First pregnancy I got nothing pre birth and it was absolutely fine when baby was here. This pregnancy I’m getting it without even touching my boobs! Noticed it over the last week or soSo I’m 36+1 and I tried to collect collostrum…guys it was a big failsat there for literally 40 mins massaging my boob, after a nice hot bath, lit a candle and everything. Not a single DROP. I wanted to cry
Do I just need to keep trying? Are my bits broken?
Pregnancy #64
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The local new and expectant mothers WhatsApp group I’m in have been talking about induction and balloons and hormone drips and waiting in hospital a week to be induced and this has unlocked a bunch of new nightmares for me…
Unfortunately inductions are pushed very heavily often for no real medical need and women are made to feel like they don't have a choice. I know it's easier said than done but try to block it out. You absolutely don't have to have one and unless there's a serious medical reason, you can give birth however you want.
Personally, my only hard no is an induction.
So I had my 36 week growth scan today…baby is measuring over the 99th percentile for weight at 8.6lbs 🫣 and everything else is around 98/99th percentile. I’m a bit worried, I have my consultant appointment next week, can I ask for an early induction?
the last thing I want is to go past my due date, attempt to push a full sized toddler out and baby gets stuck, resulting in emergency c section
the last thing I want is to go past my due date, attempt to push a full sized toddler out and baby gets stuck, resulting in emergency c section
I wouldn't take this as gospel. These scans can be out by as much as 15 - 20% and in new research they found that 60% of big babies ended up being completely normal sized. You can read about it here: https://www.sarawickham.com/articles-2/bigbaby/So I had my 36 week growth scan today…baby is measuring over the 99th percentile for weight at 8.6lbs 🫣 and everything else is around 98/99th percentile. I’m a bit worried, I have my consultant appointment next week, can I ask for an early induction?
the last thing I want is to go past my due date, attempt to push a full sized toddler out and baby gets stuck, resulting in emergency c section
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Furthermore a baby being too big to give birth to is exceptionally rare in that most midwives will never see it in their career. That's why the NICE guidelines don't endorse induction for size, because it's rarely a problem. Shoulder dystocia can normally be managed just fine too.
Thank you for the info, I think I just saw the number and panicked
thinking the baby is gonna come out as a walking, talking toddler 
it’s funny because they said my symphysis fundal height was over 97th percentile, so sent me for a growth scan because it’s “more accurate” but even that’s not accurate I guess I’ll just wait and see! Thank you xx
My consultant has already said that because of my age & bmi they won’t let me go past 40 weeks. Which I guess is fine but I would really prefer not to have an indication (she says - I’ll probably be here when I’m 38 weeks moaning I want this kid out of me )
)But again, they can't make you. I hate the term 'we won't let you' If you don't want an induction, don't have one. You could always ask for extra monitoring for their and your peace of mind and if you and baby are OK, let them come when ready.My consultant has already said that because of my age & bmi they won’t let me go past 40 weeks. Which I guess is fine but I would really prefer not to have an indication (she says - I’ll probably be here when I’m 38 weeks moaning I want this kid out of me
Any chance you’re in Sam’s hb group? You beat me to it every time with the evidence based facts and info. Love it x
Just to add to this, shoulder dystocia is actually more common in smaller babies than later ones! Big babies know they’re big and often manoeuvre themselves more into a more efficient/optimal position than smaller ones
I had a really similar experience with my growth scan this week: I was 50th centile last time and went up to 79th centile now. Something didn’t feel right with the scan though, and after speaking to my husband after we realised the sonographer only took one of the measurements (abdominal) of the three she should had. The other two (head and femur) would have averaged out the measurement plus the baby’s stomach was expanded from breathing when she took the measurement there and they’re not supposed to take it at that point.So I had my 36 week growth scan today…baby is measuring over the 99th percentile for weight at 8.6lbs 🫣 and everything else is around 98/99th percentile. I’m a bit worried, I have my consultant appointment next week, can I ask for an early induction?
the last thing I want is to go past my due date, attempt to push a full sized toddler out and baby gets stuck, resulting in emergency c section
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Also scans after 36 + weeks can be notoriously inaccurate for so many reasons, including how much the baby was moving and so on.
Our sonographer was quite peculiar in the way she was communicating with us. She didn’t seem great at the communication and was speaking to use in jargon. Now I’m about to qualify as a nurse and used to work in maternity, and I didn’t have a clue what she was on about so I had to interrupt to say “slow down, and please explain what you mean by this”
In my first pregnancy 3 years ago, my baby was predicted to be large as well - I think 9 pound 5. This was purely on bump measurements and I reckon it would have been the same if I would have had growth scans. He was born at a very normal 7 pound 8 oz! He had like 98% femur length as well, which I reckon pushed their estimates right up.
