Measuring Large - Cerritos,CA

Read this: http://jeremyscorner-grifter.blogspot.com/2009/04/big-bab...

And then run far, far away from any doctor who wants to induce you or cut you open because of a so called "large baby."

I also would not get an ultrasound for the reasons you describe. It is not neccesary and ultrasounds are not reliable to estimate weight.

Lisa

"THEY" can't do anything unless YOU agree to it. Increased amniotic fluid can be a sign of some genetic issue OR absolutely nothing. I have always measured 3-6 weeks further than I am. I have always gained 60 pounds with each of my pregnancies and I eat PERFECTLY. Zero sugar, no caffeine, etc. I ate 100 grams of protein to decrease my risk of pre-eclampsia to practically zero. Tons of water and I exercised - yoga until the birth and pilates with my trainer until 36 weeks.

They like to c-section for everything that remotely puts a woman at risk, or better put, thier liability at risk. I'm pretty sure just being pregnant warrants a c-section these days. Not to say, there aren't teh off chances that a c-section can't save a life or two....but do your research before jumping on an operating table.

Induction, according to medical research increases your risk of a c-section by 50% and with the current c-section rate at over 30%, you are lucky if you don't end up sectioned.

My 1st was 8 pounds 12oz with a nuchal cord - 3 days early.
My 2nd was 10 pounds 4oz with a nuchal hand - 4.5 WEEKS late.
My 3rd was 8 pounds 6oz - 12 days late.

ALL born at home and delivered by yours truly.

Utrasound is not as accurate as most docs would believe it is.

I have a friend who were told their baby has no brain - abort - but they didn't and he was born just fine. Brilliant kid.

Another was told her baby was already 9 ponds at 34 weeks and that no matter when she comes in for the birth, they WILL c-section her. At 40 weeks, when she went into labor and went in as late as possible to the hospital - literally 23 minutes before the birth, her baby was born 9 pounds 1oz. Vaginal and drugfree.

Another friend who was told her water was low, but evidently, it was hiding somewhere, since when they went to induce, it gushed out of there and the doc commented that there was a lot more water than he'd expected.

Ahhh, yet another was told at 17 weeks her baby a clubfoot. She stressed, looked into surgery options, checked out doctors....all the while I told her they were wrong. I felt it. Sure enough, she went to a perinatal specialist and he told her at 35 weeks that the baby was fine and there was no clubfoot. They had made a mistake.

MDs are human and ultrasounds are computers. Neither one is perfect. Don't get me wrong. Get the info, process it, research it, but DO NOT make a decision out of fear.

My advice is to watch what you are eating, start walking, drink your water - and really do your best to take care of this baby. This baby can't stop you from eating junk, but you can for your baby's sake. Good luck, sweetie.

Hey M.,
The ultrasounds are not exact!!! In our case they were telling me that the due date that the IVF doctor gave us was wrong (due our son measuring on the small side on the ultrasound). So they changed his due date to two weeks later than it was supposed to be. At 39 weeks they did an ultrasound and told me that I had VERY low amniotic fluid and that they had to induce me. I eventually had to get a C-section after 36 hours of labor and an allergic reaction to the pitocin. When they pulled the baby out the obstetrician said that he was measuring 42 weeks, exactly the age that the IVF doctor stated.

Hi M.,

I was measuring ahead for both of my pregnancies, which resulted in me getting an u/s at 36 weeks. They do weight estimates (which are not always accurate - they were right on with my first, but way off with my second). They also take all sorts of other measurements - baby's head, shoulders then measurements of your internal anatomy. They plug all of those measurements in and come up with a risk analysis for vaginal birth. While both of my kiddos were on the larger size I was still at low risk for a vaginal birth, and had successful vaginal births with both.

If you are at a high risk for vaginal birth I'm sure they will talk to you about your options - c-section/induction. But in the end it is your decision.

Best of luck to you

Sounds a lot like my story. From the very first appoint at 6 weeks, they I measured large and thought I was carrying twins, or I had miscalculated my days. Ultrasound confirmed I was correct, but I measured 2-3 weeks larger at every appointment. I gained a total of 65 pounds by the end... the last ultrasound "estimated" he would be 9 pounds. I ended up getting induced because he was two weeks late, and after 13 hours of hard laboring (the petosin makes the contractions harder and more frequent) without meds and he started distressing, I had a c-section. I was seriously disappointed because we had prepared ourselves for a natural birth, took Bradley classes, and we regretted being induced afterward. My son was almost 11 pounds and 22 inches long, he looked like a 4 month old! So, you may just have a big boy, but that doesn't mean you can't do it naturally. Don't let them bully you into induction or c-section just because of his size. Good luck and congratulations!

