very worried about going for growth scan

[woose]

I posted about this a couple of weeks ago and had some reassurance. I thought everything was ok, but now I am all confused and worried again. At my 34 week check the MW said I was measuring 30 weeks and said she would measure again at 36 weeks and then if the bump hadn't grown much then she would send me for a growth scan the very next day. I had my 36 week check on Thursday and she measured and it was 34cm when it should be 36cm. She wasn't worried and I thought all was ok.

However, the following day I had a consultant appointment and he measured and said it was 31cm and I needed a growth scan. I am meant to have this before Friday, but they can't fit me until Friday afternoon and then I have to wait until the following week to see the consultant again to discuss. Am worried because of all the waiting. Also, this might sound strange but I feel like the baby is not growing. My bump seems to have stayed the same for ages, but then maybe I am just completely paranoid. Is there any advice anyone can give me. I know that the measuring is not accurate and I should take no notice, but if the consultant is worried then maybe something is wrong. If there is something wrong, what could it be?

[ataraxis]

Hi woose,
I had a growth scan with DC1 & DC3 due to MW measurement concerns, both of which were completely normal but I had a 'small' bump. Freaked out totally with DC1 and was more irritated than anything with DC3 (measuring 25 at 31 weeks).
Ofcourse it is a worry but please try not to stress too much, seems to be a relatively common occurrence for taller women (don't know if this applies to you).
There is always the possibility that it is a growth issue, but of the several people i know who have had this situation, all of the scans (generally 34-36 weeks) have come back normal.
Bit bizarre that the sonographer can't tell you the results at the time of the scan though, as they will know if there is a problem. I would check why this is if i were you, and whether you can find out the results immediately.
Hope this gives you some reassurance that it may not be all bad news.

[woose]

I am not particularly tall 5 ft 5, but I am quite thin and long limbed if you see what I mean. I don't really know why I have to wait to see the consultant really. I think that the sonographer will send him a report and then he will decide what the plan of action will be and then meet me to discuss. I don't know. I am actually seeing the consultant for a completely different thing which is a prolapse of the bladder, so maybe I have got it wrong and he wants to see me about that the following week. Confused!!!

My friend had a small bump and she never measured over 30 weeks, even when her baby was born at 38 weeks and was 6 1/2 pounds. This does reassure me somewhat. The thing that I find weird is that I don't look small, but maybe that is because I have a small frame.

This is my second child and I always measured the right for whatever week it was then.

[ataraxis]

Could be your frame and just be that you are carrying this one differently?
Could also be the consultant measured wrong if the MW thought it was ok (3cm is quite a big difference).
The reason I find the referral to consultant a bit odd is that if something was wrong they would want you seen as soon as they know rather than waiting til the following week. Might be worthwhile checking that out.

Fingers crossed for you.

[woose]

Yeah I know. I don't think there was meant to be that gap it is just that there was no room for me on any of the X-ray department lists at the hospital until next Friday and then this meant I have had to wait extra time to see the consultant.

The baby was lying transverse when I was originally measured, but now the baby has moved into a head down position, but this does seem to have made much difference to the size of the bump, which i thought it might.
Thanks ataraxis. I shall try not to worry,

[EyeballsintheSky]

This fundal measurement lark annoys the hell out of me. I'm not pg now but my tummy is and always was so jellified that if a mw took a tape measure to me tomorrow I'd measure about 30 weeks. I cannot see how they can get a vaguely useful reading by measuring someone's tummy including any existing flab or lack thereof. I measured 4 weeks ahead at my 36 week check up and it all went tits up after that for no good reason. DD was fine and a normal weight. I'd love someone to explain this properly.

[woose]

I know when my MW was going to measure me for the second time she said that I needed to make sure that she was the one who measured me because of inaccuracies, so the whole thing does seem to be a bit pointless if she felt one of her colleagues would get a different number.

