Baby is measuring big

[fairfax]

I had a growth scan today (36w4d) and they said baby is measuring 8 lbs already 😫 My dr is ordering NSTs twice a week and talking about inducing at/around 39 weeks.

I’m feeling scared and upset. Pregnancy has been pretty textbook until now, I’ve done really well on weight gain (was overweight to begin with), no GD, etc. I just wasn’t expecting this twist I guess. And I feel guilty because, due to the fact that I’ve kept the weight gain under control until now, I’ve definitely not been eating as healthy or been as active the last couple weeks. So I feel like I’ve caused this.

Boo. Any good induction stories? I was hoping for the least amount of medical intervention possible but sounds like that might be out the window.

[sunflower17]

This isn’t your fault! I was induced at 38 weeks for increased BP and honestly, I hope I get induced this time too. I really liked knowing when I was going in and I had a good experience. It’ll be ok!
ETA- They said my daughter was 7 lbs at 36 weeks and when she was born at 38 weeks, she was 6 lbs 15 oz, so their estimates are not always accurate.

[robinsbff]

not your fault! those scans are notoriously unreliable too. they estimated my DS1 at over 9 pounds when born and he was like 7.5. the weight measurement is approximated from measures of the head, arm bone and leg bone. DS1's head was at the top of the charts (98th percentile) and the other bones were 35th and like 50th, that big head just threw everything off. this kid keeps measuring with a giant head as well which keeps putting his measurements on the high end too.

[knx9211]

Not your fault! And I agree that these are not always accurate. They thought DS was 7 pounds at 36 weeks and he was born a little over 2 weeks later at only 6 lb 11 oz. they had me ready for a 9 pounder!

[fayeelle]

Totally not your fault. At all.

DD's growth scans were accurate. 3 days before I delivered she measured at 9lb 4oz and born at 9lb 9oz 🤷‍♀️
She measured big the entire pregnancy and some docs ( I chose to rotate through the whole team) discussed induction/cs due to her size. Most didn't though and wanted to see how things progressed and only intervene if absolutely necessary.

[farfalla2011]

Try not to worry! They told me DS would be about 8lb 4oz and was born 6lb 14oz. You're almost to the end, hang in there and try not to beat yourself up about it. Sending lots of hugs!

[Susie]

I understand feeling that way, but truly, it is not your fault.  And it's likely that your baby isn't REALLY already 8 lb. at <37 weeks.  Those scans suck at estimating weight.

For my first baby I desperately wanted a spontaneous labor, med-free, all that.  It worked out that it happened that way, but then I had an elective induction for #2 and it was a good experience too.  I was 2cm at 39+3, and was induced with water breaking and then pitocin, and had about a 4 hour induced labor with med free vaginal delivery.  Everything went smoothly.  For as afraid as I was the first time of induction and the whole cascade of interventions that it can lead to, when it actually came down to it, it was more a welcome relief to have a baby under low stress/non-emergency/well-planned conditions.  

[stellelinds25]

What everyone else said...you didn't do anything to cause this! I don't have an induction story, but I will also be induced at 39w (I'm 35w now) and I'm actually pretty ok with it because I'm a planner and I like that I'll know when I'm going in (unless he decides to come early).

[Poppy]

I had one spontaneous labor and one induction and they were really similar and both med free. I don't know what specific interventions worry you, but other than misoprostol and pitocin on the induction, I don't think I had any. Both went smoothly! (On the induction, baby was not facing the optional direction and she was born quickly as is common with second babies so that got a bit tricky, they had to manually maneuver her but no forceps/vacuum/C-section or anything like that).

Also, my first was not nearly as big as they were estimating him to be. So try not to worry too much. Hugs.

[swiftlyirun]

My first was 2 days early and 8.4lbs (pretty accurate to scan) my second was born via induction at 41+1. They estimated DD2 at around 9lbs, she was 7.8. I was induced with pitocin and had her otherwise med free, very, very quickly.

Don’t let the scans freak you out, and as hard as it is, try to distract yourself.

[lucky428]

Please don’t feel guilty.

These size estimates can be quite inaccurate. My first baby was going to be “approaching 9lbs” and was 7lb8oz. My second baby needed an extra growth ultrasound because she was little at her anatomy scan. She was in the high percentiles at her growth ultrasound to the point that the radiologist advised my OB to consider an early induction. (I had a scheduled cs so that didn’t matter.) She was born 7lb7oz.

Hang in there! You’ve done nothing wrong so please don’t be hard on yourself.

[fairfax]

Thanks all - I really appreciate hearing others’ experiences! I’m feeling slightly better today after talking with the dr and hearing that induction does not have a higher rate of c-sections, babies do well, it shouldn’t impact breastfeeding, etc.

And I really hope the scan estimate is off!!! Induction scheduled for 39w right now.

[jorja]

Well, I had great experiences with both augmentation of labor (my water broke and I didn’t start contractions on my own) and a true induction.

But, I’d push back a bit on automatic induction just based on estimated weight. They get those wrong a lot. Ask what your other options are. See if they’ll strip your membranes at 38 weeks, etc.

[dreamcrisp1]

I would also push back on an induction. Those estimates are notoriously inaccurate.

They told my friend that her baby would be over 10 pounds and tried to schedule her induction for 39 weeks but she said no. Her baby was born at almost 41 weeks and was just under 9 pounds.