Thursday 14 January 2010

Big head

Bless her.

My poor wife has been in denial for quite a while.

For months ET has been emphatic about how this child will be small. She herself is petite, and I’m rarely in danger of obtaining head injuries in doorways. Regardless of how rounder and fuller she became, she seemed insistent that the child would be a tidy target 6lbs.

Big enough to be healthy, small enough not to dislocate a pelvis or shatter a hip.

The wise head that I am, I’ve been reinforcing the idea that the kid will be significantly more than 6lbs, a view she refused to entertain, regardless of the evidence that was, quite literally, in front of her.

Last Tuesday, the midwife put paid to her fanciful notion of birthing an elfin child of some sort and informed us that the bellydweller is heading for an above average size.

Holding in the giggles, I converted her 3500 gram estimate to a delightful 7lbs and 11 ounces. I believe she also said that the child already has teeth and pointy elbows, although I may have misunderstood that bit. Or imagined it. Or made it up entirely.

Either way, it seems my dear wife’s love tunnel will be accommodating the transport of her 6lb baby as expected, just with 33% extra free.

The good news for her is that it has just 4 weeks and 6 days left to grow. . .


49 comments:

River said...

Under five weeks now!! Woo-Hoo!!

My biggest baby of the four was only 6lbs. 12oz. Lucky me. 7-8lbs doesn't seem so huge, remind ET that the world's record is somewhere around 24lbs, then she can see how easy she's getting it. Besides the birth pain is forgotten the minute the baby is in your arms. Although there are reminders when she tries to move....

tiff(threeringcircus) said...

hmmm, sounds like a beautiful sized baby to me and whether they are 6lb or 12lb, the journey they take is the same.

ET will do wonderfully.

I hope you didn't mention the teeth.

Anonymous said...

I'm very glad you managed to hold in the giggles, you heartless monster. Poor ET.

Making Babies said...

Goodness I can't believe it!!! Wishing you guys all the best for this last stretch. xox

Anonymous said...

Don't mention to her that the baby's growth will speed up in the last month.

The boy was 9lb 11. It stings a bit, but she'll be fine.

Ms. Moon said...

Yep. Women's bodies are amazing things. I am not of gigantic proportions myself but managed to give birth to a child over ten pounds who was born wearing a dress and hiking boots. Seriously! All will be well. And here's another thing- don't even bother listening to how big the medical people say the baby is going to be. To be quite frank, even with all of their equipment, they do not know.

Jenni said...

You are about to find out how incredibly tough and strong your wife is. And, she'll stretch :)

Chic Mama said...

Never underestimate...petiteness means nothing. :0(
My third born at home was 10lbs +- they couldn't weigh heavier than that!
No's 4 and 5 weighed the same. I did give birth at home all without pain relief if that's any comfort.
No 1 was 7lb 11 though. ;0)
So exciting for you though.

Anonymous said...

Yay! Not long now!!!

Emily was 7lb 12oz. :-)

The birth weight wont matter, some babies are big and grow up to be small adults, and some are small and grow up to be big adults!

When baby Fitz is born it wont matter how much he/she weighs :-)

-Tanya

AnnD said...

My doula said that it doesn't really matter what the size of the whole baby is, just the size of the head that causes the most pain.

Well, tell her if it makes her feel any better they were way off on Emma's estimates...they estimated her to be between 7 lbs. and 7 lbs. 7 oz. one week before she was born and she popped out a mere 6 lbs. 4 oz.

So, those are not the most accurate predictions.

Ironically, I forget what they said Jameson would be but I didn't have an U/S as close to his birthdate.


I can't wait to see Lil Fitz! Who do I have to pay to get a birth announcement from you?! ;O)

Shauna said...

Honest to god, I don't think it makes much of a difference how big they are. I don't think a pound either way would have made my birth experiences any different. It hurts. Period.

But it's all worth it.

Russ said...

Both of ours were mid-seven pounders. Just remind her that the drugs are good things! (The wife is about 5'4" or so, so she is no amazon.)

urbanvox said...

ours was supposed to BE here already... yup we overdue...
And soooo bored of being pregnant!
LOL!

