Well, I guess my title pretty much says what I'm concerned about. My DIL is very tiny (4'10") and about 5 weeks ago at the last ultrasound her baby was 7 lbs. Based on what we have been told she is going to have a large baby and she is HUGE now. She is beginning to have some swelling that I know is not abnormal. But she is terrified of having a large baby mainly because she is afraid that it will result in a c-section.
She questioned her midwife last week about inducing and she was told absolutely not. (her due date is 5/30) At 41 weeks, they will talk with her about it. I honestly don't see how it's possible for her to go that long..........MENTALLY as well as PHYSICALLY. She says that she is afraid to let the doctor know how she feels for fear that he will think she is being foolish.
Since the baby is considered full term, can anyone explain why inducing isn't even a consideration. I am well aware that small women have babies all the time with no problem and my DIL had her first son at 37 1/2 weeks and he was fine. Obviously we want what is best for the baby but he is full term.
Tomorrow is her doctor's appointment and I am hoping that when they do her internal exam that they will determine that this baby is just getting too big. My son was 9 1/2 pounds and I am a much larger woman than my DIL. His birth really left my body in bad shape and I hate to see people have to go thru having a big baby when something can be done about it.
Sorry for just going on and on. Obviously I'm worried about my DIL's frame of mind as she goes thru this. I appreciate all of you listening.
There............I feel much better! Now if this baby will just GET here!
They don't want to induce too early as things may not be done developing or whatever, who knows what his reasoning is.
Anyway, plenty of small women have big babies, just because she is small, does not mean he won't fit through the pelvis, don't mean he won't either. It could go either way, you don't have to be a bigger person, to have a big baby. Not only that, if they are saying by U/S that he is 7 lbs now, number one that number can go either up or down a pound or so, that is not 100% accurate and 7 lbs is not big. My daughter was 7lbs 9oz, when she was born and I was supposed to have a bigger baby, due to the diabetes I have while pg. She was considered average.
I somewhat remember this post from a while ago, and remember saying the same thing. Just because she is small does not mean she cannot handle a bigger baby. I wish her luck, and tell her to do things to try and go into labor on her own. good luck
Thanks for your reply. I know that small women do have big babies. I am mainly concerned about her state of mind. The fear of a c-section is occupying her mind constantly which isn't healthy. She very likely will have this baby vaginally. The baby was 7 pounds five weeks ago. The doctor is saying that it is possible that he will be at least 9 pounds by 5/30.
sorry, I must not have seen that it was 7 lbs 5 wks ago. She will have to just relax, I know hard, and see what happens. I am not sure what else to say. I would be afraid of the thought of a section also, I am almost 31 wks and the thought crosses my mind, but the main thing for me this time around is not even a section, but being induced, I don't want that again. Hated it the first time. But then again, I had a vaginal baby the first time around, so that is why I don't think of a section so much. Good luck to her and keep us posted as to how she does.
I have to agree that those estimates about the babies weight are not usually correct. I was told my son was only 4 pounds when they checked him w/the U/S...but he was born a healthy 7lb 6oz, 4 weeks later.
BTW...my 5ft 0in tall aunt who weighs 90lb soaking wet delivered my cousin at 12lb 9oz...the womans body is an amazing thing...
Due dates are not necessarily that accurate. Plus the baby's lungs are the last to develop. But I can certainly understand why she would be concerned. I don't see what's wrong with inducing at 40 weeks. However, I had an induction and cannot recommend it, it was horrible. Actually, if your friend gets induced, she is more likely to need a c-section or have a birth that is way too fast and get ripped open.
Just because she is small, she could have a large pelvis and have no problems delivering the baby. Plus, like other people said, sometimes ultrasounds are not that accurate. They make several measurements and guess the baby's weight.
I know it's hard, but she should try not to worry. Ultrasounds are notoriously unreliable as far as judging the weight of the baby. It could easily be off by as much as two pounds either way. And if she is stressed about the delivery, she is much more likely to need intervention than if she believes that her body is capable of delivering her baby (the power of positive thinking!).
I too am 4'11 and was very large. I had my daughter measured and they were right on. I delivered her c-section after 18 hours of labor because I could not push her out. They talked about shoulder displasia ( where they have to break the babies arm and I was like no...Just get her out safely) So by that time a c-section was not the scariest part of the whole delivery. Maybe that will help...my daughter was 8'11.
My SIL was induced about a couple of weeks earlier when she had her son, due to the doctor's concern that she was very tiny and that the baby was going to be immensely big, which he really wasn't when he was born but she ended up having a c-section. I guess it does depend on the doctor's opinion on the mother's and baby's situation. Now, about the weight, they really can't guarntee the actual weight. Before I had my son I was told that he was definately going to be 8lbs or more, guess what I ended up have a tiny little 5 pound 7 ounces baby. So the doctors can't also be correct. Anyway no matter what she'll be fine, and tell her not to freak out about a c-section they really aren't as scary as they sound, and it is better to have one if they baby is in distress. Good luck
Tiny Mom, large baby, 38 1/2 weeks. 
