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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To kick up a fuss and demand an induction?

62 replies

tiredbutstillsmiling · 09/07/2014 15:24

I'm am 36+2 days but at my last 2 midwife checks and a scan 2 weeks ago all showed slow growth. Yesterday I had another MW check and again I was measuring small so I asked if I could be re-scanned. MW wasn't happy and said she thought everything wa okay but eventually called scan dept.

Had scan today and sonographer agreed baby is measuring small but placenta appears to be normal. I have another scan in a week.

Would I be unreasonable to demand an induction? My DD was prem (actually gone passed number of weeks where she was born) and I'm so scared about still birth after suffering a miscarriage last year. No-one seems concerned but I can't shake this horrible feeling something could go wrong.

WWYD? Any advice welcome - have posted here for traffic btw.

OP posts:

Original poster

tiredbutstillsmiling · 09/07/2014 16:46

Writing it down like that has really worried me!

OP posts:

ginnybag · 09/07/2014 16:53

OP, is it possible that the 28 week measurement was wrong, or just an odd blip?

Can you take you measurements from your early scans, and everything but the 28 week and plot it?

You might find that the 28 week measurement is an outlier and the others all fall into line.

Think of it this way - children once born don't grow in nice linear fashion - they hopscotch in fits and starts. It's entirely likely that babies do, too.

Plot the points, like they do after birth and draw the curve for the trend As long as the trend is generally up and not flat lining completely, I wouldn't worry. If it is flatlining, or worse stalled altogether, you'll at least have a hard graphic to shove at someone to say 'See!!!'

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 09/07/2014 16:54

Try not to panic - baby is still growing then, just at a slower rate than 'normal'.

Iowna is right, growth scans can be unreliable but should still be able to see whether baby has grown at all since the last one. The scan will also show whether there is much fluid around the baby, as measuring small or large for dates can also be down to the volume of fluid about.

Baby sounds to be happy & active so please try not to worry while waiting for the next scan .

ILiveOnABuildsite · 09/07/2014 17:19

I'm so sorry to hear you are so worried but based on my experience of early induction (for medical reasons) I wouldn't ask for induction. If baby is still well inside of you I would let mature a little, when my dd was born she was very unresponsive, her skin was actually grey and she didn't cope well with the birth itself. I was told it was because she hadn't been ready to come out, unfortunately we didn't have a choice.

I would however kick up a fuss and demand to be monitored very closely by your mw. If you are worried you deserve to have your mind put at rest.

FryOneFatManic · 09/07/2014 17:38

AF, my eldest is 14, and I wasn't told about kick charts when pregnant with her, never actually heard of them before. I don't really recall her kicking, just moving in a way that pushed everything.

OP, I think speaking to a different midwife may be reassuring for you. I had 2 part time midwives at the times, and the slight differences between them and their advice was actually useful, in that the way they described everything gave me a fuller picture than if I just listened to one midwife.

queenofthemountain · 09/07/2014 17:47

Insist or demand all you like, but it will fall on deaf ears unless the consultant believes it is the best course of action.
Not your call!

Original poster

tiredbutstillsmiling · 09/07/2014 18:01

Thanks everyone. Apart from one episode where growth measures below 50th percentile, all have been increasing (albeit at a v v slow rate).

Thanks for all the advice. I think I'm just going to keep a close eye on movement and speak to the doctor next week about my concerns. I really don't want to be induced if I don't have to. DH certainly doesn't want me to - he said best place for baby to thrive is inside me. I just hope my body doesn't let the little one down.

OP posts:

AndHarry · 09/07/2014 19:20

All the best OP. There are options available to you. If you're unhappy with your care then speak to the supervisor of midwives - your GP surgery or the hospital can put you in contact. The birth options midwife can develop a plan of care that takes into account your increased anxiety due to your past history, including additional monitoring. Good luck!

ICanSeeTheSun · 09/07/2014 19:24

Keep the baby in as long as possible, if the baby is measuring at 34 weeks if he/she is induced early it could mean a stay in sbcu.

Original poster

tiredbutstillsmiling · 09/07/2014 19:32

Thankyou andharry. Will do!

icansee. I know. DD was in neo-natal unit for 2 weeks. I'd love to be discharged from hospital this time with my baby.

OP posts:

FuckYouChrisAndThatHorse · 09/07/2014 19:32

I hate the measuring and scanning thing.

My experience is that my measurements get smaller and smaller (I think I was 5 cm behind by 37 weeks). And I'm taller than you and dh is taller than your dh. I was told baby would be small-average, she was 8 lbs.

A friend was told her baby was enormous (more than 11lbs) and she had scan after scan at 39ish weeks, they talked about c sections because he would be so huge. He ended up being born naturally, at just under 6 lbs. there's something like a 20% margin of error on the scans, and lots of MW don't measure in later pregnancy as baby descending screws up the figures (the lower in your pelvis the baby is, the smaller you measure).

If your HCPs are happy, then I would go by them. Your placenta being fine is the best news :)

The last few weeks are always stressful. Good luck!

Icimoi · 09/07/2014 19:37

Please don't get too hung up on movement, though. Remember there will be long periods when the baby needs to rest!