You can measure big due to weight gain, size of baby, fluid retention, etc. And, yes, the ultrasound will tell them much of this.
And, as you know, 50 pounds is a lot, especially since you're only 3/4 thru the pregnancy. Doctors generally recommend 25 pounds, so that's double!
If the baby is fully developed, they could induce as early as 38 weeks. But an induced labor is much harder. They usually will not automatically schedule a c-sect. But if you are unable to deliver the baby, they will do an emergency one. And a c-sect is harder to recover from. But different doctors and different hospitals have different policies, so ask your doc or inquire at Kaiser.
I was very blessed to have a doctor that was adamant against extra weight gain. I had a tilted pelvis, so he worried I would have a hard time delivering esp if it was a large baby. So he watched my weight like a hawk so that the baby didn't get too big and I didn't gain too much weight. He said if you gain too much weight it makes you out of shape and it's just harder on your body. I had three kids and gained 18, 22, & 25 pounds respectively with each. My kids were all healthy - 7-15, 8-1 and 6-10 (3 wks early). I obviously would not suggest dieting at this point, I highly suggest REALLY watching what and how much you eat from here on out. And start exercising to get in shape - just walking is great.
I wish you LOTS of luck and God's blessings!

you should always try to make distinction b/w health reasons and milking your insurance reason. baby can survive outside the uterus starting from 22-23 weeks of gestation. does not mean it has to be yanked out. normal delivery is not as lucrative as a "special" one. try to make yours normal - better for the baby. if they say the baby is too big - ask what they mean by big, ask them to project baby's weight into next week. cut down on sugars at that time. go for another measurement and i bet the baby will not "hit" the targeted increase in weight - you got yourself one more week to keep the baby in the tummy, rather than in incubator!
Good Luck
V.

From 24 wks on I measured ahead with my pregnancy. At 34 wks I was measuring 40 wks so they did an ultrasound - to double check that my due date wasn't wrong. I had "excessive amniotic fluid". My son was born at 38 wks and I was measuring 45 wks. I gained 45 lbs with my pregnancy, but lost 10 lbs when my water broke (seriously - I got on the scale before going to the hospital and had lost 10 lbs from before my water broke that morning). My son was an average 7 lbs 12 oz.

From what my doc said ... Usually boys tend to be bigger than girls. My daughter was 9 lbs so I was so scared my second who is a boy would be 10 be I went into labor earlier and he was 8 (she had been a little late.). The amniotic fluid can throw off the weight exagerating it that's y u need to see a specialist to make sure that happened to m y friend she had extra amniotic fluid so the baby was measuring 10 lbs @37 weeks and he sent her to a specialist dr bochner and the baby ended up 9.3 born on her due date which dr had told her would be the estimate. Honestly if ur baby is really large its better to schedule a Csection (less traumatic for both baby and mom and less chance of the baby being stuck or shoulder distocia). My first was larger and I had complications after like urine leaking and difficult delivery/recovery etc... Worst recovery than my friends who had csections. Doc was a retard too (now I know) for pushing me to do natural for a big baby speciall for my frame and he even told me b4 he wasn't sure what do to. AaahHh don't get me started honey. For my second I switched to an amazing amazing amazing dr who told me it was my choice but when u have had a traumatic delivery your body will not recover as well the next time (I had episiotomy and 3rd degree tears with the first). So we decided if the baby was over a certain weight to do csection. I ended up in labor earlier than my due date and he had measured the baby at 7.8 a week b4 so we knew he would be 8lbs a week later when I went into later and I had him naturally. I'll be honest he came out in 2 hours (26 hours for my daughter) and much easier but bc I had so much scarred tissue from the 1st laarge baby I had to go to "pelvic floor physical therapy" to learn excercises not to leak #1 and #2. Natural way is usually better but that's when u have 'normal' size or smaller babies not people like you and me that have the 9/10 pounders.
Wish you a safe healthy and easy delivery!

I measured large as well, It is all just so inexact at this point that I would not worry about it. My baby was born 2 days before her due date at 6lbs, 10oz. They might give you additional tests (you know you're not having twins, right?) to check a few things, but that will only put your mind at ease. If I were you, though, I'd start eating a little bit better because it is only you who will have to carry around all this extra weight! Eat more veggies and protein and cut out those processed carbs, girlfriend! You can do it!