[ataraxis]

Yep, my MW doesn't believe in tape measures. If you have one MW for the majority of your pregnancy, she should be the best one to say whether you are growing or not. I had to have growth scan with DC3 due to 1 session with another MW - you should have seen my MW eyes roll when she got back from holiday and found out.

[madmarriedNika]

My last baby measured small for dates on a growth scan as well as by tape- but 4 weeks later had been on a growth spurt and caught up! Plus apparently how the baby was lying was making my bump a different (smaller) shape and also making the scan measurements hard (they measure head circumference, tummy size and sometimes femur length)- my baby was lying breech or transverse- so we're still not sure if the measurements were just wrong on my baby had slowed growth then caught up again. Due to my previous history they monitored me very closely and advised when they thought baby was "too" small that I quit work and rest more, especially lying on my left side to optimise blood flow to the baby. But like I said now they think there actually wasn't a problem afterall.

What they are concerned about if baby has slowed growth is a condition called Intra-Uterine Growth Retardation (IUGR) which is caused by poor blood flow from the placenta- which sometimes is associated with pre-eclampsia- although sometimes slowed growth occurs before any other more obvious symptoms of PE.

Please don't be too worried though- like everyone has said there are lots of inaccuracies with measurements.

Good luck for Friday and hope you get more reassurance soon.

[BeachBunni]

I agree with ataraxis - if they thought it was a real problem your mw should have rung through to your maternity hospital to get a scan immediately rather than you stressing and worrying about it. Has your bp been ok as this can cause problems with growth?

[aquariusgirl]

no it is about continuity of care isn't it? But also the baby's movements are a good indicator of wellbeing.

[BeachBunni]

Also don't worry if they do pick up something like IUGR. My ds had it and was born tiny, measuring about 6/7 weeks behind, but perfect in every other way. Just be prepared to be admitted if they do find a problem, something which came as a bit of a shock to me. Good luck x

[cathym]

I always measured very small for dates and had an IUGR baby. This isn't very common though, I know people who have had growth scans because they are small and have had large babys. A lot depends on where the baby is and how much fluid you have. Even if you did have an IUGR baby (which as I say is unlikely) it isn't a hige problem. My daughter is now absolutely fine, we just got some extra help with feeding at the start to make sure she put weight on at a reasonable rate.
I wouldn't worry about this at all. There seems to be an issue/problem with every pregnancy I know about and if this is the only problem you have then you won't have much to worry about!

[woose]

Well my blood pressure is fine. A bit low I think, but not massively so. Also, the baby is moving loads so that is good.

I think the reason I am worrying so much is that I am not used to having pregnancy problems. I didn't have any last time and was very lucky. This time. I have the issue with prolapse, and now this. I know lots of people have problems during pregnancy though.

I think I will keep myself busy until Friday, to keep my mind off it. The worst is at night because I can't sleep and so I worry more!!

Thanks for all the reassurances. x

[buttercupbabe]

Hi woose I know it's difficult but try not to worry. I'm 35 wks and a few weeks ago was measuring small on my fundal height (about 2/3 cm's behind). I already had a growth scan booked for 34 wks as my ds was 5lb11 at full term and I as I'm under consultant care due to the delivery of ds she said she'd do a scan then. I got myself all worked up before hand, because just like my pg with ds I've had all the 'helpful' comments from people saying how small I'm looking (just what you need when your paranoid about baby size like me!), anyway the scan showed that the little one was spot on size and that if he/she continues this way I can expect a 7lber.
I've got an appt with my midwife tomorrow and will be very interested to see what my fundal height is. I personally think it is not a good indicator anyway as ds always measured spot on for each appt and then turned out to be smaller than average.
Keep yourself busy and take heart from all the positives on this thread already. Let us know how you get on.

[woose]

I will thanks buttercupbabe

[ataraxis]

Hi woose,
just wondering how your growth scan went today and whether you got the results back immediately?
Hope it all went well for you.