TheFairyCaravan · 09/07/2014 19:47

When I was pregnant with DS2 I begged to be induced because I was in a wheelchair with severe SPD. The consultant I was seeing scanned me at 35 weeks, and said he was so small he would die, which shocked us because up until that point I was measuring big.

By that point, for other reasons, we lost confidence in him and asked to change, the new consultant I saw at 36 weeks said he'd induce me as the baby was 'a good size!' They had 4 goes over 3 days and I ended up going home because it didn't work. The following week I had a sweep on the Monday, he was born less than 24 hours later after a 20 minute labour weighing 8lbs at 37 weeks!

I would listen to the HCPs and see how you go over the next week or so. Good luck.

Original poster

tiredbutstillsmiling · 09/07/2014 19:55

Thanks all.

chris, thanks for your wise words. Sonographer said baby's head was well down in pelvis so couldn't measure circumference so hopefully that's played a part in the measurements too.

OP posts:

FuckYouChrisAndThatHorse · 09/07/2014 19:57

Tired :) you wouldn't be human if you didn't worry. Baby being well down is a good sign too. You might not have too long to wait anyway.

If you are really worried then do speak to your MW to get some reassurance (although not all are good at this!)

AnyFucker · 09/07/2014 20:01

Yes, I meant to say upthread that when I was induced I was told my baby was around 5lb

she was 7lb 3oz and I had a shitload of (unnecessary, in hindsight) interventions to wrestle her from me before she was ready

my second, at 40+1 weeks was only 8lb 1oz, so I simply do not have big babies. Easy delivery, because he was ready to arrive.

MissDuke · 09/07/2014 20:29

Hmm I am not sure if my story will reassure you or worry you more, but please bear with me as it ends well!

I had the same midwife with all my pregnancies and totally trusted her. However as my third preg progressed, I was convinced my bump was smaller though only ever measured 1 cm behind with her tape measure. I pushed for a scan, but the midwife who did it clearly couldn't use the equipment properly! She couldn't get it to bring up an estimated weight but she said the measurements she did get were all normal for my gestation. However baby was breech (which I also had suspected but midwife said she wasn't) so I had to go back two weeks later. This time they said her weight was within normal range - estimated weight was 6.5lbs and that was at 37 weeks. I went into labour at 39 weeks and was scanned to see if she was still breech, and they said she was 'a good size' - however she was born soon after and was only 5lbs!! My other children were over 8lbs.

I have no idea how they got it so wrong, but I do know the hospital I had her in are examining the files of all IUGR babies to try and work out how they can better spot them. Obesity is a big factor as it makes scanning and measuring harder but my BMI was 26 then.

Anyway, she is a very healthy girl and has thrived ever since. She was recently weighed and measured by hv and is on the 91st centile for height and 75th for weight - not bad considering she wasn't even on the chart at birth!!!

Xmasbaby11 · 09/07/2014 20:41

Those growth charts are not v accurate. I had 3 extra scans and they showed the baby was growing v well. The measurements are very approximate. Eg tape measure said baby was under 10 centile, scan showed baby over 90 centile. Baby was born at 39 weeks - planned c section - 8lb 9.

FurryTurnip · 09/07/2014 20:55

I had a similar experience to MissDuke. I felt I was carrying a small bump but midwives constantly said all was ok, including a few second opinions. I eventually saw consultant at 42 weeks with reduced movement,she examined and said baby was tiny, I was induced that day. Ended up as emergency c section and DS was 4lb13.

Turns out my placenta was full of blood clots which weren't spotted even though I had extra scan at 34 weeks. Ds is wonderful and healthy but still tiny, on 0.2 percentile.

Not telling you this to worry you, but to say trust your own instincts and there's no harm getting a second opinion. Good luck.

FurryTurnip · 09/07/2014 20:55

Turns out my placenta was full of blood clots which weren't spotted even though I had extra scan at 34 weeks. Ds is wonderful and healthy but still tiny, on 0.2 percentile.

Not telling you this to worry you, but to say trust your own instincts and there's no harm getting a second opinion. Good luck.

Iownafourinchporsche · 09/07/2014 21:19

The head being down in pelvis does effect the measurement. I know from experience. Twice.

Measuring 32 weeks at 36 weeks is really well within the normal range too.

5 foot 6, is an average size for a woman.

Stop worrying!!

Iownafourinchporsche · 09/07/2014 21:21

Also my tiny babies turned out to be just small perfectly healthy babies - and not properly tiny as expected. Measurements are often incorrect.

slithytove · 09/07/2014 21:40

Only read first post. Yes I would, because I've lived your fears.

Sorry.

slithytove · 09/07/2014 21:41

But be prepared for induction to fail and have a section.

slithytove · 09/07/2014 21:48

Rtft now.

My original answer still stands.

I would also get the cord flow checked at your next scan if they haven't already.

And movement changes are vital, so so important. Whether they have reduced or drastically increased, it needs to be checked out.

Count the kicks is a great tool.

Fwiw, DC2 was born by section at 36 weeks due to DC1 being stillborn, and he was healthy as a horse, breastfed in recovery and went home 2 days later.

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