Ed said...

I believe the growth is exponential in the last four weeks--that thing could easily reach upwards of 10 or 12 pounds.

But I don't think I'd tell ET that.

Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] said...

That extra 33% is the baby's built-in beer gut it's inheriting from its father.

Rob Monroe said...

Yipes! You don't want a baby with teeth, you know!

Marylin said...

Yeah, and maybe another couple of weeks added to that... first babies are notorious for being late you know, and that means she may have an 8lber on her hands! :P

As for the teeth... Max was born with one, aparently it's "lucky"! ;)

I hope she has a wonderful birthing experience regardless - it hurts but my god as soon as that lil baby is in her arms she will forget it all. :) xx

Anonymous said...

I was told at my 24 week u/s that the baby had a big head, as does the husband.

I'm very afraid.

Erika said...

The "pointy elbows" bit freaks me out a little.

4 weeks and 6 days!!!

Amanda Bowden said...

My 7lb 12oz baby was my easiest (and quickest) birth. Maybe a little too quick seeing total labour was 20 mins and Dady had to act as stand in midwife.

My hardest one was my 5lb one.

Size really doesn't matter!

Good luck - all will be fine!

Geeks in Rome said...

You keep mentioning the countdown with how many days left... those first-birthers are often "late" anyway. But don't tell ET. My first was 11 days past the due date ho hum. very tedious.

the second was 7 days "late." docs usually calculate the due date from the last cycle not from date of conception so you may be in for an extra two weeks! Just saying...

Susanica said...

Hmmm...isn't full term 37 weeks? So you realy have only 1 week left right? ;-)

Those skull bones are pretty soft right now. Tell ET everything is going to be fine. One way or another Lil Fitz will be here soon! -M

Thanatos said...

So is that extra 33% like another quaint European practice - VAT? I'll bet both are equally painful.

Blues said...

I cannot believe how the time is flying. I know you are counting down the slow days, but from my end it seems like it was just a few days ago that you were facing disappointment every month. I'm really glad that time is over for you guys now is the best part...of your blogging too.

Veronica Foale said...

Fat squishes. She'll be right.

(says she whose babies were smaller than your 7lb11 estimate. hee)

AnnB said...

This is the time to start agreeing with your wife, placate her by telling her the midwife got it wrong and that she will indeed bear a barin of elfin proportions. Since at this stage, the truth is unchangeable and acknowledging its authenticity will only serve to increase ET's anxiety. In situations like this: the only reasonable course is to deny the obvious and adopt the functional, yet fictitious weight of 6lbs. As the old saying goes: All's fair in love and the guesstimation of baby weights.

Hockeymandad said...

Just hope she never learns about an episiotomy.

Jill said...

Regardless of the size, ET is still pushing a big head out of a wee little hole... and sadly, her brain may come out with the baby too... I swear that I'm not as "smart" as I once was...

Could be that I'm just still adjusting to almost 7 years of little sleep... or I was always this 'slow'. Of course, I still call it baby brain...

In any event, less than 5 weeks. WOW dad... time is flying by!

Hilary (Maya Papaya) said...

Everyone told me that Maya was gonna be HUGE. Even the ultrasounds showed a pretty large kid. As it turns out, Maya was 7lbs, 10 oz. - totally average.

My point is that it's all just an estimate - even u/s measurements are not exact - so tell your ET not to panic.

You guys are getting so close now!!!

PS - my husband has a seriously enormous head but I had no problems...

NukeDad said...

Our kids were 6lbs 3oz, 6lbs 3oz and 6lbs 5oz. I think my wife's body knew when to eject; just like a Pez dispenser.

Mwa said...

That's what you get for going to live in the land of the giant babies. I think it's something in the food.

steph said...

Beware!

You might get 2 for the price of 1!

HeHeHe!

Jo said...

Tell ET they get this wrong ll the time. Rollercoaster is full of stories of women the hsopital terrified with talk of early inductions, and sections, only to have normal sized babies ater all...

Martin said...

@River -I'd say she'll avoid a world record anyway...

@tiff(threeringcircus) - of course I did :-)

@nutsinmay - how harsh!

