A friend of a friend recently had an induction at 37 weeks because the doctors feared her baby would be too large to deliver vaginally if she carried to 40 weeks or beyond. When the baby was weighed, she was just a little over 7 lbs. While this is a bit above average for a baby born at 37 weeks gestation, most babies only gain about 1 pound between 37 and 40 weeks gestation. So, at 40 weeks, the baby would have likely been just over 8 lbs. Too big to deliver vaginally? Probably not.
In fact, the average fetal growth from 37-43 weeks gestation is under 2 lbs. So, is there really an indication to induce before the due date for fear of delivering a large baby? I personally don’t believe so.
And, just to be clear, I’m not addressing whether I think a woman should be able to make the choice to induce or wait for spontaneous labor, regardless of the circumstances. I’m just presenting this to the moms who may have felt pressured by their OB to induce for fear of a large baby. Don’t let someone tell you that you can’t deliver a big baby, and don’t let them tell you that inducing your labor will prevent a cesarean.
August 31st, 2007 at 5:57 pm
Amen.
August 31st, 2007 at 10:55 pm
I was induced for that reason at 38 weeks. (I went into labor with Gabriel at 37 weeks and he was 8lb 10 oz.). This time, at 38 weeks, Jonah was only 7 lb 7 oz. I do agree that there was really no medical reason to induce at that point, but at 38 weeks pregnant in the Texas heat, I was easily convinced. Actually, I wanted it that way. For me though, induction wasn’t bad at all. I know that some women have a dislike (because of the likelihood of c-section and because of the drugs), but I was confident in my ability to deliver vaginally and not uncomfortable with pitocin.
I suppose that my case is not the norm, but this time….it worked. I doubt that I would do it again though (or that a doctor would considering the size difference.) I think though that it was only a matter of a day or two before Jonah would have come on his own. Maybe the next one will be pitocin free:)
August 31st, 2007 at 10:56 pm
I meant to say at the end of that last comment…
“Then I would have something to compare my previous deliveries to.”
September 1st, 2007 at 8:54 am
I was extremely thankful to be induced with Levi. He was 9 lb 12 oz and quite a load to drag around. I totally understand why women opt to deliver early with potentially large babies but you are right that they shouldn’t be pressured to do so.
September 1st, 2007 at 11:33 am
I completely understand why a women would opt for an early delivery period. I was going a little nuts at 42 weeks with Kyrie.
It’s just an issue of your OB telling you “oh, if we don’t induce, this baby’s going to be too big for you to deliver vaginally,” because medically, they have absolutely no basis in saying that. A vaginal delivery is much more likely with spontaneous labor, especially when it comes to large babes.
But yeah, I’ve totally been in the “I want this baby out” stage of pregnancy with the LA heat to boot. I am glad I waited it out, though…I attribute our easy breastfeeding relationship to the fact that she had the time she needed inside the womb to develop those mad sucking skills!
September 1st, 2007 at 3:39 pm
My 11 lb 6 oz baby (she grew that large due to GD) was 4 days late and I thought I would die. It was so so hard, but you couldn’t pay me to induce labor. The entire IV/labor position restriction would have made the pushing stage with my daughter impossible. It took me 8 pushes to get her large body out and I had to do it in a strange hands and knees position.
I know a lot of women who love the scheduling control an induction gives them (babysitters, moms visiting, etc.) and that’s fine. But being pressured falsely is just wrong.
September 4th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
Rachel, thanks for making a good point without making anyone who opted for early delivery feel guilty for it.
I’m sure a lot of it is “defensive medicine.” Doctors are pressured to do whatever makes complications the least likely–at least the sort of complications that might be more likely to lead to litigation, they think.