Measuring Ahead and Delivering Earlier?

With my last baby I threw up pretty much the entire pregnancy and I lost weight never did really gain anything. The week before my induction my sono said baby was 8 lbs 6 oz a week later i went to doctor was already at a 6 and he said I could hed to the hospital or home. I told him we'd met him at the hospital. I had contractions for over a month before she was born. My youngest daughter was born weighing 8 lbs 9.5 oz.

My other two kids a girl now 7 years old weighed 7 lbs 9 oz. My son now 6 years old was born early at 35 weeks he weighed 6 lbs 7 oz. My sons dad was almost an 11 pound baby so I was glad for him being early.
Hang in there what ever happens you will have a baby to love on soon. Best of luck with the rest of the pregnancy and the delivery! Congratulations!

I was always larger than expected. At one point the DR. thought I might be having twins.I had a 9lb.5oz. baby boy.I did not deliver early.In fact I would not go in to labor even though I had dilated to 8 so the Dr. induced 2 days prior to my due date.

I'm only 22 weeks and my tummy is measuring at 25 weeks. I have what the doctor likes to call "a little fluff" so that explains it. My ultrasounds are measuring right on track. So you have to take into account if you had a pooch before you got pregnant.
Good Luck!

Hi B.,

I measured ahead with my last baby, but I don't recall how much. He was born at 37 weeks, 6 days, and weighed 9 lbs 6 oz. This was not an induction-my labor started on its own at home. I am currently 37 weeks pregnant today, and this baby measured at 36 weeks by the time I was 30 weeks, and has consistently measured about 4-5 weeks ahead. My midwife gave me a weight estimate last wed. and said he feels about 8.5 lbs already.

I am hoping that I go into labor soon, because I really don't want to squeeze out a baby buffalo! I know every pregnancy is different, but I hope this labor goes like my last! I've been rally crampy the last few days, with a lot of pelvic pressure, but other than that, I've had no signs of labor. Anyway, I'm sure the timing will be perfect, as it always is, but it's hard not to get anxious! Good luck, and hang in there.

K.

I measured a couple weeks ahead, and went into labor naturally about a week ahead. Had a "normal/small" sized baby for my family... at 10lb 23" ((Normal for my family is 10-12 lbs)

I will try to stick to your two questions! = )

1.) Yes. Measured ahead of date by 1-2 weeks from my 8 wk visit on. And I trusted this measurement...I am 5'2" and weighed 105 lbs at my 1st appt and so all they were measuring was baby. Was dilated and effaced early. Had braxton hicks too. At 7 months, my OB forecast a 9 lb baby was coming. And no...My husband is not big either.

2.) No. Heck no. Had my membranes stripped at 38 weeks. Nothing. Got gelled on my due date. Contractions that petered out. Induced with pitocin at 9 days late. Petered out over-night and they were so busy they sent me home. Finally got labor started at 11 days late. After 15 hours of labor and just 5 cm....Got the c-birth I knew was in the cards and delivered a 9lb-15 oz boy with a head circumference off the charts. He is a tall, long legged, pipe-cleaner of a boy now and his head is normal tho he is (IMO) terribly smart. =)

Good Luck!!

The doctor was at least honest with you. This is really an inexact science. They really don't know. They told me that my second child was measuring just fine and that he would be about 7 lbs. He was born 2 days past his due date (doctor thought he would be earlier) and was 8lbs 13 oz. Even the doctor was surprised - when he was coming out she said "Oh my goodness, he must weigh 9 lbs..."

In general, second babies are larger, so given your daughter's size, this baby would be at least 8 lbs and it's certainly possibly he will be closer to 10 (my first was only 6lb 13oz). However, in my experience, the bigger baby doesn't necessarily mean a worse birth experience. Second babies usually deliver much more quickly - I was in the hospital and delivered my 2nd baby in under 5 hours. I was there over a day with my 1st baby. Since you are already under the care of a specialist, they'll be prepared to deal with anything that comes up. It might seem that the big babies have a hard time to fit out, but I am petite and still managed to deliver that big baby.

A bonus is that bigger babies are generally better eaters and sleepers early on. So, just relax and enjoy these last few weeks of quiet.

I never technically was told that I measured ahead, but throughout my pregnancy the doctor did tell me that my baby was quite large. I had a lot of ultrasounds so the combo of ultrasound + belly measurement confirmed this. I had a complication-free pregnancy otherwise.

I did not deliver early. I wasn't really effaced or dilated at all by 40 weeks, so I got induced on my due date. I could have waited to try for labor to come naturally, but my doctor knew the baby was big and said induction then was my only chance at a vaginal delivery.

After a long labor and a lot of pushing, my baby still did not budge - clearly he liked it in there! I had a c-section the day after my due date and delivered a 9 pound boy.

