As with everything else I share on this blog, it is SO VERY IMPORTANT that YOU as the mother have the right facts (based on research) when it comes to this. When a baby is suspected of being big, a woman has an increased chance of interventions during birth, and of experiencing complications caused by those interventions, even if the baby is not actually big. The complications associated with big babies may reflect care provider fear and practice. Notice I am using the term ‘associated’ not ’caused’.

Healthy well nourished women grow healthy well nourished babies. Genetic factors also influence the size of babies (big babies run in families). However, the MOTHER alters the size of her baby. You're not gonna grow a baby that is too big for you to birth vaginally.

In this episode we will cover:

• What factors influence the size of a baby
• Will the diagnoses of gestational diabetes make a mother grow a "too large" baby
• Is an ultrasound accurate when it comes to estimating the size of a baby during pregnancy
• Research suggests that the complications associated with big babies may be due to interventions carried out when a baby is suspected to be big and not actually by the size of the baby
• When a care provider tells a mother early in her pregnancy that he suspects her baby is big, is it better to ask to rather not know the size (or their perception of it) during follow-up visits. To keep your own mind at peace..
• If a mother is focused on having a natural birth, but is then recommended to get an induction because the baby is getting "too big"... Is this a good idea/practice
• Is induction ever a good idea for healthy mothers carrying healthy babies
• Summary

Please get in touch if you have any questions and remember to look out for more episodes in the coming weeks, where we'll bust all the common "fears" surrounding birth.

Be sure to join our hypnobirthing antenatal class! We want to see YOU have the birth of your dreams...

Yours In Birth,
Carla