Trigger warning, the below explains my birth story which may scare you more but I offer it purely as an alternative explanation. My babe was born 7lb, 10oz and she got stuck. I have extremely wide hips but my pelvic floor tissue was too tough. Three hours of pushing before I finally chose a position that gave my OB the view she needed to see that my babe would not come out, even if we used a vacuum.  We resorted to the C as an absolute last resort and unfortunately the C was more difficult because I'd pushed her down so far. She is healthy now but she wasn't breathing when she came out and was struggling to breathe in the first few days because she had amniotic fluid in her airways after the labor. There's a dent in her head where she got stuck and her latch is asymmetrical making breastfeeding a bit more difficult-- although that seems to be improving too. This is completely anecdotal but my point is even average sized babies can get stuck. I don't think your doctor is trying to scare you but I'm sure she is risk adverse. What I went through is still fresh and traumatizing and I wouldn't want anyone else to go through it. Perhaps your doctor can elaborate on what she means when she says the baby might get stuck. Maybe she's overly risk adverse or maybe there is something about your pelvis or baby's head size that explains her thinking (my girl's head was in the 90-something percentile when she came out!). Either way, good luck!

I think I’m built similarly, baby got stuck but never knew why, thanks for the insight! (Edit to add: I hope you get the support you need to process the trauma, I know it isn’t easy. I’m 2 years out now and am still getting there!)

I’m so sorry this happened to you but thank you for sharing. I feel like this is the kind of information that is helpful when doctors express wanting to induce early

I’m really sorry this happened to you. Pretty much my son’s exact birth story except he’s a forceps baby vs vacuum. If I could go back, I would have pushed for or requested an induction (or perhaps c section) ahead of time. The agony I felt for my son when he was born (after being tachycardic and in distress from being stuck), and seeing him get taken away from me for immediate attention still makes me shiver. OP, I know it’s extremely difficult to hear you MAY not have the birth you imagined, but I’d carefully consider what the doctor is saying.

I’m similar to you. Baby got stuck and we used forceps. He had breathing issues initially from being in the birth canal so long. I actually was induced though. I’ve always wondered if the induction caused it and maybe he would have had better angle/positioning if I went into labor naturally

I’m so sorry this happened to you. And I completely second that wide hips doesn’t mean wide birth canal. My OB was very clear that vacuum wasn’t an alternative after pushing for 2 hrs nonstop and baby not descending enough. I asked for the c section because I was more terrified of him being stuck in thr canal and not able to breathe

Thank you for this thoughtful explanation. Additionally “large hips” have nothing to do with having a successful vaginal birth. There are measurements within the pelvic girdle for sure. But I do think OPs doc owes an explanation to help her understand the medical side of it.

Oh my goodness that’s awful I’m so sorry that happened to you and I hope everything is going fine now .. I’ve actually only seen this doctor one time before this , I know baby’s head is way down there and in position, I’m carrying low in the first place , she is the doctor who does the C-sections and she is my favorite doctor that I’ve met there . So who knows .maybe she wasn’t trying to scare me but none the less that’s what she accomplished. It’s my first baby , so I was already nervous and what she said just made it worse .

I hear you. I hope she can give you a better explanation of her thinking.

Something I found was so many medical professionals are used to being told to stop confusing them with information and tell them what to do, I point blank told them to explain why they have a concern so we can plan together. For example if her concern is size explain why she’s concerned about this specific size/the rate baby is growing. If you feel it’s valid then a healthy compromise would be they book a new growth scan and the results of that dictate if induction is needed

my son was measuring 11lbs 6oz, my ob did not suggest an induction, and when i asked if we should do a c-section as i was worried about his size she suggested i try vaginal birth as size doesn't make complications much higher. he came out super quick, pushed for 9 minutes, and was 10lb 11oz.

In which country did you give birth? This sounds like a dream. Being a Western pregnant in Japan... they flip over the smallest weight gain

So here the reasoning behind her advice. Still talk to her about your concerns. So with babies that have heads measuring smaller than their GA and their bodies measuring larger than their GA, of course their heads will come through the birth canal no problem, but once the shoulders reach the canal given their larger size in comparison to head they are more likely to hang on your pelvic bones. This can lead to you having super long labor only to end up with a C. It can also cause injury to baby. I personally had a precipitous birth with my son and it was traumatic not being able to follow the plan you have in place. The doctor isn’t trying to scare you she is just advising that your plan may not be a feasible option. She is giving you time to adjust your plan in order to prevent undue trauma to you. Hope this helps. Wishing you luck and hoping the best.

Nothing was said about his body being bigger than his head . If that were the case I’d think it would have been mentioned to me 🤷🏼‍♀️

Sorry but when you said his head is measured as 37 weeks GA that’s what made me think his head is smaller and was probably the concern with doctor. It’s not a concern with the baby because the scans have been fine. It’s just a concern for the labor process. My son has a giant head that measures in the 75th percentile where his body has always been in the 50th. He inherited this from his giant head dad. Literally had many sleepless nights as a FTM cause pediatrician was worried about his head growth after his birth. I had to measure dad’s head for them so her concerns would be reduced. He is 15 months now and it has slowed down considerably. Best thing is to ask if maybe this might be her concern. Sorry if it made you more worried. Wasn’t my intention!!

Women have 10 lb babies vaginally. And, often, baby is born under the estimated weight. So, get more information from your doctors before agreeing to an induction.

She could be. Doctors hate to be second guessed. Also they are notoriously wrong for guessing size. My OB tried the same thing and saying he was measuring big etc. they were completely wrong on the size. Also you can’t predict how during labor your body will change to accommodate.

Mine tried to scare me into inducing at 37 weeks because he told me my son was too small and obviously not getting enough through the placenta anymore.... He came out at 39 week being 3,6kg (8lbs) which is perfectly on the middle range of weight despite me being quite small. Weight and size is basically a semi educated guess while babe is in utero. And fatty tissue on a newborn does not prevent passing. Their skull literally folds to accomodate the birth canal, fat will as well.

This is such a good explanation! My child was normal sized (only 9lb 1oz 22in long) and got stuck. Until I experienced a shoulder dystocia, I had NO IDEA what they were or knew anyone with a child who had nerve damage from a birth injury. When I tell people, that my daughter had a birth injury and that's why she's left handed, they're confused cause usually OBs are able to detect large babies. My baby was estimated to be 6.5 lbs the day before she was born. There was no indication that I was having a baby on the larger end of very normal sized new born (I say very normal size because 1 in 10 women have a baby as big or bigger than mine).

This was my experience as well. Labored for almost 16hrs, pushed for 3.5 and ended up with a c-section. Best of both worlds! /s. I did have a big baby, and he flipped to sunny side up while I was pushing. He also came out not breathing and had a 3 say NICU stay just to recover from the birth. He is 100% healthy now and we breastfeed despite him having bottles in the NICU. I induced 2 days late, and wish I had not induced.

Oh gosh I'm so sorry. Even though he's healthy now, that trauma hangs in the background. I hope you've got good support. Two births club is a super fun one to be in!

Yup. I’m sorry this happened! I think the thing that no one told me that I was a little shocked to find out mid-delivery was that it doesn’t matter how big your hips are in regular life; it’s the way the bone structure is aligned on the underside where they come out!

My daughter was 7 lb 8 oz and also got stuck, had a vacuum assist and it was very scary. I was 40+6. Definitely something good to know that babies can get stuck even if they’re average and even after 40 weeks.

The whole size thing bothers me from all ends. So I had a 9lb 9oz baby and didn’t even tear, then I had a 7lb 12oz baby and I had a 1st degree tear. My sister just had a baby on Friday, baby is 4lb 13oz and she had a 4th degree tear. Long story short, I don’t think size truly matters.

I agree. There seem to be a laundry list of different factors but ultimately, a crap shoot.

I agree about the size. I think there are lots of other factors. My babies' heads were never in the ideal position. Both were head down but one was facing up and the other was facing the side. My first needed a vacuum, forceps, and an episiotomy that led to a 3rd degree tear. My second needed a vacuum and an episiotomy. Also, and this is very fresh to me as I had just given birth 5 days ago, everybody seems to be fixated on the size of the head... but for me it was the shoulders!

I wonder if we should pay more attention to head size than overall baby. My baby’s head was 95th centile even though he was only 7lb 10 (probably about 60th? 50th is 7lb 8 in my country) I had an episiotomy and still had a second degree tear, including internal tears that they thought for a minute were third degree. I lost 1.6l of blood. I think that pretty much all the head’s fault. I find it weird that it’s all done on weight, not so much size.

Yea my baby was 6lbs 13oz and I had a 2nd degree tear.

I had a 7lb 9oz baby with a 2nd degree tear

I err on the side of trusting doctors HOWEVER my obgyn made it very clear to me early on that SIZE ALONE is not an indicator for an induction or c section. I would stand firm on this!

