My Baby is a Freak: A Birth Story

41 and a half weeks into my pregnancy, I finally went into the hospital to be induced. One of the first things they do when you go in is weigh you. I reluctantly stepped on the scale and waited to hear the nurse gasp... 231.

231??!? I was ALL belly. Yes, my hips, boobs, and arms filled in quite nicely too, but it was nothing compared to the gigantic watermelon of a belly that my son was living in! People at my work would tell me that they missed a heart beat because I looked like I was carrying twins.

I gained a TON of weight during my pregnancy. I was doing everything I was supposed to. I didn't have diabetes or anything else wrong with me medically. I increased my water intake, took the vitamins, exercised, ate pretty healthy. Nope, every month, I'd go in and have gained another 9 pounds. It was useless so I just stopped caring. If I was going to gain tons of weight and do everything the right way so be it. My baby will just have a nice cushion-y palace to live in!

The labor pains started at about 10 in the evening, two hours after they gave me the petocin. I layed there and talked with my friends. It was not as bad as a thought it would be. My water didn't want to break. They had to help with that. Gross... it feels like you just keep peeing your pants... After my water was broken it was a different story. The pains were MUCH more intense, but I can honestly still say - not as bad as I thought it woul be. I was trying to go natural but nope- GIVE ME THE DRUGS!!

After 18 hours of labor and 1 hour and 45 minutes of pushing, out popped our beautiful baby boy! That rush of emotion you feel when you feel the baby slip out and hear that first cry is undescribable. It's the most wonderful rush of adrenaline and happiness that could never be matched. There's nothing that could even come close. After I let out my final "AHHHHHHH" and the tears of accomplishment/joy/relief poured out of my eyes, I heard "5,000 GRAMS!"

What does that mean? 5,000 grams? What is that in English? The way the nurses were shouting I knew he was big. My doctor and I thought he'd weigh about 9 - 9 1/2 lbs at birth. So I thought "ok, he's 9 1/2. Health baby boy."

No. 5,000 grams in English is 11 POUNDS!!!! WHAT??!

My first thought after they said those two words "Eleven Pounds" was "MY BABY'S A FREAK!" I was so sad for him already. He was just born and already he's got some physical abnomality that other kids don't have. Poor guy. He'll be a big boy all his life and get picked on. He'll have to go to fat camp and play the tuba in the marching band. Oh no!!

They handed me my little sack of joy and he was so cute! He looked like a very well-fed eskimo since his cheeks were all puffy from the journey through the birth canal. He didn't look so big to me. This was normal- Not extraordinarily large. The hospital didn't have diapers big enough for our little tank so they had to get some from pediatrics. Size 3. He didn't fit the little t-shirts they give the babies so we brought him something from home.

I didn't realize how big he actually was until I went to the nursery and saw all the "normal" size babies. He was a monster compared to them! All the other babies were all wrinkled and new looking. My baby had filled in everywhere. Full head of hair and all.

Turns out there's a medical term for this. Macrosomia is a baby that is large for it's gestational age. It's usually caused by mothers having diabetes and not following the diet correctly. But I just gained excessive weight during my pregnancy.

My "little" guy is 5 months now. The doctors say he's advanced. Those few extra pounds at birth must be in his brain :) As for me. I had a very easy delivery and easy recovery. My experience was SO much better than I thought it could ever be. Pain wasn't too bad, healing "down there" wasn't too bad either. And best of all, I get to be the mommy of this big beautiful boy!

What's your birth story?