In as much as there are signs of having a small baby, there are also signs of having a big baby. Are you wondering if you’re expecting a big baby? Here are signs you are having a large baby boy or girl.
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This is one thing that’s common among pregnant women, once you’re pregnant and your baby starts developing, you’ll start wondering if your baby will be small or big.
It’s normal and you have every reason to do that.
It’s important to note that the major way to determine the size and weight of a baby is through medical examinations such as ultrasounds and measurements taken during pregnancy period; this is the most recommended way and accurate means of knowing the size and weight of a baby.
However, there are still other signs of big baby, one of them is Fundal height which is the measurement of the size of your uterus during pregnancy.
As I proceed, you’ll see more ways to determine you’re expecting a large baby. By the way, what’s considered as “big baby”? Check out below.
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What is a Big Baby?
A big baby, also called macrosomia, is term which is used to describe a newborn who is larger than average at birth. Generally, babies weighing 8 pounds 13 ounces or more at birth are often referred as big babies.
According to washingtonpost.com, the average U.S baby weight dropped from 7.31 to 7.16 pounds.
Is Having a Big Baby Dangerous?
There could be some potential risks of delivering a larger-than-average baby, below are some potential risks associated with delivering big babies:
- Shoulder dystocia during delivery
This happens when the shoulder of the baby becomes stuck behind the pelvic bone of the mother, and this can lead to birth injuries for both the mother and the baby.
- Birth injuries
Big babies are at higher risk of experiencing birth injuries, which can include fractures and damage of the nerve because of the challenges associated with their big size during delivery.
- Vaginal tearing
This is another potential risk of having big babies; vaginal tearing can cause discomfort, pain and could also require stitching or medical intervention.
- Excessive bleeding after childbirth
Another potential risk of having a big baby is excessive bleeding after child delivery. This can happen due to factors which include larger placenta or a more extensive uterine area that needs to contract to stop bleeding.
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Now, how do you know you are having a big baby?
9 Signs of Having a Big Baby in the Womb
· Fundal height
This is the measurement of the size of your uterus during pregnancy. If it’s continuously measuring larger than expected for your gestational age, it could be a sign that you’re expecting a big baby.
· Constant increase in weight
If your weight is increasing constantly during pregnancy, that could be a sign of a bigger baby.
· Size of your belly is larger than average
You already know the size of your belly during pregnancy, in a situation where it’s lager than usual; this could be one of the signs of a big baby in the womb, yes, it could indicate a bigger baby.
· Too much of amniotic fluid
This is another sign you’re having a big baby, if your doctor finds out that you have more than the average amount of amniotic fluid during an ultrasound examination, it could indicate that you’ll give birth to a bigger baby.
· Increase in fatal movement
According to research, pregnant women carrying lager babies may experience more fetal movement.
· Genealogy
You can also determine the size of your baby through your family history, if you or your partner were large babies or have large babies in your lineage, there might be a tendency of having big babies.
· Maternal diabetes
Women that have uncontrolled gestational diabetes stand a chance of giving birth to larger babies due to increased blood sugar levels.
· You’ve given birth to large babies in the past
If you’ve already given birth to big babies in the past, there’s a tendency of giving birth to big babies again.
· Late pregnancy discomfort
If you’re carrying a bigger baby, it may cause increased discomfort, which can include back pain in the later stages of pregnancy.
Above are the 9 signs that can indicate you’re expecting a big baby.
In case you want to avoid having big babies, I’ll still share with you some tips to avoid giving birth to big babies. Note that you cannot completely control the size of your baby during pregnancy, but there are still certain measures you can take to ensure a healthy pregnancy and practically reduce the risk of having large babies. Below are some tips to help you:
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10 Ways on how to Avoid Having a Big Baby
- Maintain a balanced diet
- Monitor your gestational diabetes
- Manage your weight
- Engage in regular exercise
- Always attend a prenatal care
- Avoid intake of alcohol
- Avoid smoking
- Control your blood sugar level
- Always drink more of water
- Meet a doctor if you have concerns about the size of your baby
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FAQs: Signs of Having a Big Baby
- What causes big babies in pregnancy?
I’ve already listed some of the causes of big babies in pregnancy, kindly explore the signs above.
- What is the maximum baby weight for normal delivery?
There’s no specified maximum baby weight for normal delivery, babies are born in different sizes and weights. According to pregnancybirthbaby.org.au, more than 9 out of 10 babies born at term 37 to 4o weeks weigh between 2.5kg and 4.5kg.
- If your baby is measuring big will it come early?
For the fact that the baby is big does not that it’ll arrive or come early. The doctor will go through an ultrasound scan to actually know how big the baby is. In a situation where the baby is big for the gestational age, it might be difficult to deliver the baby normally because it can’t pass easily through the birth canal.
If this is the case, the doctor can decide to induce and take out the baby before the due date. At this point, the chances of the baby to be delivered early are increased.
Conclusion on Signs You are Having a Large Baby
You can not completely control the size of your baby during pregnancy, but there are things that can help you know the size of your child, if it’ll be small or big.
I’ve listed some of the good signs that can help you figure out the size of your child. If you don’t want to deliver a large baby, I also listed some ways to avoid having a big baby, practice them to ensure healthy pregnancy and probably reduce the risk of giving birth to big babies.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article, kindly like and share it on social media for other parents to continue reading.
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