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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Has anyone had there dates changed?!

23 replies

2wwmadness · 18/01/2012 11:33

Hello, well I am 24 or 26 weeks pregnant! Went to the midwife yesterday and my baby is big (I look big for 24 weeks and have been big throught the pregnancy, showing at 8 weeks, 1st baby) my due date is may 4th and I am 24 +5. The midwife told me I'm more like 26 weeks (and by dates of conception that's what I had myself as in the beginning) she said they won't change the date as anything for 37 weeks is full term but u may have him April instead. I am moving areas so she said my new hospital will arrange for there own scans probably so don't worry. It's no biggy, I know it's not an exact science an the baby will come when it's ready. But for my maternity leave having that date moved forward would be good as I can leave earlier. Has anyone had there dates changes officially?!

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HappyAsEyeAm · 18/01/2012 11:45

I was told before I had my 20 week scan, that whatever date I had been given as my due date would not be changed whatever I was measuring.

In contrast, after my 12 week scan, my due date was brought forward by a week. I didn't want this, as I don't want to be under pressure to have a sweep or an induction based on a due date that is now 1 week earlier than the date the midwife worked out for me at my booking in appointment.

Its odd, because I am entirely sure of my dates and cycle length.

Original poster

2wwmadness · 18/01/2012 11:53

It's weird isn't it? In my booking appointment she told me my date and I was sure it was impossible. For me I don't want to go too long and have a BIG baby. I'm so big already for 24 weeks that I'm scared I will go to 41 by there dates but really be more like 43! Is that even possible?!!

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thejaffacakesareonme · 18/01/2012 12:12

I've found that my midwife sticks rigidly to the dates worked out at the booking in clinic but that the consultant and sonographer go by the dates on the 12 week scan.

Yummymummyyobe1 · 18/01/2012 12:17

My date was changed from May 3rd 2012 to April 29th 2012 so not a huge discrepancy when I was about 10 weeks. I think it was partly down to me not knowing exactly when my LMP was. xx

himynameisfred · 18/01/2012 12:22

They need to go by your first dating scan, the reason is that they're the most accurate.
Because all babies are basically the same in the first trimester, and the dating scans are then accurate, after that, for example at 20 weeks and over the size of the baby depends on genetics.
Female fetuses of African decent are generally the largest at 20 weeks (despite all starting out the same) so they survive very premature birth more frequently.

My babies are generally measuring a week ahead by 20 weeks :)

So yeah, you need to go by the first scan for actual fetal age x

Original poster

2wwmadness · 18/01/2012 12:30

Thanks for explaining!

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mildertduck · 18/01/2012 13:05

Mine was moved back a day from the 7th to the 8th May - there was confusion because having had my Implanon removed I got pregnant straightaway without a period in between, so no-one was entirely sure. But they confirmed it properly at my 12 week scan.

rooksby · 18/01/2012 13:15

What himynameisfred said about the dating scan. You can know your LMP and cycle length, even the date when you (whisper it now!) had congress, but none of that can tell you when conception/implantation took place. For example boy sperm are meant to swim a lot faster than girl sperm, I think girl sperm can still be swimming about looking for an egg after five or six days or something crazy like that.

I don't know anyone whose date didn't change at the dating scan! Mine have been brought forward both times, a whole week this time, and the date of my LMP is certainly accurate. Friend's has been put back by the same.

Sandra2011 · 18/01/2012 13:54

In 20 week scan my dates were changed by +4 days.

WeLoveHaribo · 25/01/2012 11:07

I was moved 17 days when I knew exact dates! By my dates I'm due anytime from tomoz :) but by scans (I've had 4 now and they don't really tally but still taking date from approx 12wk mark) they hav my date as 12th feb!! So massive diff. It will come when ready but baby No 1 came on due date!!! Xx

Flisspaps · 25/01/2012 11:10

Mine was moved forward about 10 days at my 12w scan (which was actually at 17w and we thought I was 15+4)

The MW at my next AN appt told me that they would go by the scan date.

I am working to my original date, mainly because DD was late and chances are that this one will be too, so I've given myself 10 days without the phone calls of 'any news' from friends and family. I won't accept induction anyway so it makes no difference on that count.

It is possible to be pregnant for 43 weeks though, yes.

Flisspaps · 25/01/2012 11:13

Oh, and my understanding is that +/- 2cm in measurements is normal (so you can measure 26cm at 24 weeks with no problem) and it's not a particularly scientific way of measuring baby's size anyway, so you could have an average sized baby in there, not a large one. It could be lying in a strange position or you might have lots of fluid. Even scans can be out by a lb, so I wouldn't take too much notice of the MW saying it's a big baby unless your measurements change considerably.

didireallysaythat · 25/01/2012 11:30

My date from conception (and I really did know it, it was Christmas day!) and my date from the 12 week scan were around 1-2 weeks different, but they went with the latest.

I'm fairly laid back but at the time it drove me crazy. I was induced at 15 days post the later date (ie nearly 3 weeks post the earlier date) and my son was huge ! (The tape measurement done by the midwives had me expanding and contracting 5-10 cms on visits, and my GP thought I was 30 weeks pregnant when I was just 20 as I was the size of a house - detached with double garage). I can understand why not everyone wants to be induced but there are some medical reasons as to why it can, for some, be the advisable thing to do.