Dont be embarrassed. I gained 80 pounds my first pregnancy and 50 with my second... My first son was almost 10 lbs and I measured around the same difference. My second son I measured 3-4 weeks early throughout except the last two weeks was only two weeks larger and he was 8.4...I dont think it has anything to do with the wight you gain because they measure from the top of your pubic bone to the top of your uterus... They push down until they can feel it! I used to think the same thing girl! and yes, weight gain most definitley could be because of fluid, thats where alot of my weight was. I had so much fluid in me they were surprised I wasnt more uncomfortable then I was, he also swallowed a bunch since I had so much.....They CAN tell the amount of fluid, they should tell you if its low, high or just right.. If not, ask the doctor...The c-section- most likely depends on the size of the baby but there are never any guarantees that they are right. My first son was weighing 8lbs weeks before my due date and they didnt schedule either.. I ended up being induced and later having a c-section though...Dont be afraid to ask your doc questions, thats what they are there for!!!

I too gained 50 lbs with my pregnancy, measured big and had an ultrasound almost every week due to leaking amniotic fluid and contractions but anyways... I had a 9lb 3 oz girl which they said would be no more then 7 1/2 lbs, 8 tops. I had just enough fluid to keep me from having an induction and it never seemed to go below that point, i lost 30lbs during delivery.... I know that i couldnt get an elected early induction because i lived in a military town, I begged my dr for it since my daughter was already weighing in at 6 lbs at about 34-36 weeks. talk to your dr to find out the policy on inductions.

They are measuring your uterus (the push at your belly to determine how far up your fundus is) which has nothing to do with your weight gain. It seems like this baby may be huge as well. If the baby is too big in proportion to your birth canal, a c-section would be the safest way to deliver

It is not necessary to induce unless your health or the baby's is compromised.

As far as the weight it could in part be water gain.

I will just tell you that I don't put a lot of stock in those measurements. My first was measuring big and was only 6 lbs 14 oz (and yes I gained a LOT of weight that time. And my second was measuring small and weighed 7 lbs 3 oz. I had a friend that they almost induced early because they were worried about how big she was measuring and the baby only weighed 8 lbs. Do the ultrasound, get the fluid checked but its probably nothing to worry too much about.

Yes they can measure the fluid and yes they can induce because the baby is too big if it is developed, or at least I wouldn't allow it until the baby was developed enough.

It could be amniotic fluid and they can measure that on the ultrasound. I actually had too much fluid with my oldest son and they ended up inducing me at 39 weeks. The fear is with too much fluid, if your sac ruptures, the cord could come rushing down with all that fluid and get caught in the vag canal cutting of blood and oxygen to the baby...

I'd think the weight gain isn't the culprit because your OB is aware of your weight gain but she may just be cautious and want to know for sure. The ultrasound will usually tell everything. Is it possible that you miscalculated when you got pregnant? Either way they won't take the baby until they feel that it is safe to do so. They won't do a c-sec early unless the mother or baby are in distress. You may end up with a c-sec if you have a big baby that you can't deliver but if your first was 10lbs then you're probably just fine to have a regular birth. If you are unsure of what your doc tells you don't hesitate to research, use this site to ask other moms, and even get a second opinion. I wouldn't want to deliver my baby early unless another doc took a look at me and agreed. I don't think I'd be comfortable risking a baby with underdeveloped lungs unless a second doc agreed with my regular doc. I was educed and regret it. The pain was CRAZY as soon as the petocin started dripping into the IV. I'd already been having very strong contractions for almost a month. (I went into labor 6 weeks early) My son's heart stopped twice during labor and although my doc says otherwise I think it was due to the petocin. I've heard similar stories from other moms.
I wouldn't freak out....yeah right, like everything doesn't freak you out when your pregnant!! If the doctor felt there was something dangerous you'd have been whisked away for an ultrasound immediately. My bet is your doc is being cautious.

my first was 9lbs 7oz 3 days past due date and I was induced. for my second I was measuring early the whole time. Doc induced what ended up being 3 weeks before my due date because I was measuring big and she was 7lbs 12oz. In my experience with Kaiser they do not like to induce in general but your doc may be different. When they do the ultrasound they measure the baby. They did that for me the second time and the estimate waws that she was 9 lbs so I was induced 3 days later. If he is doing an ultrasound it soulds like he is ready to induce if necessary. Good luck!

Same thing happened to me, I measured large with my 2nd son and had to have an ultra sound done. They said everything was fine and at my next doctors appointment I measured normal again, didn't make any sense to me. But everything was fine.

Yes, it could most definantly be water weight! I gained 45 ish pounds of pure water weight. On the ultrasound, they can tell if you if there's too much in the amniotic sac (which could make you measure bigger) but water weigh itself wouldn't make the baby measure bigger (never did for me or my sister)..
They will induce you early if the baby gets too big and they think that you can't deliver (small frame or whatnot), but ultrasound weight predictions are not accurate at all. They measured my son at 4lbs at 31 wks, which would mean that he should have been 9 - 10lbs at birth, but he was only 7lb9oz.