i had a scan at 32 weeks, was told my baby is nearly 6 pound already, can i opt for a c section?

Answer 1

Are you afraid of the pain of natural childbirth? Women having given birth to large babies since the beginning of time. Even if your baby gets to be 8 or nine pounds, your body is able to hand it. Sure, you can opt for Cesarean, but the cost may be high. I don't mean money-wise, either. If you have one Cesarean, it will affect the way you have the rest of your babies. Vaginal birth is safe after Cesarean, but a lot of doctors do not want women to attempt VBACs (there is more $$$ in it for them if a Cesarean is performed).

Here is some food for thought.
One (unnecessary) reason that doctors perform Cesareans is because they say the woman's pelvis is too small and the baby is too big. They show her x-rays that "prove" the baby will not fit through. (You know, God made a mistake making this woman's body...) A chiropractor pointed out that the pelvis is made (by God) to become "elastic-like" during delivery. The pelvis WILL be sufficient to deliver the baby when the time comes. One doctor used this excuse on a woman. She later found out that the baby was breech, but that the doctor was not comfortable delivering a breech. He made her think that HER BODY was the problem when, really, it was his insecurity. Isn't that a great reason to put a woman through such an ordeal? We really must educate ourselves more. This goes on a lot more than people realize. The sad fact is that delivering babies in this country is a business. Some doctors will do whatever they can to make sure the Cesarean is chosen-even if it means lying.

Now, does it hurt to have a bigger baby? Perhaps. Mine were 8 pounds, 3 ounces and 8 pounds, 15 ounces. BUT I WOULD GIVE ANYTHING TO HAVE HAD THAT EXPERIENCE.

Not every woman feels the same, but here are my thoughts. I have had two unnecessary cesareans. Mine is a long story, but I have done a lot of research about c-sections and VBAC and I am convinced that my first c-section was totally unnecessary.
That's why I did the research and planned to have the second baby at home with a midwife. I labored until 10cm, but then she saw blood and we went to the hospital. Because of my own oversight, I ended up with a repeat C-section (again-unnecessary). I didn't check on the hospitals and we went to the only one in our area that REFUSES to do vaginals after c-section. I mourned that unwise decision for a very long time. But mostly what I am confronted with is this nagging thought I can not have a baby naturally. Although, I know I can. (They never found the cause of the blood and no problems developed.) But it seems like things just keep coming up. I KNOW that the surgeries were not necessary (the first because I was not educated enough to make my own decisions and the second because I dropped the ball on research). I WANT to have a baby naturally. That is what God made my body to do. I just found out that I am expecting again. Once again, we will attempt a VBAC Home Birth. I have a little more knowledge going into this one than I did with the last one. And even then, I had learned so much about my options.

This book is full of information that will tell you about your options and encourage you to be in control of your own body.
* SILENT KNIFE: CAESAREAN PREVENTION AND VAGINAL BIRTH AFTER CAESAREAN by Nancy Wainer-Cohen & Lois Estner
This book helped fuel the uproar over cesareans that were not necessary by trying to make consumers more aware of their options. A great book, worth reading even if you are past the baby years.

Answer 2

6 pounds is a SMALL baby. That's not even the average size yet. Average is 8 1/2 for a boy, 8 for a girl. They can't give you an exact weight pre-delivery, its just an estimate. They told me my son was about 7 pounds a week before delivery and he came out 10lbs., 1 1/2 ozs. C-Sections are no fun either. Recovery is hell and you a horrible scar. When a c-section is done, 3 incisions are made: 1 through the skin, another cut through the muscle tissue, and another through the uterus. Give your baby a chance to grow some more. Having it too early will risk the prematurity of his/her lungs and will need to go to the NICU for treatment.

Answer 3

Don't listen to these people. I opted for a c-section and I have no regrets. I just did not have the urge to do it vaginally. I recovered very quickly and would never look back. My doctor told me that she has had two children. The first vaginally and the second c-section. She said it was up to me but if it was her she would have a c-section any day. In fact the nurses that helped with the surgery were laughing because they wished they would have opted. My surgery took 19 minutes and he was born within two. Insurance companies will cover opted c-sections also so no need to worry. Good Luck and don't let anyone make you feel bad about your decision!

Answer 4

Don't do it as an easy way out. C-sections are not for a normal delivery. They are for things get dangerous or too hard for you to handle. Also, every baby you have from now on, you will have to deliver c-section whether or not you want to.
Women can have babies up to 10-11 pounds easily. You're baby probably isn't even that big right now. My little brothers birthweight was supposed to be 9 lbs and he was born at 4 1/2.

Please don't to it as an easy way out. C-sections are also a lot more painful after the numbing wears off, and they are harder and takes more time to get over.

Answer 5

The weights that they guess are really not accurate at all. Don't make any decisions based on this guess. We were told our first baby was over 8 lbs a few weeks before delivery and she was only a little over 7 at birth. Second baby was not supposed to be big based on weight and she was almost 9 lbs. Everyone I know who has been given a weight estimate has turned out to be off when the baby actually was born.

Answer 6

most doctors will alow that but i must tell you that the recovery for a c-section is worse than for a normal birth weather you tear or not my sister had 2, 9 lbs babies and recovered verry quickly my first was vaginal and i recovered quickly however my c section kept me down for almost 3 weeks it was hard to walk get out of bed sleep hold my babies and every thing else so i would say go with what your dr thinks is best he will intervene if the baby gets too big

Answer 7

You have a way to go yet, both my kids were over 9 pounds and I had them natural-no need for a c-section. The pain and discomfort lasts a few weeks when you have a c-section, with natural it is over in about 2 days.

Answer 8

No...Dr's won't let you just chose. Your baby isn't ready to be born. It only puts in 1/2lb a week in teh last month anyways..contractions are good for baby anyways, and a vaginal delivery is way easier to recover from than a c-section. You are laid up for another 6 weeks after a c-section.

Answer 9

Same thing happend to me at 33 weeks. I had to have been off quite a bit because he was only 6 pounds 12 ounces at birth over a month later.

Answer 10

Remember, the 6lb weight is just an estimated fetal weight--it can be off a pound in either direction!