero tears/grazes (I think the water birth and physiological pushing helped in that aspect).

Listen to your gut, read up about induction, read up about the cascade of intervention, decide what you're comfortable with and make sure your support person knows. Don't go along with it if you're not comfortable, question it. Read stories about big bubbas being birthed. Not everyone induction is bad, read positive stories about them too.

[mandi85]

Hey, just thought I'd give an update on how everything went down.
So I went in on the 14th to get induced, Stayed overnight and got hardly any sleep. Next morning I got my waters broke and the drips put in (ouch). I only managed to get a banana down me, 13 hours of labour with only getting to 9cm. Was getting contractions 5 every 10 mins with 1 min break in between so I ended up with a epidural after 7 hours and a lot of throwing up.
At the 10 hour mark was told I was 7cm and would be able to avoid a c section, then at 13 hours was 9cm and bub and I were starting to show signs of stress. In 15mins it was decided I was to get a c section as she was stressing and positioned wrong. So ended up with c section which is what I was trying to avoid but was told even if I tried to push bubs out it wouldnt have ended well.
Anyways I have a very healthy and happy 4.116kg baby girl called Savannah and am absolutely in love with her! Still very tender and feeling a bit ikky but getting there.
Thanks everyone for your advice and info. :)

[Cluky79]

Congrats and welcome to the world Savannah, you tried your hardest Hun, I hope you feel better real soon

[crunchie]

Only just seeing your update now OP. congratulations on your birth. Im sure you are feeling much better by now!