Is my doc trying to scare me out of my VBAC

So I had a growth scan done last Friday and my doc said bubs was about 7lb and with 3 weeks + still to go I could expect a baby over 9lb. I know that growth scans can be way off, but my Q is has anyone gained 20lb or less ( I have gained 18lb so far) starting from a normal healthy weight had no pregnancy issues like Gestational diabeties and had a large baby after having an average weight1st baby ( 7lb 1oz with a 20lb weight gain that pregnancy)
I just don't see how my baby could be that big. Surely I would have needed to gain more weight ?

All my babies were in the 9lb range and I gained different with each one of them, 30, 24, and 60! I think boys tend to be a little larger, from what I have seen and heard, but since your first baby was average even if he was a pound heavier then your girl like mine was that would still only make him 8lbs. I don't really listen to the techs when they said what the weight is because they said DD1 would be 6lbs if that and her little chub butt came out at 8lbs 5 ounces, with DD2 they said she would be well over 9lbs and she was 8lbs 5 ounces, and then with DS they said 10lbs! which freaked me out but he was 9lbs so they were never very accurate with me. I think that if everything is going good with your pregnancy and there are no complications you shouldn't be worried, I would have your VBAC. Even if your baby was 9lbs you could still do it. West was my biggest baby and the easiest delivery, he practically fell out, I had him out in one push. Best of luck, not to long now and you will meet your little man

Thanks Dloui. Since I heard boy I have been expecting an 8lber as that was DHs birth weight. I am not going to let them talk me out of my VBAC at this stage but I don't know how strong I will be if I go 2 weeks over.

Pearl! I cant believe you are only days from delivery!!! I agree, dont let them talk you out of your vbac, you will be monitored during labor and if yhey see any dangers they will take action, just try and keep active, I swear by buckets of gas and air and a birth ball, just put something dancy on the radio or mp3 and just rock away! Mine have been upto 9lb 13 Im 5ft 2 and not a stitch to date;) They are sometomes a bit quick to want to schedule you in:)

Thanks ELP. I am really excited to meet my little man at this stage but I am happy if he doesn't arrive for another week as my SIL is getting married on the 28th and DD is a flower girl.
I am listening to hypno birthing tracks and spending a lot of time on the ball and getting reflexology done every week. I won't be getting the epidural this time as it didn't work for me. So I am hoping for a lot faster then my 3 day failure to progress with regular 20 down to 3 min contractions labour with DD

I gained 12lbs with my first pregnancy.. My dr. was freaked out the entire time because I started out with a BMI of about 17, so I was already considered quite underweight for my height (5'6). They did a million ultrasound thinking DS was not growing properly and I ended up being induced at 37 weeks with them expected a weight of 4lbs for him from IUGR. Well he came out perfectly healthy at 6lbs 1oz which was apparently right on for the average weight at 37 weeks. All this to say that ultrasounds are junk and really can't guess weight. I was induced based on constant small numbers in my ultrasound and it was obviously far from true. I would HIGHLY doubt you'd have a 9+ lbs baby with only and 18lbs gain if you're a normal weight. With DS2 I gained 25lbs because I started out 8lbs lighter and right away gained 10lbs. I had DS2 at 39 weeks and he was 7lbs 6oz. So again, if I hadn't of weighed less from the start due to breastfeeding DS1 I probably would have gained right around the same as DS1. All this to say.. I wouldn't worry and go for that vbac!! :D

Scans are known to be a pound out either way, often more.
I have had 3 normal deliveries after my C/S, DS3 was 600g bigger than the one I had to have a C/S for because he was too big for my pelvis.
My C/S was a good experience but my last 2 deliveries in the birthing pool with just some gas and air were so empowering and the recovery is amazing when you have to still deal with other kids

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Originally Posted by Pearl327

So I had a growth scan done last Friday and my doc said bubs was about 7lb and with 3 weeks + still to go I could expect a baby over 9lb. I know that growth scans can be way off, but my Q is has anyone gained 20lb or less ( I have gained 18lb so far) starting from a normal healthy weight had no pregnancy issues like Gestational diabeties and had a large baby after having an average weight1st baby ( 7lb 1oz with a 20lb weight gain that pregnancy)
I just don't see how my baby could be that big. Surely I would have needed to gain more weight ?

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In my experience weight gain and birth size have nothing to do with one another. With ds1 I lost 3 pounds during my pregnancy and he was 8lb 1oz. With Ds2 I lost 13lbs while pregnant and he was 8lb 9oz. With Ds3 I lost 16lbs while pregnant and he was 8lb 15.3oz. So far with this baby I have fluctuated between a 5lb and 10lb loss depending on the time of day my appointment is and my doctor is estimating (and he was extrememly accurate with the other 3) that this baby is already close to 9lbs. I will say that I am overweight to begin my pregnancies but by the time the babies are born many pregnant women are my weight or more depending on how much they gain.

I would not agree to anymore sonograms and growth scans. you already know babe is growing fine and yes it is a scare tactic that they use to talk many women into inducing early and inductions are a big no no for vbacs. my first I gained 20lbs and she was 8.5 lbs my 2nd i gained 30lbs and he was 10lbs and the next 2 have been 10 also. It doesn;t have anything to do with your weight gain though. There are many moms who gain 50+ lbs and have tiny lil 5-6lbers. You will be fine just breathe that babe down and don't let them force you into purple pushing/coached pushing. wait until you are really really well into labor before going into l&d if you really want a vbac. good luck

Thanks ladies. And no I won't be having any more growth scans. There was no mention of a section this week. I am wondering if it was because my doc had 2 emergency sections just before my appointment last week as I am at a very friendly natural birth hospital. It has a young female master with 4 kids of her own and she has brought in a lot of mum & baby friendly practices.