Small head on growth scan, please can someone reassure me?

[Birdies]

I had a growth scan last week and when I got home I noticed the consultant had plotted the head circumference graph wrongly and it was only in the 3rd centile. I went to see her today and she scanned me again and it now looks to be on the 5th centile and looking back at my old scan she said she may have measured it a bit small. If I adjust the dates to fit when I think I'm due then it could be on the 11th centile which would be much better. I'm getting scanned again in two weeks but I'm crapping myself. I'm so worried, especially as at my 20 week scan everything measured quite big.

Consultant doesn't think I need to worry but I can't help it.

Is anyone in a similar position? Anyone else told this but baby came out with a normal sized head?

Bump :(

Where are all the other measurements, abdomen etc on charts? If all similar then i wouldn't worry, especially if the consultant isn't.

Not similar :( Both of the other measurements are around 20 centile or more. Not more than 50 though

Bumping really but have you asked your midwife what she thinks? The measurements aren't always accurate if the consultant isn't worried you should be fine but ask your midwife x x

My baby's head measured a bit small on my last scan, and the midwife said that if your baby is head down in your pelvis, then it can measure a bit smaller than it should because it's a bit squashed! The plates that make up the baby's skull aren't fused yet (to allow it to squash during childbirth).

Then again, I have quite a small head (always need to get the smallest size for cycle helmets etc), so maybe it's just the way my baby is too...

Either way, I think we should try not to worry too much

My little girl had a fairly small head (can't remember the centile but it was definitely in the lower quarter... giving birth was a breeze, I am sure the head size helped this! I'm sure everything is ok

Nothing was picked up on a scan, but when my DD was born, her head circumference was small. So much so, I had to go and get it checked every few days at the health centre for a couple of weeks! I wa quite cross at the time, because every time I watched them measure her head, it was in a different bloody place!

She is now 3 and ahead developmentally according to nursery. I wouldn't worry just yet. I'm sure my DD was below the 11th percentile. She had a pot belly too-above the 50th percentile. Poor love.

Thanks so much for replying everyone.

I just wish I didn't know the 20 week measurements as there's such a big drop, mostly in head size and that makes me worry more than anything. But apparently babies do have growth spurts at different times, so maybe she just had an early one. The consultant definitely said she didn't think I should worry but I'm even doubting what she said now, it's all a blur.

Unfortunately I've got a massive head (ok not massive, but I struggle to get hats to fit), so can't explain it by genetics :(

DD was pinheaded when she was born. Weight 75th, height 99th & head 9th!
It's all evened out now.
At the 20 week scan for DC2 they said that the head was rather small, by my 32 week scan last week it was all pretty much average!

I don't think you need worry, that's not a significant difference, between 11 and 20 and for other reasons stated by other posters. How come you were having a growth scan post 20 week scan?

If you really are still worried and you can get there, I can't recommend the Fetal medicine centre on Harley St highly enough for a second opinion. A growth scan is approx £150 (clinic is run for charity). Prof Nicolaides is probably the best fetal medicine dr in the world.

Thanks, I do feel a bit better now. I was only having a scan, ironically, for reassurance purposes as my DD has an underlying condition (not genetic so wouldn't affect next baby but I've naturally been more anxious this time so they were trying to be nice giving me the scan!)