Steph, thanks. Baby Anna is doing great now, almost 3 weeks old!
One of my OB-GYN's concerns was that our big boy was measuring with a larger diameter at the abdomen than at the head, which concerned her. I think that she said this was likely a result of having diabetes and that it could cause complications with the delivery.
I know, I could not believe that my OB (and the attending on call that day) did give me the choice. She actually used the phrase "we will offer you a c-section," which was totally confusing since she had previously told me that an infant of a diabetic mother over 4500g would be an automatic c-section. I feel that it was the only choice I could have made. The only reason I think it feels really hard to me is that I had to be under general, so I didn't get to experience the birth. It felt very surreal to wake up from surgery, know that my baby was out there somewhere, and not get to meet her for a few more hours. But as everyone says, the most important thing is that we were both healthy and well taken care of. And my husband and my mom did get to see the baby right after she was born.
(for some reason this comment is showing up in a weird place, not after the comment I intended to reply to!)
There are definatly old wives tales concerning this! The midwife I work with says small feet equal small pelvis. A anesthesiologist I work with has this hand/hip measurement thing she does. A couple seasoned nurses I work with doubted by ability to birth anything over a 7.5lb baby ( iguess because my non-pregnant size is 5'6 135lbs and have what I call boy hips!). They were wrong though!!!
The docs will do a measurement/estimate when they do your initial pelvic exam. Other than that there is no way of telling until birth with anyone! The difference is with a non diabetic if the baby isnt going to fit it will usually be the head which would give enough time to get back to surgery for c-sect. It it were a diabetic...baby may not fit until head is already out which could lead to a life/death emergency. A crystal ball would sure be nice!
your sister is a rock star!
Thanks for the info! Then I guess it was best to trust my OB-GYN who decided on a c-section. She was worried about our big guy whose abdomen was bigger than his head and said that she felt it was too risky to let me have a vaginal birth.
Many times since the birth, I wish that I had had the chance to try, but avoiding the life/death emergency was the number 1 priority!
Births with larger babies are better doable when diabetes is not involved. Diabetes causes babies to not only be big but macrosomic. Our babies aren't just big but they have larger chests and shoulders which complicate a natural birth.
I've done both. I had a natural birth 9 years ago and a c-section last year.
I had a macrosomic baby 15 months ago despite having tight control and an A1c of 5.0 He was born at 37 weeks and weighed 9lbs 4 oz.,, not that big right? Except that his chest was 15 inches in circumference. Ouch!
I was planning a natural birth. The birthing tub was set up and full of water,, I was in heavy labor and the midwife just broke down and said "I don't feel good about this". She was afraid she would need to break a shoulder to get him out which runs a risk of ebs palsy, a form of paralysis. I trust my midwife and she made the right call, especially after she explained what happens when a baby is stuck in the birth canal and the head has been delivered and the shoulders won't budge, even after breaking one,, they baby must be pushed back up and then a c-section performed. One more heavy contraction and I was fully willing to do the c-section,,lol My hospital has a less than 15 percent c-section rate,,they don't do them without a good reason while another hospital across town has a 50% c-section rate and they don't even allow women to go into labor because c-sections are so routinely scheduled. I chose my hospital to get away from the knife wielding surgeons.
I am now 10 weeks pregnant again. My doctor is willing to let me try for a vbac. I go to a very natural-birth friendly group/hospital. She and I both doubt it will happen but she is willing let me try however I wish. I'm not counting on it but I will say that after having a c-section, I can't imagine anyone choosing that route out of convenience,,that was miserable and painful and I healed much better with my natural birth despite my botched episiotomy. I will probably go the c-section route again however.
Natural birth is absolutely possible, just keep in mind however that our babies are big in more ways than just weight. Do some research on macrosomia and you'll see what I mean.
I am 30 weeks pregnant with my second and am fearing C-section may be the call this time. My first son was bron by VB but I went into early labour at 35 weeks and he was already 8lb. My Ob-Gyn has told me that this baby is tracking larger than my son (even with much better BG control) and in fact informed me at my 27 week US that this is probably the largest baby he has ever seen for 27 weeks (and he is a very experienced OB-Gyn). He has warned me that if US close to birth shows the baby looking like it might be over 10lb then I will have no choice as te risks are too high. Under this I should be allowed to try for VB as large babies run in both families. Part of the large size of this baby is my diabetes but part is just genetics, I was born over 9lb and so was my husband, I am 6' tall and my husband is 6'3", large babies and tall adults are just expected :)
I am a little concerned that the only way I may deliver by VB again is if I go into premature labour again, but I don't want to wish for this as we were blessed last time that my son had no real issues and I don't want to risk this baby having problems. I really don't want a c-section though as all my family is on the other side of the world so would be a harder recovery without any extra support but I have accepted that if it comes to me needing a c-section it will be because it is the safest option and that we will cope.