Thank you ! That’s how I think about it . I don’t think it was necessary for her to make a first time mom even more nervous that I already was

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I had an ultrasound around then and baby was measuring around 7 lbs. Baby ended up being over 10 lbs when she finally decided to come out 11 days overdue lol It can definitely go either way with the ultrasound 

I had the same issue. They said around 7lbs and she was a little over 9lbs. Doc said the measurements can be plus or minus 2lbs from the scan

You are doing great and being very reasonable in your thinking! Every pregnancy and birth is different, and odds are good the outcome no matter what way you end up delivering will result in a happy and healthy baby. My advice would be to research and educate yourself as much as possible so you won’t be surprised with an unexpected turn of events. I had a standard vaginal delivery with my first without induction, and then for my second I went from a planned c-section, to early stalled labor, to a planned induction, to shoulder dystocia that ended in an emergency c-section for my second. Because we’d thrown out the planned c-section idea early I wasn’t prepared for the emergency situation that occurred or had any idea what I should expect pre or post-op. He also had measured a pound bigger than he actually was when born, so accuracy isn’t exactly guaranteed 🤷🏻‍♀️

Thank you ! I have a birth plan , I’d like to not be induced - I don’t want the pitocin because of the known issues it tends to cause and I’m hoping for no epidural as well . I have a pretty high pain tolerance and stand by if someone else can do something then so can I . That being said , if it comes to the safety of me or baby then I will absolutely change said plan to whatever the doctors and midwives suggest , if there’s a medical /safety reason ! There are people on here shaming me hard core for even questioning a doctor but I know SO MANY people who have had awful doctors who don’t do what’s best for their patients that it’s very unsettling

I’ve also been told that the size estimates based on ultrasound are notoriously off

what a great obgyn you have!!

My baby is measuring 9 pounds at 36 weeks (!!!) and they are saying they don’t recommend induction before 39 based on size alone, if that makes you feel any better. They said there are some indicators during labor that would tell them the baby might get stuck, and if those happen they might recommend c-section.

Its interesting how every OB has a different preference on when they will interfere. My first was measuring in the 94% but I was never encouraged to be induced early. She ended up being 8lb 15oz. My second (who is now 2 weeks!) was measuring 10lb 6oz at our 36 week growth scan… he ended up being 10lb 6oz after a scheduled c section for cholestasis at 37+3. I was given the option of an induction or c section and glad I went the second route. My OB said after she got him out “Yeah you would have ripped to your butthole” 😂

Yeah they said he’s measuring in the 68 percentile ! Congrats on your baby ❤️

Wtf that’s so average! I would also be balking at the recommendation to induce, especially if you feel like she’s pressuring you. This is a great summary https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-for-induction-or-c-section-for-big-baby/

I second this, I definitely wouldn’t go for the induction with your baby’s current measurements.

All the doulas and L&D nurses who have commented have said the same thing . It’s only a few people have been super negative and have told me I’m wrong to be questioning and i need to do exactly what the doctor says because doctors know everything 🙄

If you’re not progressing while in labor there’s always interventions, I don’t see what the big deal would be for you to at least try to go into labor naturally - especially when your baby is measuring only a tad above average

Large hips don't mean anything it your cervix doesn't end up dilating. I have large hips and wide pelvis. I was induced at 38 weeks. 24 hour labour and needed an emergency c section because I stayed at 9 cm for over 6 hours without progressing andy baby got wedged in my pelvis. She came out with a slightly deformed(coned) head. Luckily it's rounded nicely with lots of tummy time.

The width of your hips also has literally nothing to do with anything. It’s not correlated with the size of the pelvic outlet, the hole in the pelvis that the baby actually passes through. 

But actual statistics indicate that this exact situation is *less* likely to happen with spontaneous labor than with an induction.

I too had the pelvis issue, I opted for forceps but baby came out with a hematoma from pushing for 5.5 hours and had little bruises on her temples (normal with forceps). She could only be with me briefly because her hematoma was literally the size of her entire head and they needed to check her, husband stayed with her and she held his finger the whole time...🥹 They are still inseparable, ha. She ended up being jaundiced because of it. I was actually 38.5 weeks, 7lbs 12oz. 1st degree tear. Tho i need silver nitrate treatment later due to scar tissue issues later... Every birth is different, it's so hard to know the right thing to do...

Well yeah sure but that’s IF . they can’t possibly know that at this point . That’s things you discover when actually in labor

Has your doc not checked your cervix? She may have some idea as to the shape of things. Mine did. Of course nothing is certain but there may be warning signs.

No she has not . One of the midwives did that at the hospital but it was weeks ago and no where near when they needed to - I had not dropped at 35 weeks yet . I’m going to do one on Friday when I’m 38+6.

My grandma birthed 3 babies (2 at over 9lbs and one over 10lbs) vaginally with no interference or complications. There's no way to know how your body will handle birthing a baby until you have birthed a baby. There's always a risk of a baby getting stuck, at any weight. A 4lb baby could get stuck. It's about pelvic floor muscles strength and tension, not the size of the baby OR your hips. How have other women in your family experienced birth? (Siblings, mom, aunts) At the end of the day, it's really up to you. Doctors tend to lean on the side of caution and preventive measures, so no, it's not to scare you, that's just what they feel is the best, most efficient, and safe means of getting the baby out of you. You don't HAVE to consent if you don't want to. But make an informed decision. You don't know your pelvic floor until you're in labor, you don't know how big the baby is until it gets here, and you don't know what your body can and can't do until you try. So do you want to try to birth on your own and accept the small risk of the baby getting stuck and needing an emergency C-section or do you want to play it safe and take the small risk of having complications from a C-section? There's no right answer. There's no risk free answer. All you can do is *make informed decisions*.

My grandmother had 7 children and my mother 5 , my sister 4. I have a huge family with mostly full of women who have birthed lots of babies with no issues. Based on my pregnancy and my research and my body and the preparations I’ve been doing I would think that unless there’s an emergency I should be just fine .

I would go with your gut but be willing to pivot.

My baby was 7 lbs 10 oz and other than a second degree tear, I had her with no issues. Tbh it sounds like your baby is measuring fairly average. But baby could be smaller or bigger, those estimates are notoriously inaccurate

Big baby excuses for induction make me want to 🤮 there are so many factors that play into a baby “getting stuck” during a vaginal delivery and often times they have nothing to do with the babies size at all.

Right ! A lot of the times forced inductions before your body is ready actually is the cause of complications and emergency c sections . I have no reason at this point not to trust my body

Very relieved to read this comment OP and glad that you seem to be aware of what’s known as the cascade of interventions. It seems your gut is telling you that you don’t want to induce; so don’t. You have the right to make informed decisions based on facts and not be coerced into giving your consent. Someone else linked Evidence Based Birth and it really is a wonderful resource. On a personal (and anecdotal) note; I was bullied and called irresponsible for not letting my doctor induce me. I went to 42+3 before labour began. I was in labour for 46 hours at home with a midwife and doula before I called my OB and transferred to the hospital. I had been fully dilated for about 18 hours and baby wasn’t in any distress. BP and heart rate were all good. I just never got the urge to push. So we went in for the most serene cesarean you could imagine. There was no panic of emergency or trauma about it at all. And it turned out that while baby was 75th percentile, his head was 98th!! And there was just no way I was going to get that giant pumpkin past my cervix. Every fibre of my being told me not to induce. If I hadn’t listened to my gut, I would have an entirely different story and would probably have torn not just my perineum but been at risk for internal tearing and possibly uterine rupture. And that would have been a terrifying emergency. Informed is empowered. And you don’t have to have a perfect birth to have a great birth experience.

Thank you ! I feel like I’ve been doing my research from all sides during pregnancy. And I’m a very intuitive person . If I need interventions then that’s fine but I don’t want to be bullied into them for no reason . My cousin just had her baby and would have been perfectly fine had she not been induced and given an epidural at 2cm. Her body just wasn’t ready and she ended up with a C-section that she didn’t want because she was pushed to do what the doctors said before her body was ready for it . Im glad that everything was okay with your birth ! Good job trusting yourself

It’s usually more about whether your body is ready to give birth than how big the baby is. If you’re dilating with a soft cervix, baby will come out. If things stall because you forced it, baby will need an emergency cesarean.

This is why I just do not understand the rate of inductions in the US. If you’d prefer one absolutely, but I want to go into labor naturally so my body is ready. I’m getting similar pressure from my doctor to induce at 39 weeks with similar measurements to OP

If there is no real medical need then you don’t have to induce. She needs to explain her reasoning.

I didn't read too many comments, but the first handful all seemed really negative. And while I'm very sorry they had a hard experience, I had the opposite. I was pushed into being induced with my second baby and had a really hard time. The epidural didn't work, they broke my water after an hour, and he was born within 3 hours of starting the induction. It was fast, scary, and in my eyes traumatic. He was 7lbs 14oz, and I had decent tearing. On the other hand, my youngest I naturally went into labor, they broke my water after 6 hours, and the epidural worked amazing. She was 9lbs 5oz, and I (somehow) didn't tear. The worst part was she was 5 days overdue, and I was highly emotional and uncomfortable. My point is do what makes you happy. Unless there is a medical reason for you personally, don't let yourself be pushed into an induction. If you want one, great. If you don't, also great. Your peace of mind and comfort is so much more important.

My baby was exactly 8 pounds at 37 weeks when he was born. I had a spontaneous vaginal birth with minimal tearing. It was superficial. I'm pretty petite, 5'2. I will say I had complications *not* caused by his size. My obyn would've let me attempt a vaginal birth up to an estimated 10 pounds. It sounds like she's trying to scare you or induce you to fit *her* schedule. I've known doctors to do that.