Good luck to you!
K.
http://www.citymommy.com
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Hey there I too measured big, 36 weeks at 32, 40 at 36, etc... Once I reached 36 weeks we did a sono and again at 38 weeks. I bad a lot more contractions and dilated to a 2 at week 37 then a 3 at 38 weeks. My daughter came 5 days early and weigherd 8 lb 9 oz, my OB just kept a close eye on us and we just let mother nature take its course. In my case I have big babies my son was 8 lb 7 oz 2 yrs ago. U know your body best, just take it easy and if u ever just feel off go see your OB, that is why what they r for... At least for us moms ..peace of mind. Good luck

My first child, a daughter, was right on time. My second, a son, measured ahead and was estimated to be over 9 lbs so they induced early and he ended up being only 8 lbs. 1 1/2 oz. My daughter was 8 lbs. 6 oz., 19 inches long, and was strong and healthy. My son was 21 inches long and much weaker and thin so I ended up breast feeding him a lot longer than my daughter and now he is healthy and strong. Just keep in mind that doctors' estimates can be pretty far off.

I measured big with both of mine, yet both of them were average weight. They can't tell everything with a sono or measuring you.

With my first pregnancy I measured about 2 weeks ahead. After the sonogram, they predicted my son to be about 8 1/2 to 9 pounds. The dr. was unsure if this was how big my son was going to be, but took into consideration that my father was 12 lbs at birth and my husband was over 10 lbs at birth. I ended up being induced at 37 weeks bc of pre-eclampsia and delivered a 7 lb 11 oz baby. I had to have a c-section bc of complications and when they delivered my son, all my dr. could say was "huh"...the dr. thought my son would be bigger. I didn't gain any weight with that pregnancy and was about -5 lbs when I gave birth (very bad morning sickness). This pregnancy I am measuring around 3 weeks early and they are predicting another big boy. But I am still -15 lbs...so we will see.
On the other hand my sister measured about 2 weeks ahead on both of her pregnancies and they predicted 9 lb babies, and she had an 8 lb 11 oz baby and an 8 lb 13 oz baby about 1 week ahead of schedule So they were right on cue with her. But I still say it's not an exact science.

I measured ahead the whole pregnacy and my son ended up weighing 10 pounds & 5 oz. My little bun in the oven decided he wanted to cook a little longer and I ended up having a c-section two weeks after my due date. He just did not want to come out. My doctor told me the whole pregnacy that I was going to have a BIG BABY which really scared me. After the c-section they told me not to lift anything heavier than 10 pounds...what I am not supposed to pick up by baby. Yeah right. But everything turned out okay. He is now 15 y.o. and is a foot taller than me and still growing!

I think it's different for everyone. My girlfriend just delivered her second baby at 39 weeks, and she measured two weeks bigger from 30 weeks on. The baby weighed in at 8 lbs 5 oz, and it was a scheduled c-section so she didn't go "early".

Just because you may be having a bigger baby doesn't always mean you'll deliver earlier. You might make it the entire way. It just depends on how much your uterus can hold. I had twins, and they combined for 16 pounds. My doctor thought for sure I'd deliver 4-6 weeks early simply because of their size. I made it to the scheduled induction date at 38 weeks with no sign of going into labor.

Good luck to you!

In the very beginning, my son measured small, so my Dr. set my due date 2 weeks later than what matched up with the dates I gave her. As he grew, he consistently measured 2 weeks ahead, but she never changed my due date. Towards the end I had a sono just about every time I went in so they could monitor his kidneys. They were all telling me how HUGE he was. I was scheduled to be induced about a week before my due date to avoid a c-section, and my water ended up breaking a week before that - right on time according to my dates. He was only 6.5 lbs. - tiny! All those fat rolls they kept pointing out to me on the sono were just loose skin. Whenever they give you estimates, just keep in mind that they are guessing, and can definitely be off!

With my daughter, I measured right on the entire pregnancy, and she was 7lb 3 oz at birth, born just one day early.

With my son, I consistently measured two weeks ahead, and I just felt bigger. I had pre-preclampsia issues and started natural induction methods at 37 weeks, and he was born 8 days early. But he was only 6lb 4oz!

With this baby, I measured five weeks ahead when 18 weeks pregnant!! So we had a sono to rule out twins. But there was just one in there! Now I'm 35 weeks, and measuring right on. I'm hoping to go early again, but am preparing myself mentally to go late, since babies come when they want to!

I had a friend get gestational diabetes in her pregnancy. She gained a lot of weight and they were telling her that she'd have a huge baby, so she should have a c-section. She went into labor four weeks early, and she wanted a VBAC but the doc talked her into a c-section based on the sono estimates and her measurements. And he was only 4lb 5oz!!! She was SO upset and the doctor was shocked that the sono measurements were so off.