9lb isn't that big a baby so I would think you should still be OK to go for VB if baby continues to track to that size - me hearing that my baby might be a 12 lb-er if I go to term on the other hand is a little scary!! Good luck :)
Oh, I hope your baby doesn't end up too big!
Today my ob told me that the baby's growth seems to have slowed down a bit which is good so I'm thankful for that. I don't seem to have put on any weight for a couple of weeks too-which is a first for this whole pregnancy!
I have literally just returned from hospital having this morning given birth. I apologize if anyone is offended by what I am going to say and I acknowledge I am stuffed full of hormones and being even more opinionated than usual but here are my two cents.
I gave birth this morning at 34 weeks 5 days. My blood sugar has been very good throughout my pregnancy (A1C of 4.9-5.1) and my baby was at 50-60th percentile for everything. She came out at 4.6 pounds (2.1 kg) but because I'm not genetically built to have big babies, there was some tearing. I was also told there was no time for an epidural but a)am convinced the midwife was lying to me b)it was a moot point because the worst of the pain was over by that time and the actual pushing was a walk in the park compared to being split in two by the middle stage of the contractions.
I have a low pain threshold, have dreaded childbirth all my life, suffer from high blood pressure which is very sensitive to pain, and am close enough to my DKA diagnosis to remember that stress and high blood sugars is not a good combination. For all of those reasons, what I desperately wanted was a quick, clinical C-section which I would not have to stress too much about. I know that C-sections do go wrong but had heard good enough things from friends who have had elective C-sections.
I absolutely respect the right of anybody who hopes to have a natural childbirth but I've just come home from one and it was the most terrifying, humiliating and excruciating thing that has ever happened to me and I would not wish it on my worst enemy as the most cruel and unusual punishment ever invented. I have heard people say 'oh yeah it hurts but you forget it the moment they put the baby in your arms'. Well that wasn't the case for me. I keep having flashbacks to the worst horror movie ever, and let me tell you, I don't even like horror movies normally, least of all being the featured star. When it was all over they whisked baby away to neonatal intensive care where she is being very well looked after. Another midwife came in to clean me up and hoisted my legs onto a plastic frame and started sewing me up. Just like I once sewed up a pig's stomach for cooking a southern German pork specialty. And that's what the whole thing made me feel like. Little more than an animal. I cried for over an hour straight.
Maybe you should be careful what you wish for but let me tell you if my medical team had offered me a C-section I would have been on the ground kissing their feet.
Once again I apologize if my strong words have upset or offended anyone. If I had known what a natural childbirth was really like, I would have taken a vow of lifetime abstinence.
Just saw my ob-gyn again this week and looks like I should be OK as long as baby comes before 38 weeks, which is very likely given my history. He estimates that this baby would reach 11 lb if I went to term but is pretty convinced that I won't go that long. Now it is just a waiting game to see what date this baby decides is the perfect day to be born :)
I am so sorry to hear that you had such a rough experience and that your medical team were not as supportive as they should have been at this time. I hope that you recover quickly and that in time the memories will fade for you and you can look back at this time with less fear and horror. (((big hugs))). Get as much rest as you can and take comfort in the wondrous snuggles of your baby girl and the special bonding time with her.
I have a good friend, non-diabetic, who just delivered an 11 lb, 10 oz baby vaginally. 23.75" long, too! She is an average-sized woman, too, but I believe bigger babies run in her family (but not that big!)
She gives me courage :D I'm tall (5'10") and my husband is TALL (6'6") so we'll see what kind of advice I get when it's my turn for a baby!
My best friend had two nearly 11 pound babies she delivered naturally too. However because she does not have diabetes, they were not macrosomic with larger chests like my post diabetes baby. I've had both a vaginal and c-section delivery. Vaginal was before my diabetes, c-section was after and there was a huge difference in not only size but my baby born after my diabetes had a much larger chest and shoulders due to the diabetic macrosomia.