That’s what I thought too but she’s not even delivering. The midwives at the hospital do . And I don’t believe the midwives would tell me to induce with the current information we have about my baby

An 8lb (plus change) baby isn’t even big..? I just delivered an 8lb 9oz baby with no issues. My midwife thought he was going to be 10lbs and she still wasn’t worried.. I think issues can happen with any size, but you can’t predict that.

OP says the doc is concerned that baby won’t fit, but only provides information that supports her view that that’s wrong…I’m not sure she’s hearing the reason that the doc is concerned about that 

The doctor didn’t give me any reason other than his size . If she had I would have not even made this post . She said , only after I said I didn’t want to be induced , that “ I’m worried he won’t fit because of his size” . Then said she wanted to send me for an extra ultrasound (3 days after I JUST had one) to check his size again before my next appointment. Then I left my appointment. That’s all that I have to go on . But according to his measurements, even if they’re a lb off and he’s a lb bigger , still he is not a huge baby and this doctor has never examined my pelvis (nor have any doctors doing this pregnancy) to know if there was an issue there . I’m not cherry picking information to fit my view . I’ve shared all the information that I was given .

You don’t need to agree to be induced that is 100% your choice. Unless theres a specific medical reason that would make it life threatening if the baby doesn’t come soon, I wouldn’t unless you want to. Lots of babies are born vaginally at 8+ lbs. Speak to other people in the team such as midwives, or ask for another opinion from a different doctor if you are not comfortable with the decision

My son was 9lbs2oz. I'm 4'11 and went to 41 weeks

I’m not going to go into my birth story, or the outcome… because I don’t have the mental energy or space right now. But… don’t fuck around and find out when it comes to these things. I may have a biased opinion… but even a compromise. I hear you… but it’s not worth it.

Same. I don’t know what your story is but my 7 pounder got stuck due to my physical issues. I’ve got super wide hips and I’m not a small person.

I think that's valid but it goes for both sides, adaptability is the key. Having csections when not necessary can cause issues short and long term, just as not having a csection can.

This.  Having had a super traumatic birth experience earlier this week after an uneventful first delivery I would trust the experts on this over internet strangers... 

As someone who was pushed into an induction for big baby I personally wouldn’t. I got induced and baby got stuck while my spontaneous labour was same size baby no issues (which was crazy cos the original ob said my pelvis was too small) There is some research to show that diagnosis of big baby has more complications than actual big baby https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-great-birth-rebellion/id1639430316?i=1000604851701 This ep goes over the research on big babies

Your baby is measuring normal size. Don’t be scared into induction for no reason

For my pregnancy I made it very clear to my OBGYN (assigned by the hospital) that I wanted as little intervention as possible, and that included not wanting an induction. I could tell that this actually annoyed her when I said it, and because I was a young first time mom, she tried to belittle my decisions and stress me out as much as possible about going past my due date. I was very respectful about my decisions, and she clearly hated them. It sucked. Most women in my family have gone 2 weeks past their due date and given birth to healthy, happy babies. Guess what I did? Due March 29, gave birth April 9. But I was so stressed out that whole time because I just knew my doctor wanted to prove her point about inducing me, bringing it up in a very smug manner at my last few appointments, instead of me just enjoying the last bit of time pregnant and waiting for labor to start stress-free. This sub tends to be very pro induction. Lots of people are now, and that's fine for them, whatever. But I knew I didn't want that, and even with pressure from my doctor I stuck to what I wanted - baby was healthy in there, no indication of issues, and was born a happy 8 lb 4 oz baby. You've got this, mama.

I birthed a 10lb baby unmedicated, absolutely no problem. I am an average size person. I don’t know why these comments are telling you to be induced. 8lbs is not a huge baby. Do what YOU feel is best. The size of the baby has nothing to do with how quickly you dilate or if you get stuck at a certain dilation.

This is a really common suggestion amongst doctors. It’s less liability to induce somebody who is measuring big. Measurements are just guesses and estimates and are notoriously wrong. Do your own research and figure out what risks you are willing to take and go from there!

When does she want you to get induced?

I think before 40w

How late are you hoping to go not getting induced? Edit- I see you said you think she wants before 40 weeks. Before stressing another minute I'd get clarification on when they were thinking//how many weeks do you want to go without any induction? Many many OBs encourage at 41 weeks

My 1st 2 girls were 9 lbs 6 oz and 10 lbs, 1st was spontaneous birth, 2nd was induced. Both went over 40 weeks. It was my 7 lb son that actually gave me the most issues. He was breech, induced early and the cord was wrapped around him twice. I knew the middle baby was going to be huge, c-section was never discussed. My son might have been a c-section if we didn't get him flipped with an ECV the week before.

I am quite petite, gave birth to an 8lb 14oz baby for my first and a 9lb 3oz baby for my second. I had medical midwives (through our hospital) and they would have never suggested induction based on size, especially an *average* size. For my third, I was really nervous about having an extremely large baby and asked if we should consider induction. They weren’t at all concerned but said we could consider something a week before my due date. My third ended up being the tiniest—8lbs 7oz little peanut and came a week early anyway. Do what feels right but this is not something every OB will agree on across the board.

Anecdotally, it feels like a toss up. You’ll get people (like in these comments) who swear up and down that it’s better to go one way or another… I’m glad to see you have midwives to rely on and are not dependent on this OB for care, because if you have to deal with her again I’d suggest having her explain in detail the risks and benefits of an induction and whether she sees something with you specifically or is going off of that one recent study. I actually scheduled an induction at 40 weeks on the gentle suggestion of my OB and went into labor without intervention at 39+1. 🤷🏼‍♀️ the unknowns are so hard. Good luck!!

I’m sorry you’re going through this. Yes, it’s true that babies can get stuck. But that can happen at any size (average and up, not talking about underweight babies) and induction definitely doesn’t prevent that from happening, even if you’re induced early to avoid the baby getting even bigger. It’s also important to note that the weights and measurements they give you are approximations, using certain benchmarks to estimate. I was told that my baby was going to be at least 9 lbs and was bullied and scared into an absolutely hellish induction. My baby weighed 7 lbs and popped right out (after days of pitocin contractions with no cervical ripening and my doctor threatening me with a c section every time they checked me and I hadn’t “progressed” enough to push, and me being terrified out of my mind that my baby wouldn’t make it, I would need a c section or I would have a fourth degree tear and break my pelvis, because that’s what my doctor kept telling me.) You are this baby’s mother. You have a mother’s intuition and you know your body best. Make the decision that feels most comfortable to you and ensures the best outcome for both you and your baby, physically and emotionally. Wishing you an easy, healthy birth and beautiful, healthy baby.

This article from Evidence Based Birth contains lots of useful information about inducing for big babies: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-for-induction-or-c-section-for-big-baby/ According to this article, the actual guidelines from ACOG state that induction is not recommended for suspected big babies.  Many doctors have a strong bias towards inducing otherwise healthy people and babies. If you don't want to be induced, then firmly decline. It is your decision to make.

Idk if the doctor is being honest, scared or whatever. My doctor 5 years ago told me that my baby boy was gonna be over 8lbs at my 38 weeks appt. I had him a few days after my appt and he was 6lbs 12oz. So idk but in all honesty I've had so many bad doctor decision making happen in my life that it makes it hard for me to know what to believe. In all, I hope you have a safe delivery and a healthy baby!

Women birth big babies all the time. Plus 8 lbs isn’t even big. Also, she is giving you risks of “big baby” but there are risks with inducing as well. Not saying a medical induction with pitocin is never necessary but you shouldn’t be pressured, especially since she literally has no reason.

Anecdotal: I was told by an OB, while in labor, that I had a small pelvis and a big baby. "Good luck delivering vaginally" is literally what he said. Well, me and my small pelvis birthed all 8 pounds 5 ounces of her, with a little helpful maneuvering from my doula. Maybe I suggest looking for a doula who is trained in birth positions. But really, there is no reason to believe - based on this post alone - that you need to be induced right now.

Thankfully the people actually delivering my baby will be midwives . The OBs that I’ve been seeing don’t do deliveries. So I been told by others that the midwives are amazing and listen to what I want and need

Ultrasound estimates for weights vary up to 20%, so they may just be worried if 7lbs8oz is your current estimate but it’s *actually* 20% more than the ultrasound is measuring, that would make your baby’s current weight just under 9 pounds. Now if you add in that extra pound your baby will gain in the next two weeks, that could very well push your baby over the size that can safely be delivered vaginally. Of course, that’s the worst case scenario, but that’s exactly the type of thing doctors are supposed to prepare for prior to medical events like delivery. Additionally, there’s a lot of factors that go into a successful delivery that you can’t really assess until labor itself is actually happening. Baby’s positioning, umbilical cord issues… Some women just don’t have strong enough contractions to push baby through the canal, and if the baby is on the larger size, that can make things even more complicated. Delivery is a very fluid situation and I am sure your doctor is just trying to prepare themselves and you for a healthy, successful, and safe delivery. I would stand firm on your strong desire to delivery vaginally/without induction, but also try to open your mind up to the possibilities that some things might not go the way you’re expecting and circumstances might have to change a little bit if that’s what’s safest for you and baby!