The good thing: if you have two dates which differ by a week or so tell your mother-in-law the later date. Otherwise she'll ring you every day to see if you've delivered yet. The midwife told me when I had a second to lie about my due date (what wise words) just to stop people nagging.

And sizing from late scans: as far as I can tell it can be like like tea leaf reading. With my second I was scanned at 36 weeks as I wanted a c-section while the doctors weren't keen. The sonographer said she could get the weight within +/- 1-2 lbs. That's a 4 lb error....

Bottom line: unless the baby knows the due date (and feels like obliging) it doesn't matter at all. It just makes it difficult to sort out childcare for number one while you deliver number two.

Flisspaps · 25/01/2012 11:54

didireallysaythat That is exactly what I have done re dates, and exactly for the reason you have described.

It's nice when it's one ringing you, but it's not, all of a sudden everyone you've ever met suddenly starts calling 'just to see how you are' which suits me fine, however DH is not happy about 'lying to all our friends and family' - well, tough. It's coming out of my fanoir, and it's more likely to come out on the later date than the scan date anyway. It's not him fielding phone calls from nosy interested relatives and friends who you really don't want to be talking to about the dilation and effacement of your cervix, or whether you've had a bloody show, or their suggestions of having lots of sex

didireallysaythat · 25/01/2012 13:28

Oh it gets worse. The M-in-L wanted to get into the car and drive 200 miles as soon as I went into labour. We talked her out of that. They said they visit immediately. We politely asked them not to, but to come and visit 2 weeks later when my hubbie went back to work.

So imagine my delight when they turned up on the door step at 8am the morning after we got back from the hospital.

I hadn't appreciate the transformation from "person in my own right" to "baby-carrier now you've done your deed we don't really need you" would be so pronounced, so quickly.... Hey ho....!

LoveInAColdClimate · 25/01/2012 16:56

Mine was put back by 4 days at my 12 week scan. I think the new date is wrong as I know when I ovulated and am a bit worried that they will insist on inducing me when I could in fact be safely left a few more days, but I figure I'll cross that bridge when I come to it as am only 32+6 and am relying on the baby arriving at 37 weeks so I can stop being a big pregnant whale.

JJpen · 25/01/2012 17:23

My date was also put back by 6 days at my 12 week scan (although I know my LMP etc.) so am trying to think that the baby's likely to come somewhere in between the two dates... hopefully not too late....!

Flisspaps · 25/01/2012 18:55

LoveInAColdClimate No-one can insist on you being induced. The decision to be induced is entirely in your hands. And if there are sound medical reasons for being induced or having a CS (such as placental failure, for example) those 4 days won't make any difference.

miaboo · 25/01/2012 19:36

Midwife said my due date would be the 3rd august but at my scan yesterday they said it was more like 21st august! I think the scan was right to put me at 10 weeks and had tried telling my midwife this on my booking appointment!

LoveInAColdClimate · 25/01/2012 19:47

Thanks, Flisspaps. I am worried about cracking under pressure if I'm leant on but I'm hoping to be able to insist on daily monitoring if I do go over 14 days overdue. I'm hoping this will all be academic anyway as I could do with the baby rocking up at about 37 weeks really so I can stop being huge and uncomfortable .

Flisspaps · 25/01/2012 22:32

LoveInAColdClimate If at the time your MW brings up the offer of induction (and if baby has plans to stay in past 37 weeks ) then you can simply say to her/him - "no thank you, I am not prepared to discuss induction until Xweeks/Y happens".

You don't have to give them the opportunity to try to talk you into it unless you want to. As long as you have weighed up the pros and cons of induction vs expectant management for yourself, then they have no reason to try to talk you round.

LoveInAColdClimate · 26/01/2012 07:22

Thanks, Flisspaps - that's really helpful, thank you.

didireallysaythat · 26/01/2012 10:34

Being induced: I think it depends a lot on your health trust. With us, they were very hands off - I think they tried a sweep at 41 weeks a couple of days before the hospital appointment they make for you at your booking appointment just in case you go over. I worked until 41 weeks pregnant so by the time of the hospital appointment I was bored having been at home for a week, and I was starting to freak out the lifeguard as I was swimming everyday just to relieve the backache/boredom!. Daily monitoring wasn't offered but with a 45 minute drive and my husband probably wanting to come along it wouldn't have been practical anyway. And the hospital only really did inductions one or two days a week (so they could do them on days they didn't do elective c-sections) so I had to wait another 5 days before being induced. I don't have a problem with drugs etc which is probably just as well as I had the most medical delivery anyway.

I guess what I'm saying is that I understand why you might not want to be induced and I think starting labour naturally sounds like the great plan, but you may not get pushed into making a decision about being induced anyway so don't worry about it !

I'm sure some women have a horrible time being induced, but there are probably just as many who thought it was just fine (including me).

But then again I could see absolutely no point in having a birth plan. My plan was to give birth. That was it. So maybe I'm representative of a typical mum to be....

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