Baby measuring large on growth scans

[bobblewobble]

Hi can anyone reassure me please? I'm 32 weeks with gestational diabetes (still trying to control blood sugar with insulin) At a scan last week at 31+2 baby was estimated to weigh 5lb 4oz. From the 2 previous scans, this is looking like the baby is putting on 12/13oz a week. Head circumference was measuring over 38 weeks, abdominal circumference over 35 weeks and femur length 31 weeks.

My first two children were 6lb 15oz and 7lb 2oz, on the 12th and 16th centile. This baby is well over the 90th centile already, up from around the 85th centile 2 weeks previously. I had a 3rd degree tear with my first and a 2nd degree tear with my second.

I'm absolutely terrified. This is making my cry continuously. I'm scared something will be wrong with the baby and that I will tear badly, or they will force me to have a c-section because of the baby's size. Have asked about induction but they won't decide anything unless the baby is showing extremely large at 37 week but I don't have the growth scan until 38 +2 weeks :/

Have any of you experienced this and all been ok please?

[Blue2014]

I can't really help as I'm currently pregnant with my first but he's also measuring very big (and I have GD) I'm 38 weeks now but they would have indicted me from. 37 weeks if I wanted (going to 39 instead) but they didn't discuss this with me til 37 weeks so hopefully they should talk to you about it soon. Also the consultant was clear that the size of the baby shouldn't impact pain levels or tearing ( I believe it's more to do with getting properly dilated? Again I don't really know what I'm talking about)

However it's also worth knowing there growth scans aren't always that accurate. My last 2 pregnant friends were also told they were having giant babies - the babies were both under 7Ibs at birth!

[bobblewobble]

I have never met my actual consultant but was admitted to a different hospital where one of the consultants said, due to his size it wouldn't be whether they induced me or not but how they let me give birth. I can feel the baby is big. Is breach at the moment and I am much larger that I was with my previous two children. I'm so scared.

I have another consultant appointment with my consultants reg (who is as useful as a chocolate teapot) in 2 weeks so hopefully they will give me some information then.

Hope all goes well for you.

[princesspineapple]

Unless your midwife / consultant is concerned, try not to worry too much (I know that's easier said than done!) as the growth scans can be so inaccurate.
DD measured over 90th centile from my 20 week scan until our last scan at 38 weeks... I was induced and was told to expect a 9.5-10lb baby... DD was 8lb3oz!

[Fostec1]

All I would say is growth scans can be scarily inaccurate. I had gd too and my second was supposed to be over 10lbs when born according to the growth scans, he was delivered a week early by c section and was 7.6. Good luck with everything x

[LastOneDancing]

In both my pregnancies I was having 10lb+ according to the growth scans (no GD involved here though).

8'8 and 8'3.

[Blue2014]

Bobble - it's so hard when you don't get to see your consultant. I met mine for the first time last week and she was amazing, really calm and reassuring about a possible big baby etc. I've also experienced the registrars as not that help, they've tended to be much more dramatic about things.

[bobblewobble]

That does make me feel a bit better. Did your babies all follow a centile line? This baby has so far skipped centile lines on every scan :/ It's not that I don't want a big baby, its what could happen that scares me. I've had growth scans in 3 different hospitals and all have come back large. I so hope they are wrong. If they let me go to full term, putting on 12/13oz a week would make the baby about 12/13lb :O

I'm stressing so much I've not enjoyed this pregnancy since about 26 weeks. As horrid as it sounds, I feel almost detached to the baby because I'm so scared of something going wrong :(

[LittleLionMansMummy]

I understand your worry op. I've measured 90th centile and above throughout the third trimester and growth scan at 34 weeks put me at 6lbs. However my first ds was 8lbs and my family just doesn't seem to produce average or small babies! My mum is skinny as a rake and all 3 daughters were 8.5lbs+ (dsis was 9.5lbs). I too have been worried, but I really have put my faith in the medical profession doing everything they need to in order to monitor me throughout. I was told to bear in mind that even ultrasound is not entirely accurate and many women expecting large babies are surprised when they're born because they're not. On average babies put on half a pound a week in the final weeks - some will put on less and some more of course. Clearly there are higher risks with bigger babies, but likewise often those risks do not materialise and there are also things you can do to take back some control, such as getting through baby into a better position for birth. The fact that they're aware you have gd is also a good thing - you'll be so well monitored.

I've found this article which is quite helpful. I have found others in the past which have likewise proven quite reassuring. It's from Australia, but same principles apply in the uk.

www.bellybelly.com.au/birth/macrosomia-5-myths/

[chartmc]

i dont think growth scans are very accurate. my 2nd baby was going to be "tiny" was measuring way "too small" she was 7lb 4 which id say is a healthy weight. obviously with ur GD you baby is going to be bigger but id try not to worry too much.. x

[bobblewobble]

I think because we can't seem to stabilise my blood sugars, it's making me panic more. Every time I think about it I cry :( Blood sugars are anything between 7.8 and 10.1 on a good day. That's with the insulin doubled last week.
Have told the diabetic consultant I'm worried but he just says they cannot predict what will happen, which doesn't help me at all :/
I was 6lb 1oz born and my husband was 6lb 8oz born. Obviously my other two were born small to at almost 40 weeks. If they were bigger I think I would be less concerned.
I've already been warned that baby may need to go to NICU. If baby starts producing insulin because my sugars are high, then baby's sugars could be low when born. I will feel so guilty!

[bobblewobble]

Thank you for the link LittleLion. I just wish my own consultant could tell me these things!

[Blue2014]

Honestly OP I don't think you need to worry too much. My baby has measured off the chart at growth scans (so seems bigger than yours?) and my consultant isn't worried at all. She would have let me go to 41 weeks without being concerned if I had wanted

[bobblewobble]

Have tried to upload the growth chart. The last line should have been 31+2 but was recorded as 31+4. The lines are 10th centile, 50th centile and 0th centile. Have had to cut out some of it as my details are on it.