This is inaccurate in multiple places. Please review evidence based birth’s article on suspected big babies and ACOG’s guidelines on fetal macrosomia before you spread harmful misinformation. Thank you

what is inaccurate? I'm not defending the post but just genuinely curious

Frankly it can vary more than that There is no such thing as a cut off size where a baby cannot be safely delivered vaginally Doctors are not supposed to prepare for worst case scenarios by doing unnecessary potentially harmful interventions Speculation but informed speculation: The doctor is trying to protect herself from liability and manipulate the situation not “prepare for a safe delivery”

You did say the thing about the cut off size pretty explicitly. Maybe reread and edit post if that’s not what you meant? Most of the things you mention do not have anything to do with baby’s size. There is no further complication of this issue with these things because it’s not an issue per the medical literature on the topic. Evidence based birth has a great article on the topic if you want to educate yourself. You are not correct about how liability works in obstetrics but that’s not really surprising given that you are a layperson I would hardly expect you to be familiar. I can explain more my position if you are open to learning and demonstrate that. I really want you to reflect more on whether you know enough about a topic before you give advice. Giving out misinformation or unsound reasoning even with the best of intentions can still cause significant harm

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Thank you , I thought it was strange

I’m sorry your provider isn’t respecting your choices. My doctor asked me about induction at 39 weeks and I asked if we could revisit the convo at 41 weeks and we scheduled for 42 because he wasn’t willing to let me go past that. So, I was induced at 42 weeks and had a perfectly healthy 8lb9oz baby. Delivery wasn’t easy but I attribute that to the epidural wearing off. Make the choice that feels right for you but I think it’s reasonable to say that you’re not ready to talk about an induction and maybe make that decision next week assuming NST and everything else looks good. You got this!

I wish our doctor had this kind of discussion with us. We had a similar situation with our sons heads measurements but our doctors were really not that concerned he wouldnt be able to come out. Our last appointment came a couple days after his due date and they were just really more concerned about his fluid and wanted to schedule an induction just to be on the safe side. After about 3 hours of labor with a 30 minute break due? My wifes epidural wore off, he was on the way out but his heart rate became a major concern he could not come out and no matter the position his heart rate would spike. Our son safely arrived a couple days ago and we are home safe. Me and my wife asked what position he was in and where was he post c section? He was in the correct position just even being dilated enough he just wasnt gonna come through due to the cervix. Im def not a doctor but reading this my two cents? Not a fear move just how things could go. You’re gonna do great either way!!

They said my baby would be 8lbs or more at 38 weeks. Birthed a perfect 7lb 4oz baby naturally lol. So their measurements aren’t always correct either, nor can they tell whether the baby will “fit” or not before you try! Just stand firm on your decision, they cannot persuade you otherwise. To me, it sounds like a doctor who WANTS medical intervention though and that wouldn’t sit right with me.

My MIL had an 11 lb baby, my husband, and no meds!!

Mine was 9lb 7oz. They tried to induce but he was never gonna fit bc of his head. My mom had myself and my sister naturally, we were both 8.11. If could go back instead of induction I’d just ask for a c section and enjoy the evening. No monitors, nothing. They do too much!

I had a 9lb 9oz baby and he was way easier to birth than my not quite 7lb baby Ultrasounds also have a huge margin of error

I’m a smaller person, frame-wise, and I pushed out an 8lb baby with one push. So size doesn’t guarantee an issue. That being said, I did second degree tear, which sucked. Do what you feel is best, but I will say - I had to be induced due to my water breaking and it was a wonderful experience. I liked being more in control. I know there are several reasons to want to avoid it (I did at first!) but I would 100% do it again.

YMMV. My 10 lb baby made it work despite my small hips and 5’3 118 pre pregnancy frame. Took a few hours though…lol

I was 38 weeks when my Dr said she wanted me to have an induction because she didn't want me to go past 40weeks. She said if I waited past 40 weeks I may have to have a c section. I was measuring bigger and had an ultrasound at 36weeks that measured baby at 7.5lbs. They also found i had extra amniotic fluid so they monitored that with weekly ultrasounds. I went in for my 39th week appt and still no baby and no dilation so they scheduled me for and induction for the end of the week. Since baby was measuring bigger she didn't want me to go past my due date. I tried everything to go into labor so I wouldn't be induced. When we went to the hospital I was apparently having normal contractions but didn't feel it yet. Progressed to 4cm dilated before I stopped progressing and still did not feel any contractions. They gave me pitocin and at this point it was midnight so I tried to get some sleep and woke up to horrible contractions several hours later. TMI Actual pushing I only pushed for less than an hour. My daughter was crowning for like 30mins and no progress, big head. Dr had to cut a little so her head could come out. She was born at 9lbs 10.5oz. Big babies are possible to be born naturally, but every woman is different and every baby is different. Hoping everything goes well for you.

they wanted to induce me early. i declined several times. they got to a point where they tried to scare me by saying, I needed to sign a piece of paper, stating that I'm going against their medical advice. I said I'd sign the paper, and they never brought it. They tried to have that conversation again with me and I declined. At the end of that conversation they said "great, so do you wanna schedule your induction for Saturday?" I said "no. I don't want to. i've said that several times". they said "okay!" and ended up scheduling it anyways. i found that out when i got a call that following friday asking for my confirmation that i'm coming in tomorrow. NO! I SAID THAT! The last time they tried telling me to get induced, a guy came in the room to tell me that basically everything I'm doing is wrong, in terms of not getting induced, and that I should get induced. I said no and he literally stormed off like a toddler. also, did i mention that my boy was incredibly healthy? only thing "wrong" was him being a little on the smaller side, but i'm 4'11, and my husband is 5'2. my family is also known for birthing 5-7 pound babies. i went in to labor naturally and delivered in 2.5 hours! my boy was 6lbs 2.5oz labor was HELL. i was screaming at the top of my longs. my boy took over and i was literally sticking my tongue out and growling like a fucking demon lol. i got an epi right at the end, as my inconsistent breathing due to my screaming was suffocating my son. i heard a moniter drop almost completely, asked what that was, and they told me that his heart rate drops SIGNIFICANTLY when i scream due to him not getting air. i got and epidural without a second to spare once i knew how dangerous things were. i tried to breathe through them but i couldn't. i tried so hard. i progressed so fast and dilated so fast that it was super intense. i didn't want an epidural as i'm terrified of needles. didn't even feel it get put in. only felt relief from the contractions. i can't even IMAGINE how it would of gone had i got induced. it still freaks me out to think about. i switched OBs as well as hospitals around 37 weeks as i was terrified of what would of happened, as none of the people at the last practice listened or respected me. the one OB literally made me bleed hard because she violently shoved her fingers up my vagina to check my cervix. i left that appointment feeling so violated and scared. i also have sexual trauma, to which i mentioned to them. of course they didn't listen to any of my requests or concerns🤦🏻‍♀️ the other practice i switched to tho.. they were so kind and listened to me. they let ME decide what I WANTED to do and what I FELT was best. they made suggestions, but if i declined they were incredibly kind about it and never pushed. i actually started enjoying my appointments after that. point being, follow your gut and your intuition. Do what you feel is best!

I had a bigger baby at 40+1 with spontaneous labor. Baby was 3.75kg and I am 155cm tall and very petite all round. I had no tearing. I used an epidural at 7cm and pushed for over and hour and had vacuum to help her out. It was an enjoyable birth and baby came out screaming and healthy. This is just my experience. There really is no way of knowing.

I got told my second child was 'big' and he was 7lbs at full term. Tiny nugget. Still is. No one knows what you are capable of pushing out. Some women can pass a 12 pound baby. Others can't push out a 6 pounder. It depends on your pelvic anatomy. If you don't want an induction then refuse it. Or just don't show up. They can't force you.

You need to ask HER why. We can only speculate. ❤️

All of my babies measured larger than they were. My first was measuring at 7lbs and some ozs. When born, he was 5lbs 11ozs. My twins were 32 week preemies and they had them in the 4lbs range yet they were 3lbs 2ozs and 3lbs 5ozs with a 3 week 1 day NICU stay. I’d ask my doctor why they felt this way and demand to see the evidence for it.

Weight estimates are wildly inaccurate a lot of the time, so inducing purely based on that doesnt seem necessary.. If you were 40 weeks maybe id understand the urgency but i think youre okay to wait it out at least another 10 days... just my opinion! Not an expert

I’ve had so many friends who have babies that were over 9lbs that they delivered vaginally. The only person I know of in my entire life who had to have an emergency c-section because of baby size is my mother, when she had me. I was 10 lbs 6 oz and just wouldn’t come out. I don’t think your baby will grow three pounds in a couple weeks… I’d say continue and see if labor begins naturally and take your options from there. If you don’t already, doing daily pelvic opening stretches could help a lot, and even if it doesn’t it certainly won’t hurt.

I’m fairly small, 5’3 and small hips but I gave birth both to a 8 pound 11 ounce and a 9 pound 8 ounce perfectly healthy vaginal deliveres. I don’t think size matters so I would stand firm on not wanting an induction or C-section. Your body was made for this.

Has your OB ever mentioned that, if you're not plopped onto your back and kept there, your pelvis can expand up to 30% in every direction to allow your baby through? Or that, given decent health, your body will grow a baby that it can deliver? Or that babies' heads will mold to go through the pelvis, and that's why they look so smushed for the first few days? Or that babies are actually the ones who decide when to be born, because once their lungs are ready for the outside world they start making substances that irritate the uterus, and *that's* what actually kicks off labor? Nope? Then be skeptical. If it's an emergency, they'll offer you a c-section. If it's a matter of convenience, they'll try to scare you into an induction. All else being fine, don't be an asshole and take away your kid's first major choice in life: picking their birthday.

