Small baby - inducing my friend - any stories?

[Listmaker]

My friend is 44 and her first baby is due in 3 weeks. She went for a check up yesterday and they suspected pre-eclampsia and took her straight into hospital.

They have said that the baby is only 4lb 1oz and they want to induce her tomorrow for that reason rather than the possible pre-eclampsia.

Has anyone else had this? Will the baby have to stay in hospital for a while?

Reassurances please!!

No personal experience - just thinking that that was the reason they induced the girl on the first episode of Desperate Midwives (that they thought the baby was small) but the baby was fine (think she was 38 weeks). I think they do it in case the baby isn;t thriving due to something wrong with placenta.

FWIW I think its seems odd they can be so specific about a weight (my obstetrician won't even give a ballpark figure in lbs let alone down to 1oz!) and there have been lots of stories on here about people being given sizes that were WAY out. Even if baby is 4lb there are lots smaller that survive OK.

I would imagine even if they are right 3 weeks early isn't very premature and baby will be just fine. Best wishes to your friend x

a small baby is usually termed IUGR (inter uterine growth restriction) - it normally means the placenta is not foing a good enough job. Often the baby has a normal sized head (the important bit), and a small body. I think it can have longterm implications on development but not necessarily. A baby is term at 37 weeks so they probably have decided it is better out than in.

My ds (a twin) was born at 35 weeks weighing 3lb 13 oz, at just over 2 he is small but otherwise has no problems.

There can be other reasons for small babies.

Thanks ladies! I'm sure it will be fine as, as you say she's pretty much full term now.

I was also surprised about the precise weight thing. I was told my dd1 would be an 8lber when it was discovered she was breach at 41 weeks but she was only 7lb 6oz in the end.

My friend is quite a fretter and is all upset - says she wasn't prepared but then who is??!!

Hi There- I had exactly this ! We knew we might have an issue with IUGR from about 22 weeks but they couldn't decide if dd was just naturally small until 37 weeks when I went in for a scan and didn't leave till 8 days later complete with baby !! I had suspected pre-eclampsia at this stage and dd was expected to be 2 kg (about 4 1/2 pounds).

Although my experience wasn't great in that I was induced for 3 days, it didn't work and I ended up with an emergency c-section, DD was in fact marginally over 2 kgs (4 lbs 9 oz) so they were almost spot on but I have heard of lots of cases where they have been massively out. Once dd was out she was fine - needed to be put under a heater for a few hours but was ready to be discharged before I was. Now DD is 19 weeks and although slightly on the small size is catching up with her contempories and has no side effects of IUGR. The main problem we had was trying to BF which never happened but at the end of the day it doesn't seem to have done dd too much harm.

Your friend may be in for a rough few days (although induction may work no problem and then it may be easier) but at the end of the day, if her experiences are like mine the end result is just a little baby who will probably grow v. quickly in its first few weeks. I guess at 4 lbs 1 oz (if accurate) it might need a little bit more help with feeding but at 37 weeks shouldn't need ventilating.

Hope all goes well - and let us know how she gets on ! My only advice, if you can give it to your friend without worrying her too much, is to be mentally prepared for the possibility of a cs - I was and I think this helped my recovery a lot. If you/she has any questions just ask !

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Hi
My DD was induced early for IUGR. They said she would be 4lb but she weighed in a 6lb 2oz the same week! (She was very skinny though - not like subsequent DS at 9lb 6oz).

She didn't need special care, but they had warned me that if she was small they would want her fed at least 3 hourly. She did get jaundiced - but don't a lot of babies?

At 4lb they are a good viable weight, and safer out and being fed than in with pre-eclampsia.

Good luck to your friend

Hi just to say that my dd2 was 4lb 14oz when born and apart from being slow to feed she was absolutly fine.

Hey Listmaker - just being nosey but what happened to your friend in the end ???