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A week or so before I was due I had an ultrasound. The baby's weight and head size were off the charts. The sonogramist (or whatever that person is called) estimated that my baby weighed about 12 pounds. That was kind of scary to hear, but I knew, in that way a mom knows things, that it wasn't true. I figured my baby would be about eight and a half pounds. I was close—she weighed 9 pounds, 3 ounces. I still think my guess was right—I attribute at least a pound of her weight to artificial bloating from all the saline my doctor pumped into me. I didn't realize what a big deal her weight was, or for that matter, what a big deal I was for having such a big baby.
Every time someone asked me how much my baby weighed when she was born and I told them, they'd say "Oh," with a tone of respect and admiration. And I noticed other moms who thought they had big babies would be a little disappointed when it turned out that my baby weighed more. So when a friend told me her baby weighed 10 pounds, 3 ounces at birth, I felt a little deflated.
It seems in the world of mommy wars, the size of one's baby is just another battle to be won (months spent breastfeeding, hours of sleep a night, and healthcare choices being others). But why the competition? Big or little, we've all won the prize.
Do you think having a big baby gives you bragging rights?
Comments (34)
Well my son was only 8 pounds at birth but gained a pound a week and at 11 months old is about 40 pounds. He is the biggest baby I've personally ever seen. He is so cute!
My son was 9lbs 15ozs. Which was a total shock and we weren't aware he was that big until after he was born. I don't use it as bragging rights. In fact I'm envious of the Mom's who had smaller babies. My labor was rought. 28 hours. I pushed for 4 hours. I think a baby is bragging rights no matter the weight.
LOL Well the only thing I brag about is only having to push 3 times. But this may have happened simply because I had an epidural at 4cm because the pain was excruciating. I tried to do it without but my contractions were odd, right in my anus and vagina not in my belly at all! Odd I know. I also have a son that doesn't cry for more than like 2-3 minutes a day but that is because I coddle him for the most part. Im proud of ALL these things and even the bad things like supplementing instead of EBF'ing and you know why? Because I get to get a break if I want and my husband gets a chance to bond with our son.
I think people say Oh out of admiration over bragging or anything else. The big deal with larger babies is that there can be many complications for the mom and the baby. I was the opposite of you, the ultrasound tech and doc said my son wouldn't be over 6.5 lbs, well they were wrong, he was 8.5 lbs, he was huge, go stuck and the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck twice, heart rate bottomed out and had an emergency c-section. I do brag about just having him healthy!!!!
No, I don't think it matters. At all. I mean, kids are all different sizes all the time. I don't see where the "bragging" bit comes in. In fact, the mentality kind of annoys me because my kiddo was 5-1/2 pounds at birth (full term), and people often say, "Oh, then you had it easy!" WTF? It was still labor! Babies are generally sized to fit their parents, so he was the right size FOR ME. A 8 pound baby for a larger woman isn't any different as her baby is sized FOR HER.
I just wanted to say, your doctor said TWELVE POUNDS and you popped out a baby just barely over 9, who could have been even less if not for saline, right? Doctors CONSTANTLY tell women that they "need" a c-section for a "big baby" and then they're wrong, just like in your case. When a doc says he's cutting your baby out, tell him to shove his measurements where the sun don't shine because they're almost NEVER right! ;)
I think the bragging isn't so much about the baby but the mother carrying and delivering such a large baby. I know I'm in awe of any woman that can vaginally deliver a baby over 9 pounds.
My doctor said my daughter would just be over 6 pounds and she was 8 pounds 2 ounces. Nowadays though its common to see babies weighing 8+ pounds.
I personally don't feel that have a huge baby is anything to brag about, just like a tiny one isn't either. Below 5% and above 95% have much higher risks of health problems. I do applaud women who vaginally delivered very large babies though and resisted a c section.
When I hear about a mother having a big baby it does make me wonder how much different (and worse as I would imagine it although I have no way of knowing) her labor and delivery must have been. But really that's all I ever think about it.
I think it's funny to hear moms go on about their baby's weight and length at birth like it's football stats or something.
Oh. And DD1 was 7 lbs 7 oz and 18 3/4 inches long.
I'm actually curious to see how big my July Baby will be. I have gestational diabetes and while I'm controlling it very well everyone seems to think that this baby is going to be 14 pounds or something. Imagine their shock when she's about the same size as her sister was at birth. Suck on that!