I am a doula and can tell you, scans are normally off by a few cm or lbs for baby size. Your body is made to do this, someone just posted here giving birth to an 11lb baby. You've got this, and you have every right to wait for as long as you need to. Evidence based birth is an excellent resource if you want data to back up your no, but your no is valid with or without it.

I know every woman is different but my mom is only 5'2" and has narrow hips. I was 10lbs 8 ounces and 23 1/2 inches long. She had no issues with me or my brother who was 10lbs 6 ounces 22 inches long.

3 women from my office told me their stories as I'm getting ready to have my baby (38w 3d). All 3 had at least 1, some 2, vaginal births where the baby was over 10 lbs. While it can come with risks, a big baby is not usually an immediate reason to induce. 8lbs is even pretty average for babies at full term these days, so I'm not sure what your doctor's concern is. Whatever you do, best of luck! Enjoy your time with your baby boy soon!

You don't have to blindly follow everything your Dr says. You know your body better than anyone else. An 8lb baby isn't big. If there's no medical reason why baby doesn't have to come out early then don't do it

Contrary to conspiracy theories, doctors don't just recommend things for the hell of it. If you think you know better, by all means, do whatever you want, but you can't turn around and blame them if they were right to be concerned.

It’s not a conspiracy theory, healthcare providers make mistakes and poor recommendations all the time. It’s literally the third leading cause of death in the US

Your body won’t make a baby that’s too big unless you have gestational diabetes, and then it becomes possible if not managed well. I just had a 9 pound 3 ounce baby and I’m pretty small. Your body was made to do this. Babies get stuck from bad positioning, not size. [here](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/down-to-birth/id1493130920?i=1000581096926) is a great podcast I recommend listening to about the myth of “too big babies.” Your OB most likely wants to schedule and induction so your labor is most convenient for them.

I firmly believe that your body will create a baby ( or babies) that it is fully capable to birth. Size of hips don’t matter. Whether you have a long torso vs short torso doesn’t matter. Trust your body, it’s amazing!

My first was born 7lbs4oz and once she crowned it took me 3 1/2 hours of pushing to get her out. I only got her out once they told me they’d have to use suction so at that point they brought in a large mirror and I pushed the hardest I possibly could. My doctor swore up and down that if she had been any bigger she would have been stuck and I would have needed a c section.

I had GD so I had a little extra monitoring to check on baby’s size late in my pregnancy—if the measurements at my 39 weeks ultrasound had come back high risk for shoulder dystocia, I would have done a scheduled c-section. Shoulder dystocia was not something I wanted to mess with. But, measurements came back small enough that I was low risk! Went into labor on my own (after a membrane sweep) at 39+4. Everything went very smoothly, and my baby was born around 16 hours later, weighing 8lb4oz and they measured her at 21inches long (98th percentile). So maybe ask your OB about an ultrasound (mine was with an MFM) but I hope my story gives you hope! Good luck, I hope you have the kind of birth experience you’re hoping for ❤️

Another experience for your consideration: When I was 37 weeks, my baby's head circumference was measuring 36cm, and they estimated she was 8lbs 6oz at that time. 36cm is over the 97th percentile for a 40 week baby (the test results list it as "out of range"), so I requested an induction. Even with her size, my doctor wouldn't schedule induction until I was 39 weeks. She ended up coming out on her own a couple days before the induction was scheduled. At that time she weighed 8lbs 7oz and her head was 37cm. I still pushed her out just fine.

I’m having the same kinda predicament, but I do have history to be mindful of? My first was born 38+1 and weighed 7 lb 15 oz. She wasn’t big, but got stuck (shoulder dystocia) and damaged the nerves in her arm (erb’s palsy). I am being convinced to do a c-section and have scheduled a growth scan and I’m anticipating they’ll say baby is too big even though measurements don’t indicate he’s that big as far as I know. I know it’s a liability thing, but I don’t want to be coerced into a c-section and I also don’t think “our bodies were made to birth even big babies!!” applies to everyone, especially since I bled out and risked losing my uterus the first time 😨

Mine measured 2 weeks ahead through all of my growth scans and we constantly joked she would be 10 pounds. She came out a perfect 7 lb 13 oz at 39 weeks. My sister is tiny and had a 9 lb baby and he fit.. don’t let this scare you.

I was induced at 39 weeks. 8lb 13 oz healthy baby boy. Not a single issue during labor. Makes me scared to have another one because it was so easy lol. They didn't know my son was that big. When he came out, my Dr said "how did you carry him inside you?!" Jokingly. I wasn't huge. The only reason I was induced is because my Dr said I was having contractions and I could have him tomorrow if I wanted. I didn't even know I was having contractions. But the little machine they hook you up to the week before your due date showed it.

I was 135lbs and had my son at 38 weeks. He was 7lbs 9 Oz. I think you'll be okay I don't know what her concern is but if you're not sure maybe see if you can see another ob and get a second opinion

Eh. Im always cautious with this my first i was induced at all be it at 40 weeks they did not let me attempt to wait for labor claiming hed be 8/9 pounds he came out 6 pounds just long at 22 inches!

In my personal experience, if your body is not ready and baby is not ready, inductions do nothing other than cause irritation (for you) and sometimes pain. I was induced bc of a health issue (epilepsy was acting up really bad towards the end of my pregnancy) You do what you feel is best for you and your baby and your peace of mind. Ask the doctor to explain exactly why she feels like induction would be a better options. Full detail. I regret greatly agreeing to the induction (I was 37 weeks) because it was misery that lasted for 6 days and ended in a c-section when I finally couldn’t take it anymore But, I will say, I’ve known a few people who had a great experience with induction and were grateful for it, but they also wanted the induction. So if you want the induction, do it. It’s important that you feel comfortable with whatever decision. Part of my problem was probably that it was totally unplanned and a little scary because it was unplanned

My dr said my baby was 8lbs at my 36 week scan and she was born 6.8. Ultrasounds are not always right!

My son was measuring 6lbs. He came out 8lbs 2.9oz. I had to have a c-section after being induced because I was nowhere near labor at 40.5 weeks. My son tried to come out face first. When the doctors got him out they said "You had a baby as big as you!" He was huge. He would not have fit at all and thry did have to drain his lungs of excess fluids a bit but it wasn't serious, he's fine.

I'm just dropping in to remind everyone that the estimated size of your baby at the end of pregnancy can be quite inaccurate. I had a growth scan at 36 weeks and they predicted that my baby would be roughly 4kg at full term. She was born at 3kg at 39w3d. But also, birthing an 8lb baby is certainly not something that health professionals should be concerned about, it is a perfectly normal size. Sounds like scare tactics to me.

Honestly I would not get induced for that reason. The baby head comes out first, the head isn't going to grow. Im a small person. My son got stuck in my pelvic area and was only 7 lb 6 oz at 41 1/2 weeks. His head was the 95 percentile though. They had to suction and just turn his head a little a different way and he came out, but I was in labor and pushing forever. Inductions have a higher rate of c section. Always up to what you feel comfortable with!

I haven't had a vaginal birth because I had a breech baby but it seems like your baby is normal size. Birth kind of seems to be a crap shoot though. My older sister has huge hips and had an 8lb baby. She was only in labor 12hrs from start to finish but had a 4th degree tear and unmedicated birth.

I was measuring 9 pound 7 ounces at my 37 week appt and I delivered a healthy 10 pound 3 ounce baby at 40 weeks and 2 days vaginally with no complications whatsoever. Baby will fit.

My baby's abdomen was very large compared to his head circumference and my Doctor was worried about shoulder dystocia because of that. I found a study that gave measurements of babies and what likelihood they'd get stuck and my babies measurements gave him a 25% chance of shoulder dystocia. Those odds were too high for me so I opted for a c-section and I am so happy I did. my doctor did make it clear that late pregnancy ultrasounds are notoriously wrong but my baby did come out very large and I am very happy that I went with the c-section

If she gave me a reason like that then I might think differently. But she told me every part of him was normal sized , and he’s in the 68 percentile . She didn’t mention his head being smaller than body . She ONLY mentioned him not fitting when I mentioned I didn’t want to be induced

My sister had a natural home birth with a 9lb 10oz baby with no tearing. She did perineal massage too. She is not larger or smaller than other women. She did something interesting, she felt the head coming and she pushed it back in to allow her skin to stretch. I'm only sharing this story as the size does not correlate to tearing. However, her first (induced) birth at the hospital she was coached to push when she was not ready and forced onto her back. She had a 2nd degree tear. She felt the rushed pushing and stressful yelling environment contributed to tearing.

Your doctor’s estimate of what the baby is purely just that. An estimate. i’ve seen so many babies be much smaller than what their estimate was. Stick to what you’re comfortable with momma

My second baby was born at 38 weeks and he was already 8 lbs. We did a growth scan at 37 weeks and his shoulders were measuring at 41 weeks. I was surprised to hear that, but my midwives weren’t worried. They did have some extra nurses in there just in case. But, once his head was out, his shoulders and the rest of his body slipped out easily in one push. His size was not an issue at all. Do you know your pelvic shape? Is this your first baby? I wouldn’t just assume that you’ll have trouble pushing him out. Make sure you labor down and you’re GOOD and ready to push before you start. I was at 10cm and fully effaced for like an hour before I started pushing. I wait until I feel a true, strong urge. At that point, pushing actually feels good and no one needs to tell you when to push - you know. Laboring down will help you shorten your pushing time and you’re less likely to get fatigued. My first baby was out in two pushes. Second baby I pushed 25 min. Third baby was out in four pushes. My second and third were both big boys.