[buttercupbabe]

Any news woose? Have been wondering how the scan went. Hope all is good. BCB

[jadey24]

Try not to worry about the growth scan altho i know its v.hard coz i was down the road myself.

My daughter is now 7 weeks old and i had to have a growth scan at 34 weeks as she was measuring 3 weeks behind at most of my mw check ups.

I am naturally slim, and have a low bmi.
I didnt gain much weight during pregnancy and my bump was TINY! So she had even more reason to be concerned.
I was a size 6-8 and weighed 7 1/2 stone pre-pregnancy.

I had the scan and the lady said baby looks like a good size. Great!
Was roughly about 5lb then.

I thought id have a 6lb baby.

NOPE! 8LB 4OZ and she was measuring 3 weeks behind hun so dont worry.

xxx

[buttercupbabe]

That's great news-very reassuring. Although I had a 34 wk scan which said spot on for size i've started worying again at 36 wks as people are always telling me how 'neat' my bump is and I've been measuring 2 wks behind for a while. I'm having a planned section 2 wks tues and hope this one is a bit bigger than my 5lb ds.

[jadey24]

It just goes to show there is no telling just by looking at the size of the bump. My bump was all baby but very small. I didnt start to look pregnant till i was nearly 6 months.
When i was full term my sister who was 6 weeks behind me in pregnancy was already twice as big as me and her baby was born 6lb 12 oz. They told her she was going to have a big baby.

I had all those comments too. Even one person said i would have to have a c section coz im so slim and wont be able to give birth naturally. I did give birth naturally lol.
Everyone said id only have a small baby. It worried me sick and i got sick to death of these comments too and i like to think i proved everyone wrong.
Even midwifes get it sooo wrong. Dont listen to anyone coz NO ONE knows how big baby will be and for all anyone knows you could have a whoppa in there.
xxx

[woose]

Hello everyone
Just thought I would let you know how it went yesterday. I think it was okay. They did all the measurements and took quite a while looking at things. All the measurements, head, abdominal, femur were measuring for 33 weeks. I am 37 weeks now, so 4 weeks less, so the tape measure seems to have been accurate in that sense. Anyway, I had to speak to a MW and she seemed reasonably happy that all ok. plotted the measurements on a graph and it was right on the lower line or acceptable limits. I asked her if I should worry and she said no. I feel satisfied with that.

My bump looks quite neat too. I am usually a size 8 and weigh 8 stone, so I am quite small boned. However, my DS was 7.7 pounds and I was MASSIVE all the way through, much bigger than this time.

Actually I was just wondering something, that may make me look silly, but I'll ask anyway. Do you think the original due date could be 3/4 weeks out? I can't believe this could be because it would mean that I conceived 3 weeks later, which I believe is impossible. I am confused. Also, just dreading the thought that I might have 7 weeks to go rather than 3!!!!

[madmarriedNika]

Hi Woose
It is very unlikely your due date is wrong- they can tell quite a lot about the maturity of the baby from the scan and therefore use that as well as size to check gestation, and as you said it would probably have been imposible to have conceived that much later assuming you had regular, normal cycle length periods....

Please try not to worry- if the midwife scanning you was happy everything is ok, even if your baby is on the small side of the normal range that won't matter a jot so long as he/she is healthy. I assume they probably had a look a blood flow (shows up on a graph a bit like looking at the heart beat trace?), and probably the amount of amniotic fluid too- and if she's happy with those that is a major plus.

I found the way I carried in my two pregnancies was completely different- but it's only natural that you compare them. I had a boy first time round, and he was a good size for his gestation, whereas my little girl was just that!

Are you still seeing your consultant next week? Good luck x

[woose]

Jadey, how big was your baby in the end?

I hope it is not too whoppa. Had to have forceps last time because DS wouldn't come out even at that average size.

Buttercup, how are you measuring now, is it still behind on the tape measure?

[jadey24]

She was 8lb 4oz. Shocked everyone she did including me. I nearly fell of the bed when she told me the size lol.

xxx