@Making Babies - thanks :-)

@bsouth - I read that as it 'still' stings a bit...

@Ms. Moon - hahahaha

@Jenni - The stretching I've no doubt about... It's the going back I wonder about!

@Chic Mama - Thanks :-)

@livingrightnow - It will on airplanes!

@AnnD - heh, a can of worms there ;-)

@sky girl - Absolutely.

@Russ - Amazon.... classy!

@urbanvox - maybe by now? good luck!

@Ed - I'm aiming for 16...

@Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] - You horrible creature

@RobMonroe - spares the trouble of teething though

@Marylin -the notorious BIG...

@Christa - that's gonna hurt...

@Erika - makes me laugh...odd that

@Amanda Bowden - the 20 minutes she could handle!

@Geeks in Rome - ah, but, gestation is then infact 38 weeks, so 40 from cycle end is as accurate as it can be

@Susanica - but the teeth, the teeth!

@Thanatos - extra FREE! even better

@Blues - I can't quite grasp the time myself to be honest

@Veronica - hahaha.

@AnnB - no fun in that!

@Hockeymandad - oh she knows...

@Jill - Maybe you are just, well, not so smart?

@Hilary (Maya Papaya) - too many jokes....

@NukeDad - Seinfeld references, yay

@Mwa - Bread and cheese!

@steph - NOT gonna happen!

@Jo - ALL the time? no. Some of the time yes.

Jane G said...

Get her a T-shirt printed up that says "I want an EPIDURAL, and I want it NOW"

Deb said...

A pound a week, guys! That's what they put on at the end.

Tell your lovely wife it will be okay. Measurements can be off by as much as a pound. Unfortunately, that pound can go either way. ;)

A month to go. Ohhh, this is going to be FUN.

tomi said...

we were hoping for a smallish bub too but he's decided otherwise.. so far he's average so we're (or rather I am) still hoping ;)

argh... men are evil sometimes for giggling at us :p

Martin said...

@Jane G - She'd only stretch it!

@Deb - a 13 pounder!

@tomi - I prefer to be called mischevous!

Liz said...

So, if stiches are necessary, are you going to ask the doctor to put an extra one in?

Putz said...

we had two premies, 4lbs, 2ounces, 2 pounds, 4 ounces and 3 regular sized. 7 lbls 8 ounces, 6 lbs., 7 ounces, and 6lbs, 10 ounces....both the little ones were girls, so that means this heafty one is a BOY, BOY OH BOY, A BOY

Chris Mancini said...

The last few weeks the baby really puts on extra weight. Are you having an office pool?

Lorna said...

Gosh,I remember being the same when expecting Kate - I asked the consultant at every visit what size she was and would be and he estimated an 8 pounder. As it was, she decided to come 3 weeks early and arrived weighing 6 lb 7 oz (but would have been the 8 lb if she had stayed in till the due date) so you never know - you can comfort ET with the idea that baby might come early :)

Martin said...

@womb for improvement - An oldie but a goodie...

@Putz - maybe, maybe not...!

@Chris Mancini - Watch this space ;-)

@Lorna a cold comfort ;-)

Kelley @ magnetoboldtoo said...

Dude, I have a friend who is just under 4ft tall.

She had two babies, both were over 8 pounds each. She had to wear a harness to hold up her belly. Those little suckers just popped out no problems.

I have a friend who is 5ft11. She had a 6 pound baby and ended up with a bajillion stitches in her who-ha.

Lisamaree said...

So delighted to hear things are coming along. xx

areyoukiddingme said...

Weight estimates are notoriously inaccurate. But that's not the problem...all the Irish babies I have ever seen have BIG ROUND HEADS! Doesn't matter what the kid weighs if he/she has a giant cranium. :) Good luck to ET

Note: in my case, big round head + small pelvic opening = c-section. Do not be unprepared for the possibilty.

Martin said...

@Kelley @ magnetoboldtoo - Ok Gulliver, relax.

@Hammie - Thanks!

@areyoukiddingme - How delightfully, er, reassuring.....

Jo said...

Let's say often.

And wait and see.

Martin said...

@Jo - Tricksey