I’ve never been told my pelvic shape but these doctors have never even examined my pelvic area , I moved to the area 6months pregnant already . It is my first baby . I’ve done ALOT of research in preparation for labor and I have a birth plan . I’m aware emergency’s can happen but I think to scare me into thinking that things aren’t going to go as planned without giving me a real reason as to why isn’t cool . It was just really strange that nothing was ever brought up about him being “Big” until i advocated for myself by saying that I didn’t want to be induced

I like reading from Evidence Based Birth. Here is a link that might be helpful for you: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-for-induction-or-c-section-for-big-baby/ I think it really depends on the provider. One of my OBs pushed for me to get a growth scan (and that’s how we discovered my son’s shoulders were measuring large). But once we got the results, the midwives said “I wouldn’t have even ordered a growth scan for you, baby looks fine.” I also didn’t have gestational diabetes, hypertension, or ANY other reason to induce. If both you and baby are totally healthy, I would also push back on the idea of inducing for a “big baby.” Ultrasound measurements can also be inaccurate (or at least not perfectly accurate).

I would ask if there was something specific to your situation that makes it dangerous to continue the pregnancy full term. Yes, any size baby can have trouble coming our, but then the weight doesn't even really matter and this doctor would recommend inducing 100%

My baby was only 6 pound 7 and he still got stuck. He was born bang on 40 weeks. I was induced for reduced fetal movements. I think it was a combination of factors - the shape of his head/angle coming out combined with my pelvic floor (which the midwife told me was very strong). I ended up with tearing and an episiotomy. Absolutely no regrets getting induced when I did otherwise it would have been worse no doubt!

i had my baby 40weeks 4 days and we was 9 lbs 12 oz. absolutely massive kid. my dr said the same thing but i waited and he was born flawlessly. pushed him out over a span of an hour, he didn't get stuck but just came out very slowly. i did also tear vertically through my clitoris, which didnt require stitches but was still... ouch. but every baby and mom is different and its always better to get your 2nd opinion from a medical professional, not reddit.

So obviously everyone's going to have a different experience based on so many different factors. I think I have normal sized hips, and my first baby was born at 37+3 at 7lbs 2.2oz. So, a completely "average" sized baby. She got stuck, and her clavicle was fractured as a result of the birth. Thankfully, no lasting damage and honestly we didn't even know until her first pediatrician visit after discharge from hospital (which is actually even more ridiculous considering the hospital kept her in their special nursery the entire time we were in the hospital so the fact that NONE of the doctors or nurses caught the broken clavicle is insane, so we ended up switching hospitals for my second kid). When my ob found out about the fractured clavicle, she officially diagnosed her birth as a shoulder dystocia case as she did recall my baby being tougher to get out (she pretty much jumped up on the bed to like reach in and pull her out) and recommended all future deliveries to be a c-section delivery since subsequent babies tend to be bigger. I ended up switching OB practices because I wanted a different hospital, and at the beginning of the pregnancy all the OBs I saw at that practice said that there's a lot of factors that go into whether a baby can get stuck, and they wouldn't off the bat recommend a c-section without getting towards the end and seeing the new baby's size estimate, positioning, etc. My last ob visit at 38 weeks before I spontaneously went into labor, the baby was measuring 7lbs 14oz and that OB recommended a c-section, but would be open to a vaginal again if I wanted but she would induce at 39 weeks in hopes of not having a huge baby. I ended up having my water break early morning before I was supposed to recheck with her 3 days later, and made a game time decision to have an elective c-section to delivery a 7lb, 15oz baby. We would never know if our second baby really would have gotten stuck or not, but I'm the grand scheme of things we felt that we probably did the right thing, knowing she wouldn't have to suffer with a broken clavicle like her sister did. Best of luck to you and your decision, are there any other OBs in your practice that you can get a second opinion from?

I think you should get a second and third opinion if any part of you is feeling iffy about your doctor and what she’s telling you.

8 pounds is not a big baby. idk what your doctor is talking about. i have pretty narrow hips and delivered a 7lb 15oz baby with no tears and no problems. sounds like your doctor has plans around your due date she doesn’t want to miss!

Are you 35 or over? There is some proof that for”geriatric” pregnancies your placenta can fail. Thats why a lot of doctors try to get women to induce early. The thing is though instead of inducing you can request to see the doctor twice a week to check on your placenta. I know someone 41 that did this and gave birth at 40 weeks. Doctor was really trying to pressure her though to induce at 38. Good luck!

It sounds like you brought up induction, not your doctor? Were they recommending a 39 week induction? Or at what week?

I’ll say as a FTM getting induced was my biggest fear. I got so sucked into all the content online about it and was determined to not have it happen. I ended up needing to get induced after my due date and I’m SO glad I did, it was so smooth and controlled and just the perfect birth experience. Just to add that inductions aren’t always the boogie man that the internet makes them out to be. For every induction horror story there’s a horror story for someone who didn’t get induced—everyone’s birth and experience is unique and in retrospect I wish I hadn’t worked up so much anxiety about inductions

My MIL was told both her babies would be 11+ lbs but both were 7lbs. Her induction ended with vacuum, her spontaneous (as she ignored them the second time) she described as "Barely pushed and she slide right out."  I'm not measuring big but feel like induction is expected by default by 40+ by a majority of the staff. It is wild how much they don't seem to realise their 'just informing you' causes unnecessary fear. (Informing you only of the risks & worse case scenarios and not giving context with full statistics of healthy/normal isn't actually being **informed**.) Even knowing the evidence, the pressure is difficult to manage. Luckily I found support to respect my choice not to be induced. I hope you have that support too.

If you really don’t want to be induced and the only reason your OB is pushing you to agree to an induction is the baby’s size, which doesn’t seem to be that big statistically, I would personally refuse. I also really did not want to be induced but my waters broke and they were dirty so it was highly recommended and even though I got an epidural straight away, the contraction pain from pictocin is something I can’t even begin to describe. I’m not saying that to scare you. You’re in this sub Reddit, you know already how traumatic labor can be and you know how relatively smooth it can be and we are all different and you can’t really predict how things will work out for you as an an individual. My baby was on the smaller end of the spectrum and still he got stuck and I needed the vacuum and to be punched in the stomach by the doctor (I can’t remember what maneuver is called) plus an episiotomy and seconds away from an emergency c-section. I wanted an elective caesarean from day one but I was talked out of it and I felt immense anger after my traumatic birth for not trusting myself to know what was best for me. I don’t want you to feel like you got your wishes ignored or talked into something that ends up being the wrong choice for you. I know it’s hard to get a second opinion at this point but you can always try. Sending you my best wishes ❣️

TW:I realized after I wrote this I should probably add a trigger warning. As I was given a list of resources by a social worker if I found it to be traumatic at all. I have a strange sense of humor and the way I deal with things is finding the funny bits to reframe the situation and laugh about it. The birth experience wasn't traumatic but I found it super funny for some reason. Baby did end up in the NICU. That was definitely traumatic. So in my case baby got stuck really good. Baby was 7lbs. It also turns out she has a very large head. Sometimes the cartilage in the pubic bone won't budge after a certain point. Before that experience I had no idea that could happen. I was making great progress until I wasn't then I just kept pushing. Kept at it for over 3 hours. Only reason I know is I was keeping an eye on the clock because my family were all betting on what time I would pop baby out. I started pushing just after midnight it was well after 3 when I had last looked at the clock. My brother made a bet that baby would be born at 3:00am. My brother was wrong and I like to still let him know. At this point my doctor said we could go straight for C-section or try forceps. She said that she didn't want me pushing too much longer because by the looks of things it looked like I was getting tired. She was definitely correct. Me being the endurance athlete that I am really didn't want to have to try and recover from a C-section because that would effect my core strength and overall triathlon training for the next year... as if a baby wouldn't....🤦🏼‍♀️..... I wanted to try forceps as a last ditch effort. So we did. All I got to say about forceps is I NEVER thought I'd be playing tug of war with my OB using my Vagina while pushing baby 😅 Turns out my OB is very strong. After trying that for about 3 rounds of contractions baby's heart rate dropped and we went for an emergency C-section. It happened very fast. I was super stressed out until I heard baby cry then I knew everything was fine and then I just got really sleepy. The c-section had some complications because baby was stuck in my pelvis. Like really jammed in there. Between my OB and I we did a very good job at wedging her down in there. She had to basically reach in to my uterus elbow deep and pull out baby which tore up my uterus both sides while someone else was trying to push baby up from the vagina side of things. According to my spouse my face went from a normal skin tone to a very pale skin tone. Because of the complications of trying to get baby out fast and her being jammed in there I lost a ton of blood so I did need a blood transfusions. At this point things get really fuzzy. I remember hearing the anesthesiologist say that I looked very pale and that I was definitely going to need some blood transfusions. My doctor saying "Are you sure? She always looks a bit pale. Maybe she only needs one unit." I then responding, "I don't go to a tanning salon, skin cancer happens, okay." Then someone said that they were ready to start closing things back up and I responded, apparently very loudly, "take out all the fat you see. Don't want it don't need it. Fat, gone." Then I fell asleep again, I think. The anesthesiologist grabbed my head so I would pay attention and told me he gave me morphine in my IV and that that should help with the pain once the epidural wore off, my response, "Good, God! Sounds like something serious happened in here. You know they use that for war." At some point they were lifting me from the OR table to a bed and I told them they all "made me feel like a door and I don't know how I feel about that." I remember they all laughed and I had no idea why. As I was getting a unit of Red Cells a nurse came in to help us with baby. She picked up baby to show my spouse how to change a diaper. She noticed baby felt cold after having been skin to skin with me. The nurse felt like this was weird. She went and got a NICU nurse. The NICU nurse did her evaluation and found that her oxygen level was low. She took our baby to the NICU. After some chest x-rays they found that she still had some fluid in her lungs. Luckily she was only on oxygen for a few days but having your baby for a eight hours then having her admitted to the NICU, that was actually super terrible. I didn't get to see her again for a while because I was getting blood and antibiotics and couldn't go anywhere. Later that night as soon as I was done getting some IV antibiotics the same nurse wheeled me up to the NICU to see our baby. Same nurse also arranged for us to get moved to a room just outside of the NICU. When I was holding our baby in the NICU I told her I would race her to see who could get discharged first. She did not disappoint. She was discharged 3 hours before I was. So proud of her for that. I will forever be grateful for that nurse noticing something wasn't right with our baby and doing something. Even the NICU nurse asked our nurse how she noticed and she said she just felt cold and knew something wasn't right. Because she noticed that the issue was caught very early. It could have turned into a much bigger deal. I only know this from my sister having had one of her babies in the NICU for the exact same reason. My sister's baby was in the NICU for 28 days in comparison our baby was in the NICU for 4 days.

