23weeks but measuring 26?? what does this mean?!

[sunface]

hi all, had my midwife appointment today (prg with my 3rd) and she measured my bump and said i'm measuring at 26weeks not 23... i askedi f it was because i had a big belly/bump and she said probably not as my womb was fairly high up.. does anyone have any idea what measuring bigger for your actual dates can mean going forward?!

I was told that measuring your bump isn't really done much any more because it is such a load of old twaddle. It depends on how the baby is positioned, how much fluid etc etc etc. I think it just gives midwives something to do!

heehee thanks yousank! i was working myself into a frenzy about having to have growth scans, c-sections etc!!! it is my 3rd afterall and i've heard from other friends with 3, that you do get bigger earlier.....

It means nothing! Where I work as a midwife we start measuring from 28 weeks when it becomes more accurate, it still only gives a guide on size though. You can't weigh a baby until its out.

My sister measured 26cm when she was about 20 weeks pg with her dc3 and he was born a normal weight at term. She is not fat or large, it is just how things pan out when you have already had one or two.

Don't worry about it, last week I measured 32 weeks, I am 29 weeks. I worried about it for a few days and then asked the consultant about it at my appointment the same week and he said no need to worry, it's not greatly accurate and that they don't worry at all if you are 3 weeks either side of your dates.

thanks maxbear that's a great help too! makes you wonder why they bother even doing it!

I was told that I'd have to have extra growth scans because fundal height measurements aren't accurate on people with a BMI less than 18.

I'm happy to have the extra scans but very if the measurements aren't that accurate anyway. Does anybody know why they do this?