I measured two weeks too big too, they told me my baby would be close to ten pounds based on the sonogram and measurements, but when I had her (via c-section, which the doctor encouraged me to have) she was only 8 lbs 10 oz. I delivered her at 40 weeks.

Since I had that first c-section, I could not find a doctor willing to do a vbac so I had my second child via c-section as well, which was disheartening because I would have liked to try at least once to have a baby naturally!

What I learned from this- advice I give all expectant mothers- do not let the doctor push a c-section on you. Some doctors try to push c-sections because it's easier for them to work into their schedules. Don't let them do it. Your body knows what it can handle. As long as your baby is not in distress, let your body do what it needs to do.

Good luck with your baby!! Sounds like she's gonna be a big healthy one!

My son also measure big. But I am a big mama, so they weren't sure if it was all the baby that was big, or a little bit of me in there too. lol. BUT, we did go ahead and induce a week early and he was born at 9lb7oz on a 19" body. So he was a chunky monkey.

Just because you are measuring big doesn't necessarily mean that your baby is big. It could mean a lot of different things including that your baby is breech, you have too much fluid, and lots more! Ask your doctor what else it means .... you should have had an unltrasound already if you have been measuring big .... hope that helps!

I'll make this short & sweet...

I hav three daughters (4yrs, 2yrs & 2.5 months), ALL of which were pretty large babies.

My first, born @ 8lbs & 14oz, delivered ON her due date.

My second, born @ 8lbs & 13oz, delivered a week late.

& my third, who weighed in @ a whopping 9lbs & 11oz, was 3 days early...

It's a crapshoot. Your baby will get here when he/she gets here so sit back & try not to fret (though I know you prolly think every little Braxton-Hicks is labor starting... been there, done that! believe me!), maybe even relax a little!

Good luck!!

I measured ahead and I had to have a c-section. My due date was May 6th. I delivered an 8 lb 15oz baby boy via c-section on my due date!

I didn't measure ahead with my baby and she was born 2 days after EDD at 6lb 9oz. Many of my friends and acquaintances, however, have measured 'big' and had normal sized babies. It kinda ticks me off how many of those friends were talked into a C-section because of their "huge" babies and then ended up with 7 and 8 lb newborns. What I've heard is that measuring fundal height in the third trimester is very inaccurate. You need a sonogram to get a more accurate measurement, though even sonograms aren't definitive.

I measured ahead with my daughter by two weeks and she was a C-Section baby at 39 weeks and 5 days. I never dialated or went into labor, they just did the C-Section because they thought she was going to be really big since I was measuring bigger. She ended up being 8 lbs 14oz, which is pretty big but not huge =)

I think the doctor is being honest he has no idea. I don't know how much you can really rely on those numbers but I do not think that means you will deliver early.

Just a thought...have the doctor check if you have an excessive amount of amniotic fluid. I measured about two to three weeks ahead of what I was. During an ultrasound, they discovered I had an excessive amount of amniotic fluid. Not so much that they had to go in and drain it, but enough that it was throwing off my measurements. Excessive amniotic fluid isn't REALLY a big deal...you will just be a little bit more uncomfortable than usual and will likely have to pee even more often because of all the pressure.

I was a big baby and had medium plus babies. I measured big with the first 2 and the last one I was measuring as I was supposed to. My babies were 8 lbs 4 oz, 8 lbs 6 oz, and the last was 8 lbs 8 oz. I gained the least amount of weight with my last and measured perfectly and he came out the biggest. I gave birth with my first 3 days early, with my 2nd a day early and my 3rd a week late (he really didn't want to come out but he was getting bigger so we induced, THANK GOODNESS we didn't wait any longer because he got stuck in my pelvis on the way out).

I hope this helps!

I threw up for 6 1/2 months straight and lost 25 lbs during my pregnancy. By 8 months my son was measuring 4 weeks big. I started dilating when I was 30 weeks and was put on bed rest. I had a sono every visit the last 2 months. Each time they would measure and measure and measure again and they got the same size every time. When I was 37 weeks they measured him to be 41 weeks along and 9 lbs. I ended up having him 4 days later and he weighed 8lb 15oz so they were only off by a few oz. His head was 4 weeks big when they measured the day he was born so they were right on the money. I only gained 20 lbs back after all the vommitting and weight loss and I didn't have gestational diabetes. Then again you have to be able to eat to have that. The day I went in at 37 weeks I wasn't in labor. I was still 2 cm like I had been for weeks. Then I went back in 4 days later and sure enough I was 4 cm and progressing fast. I didn't know I was in labor. I ended up with a c-sect because his head never engaged, it was too big. I wouldn't change it at all. I loved having a c-sect and recovered quickly. Apparently my family has big babies!! Try not to worry too much!