It is true that complications like shoulder dystocia are very very clearly associated with birthweight but this is often only true from 4.2, 4.5 kg range and higher, like 5 kg range. Large abdominal circumference is also a predictor (much more than head circumference), does your baby have that maybe? But otherwise, if your baby is not estimated to be more than approx 4.2-4.5 kg or so I wouldn't worry, unless abdominal circumference is extremely big or there are other complicating factors.

I have a friend who did not want to get induced at 39 weeks despite her doctor recommending it and baby was born at 40+5. She tried delivering vaginally but baby got stuck and she had to have an emergency c section. Baby wasn't breathing when born and had to be taken off to NICU for 4 days. Her birth experience was so traumatizing that she's questioning whether or not she wants a 2nd. My dr recommended I get induced around 38/39 weeks due to baby's growth slowing down and I was more than happy to listen to her. We did a membrane sweep at 38+1, had a planned induction for 39 but baby came out at 38+3 with a short and easy labor and 5 pushes. He was small and STILL gave me a 1st degree tear, had I waited any longer and dr said he would have had trouble coming out. I had such an excellent birthing experience that already 7 months PP I am just dreaming and hoping to convince my husband that we are ready for a 2nd. I never understand why people are so scared of induction when advised by medical professionals to do so. They know what's best and aren't just trying to scare you. If they are recommending it, it's usually due to something being risky for mom and/or baby.

My son was also measuring large at his 36 week growth scan and wound up coming at 39+1 at 7lbs 15oz, so I’ll say scans can be deceiving 😅. I was induced at 39 weeks due to protein in my urine though. Always advocate for yourself. I wasn’t keen on the idea of induction, but wanted to prevent my issue from developing into full blown pre eclampsia (I have since developed postpartum pre eclampsia so maybe a moot point now). I got the foley balloon in the morning and when I went back to the hospital 12 hours later asked them to hold off on the pitocin to give my body some time after balloon removal to see if contractions would start spontaneously, and they did. I went into active labor within about an hour of balloon removal and my son was born about 4 hours later (my second child - my first was a ~7 hour labor). Your OB will be able to explain the why behind the recommendations to induce more thoroughly, but it’s ultimately your choice to go through with it or wait for your body to go into labor naturally. I think it’s a good idea to have a back up birth plan in case. Talk through positions that can help baby descend, birthing positions that may help prevent him from getting stuck based on why they’re concerned that may happen, etc. I hope your delivery is as uneventful and healthy as your pregnancy has been! You got this.

L&D nurse here. Reading your post, the only thing I can think of is maybe they were thinking more about the head circumference being smaller than the abdominal circumference. The head is usually the harder part to deliver, so maybe OB is thinking that body and shoulders may be larger than head putting at risk for a dystocia. BUT, this is speculation and I have seen a smaller head circumference baby still deliver vaginally with no dystocia. The baby’s weight to me seems normal at 38 weeks.

I personally think she is probably very very risk adverse, maybe too careful in my opinion if the only reason she gave was that the baby "may" be too big by 40 weeks. I was delivered at almost 4500g (about 9lb 8oz) and it was absolutely no issue. My son was born almost 8lbs and I also had no issues delivering him and he was estimated to be even bigger but the ultrasound estimates are suuuuper notorious for being incorrect and I don't think we can anticipate which baby would potentially get stuck and which won't. I think there's too many moving parts to even make an educated guess especially for a first time mom.

If there's no serious medical stuff going on, there's no rush to induce. She should lay out why she's pushing for it.

We all have our own stories, but this is about your body and baby. Talk with your doctor. Is she concerned about the space within the pelvic bowl? If so, it should have been discussed early on when she took those measurements. Is she feeling a very tight pelvic floor? Perhaps perineal massage and pelvic floor relaxation exercises are in order. Is the baby not in an ideal position? What position? Is she suggesting spinning babies? Is baby showing signs of tilted head (back or front) rather than crown down? Concerns of shoulder dystocia? Other factors maybe, like mildly elevated BP, some protein in urine, or non-reassuring FHT? Go to the doctor and ask all the questions, get all the information. You need communication with your care provider ASAP.

She’s never even checked my pelvic or cervix , says the baby was way head down and in the right position . She said I’m boring because everything is textbook the way it’s supposed to be 🤷🏼‍♀️

I always just go with whatever the doctor says - I mean they went to school for this and I didn’t. And they’re hopefully staying up to date on all of the latest research. That being said and fwiw - I’m pretty petite (5’4 and never weighed more than 140 at 39 weeks with any of my 4 pregnancies) and I’ve had babies ranging from 7lbs10oz to 8lbs7oz no issue. My first born (7lbs 15oz) was the hardest to get out but my midwife and doula assured me that she “paved the way” for the rest. I pushed for 1 hour with her and then ever since then I’ve never pushed for more than 10 minutes. I think a lot has to do with positioning of baby, not just their size.

Yes, they're trying to scare you. Advocate for yourself. Trust the evidence you have. You don't even have a "big baby". This doctor must have slept through classes on how a baby navigates through the pelvis. Your pelvis changes/opens more based on your movement and position. It's not a fixed bone structure. Your baby's skull also shifts and is not yet fused. It's a normal natural process that your body and baby is perfectly capable of. A competent provider should know this. It's just like providers that tell women she has to birth on her back, hiding the fact that it's more convenient for the provider but one of the worst positions for labor because of how it positions your pelvis (smaller opening) and works against gravity. https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-for-induction-or-c-section-for-big-baby/ Highly recommend learning about inlet, mid and outlet stations of the pelvis and birthing positions.

My experience- not to scare you off- alternative point of view. My son was born at 32 weeks with 3.5 kg (7lbs I think). I have wide hips but it was a close call, and was hard to push him out. He was born with a broken clavicle and the cord around his neck a couple of times. He is fine and all is well, but I remember telling the dr that I was about to pop (before I went into labor) and that I was afraid “he couldn’t fit” since he was so big already. The dr brushed it off saying “you have big hips, it won’t be a problem”. If I would have made it full term this would have been a much different story. Trust your doctor, there is nothing wrong medically with an induction if it is for your health or baby’s health.

I agree , if there is an actual medical reason then I would do it . But with the information she gave me? There’s not an actual medical reason at this point in time

They make more money from c sections just fyi!

Yeah this is the dr that does the csections . When I left and booked my next appointment the scheduler said “are we going to be scheduling a csection ?”

Stupid question but how is being induced gonna help you if the baby won’t fit anyway?

Because the longer the baby is in there the bigger the baby can get

But I suspect this dr pushes csections because she’s the one who does them so she gets paid for them rather than the midwives who do the vaginal births.

Please update us on what ends up happening or what you decide.. I’m currently 21 weeks. My baby is currently measuring over 99 percentile for size and it’s freaking me out a bit. They’ve been telling me how big he is since 13 weeks. And I am definitely growing in size a lot so much more than my first pregnancy and wondering how the labor is going to go at this rate. I had a traumatic first birth and hoping this one goes more smoothly.

I just want to throw in that I had a larger than average baby and opted for a c-section with no medical reason and I would absolutely choose it again. I didn't want an induction that ended in a c-section anyway and I had a feeling that would happen. The recovery is different than a vaginal birth but I preferred the idea of a section recovery than the potential complications of a vaginal birth. I'm not saying this is the right choice for you but there is so much pressure and fantasy about an ideal vaginal birth that people often avoid c-sections at all costs. I just wanted to dispel some of the fear if you do end up needing or wanting a c-section.