Just be really assured that these scans can be super out and factor dependent. The Great Birth Rebellion Podcast have done a fantastic podcast this week disseminating the “big baby study” that was recently prematurely cut short because they weren’t getting the results that they were after (eg baby’s estimated to be big weren’t at all in about 50-60% of cases!) so I’m looking forward to having a listen to that
My husband had a theory (I live in an area where there was a notorious report done recently on our maternity services - I’m sure you can figure out where!) that they deliberately take the bigger measurements to try and push for planned inductions/c sections to fit in with their schedules. I’m tempted to agree with him, especially being on the inside of this hospital trust.
I had just never considered -how- they induce women and all this in depth talk of balloons when I’m stressed out my box with work sent me over the edge.
The obstetrician (who I’ve not yet met) has said I must have delivered by 40+6 which is oddly specific. His recommendation is sweeps at set periods, I forget what. I’d never actually thought about what that involved so reading about it was…. an education.
I dunno what to make of it all really. I’m high risk because I’m large and old but that obviously doesn’t mean something is going to go wrong, only that they want to monitor me more and they think it might be more likely. I’ve not got to the stage where I’d get my extra checks anyway. I’ve got my 24 week appointment next week and I’m curious about my blood pressure because I’ve spent my week surrounded by idiots and feeling like I’m going to explode and having to work quite a lot of extra hours. But hopefully it’s fine and I’m more resilient than I think! If I remain tip top and healthy then hopefully I can swerve stuff I don’t want to do.
The book my midwife gave me at the booking appointment really leant towards natural birth with basically zero pain relief. It was very ‘do hypnobirthing’ ‘maybe have a single puff of gas and air’. I get there are downsides to pain medication and/or epidurals but I did wonder if this was the same barbarism by which they insert coils into women without local anaesthetic most of the time but they wouldn’t dream of doing something equivalent to a man without knocking him out cold. I felt it was a bit telling that my first midwife who is now on maternity leave with her second child said she had opted for an elective caesarean, though I obviously don’t know why.
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That is helpful, my anxiety just makes me worry that ‘something will go wrong’ and then it’ll be my fault for ‘going against medical advice’. Which I know is not quite covering the complexity of all of this but it’s just how my brain works I guess.
Im hoping young MasterDragName arrives perfectly punctually and with little fuss on his due date. I know there is bugger all chance of this happening but a girl can dream
I don't know what that is
I'm just a woman of science and like to understand what the research says. I listen to The Great Birth Rebellion and read Evidence Based Birth and Sara Wickham stuff.
No, not all. Hypnobirthing is amazing and there's a lot of research to back it up. It's about working with the pain, reframing it and using your bodies own built in pain relief to work with it. They aren't anti pain meds at all, just giving another option. I intend to use hypnobirthing and gas and air if needed.
There is every chance this could happen! My entire labour was under 3 hours with my first, pushed for 20 mins. Had gas and air which I eventually just put down as it was getting in my wayThat is helpful, my anxiety just makes me worry that ‘something will go wrong’ and then it’ll be my fault for ‘going against medical advice’. Which I know is not quite covering the complexity of all of this but it’s just how my brain works I guess.
Im hoping young MasterDragName arrives perfectly punctually and with little fuss on his due date. I know there is bugger all chance of this happening but a girl can dream
my worry now is my second will be completely different Just to give you hope, I was the same bmi I am now with my first and only a few years younger - I only had gas & air and laboured for 7 hours. Everything was very quick.That is helpful, my anxiety just makes me worry that ‘something will go wrong’ and then it’ll be my fault for ‘going against medical advice’. Which I know is not quite covering the complexity of all of this but it’s just how my brain works I guess.
Im hoping young MasterDragName arrives perfectly punctually and with little fuss on his due date. I know there is bugger all chance of this happening but a girl can dream
I was told this with my first! Ended up being induced at 42 weeks and he was 8lb 2 so not massive at all considering he was 15 days over when he got here. I’m measuring big again but desperately wanting to avoid inductionThank you for the info, I think I just saw the number and panicked
I guess I’ll just wait and see! Thank you xx
I feel like I've been burying my head in the sand a bit and not thinking about the actual labour but know I need to start thinking about a birth plan etc soon.
A close friend and my sister both had traumatic labours which ended up in emergency c sections which does make me worry, so hearing some positive birth stories definitely helps as well. But i am fully aware not everything goes to plan and am trying to stay open minded which is easier said than done with my anxiety!
I have been listening to a hypno birthing audio book that has actually been interesting and helpful.
but know I need to start thinking about a birth plan etc soon.A close friend and my sister both had traumatic labours which ended up in emergency c sections which does make me worry, so hearing some positive birth stories definitely helps as well. But i am fully aware not everything goes to plan and am trying to stay open minded which is easier said than done with my anxiety!
I have been listening to a hypno birthing audio book that has actually been interesting and helpful.
Thank you for the advice lovely, I think you’re right, babies might just measure big on scans, but they’re a very normal size when they come out!
also I think we might live in the same area
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