B- I’m having a big baby! Or am I?
I’m having a big baby! Or am I?
One of the biggest concerns I hear is, “my doctor said my baby is measuring big!”
But what does that mean? And is your baby going to be as big as the doctors predict?
The average newborn is 3.5 kg or 7.5 lbs, but anywhere from 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) to 4.5 kg (10 lbs) is still considered normal! Yes, a 10lbs baby is normal and can be born vaginally. Babies, just like their parents, come in all shapes and sizes.
Have you recently had an ultrasound and were told that your baby is in the 95th percentile? I will admit that it can be a scary thing to hear. Luckily it isn’t always true. My youngest child was predicted to be “pushing 10lbs” after an ultrasound at 37 weeks pregnant, but when he was born a few weeks later, he was 8lbs and the smallest of my babies.
According to this study, the estimated fetal weight (EFW) is often overestimated. Ultrasounds can be off by as much as 15% (above or below). That means that a baby estimated to be 8 lbs might be less than 7 lbs!
If your doctor believes your baby to be on the bigger side, it is a great time to use BRAIN to help you decide what you are most comfortable with moving forward.
If your baby is on the bigger size, some risks do increase. A skilled care provider can handle most of these cases; between 7%-15% of big babies will have difficulty with shoulder dystocia. This data set concluded that 1% of average-sized babies also had shoulder dystocia, so it isn’t only something that affects bigger babies.
Your doctor may suggest an induction, which decreases the odds of complications due to the shoulders but induction has other potential complications. That is why having an informed choice discussion with your doctor is so important. Talk to your doctor about your options, the benefits, and the risks to your specific situation while keeping in mind that there is no way to predict birth!
I am curious, did your care provider predict a big baby for you? What were their predictions, and how big was your baby(ies) at birth?
This is the second post in a series of “alphabet blog posts”. Keep an eye out for all the other letters coming soon!
My own 9 lbs 12 oz baby boy, Austin.