I measured right on schedule with both my children. One weighed 7 lbs. and the other almost 10 lbs. I went into labor with my big baby 1 day past my due date.

Well for me with my first I did measure about 2 weeks ahead every time and I am not a big person. I am skinny and only gained 28 pounds with that pregnancy so the doctor told me like you that I would have a bigger baby. Well I went into labor 10 days early and my baby only ended up being 6 lbs 9 oz! With second I measured right on or even a little under and I had a c-section so that baby came about 5 days early and she was almost the same as my first baby 6 lbs 13 oz. So I don't know. I did read that sometimes you can measure a little bigger or a little smaller just depending on how the baby is positioned in your tummy. Some carry their babies really far out and others more wide....which can change the measurement.

I measured ahead with my son through out my pregnancy. My Doctor told me with three weeks to go that I needed to really watch what I ate because this baby was already calculated at over 8 pounds. I am 5'6.5" - gained 26 pounds during my pregnancy. Weighed around 165 when I delivered. I was induced one week early due to a horrible rash. My son was 23" and weighed 9.2. They said the placenta was the biggest they had seen!

Hi B.,
I am too measuring 2 wks ahead, I am 28 wks according to my LMP and 30 according to the sonograms, I am too seeing a high risk Dr. and last week I asked her if she thought the baby was going to be big she said he could be 8-9 lbs, that is how much my last two weighted plus my babies tend to be long so that can also contribute to him measuring ahead. The Dr. also said that around 36 they would be better able to make a decision on whether or not to induce early if the baby is too big. Honestly, even though my baby is measuring big I hope I am not induce and it happens naturally. Good luck to you!

I measured a little ahead. I never showed signs of going into labor - not even a hint of it. My doctor had me measured by a perinatal doctor a week before the due date because she was concerned. The perinatal doctor said my daughter measured around 8 lbs. My doctor said we'd have to do a c-section if she didn't come by the due date, but I had planned on a natural birth and my mother kept telling me how I and my two sisters came "way over the due date" so not to rush things.

I postponed the c-section date by three days just to see if I'd go into labor on my own. I felt a little trickle of something a few days before the c-section was scheduled and called my doctor. She said we should just go ahead and do the c-section. I was extremely nervous/upset about the whole thing, but my daughter ended up being 9 lbs. 14 oz and 22 inches. She looked like a giant in the nursery compared to the other babies.

I never did dilate/efface/etc., but I learned that the measuring stuff can be way off. I doubt my daughter gained nearly two pounds in one week!

I measured a little big. Not sure how much. My dd was 9 lbs .06 oz at 39 weeks. My 2nd baby was 6 lbs 1 oz at 37 1/2 weeks. Good Luck~

I measured ahead my whole entire pregnancy with my son anywhere from wks. I was induced at 37 1/2 weeks. He was 8 lbs 12 oz so I am so thankful they induced me early!!!

Hi B.,
I measured big with my last baby - anywhere from 1 week to 2 weeks - and he ended up weighing 1lb less than what my last sonogram estimated. He was born 1 week early. A sono tech told me at one point that the weight measurements on a sono is very much an estimate because it is like looking at someone a block away and trying to guess how tall they are.

Good luck with everything and congratulations!

so much of this is guesswork, since each of our bodies are so different - i "measured" for a "BIG" baby the entire time too, and they told me i would have to be induced because he might get "too big", if he went more than a week late - what does that mean anyway? i know women who have delivered 9, 10 lb babies vaginally. anyway, they actually scheduled me to be induced, and my water broke the day before. he was 8 lbs. i think it's a mixture of a lot of guesswork, what they've seen before, and, probably a multitude of other factors. try to relax and know that it will happen as it is meant to. i'm sure you'll be fine :) hang in there!

Hi B.,

I measured big for my entire preganancy. My son ended up weighing 9lbs, 3 oz and was born one day after his due date. Plus, I know the due date was accurate because he was an IVF baby. I did have to have a C-section because he never dropped, and I never dilated or effaced. I still had a great birth experience though. I wouldn't worry too much about the size at this point.

Measuring ahead does not mean that your baby will be big. There are other possibilities, too, including having more fluid than usual and fibroids. Measuring big also doesn't mean you are going to deliver early. I would ask your doctor about getting a sonogram to better estimate the size of your baby. For my second child, my uterus measured 2-4 weeks ahead at every appointment. We did an early (12 week) sonogram to measure the child (not my uterus) in order to rule out twins and to make sure that we had the date correct. Then, we did a late sonogram (34 weeks? don't remember) to make sure the baby wasn't huge. It wasn't ... it measured exactly average, it was just my uterus that was big. I was induced 9 days PAST my due date, and my child weighed 7 lbs 15 oz ... not huge, especially considering he was past due. Good luck!