full term growth scan... homebirth threat?

[thegauntlet]

Gah, have got my torturesuite labour room sorted- birth pool up, sheets down; 37+1, midwife appointment yesterday; EVERYTHING has been normal up to now, no probs at all. Second DD, first DD came with no hitches, straightforward pool delivery 8lb1.

Only baby hasn't grown for a week; according to midwife's tapemeasure ( but am i the only one that thinks that furtling around in my pubes to find symphysis pubis is a bit innacurrate anyway?)

Being sent for a growth scan on Monday. Is this going to affect my HB? I have a feeling that if the hospital get their hands on my I might end up induced as i am term. Of course I will comply if baby really is at risk- but I am still getting a fair few kicks, and no other issues....

I'm suprised she's made a referal on that basis tbh. 2 measuremnent and only one week apart. At a time when your babys head may well be descending into you pelvis. I'd be very surprised if you went for a scan and they told you anything other than you have a well grown baby, I really wouldn't worry.
Good luck with you HB!

A one of scan tells you very little and they can easily be 2lb out. Growth scans are only really useful if they are done two or thee in a row to see the pattern of growth.

Are they not very keen on HB in your area? If everything else seems tiptip then declining their kind offer of a growth scan is certainly an option you might want to consider.

FWIW I discussed a possible late scan at about 38w with my MW last time, also booked for HB. We (me and the MW) decided it was probably pointless as knowing it was a 'big' baby would only have made me worry in labour. I had a very average 7.5lb baby despite my huuge bump.

Woman in the next baby had been told she had an average sized baby on scan, it was 5lb born. They really are very inaccurate, often.

Some areas have stopped measuring the fundal height because the measurements can vary so much and cause unneccesary worry.

I was ENORMOUS with No 2, and had previously struggled with a 9lb girl, so was sent for a scan. It came back as a 9.5lb baby, so I was induced within the week.

He was 8lb 6oz, not the 10lb possible that had been predicted.

i had exactly the same thing!
baby was lying awkwardly and put me 2 weeks behind.

my first 2 were over 9lb and this one was clearly just as big but she decided I needed a scan anyway. the sonographer said to me "why were you referred again?" as she was scanning, and when i told her she laughed and laughed and said "this is NOT a small baby" lol

so... no, in my case it didn't affect my homebirth at all.

In my area, everybody I know of who has booked a home birth and has had this late scan have been advised not to have a homebirth as 'something' has been found to scupper their plans. Large baby, placenta starting to fail are just two of the reasons. Most of them had simple births but in hospital. They could have easily been at home if they hadn't had this scan. I refused the scan as I didn't want putting off. I didn't get my home birth due to meconium in the waters, but do bear in mind you don't have to go along for it.

one: I wouldn't worry, because if the baby's engaged (or on its way) at this late stage, it might look like it hasn't grown *(this stuff is quite arbitrary anyway, and not precise)

two: they can't stop you from having a HB. even if they advise you not to, they can't stop you.

chocolate - i know what you mean. DD was 16 days over (but only just, she was born at midnight ), and they were trying to get me to go in because of worry of failure of placenta.

I think the only thing that would get me in would be mec in waters.

chocolatemarzipan..... exactly why I am really dreading going for the scan. I think i probably should; as it would be dreadful if there was something really wrong.
BUT... when you talked about placenta failing... what does that mean? if they said that would it mean i would be C section or induced?
Im really really keen on having this homebirth. Now... I want everyone to channel labour thoughts for Sunday night.. then the scan would not be an ishoo.

I had similar to you, my bump always measured 2cm smaller than it was supposed to be, then about a week before birth it measured 4cm smaller. The midwife thought it was because it had moved so far down and offered me a growth scan but we discussed it between us and decided that it was so close to birth that I would just wait a week or so and see if the baby came. Luckily she did. Maybe your baby just has it's head quite far down?

I was sent for two growth scans in last pregnancy - one was about 34 weeks, the other one at 39 weeks - both times because my bump measured small.

The sonographer said that she reckoned the baby was about 8lb, and the midwife I saw at the hospital said absolutely no problems with home birth going ahead.

One of the midwives who came when I was in early labour got her tape measure out and was all for packing me off to hospital. Fortunately she had a colleague with her who re-measured and persuaded her otherwise so I went on to have the homebirth. He was 8lb2oz so sonographer was pretty accurate.

In my experience (3rd pregnancy, been sent for extra scans based on bump measuring in all of them):

• The way the baby is lying makes a difference - e.g. they shift around, or move down into your pelvis.
• The person who does the measuring makes a big difference - different people would measure me 2cm different on the same day.

Just thought i would let you know... Scan was fine, head down, measuring around 7lbs8 already ( 37+3) baby happy. Mummy happy; homebirth a-go-go
xx

Hope you get your homebirth. I had one 6 days ago and it was a-m-a-z-i-n-g (and my baby was a 10 pounder, but nobody had spotted that!)