Baby measuring small at growth scan

[Ennjay]

Hi ladies,
I found out today (37+2) that my baby is measuring on the 10th percentile and am now so worried. Doc said the placenta and flow were good and I have to go back in 2 weeks to see if baby has grown. Don’t quite know how I’m going to make it that far, have been panicking ever since. I just wondered if anyone had experienced this and had any advice.
Thanks

Before there were scans, when they were still listening to the baby's heart with an ear trumpet and measuring growth with a tape measure, my first ds was born weighing 4lbs 5 oz at 39 weeks. He had an APGAR of 9 and was entirely normal in every respect, just 'small for dates'. The consultant said 'his supply ships hadn't been getting through'. We strayed in hospital till he was 5 lbs, and there were no problems at all with feeding or development.

He's above ave in IQ, 5'9, and has two sons of his own. 10th percentile is as 'normal' as 90th percentile. My grandmother had a 5 pounder. I think some babies are just small. My other two babies were 7+lbs, but all were early.

They know much more now than they did and they can tell that the placenta is OK with a good flow. I think, if they were really worried, they'd be having you in for a section or induction, not leaving you till 39 weeks.

It's no good saying 'Don't worry', because of course you will, but the chances are everything will be OK. Can you talk to your midwife. She may be able to reassure you.

Thank you so much for your message, it means so much. They tend to give you a bit of info and send you on your way when really a proper conversation might have helped a lot. You’re so right, 10th percentile is as normal as 90th percentile and I hear about babies measuring big all the time! I think it’s just the connection with small being fragile which makes me worry about baby’s health. Your message really helped though, thank you for taking the time to reply.xx

Hi, handhold here as I've been there. At my first growth scan baby was measuring just over 10th centile and I was told he was going to be a small baby. I then had to have a growth scan every 2 weeks and at each appointment I was told he was going to be small. I was, however, reassured by my consultant that as long as he followed the curve and that flow to the placenta was good then I didn't have anything to worry about (easier said than done!). You've made it to 37 weeks, well done! At 39 weeks, if growth has slowed and they decide he /she needs to come out then baby is full term anyway. It is a worrying time because you desperately want them to be healthy but if they were really worried you'd have been called back for another scan much sooner than 2 weeks. Incidentally my 'small' son who was tracking the 10th centile all the way through was born at 40 +3 a very healthy 7lbs 8oz, only 6ozs lighter than by 'average' son who tracked pretty much along the 50th centile line!

@Ennjay hey, I had growth scans with my first baby from 31 weeks for every 2 weeks as my fundental height measurement was the same as a few weeks before. Had scans until I was 37 weeks then was told to have an induction as he was too ‘small’ & said he was less than 5lbs. He was born at 37 weeks & 2 days at 6lbs so wasn’t too bad. I know it’s scary but I also think they over worry you just so they’re on the ‘cautious’ side. My friend recently had a baby & was told she had to be induced at 38 weeks as her baby was measuring over 9lbs. However she was born at just over 7.5lbs.

I’m now due my 2nd baby in February & was told at my booking appt that I would have a consultant appt at 12 weeks appointment & would need to take aspirin to avoid this baby being small. However no consultant appointment was given to me & when I questioned it with the midwife she basically told me to forget about it & that if my baby had a low birth weight again then would just need to deal with it.... so :/ xx

Youngest daughter was well below the 0.4th centile.
Because she had been picked up as being small and might have problems the hospital had NNICU on standby and they were ready for her.
When she was born she went straight into hyperthermia shock and needed a lot of help to keep her core temp up. She needed a lot of help from the regional children’s hospital for many weeks after due to ongoing severe failure to thrive BUT they were ready to catch her from the hospital she had been born at as she had been picked up as possibly having a genetic/metabolic disorder behind her teeny size.

If a baby is showing signs of IUGR or Dropping centipede hospitals like to play it as safe as they can and keep an eye on such babies just in case your one of the handful of mums whose baby really needs specialised help at birth.

Hope all goes well and that your baby is just one of the slightly smaller babies over the 0.4th.