Deliver small baby early?

[crochetcircle]

My baby (29 weeks) is measuring small for her dates. Still within the 'normal' range, and growing steadily along her line, but at the low end. I'm having scans every three weeks to keep an eye on her growth. I'm sure of my dates, because we only had sex once that month.

I am seeing a consultant who is monitoring my BP, which is currently fine, and if things carry on I'm still OK to labour in the midwife-led birthing centre.

However, the consultant said that its safer to deliver smaller babies before 40 weeks, as the risk of stillbirth is higher post-dates. He has offered to book me in for an induction around 39-40 weeks if I don't go into labour naturally on my own before that.

Its my second baby, and I was induced at 40+14 for my first baby. I'm quite happy to be induced again if that is what is recommended. But I wanted to do some reading and research about this before I see the consultant next.

Does anyone else have any experience of this or know where I can look? Google has not been my friend thus far.

www.rcog.org.uk/womens-health/investigation-and-management-small-gestational-age-fetus-green-top-31

Hopefully this will give you some info.

goodygumdrops many thanks, that is very helpful and SO QUICK! Faster than google!

It will take a little while to digest, but its reassuring to have read it.

Happened to both mine: one at 37 weeks and the other at 36. Both were fine.

First of all congratualtions and don't worry.

There is a long way to go with a small baby before they decide to induce early. If they are only scanning you every 3 weeks then they are not concerned too much. If they are they go to a fortnightly and then a weekly scan. Following that they will then carry out a doppler scan to measure the blood flow through the cord and how well the placenta is working. Even then they will take a view unless it is critical as to when and if they induce you. there is a view that the baby is better off inside of you as long as possible to allow the lungs to mature. They soon catch up growth wise.

I have been through this twice and both were born early without induction and both are running around with exess energy at the moment while it pours down with rain outside.

I had a similar thing with DD1. They started scanning me at 30 weeks due to concerns over size and I was then scanned every two weeks to check on growth and placental function (a doppler scan). In the end I was induced at 38 weeks as she had stopped growing completely and fluid levels had decreased. Even before this the consultant had recommended induction at 40weeks, but this may have been as she was already showing signs of unbalanced growth (i.e. larger head than tummy) which can be a sign of IUGR. She came out pretty small but otherwise fine and is now a very happy, active (and normal sized) toddler!

Don't panic though, at 29 weeks your baby has still got lots of time to catch up!

thanks for sharing your experiences slalomski and hatstuff

I suppose its good to be monitored at this stage, even if everything is ultimately fine. Glad to hear you both had positive outcomes. So far nobody seems hugely concerned, but just keeping an eye on us.

All health issues aside, I must admit that the possibility of being induced on a given date is incredibly tempting for someone who went so far over last time!

We'll see what happens - my next growth scan is on Monday.

Baby still measuring small today - at 5th centile. Good news, however, growth has followed constant lines, fluid is fine and flow to the placenta all good. Sonographer is convinced that I was dated incorrectly at my 12 week scan and baby isn't small at all.

I'm being seen again in 4 weeks.

Could I still be induced early do you think, or will I have to wait and see?

Both of mine were consistently small and I was doppler/blood flow checked and monitored every 2 weeks for the last few months of pg. Both fine as fine can be and running off the excess energy too

1 born via induction due to being small and pre-eclampsia
2 just came a bit early (1 or 2 weeks)

both near the 6lb level so not tiny although do invest in some premmie clothes if you can not many though.

ds put on more weight out of the womb in 2 weeks than he did inside monkey has been nibbling ever since!

my mother in law had a stillbirth as baby was too small and left till 40 weeks only one day before induction baby died inside so for all three kids after including hubby they induced her at 38 weeks...
my hubby was born 4.5 pounds was 100 percent formula fed and is a handsome and athletic 6 ft tall gorgeous man ...

I feel that a doppler blood flow scan on the cord is a much indicator of how the baby is doing than growth scans which are sometimes spectacularly wrong. Incidentally I was on 2 week growth scans from 20 weeks to term with DD2. Birth was predicted to be 5 lbs tops at 40 weeks. She was born weighing 7lbs 9oz at 40 +13.

DD1 had lots of monitoring for low fluid levels and being small for dates.

She was due to be induced at 39 weeks

I wasn't mad on this idea, so DH and I jokingly said lets have sex. she was born naturally at 39+1 (26hr of labour, she knew it was time to come out, but she was in no great hurry). She weighed 6lb2oz
She now towers over me

Good luck all the heart traces and scans get very wearing, sending keep growing vibes.

My DC1 was measuring small but all other signs were ok. If induction is what you want then fine, but in my case I didn't want that. I told the consultant that both DH and I were small babies (both 6lbs or thereabouts) and on hearing that he was fine to leave me and I only went five days over.

DC1 was 5lbs 13oz and remains dinky for her age at 3yo, but very similar size and build to me, and an absolute ball of energy! What she lacks in stature she makes up for in bossiness. [exhausted emoticon]

DC2 measured big for his dates but arrived when I said he would (I knew my conception date too) not when the measurements said he would. He is a tall baby.

I could be wrong but don't they do it on leg measurements? My DC1 has short legs, my DC2 has long legs. It's just the way they are. I'm not sure that means anything, but I'll throw it in.

Oh and I was a small baby too (4lbs) dh was 7lbs (and 6ft2 now) and mine were 5lbs 10 and 6lbs 2