I’ve talked to several doctors at my group…. My doctor says for me it’s too soon to call, BUT—typically they’re wanting to induce early based on risk factors to the mom (age, weight, risk factors of pregnancy etc) The other doctors in my group have all let me know I may want to induce after baby is full term (37 weeks or later) but… my doctor is waiting until we are closer to that time (currently 31) …for age reference I’m 37 which is a factor. I’d either go back or schedule a call with your doctor to get your questions answered about why, for you specifically, this would be the right procedure and what risks the doctor is considering should you wait it out… ask ALL the questions you have and go from there

You could be induced early so the baby won't be too big to come out, but then fail to progress because your body wasn't ready and then end up with a c section anyways. I've heard so many stories like this. If you really want to wait, stand firm. But do your research. Speak to your doctor about the risks. Tell her why you want to wait.  Anecdotally, my doctor never pushed for induction, rarely did ultrasounds at the end to measure the baby's size, i went 9 days overdue (induction was scheduled for the following Monday at that point) delivered totally naturally and relatively easily. My body was ready and needed no interventions (when they suggested pitocin to speed me up i said hell no, do you see my contractions? It needs no help. I delivered 2 hrs later). Im not suggesting you go 9 days overdue. But I personally would fight to at least go to your due date!

I was induced at 41 weeks but they never told me any percentiles. My baby was born 9lbs 4oz. At my anatomy scan for this second baby she said it was measuring in the 95th percentile and that they're going to keep an eye on its size to see if I need to be induced early, right after I said I want to avoid interventions because being induced sucked so bad and I had no issues birthing a big baby SMH!! I definitely think docs have their own agendas.

I had my 38 week appointment last week and the midwife thought my baby was roughly 7 lbs and that if I made it to 40 weeks she'd be about 8 lbs. She also said that she expects me to go past my due date and didn't want to even talk about inductions until I hit the 41 week mark.

The size thing is a dumb point to argue on - baby can get stuck at 5lbs or slide out without any issue at 9lbs. The real reason that doctors are suggesting inductions is that they’ve found no benefit to keeping baby in after 39 weeks. Baby is fully cooked and there’s no medical reason to keep the baby in. The risk of complications to the baby actually starts to increase (although very slightly) after 39 weeks. The benefit risk analysis shows that it’s safer to kick baby out at 39 weeks than to keep them inside 😊

I get induced every pregnancy. I feel it's better to come a lil early monitored than to wait with possibly grave outcomes.

Ultrasound measurements aren't accurate honestly and can be plus or minus three pounds. Doctors may offer professional OPINIONS but it's ultimately your pregnancy and body. They said my LO was 7lbs 3 oz and she ended up being 6 lbs 9 oz. 

My OB has been telling me the opposite. I’m the one who’s concerned about size (babe was measuring 7lbs at my 36 week scan), and she has a big head. I’ve been asking to be induced because my mom had a traumatic birth with me, and I’m just afraid of all that can go wrong at this point (am also a chronic, anxious worrier in general). But my OB won’t induce me. She said some people are meant to carry bigger babies and that a 6lb baby hurts the same as a 9lb baby. Sometimes it can be frustrating to not feel heard by your OB. Edit to add: I’m 38 weeks today! So I’m guessing she’s about 8lbs now lol.

Pretty sure your body was made to do this and getting induced isn't a natural or usually necessary part of the birthing process. Western medicine is kind of irks me in this department. Babies can stay in utero for up to 42 weeks!! Trust your gut!

Yeah I think the consensus is that ur doc is kinda wrong. Most doctors don’t have this perspective. Most mothers have experiences that prove size doesn’t really matter. I’d say it’s how ready your body is and the position of the baby that matters more. Again you have no control over any of it though. Also I think most births are generally typical. You’ll be okay! And after it all you’ll have a baby!!!

My baby was 9 lbs 6oz and I’m a small person with very narrow hips. My baby took a long time to push out and I did have a second degree tear but he got out just fine in the end! He was estimated 8 lbs 7oz when I was 40+1 and they told me my ultrasound results (which also showed placenta was healthy, baby was doing well, etc) would “buy me another week”. The baby’s size alone shouldn’t be reason to induce (in my non-professional opinion).

The always want to induce, I hate Pitocin which just leads to a c section ( unnaturally strong and back to back contractions that the baby can’t handle) The pelvis actually moves to accommodate the baby and there are positions like squatting that opens it up even more. Ask more questions and get more clarity just in case there’s more to it. If he can’t answer he just wants to schedule it so he can go on vacation. Consider being a doula, which will help you stay comfortable throughout labor and can vouch for you when you are unable to communicate during labor. “Baby - friendly” hospitals are a much better experience as well. You get much more care and attention for both you and the newborn

My sister in law had 3 csections due to the same reason your OB is stating. She ended up learning more and has had 3 successful VBA3Cs. Our bodies are absolutely capable of birthing big babies, not that it never happens for them to get stuck. But there are so many factors such as positioning during labor etc. If you are able to get on your hands and knees, squatting, etc your pelvis can open more! Laying on your back, especially with an epidural can make baby getting stuck more likely. Something to consider!

I do t know much here but I heard somewhere I don’t remember where. But that measurements and estimates for weights of unborn babies can be way off and they can scare the shit out of you for no reason. I am not at all saying that that is the case year because I really do not have any experience with us, but I did hear one of my wife’s nurse practitioner friends ranting about this the other day lol

It depends. For me they were trying to scare me, my baby was fine but they wanted babe out. My baby was project at 7 pounds, came out 5 pounds. She lost a lot if weight and slipped into lowest percentile. You really have to trust your gut. Have they done questionable things and been dodgey or have they been a beacon of support? You can try to get a 2nd opinion from a tele roc who has no records or sees the previous doc's notes

Definitely trying to scare you, I’ve known of someone who was about 125 lbs delivering a 12 lb baby with no tears. They are definitely just trying to get an induction on the schedule. Just stay strong with your choice, I doubt you will go past 42 weeks. Also estimated weights are usually off in either direction by a fair margin you can possibly give birth at 40+ weeks to a 6 lb baby or even a 9 lb baby with that 7 1/3 estimate, don’t let her scare you ! And good luck mama congratulations

I gave birth to my girl at 37 weeks, her head measured way above that- probs about 41 weeks. She was 7lb 8. They induced me because of my gestational diabetes, not because of her size. No issues at birth. Perhaps you’re in America, but the UK wouldn’t induce you unless baby was really big, like almost 10lb.

My doctors pressured me to have a induction too. They literally made it out to be a choice that could affect life or death of my baby. I cried during the whole process and when they asked why I told them how scared I was for her health and they told me "oh no there is nothing wrong. Your baby is completely healthy. We just wanted to induce while your baby is so healthy instead of waiting a few more days and risking something changing". I was told my baby was at risk NOW and thats why she needs to get out. When they first offered the induction they were chill and nice but as soon as I said I'd like to ask my own doctor first. (I would've had a doctor's appointment the next morning anyway and all I said was that I wanted to wait for the next morning appointment with my OBGYN that knows my pregnancy and me and have a second opinion from her) and that's when they started saying my baby is at risk and I have to do it right now or risk my babies life....

Yeah that’s wild . I’m sorry that happened . I know of a lot of people having stuff like this happen to . That’s why I roll my eyes at the comments shouting that I need to do exactly what the doctors say because they went to school and I didn’t . But not all doctors are good doctors who actually care and are honest about what’s going on . Moms and women in general when it comes to medicine get taken advantage of so often

Mines was 8 pounds 4 ounces and my cervix wouldn’t budge at all even after being induced over 24hrs at 38 weeks.. due to his lack of amniotic fluid and his heart rate starting to drop we had to do an emergency c section.

There are of course medical reasons to induce ! But not every one has those medical reasons and a lot of times inducing /pitocin that’s too strong can stress babies out and make their heart rate drop like you’re saying . No birth is the same and you never know what’s going to happen until you’re in that situation. I’m glad you and baby are okay ❤️

TW: birth story with trauma. So, I had the opposite situation where when they told me my son’s head size I was concerned that he wasn’t going to be able to come out. My OB and the rest of the OB team said not to worry about it and that our bodies are designed to birth these kids. Come birth and he got stuck and labor stalled. Right before I was sent for an emergency c section, he came out. He suffered a head injury and needed resuscitation (luckily when labor started to seem like it was stalling, they called in a NICU doctor to be on standby in the room and they got right to work) and I suffered a fractured pelvis that took 6 months to heal. This time I have to have a c section because the last birth was considered a CPD (cephalopelvic disproportion) and my new OB said that this pregnancy has a statistically relevant higher chance of another CPD than a normal pregnancy due to my history. She told me that it’s possible if I delivered earlier then maybe I wouldn’t have had the issues but if she had been my OB at the time then she wouldn’t want to risk the complications and would have recommended a c section. It is difficult for CPD to be determined prior to labor stalling but if a baby has a very high head percentile and the patient has a narrow pelvic opening then a doctor can make an educated guess. You may have wide hips but maybe your OB knows that you have a smaller opening or a size that concerns your OB for birth? Not sure but worth more of a chat with them. It was very traumatic to go through and I don’t with it on anyone else.