31 wks baby stopped growing worried sick

[Jenny123G]

Just got back from midwife and I'm a worryer at the best of times. Basically I have anterior placenta. I have had a few minor bleeds last one was last week. And when baby moves it is painful. Midwife was concerned that babies movements hurt so she checked heart beat all sounded normal and healthy then she measured me. I'm measuring in at 28cm at 31 wks I last measured 27cm 3 weeks ago. So its dropped well below 10th centile. She measured me 4 times and came back the same. She had a feel and said she believes I have little fluid. She's calling me later to give me an appointment time for a scan. I asked what does it mean should I be worried but she was limited with her answers as she knows what I'm like she's the same midwife I had for my last two pregnancies -both no complications- so I don't have a bad word to say.
Has anyone any experience of this or any idea what will happen if scan comes back growth has stopped. I'm determined not to Google it as it will probably come back with something that scares me to death. :-)

Don't worry until you have concrete information (easier said than done, I know). Measuring bumps is all guesswork. I was told exactly the same as you at 31 weeks (including that I had no fluid). The scan confirmed that the baby was growing just fine and there was plenty of fluid, the baby was just in an awkward position at the midwife appointment so measured small. I know lots of people who have been told they're measuring small and have had perfectly normal-sized babies. Wait for the scan.

Wuthering is right, it can depend on the position of the baby, how big you measure. I had low fluid levels with my first 3 babies and they were all born perfectly healthy at full term, so don't be too worried about this.

I've measured small with both mine. At 37 weeks I measured just 29 weeks. Mine were 5lb 12oz and 6lb3oz so not completely tiny. I had to be scanned every 2 weeks from 34 weeks and monitored a lot but both my babies were healthy. The doctor said some people just don't make big babies. Good luck

Babies don't always grow consistently. Sometimes they appear to stop and then catch up. I had this at 22 weeks they panicked me something chronic and scanned me fortnightly from then on in. Slowly but surely the baby grew. She wasn't as big as perhaps she could have been but the last set of results showed the abdominalm circumference to be almost back up to the original line. Fluid levels can also fluctuate. Had they scanned u a week after instead of today they may not even have noticed anythin. This is just one day, one snap shot . If it continues them maybe there is a problem but one blip doesn't necessarily mean anything. :)

Thanks guys I've just had the call to say scan is on Thu. I'm just more concerned due to the pains I have and both my ds measured normally both went od ds1 was 8lb13 ds2 7lb11.
Ill just try keep busy till then. Thanks for all the positive support messages. X

Keeping hydrated will help with the fluid. See what happens Thursday before you start worrying too much. Baby might just have been caught at a bad time. Remember, thousands of people have been told exactly the same things and given birth to 12/13 pounders having been to their baby was measuring small.

Just look after yourself, drink lots eat properly and sleep. :)

Try not to worry too much. A scan is a good idea to set everyone's mind at ease or pick up any issues.

I was measuring 2 weeks behind throughout pregnancy; by 30 weeks, I was measuring 4 weeks behind. It's just the way I carry babies as I put on three stone!!!

Anyway, the hospital explained that if I was just packing the baby in tightly, a scan would reassure us. If there was too little fluid or he wasn't growing, I could be induced as he would stand a better chance outside in that case.

For me, the scan showed that I was a very small woman packing an 8lb baby into a tight bump. My friend had a similar thing and in her case, the placenta had deteriorated so they induced the baby and he was born early.

So try not to panic - either way it's better to have a scan so your baby should be fine. Hope it all goes well on Thursday.

I measured at my dates consistently up until about 33 weeks, when my MW measured me the same as at my previous check up a few weeks earlier. I was sent for a reassurance scan at the hospital which involved a doctor there measuring my bump and looking at me like because as far as he was concerned I measured spot on. So don't worry, sometimes even good and experienced midwives make mistakes, the important thing is to get it checked out to be sure. DS was subsequently born at 40+10 weighing 8lbs 11.5 oz btw.

I measured small from around 31 wks & had several scans,but as everything looked ok (fluid,placenta etc) I went to term. Ds was 5lb 3oz. The most important thing is that they have picked this up & you are being monitored-it will prob turn out to be nothing,but even if there was a reason,you are on their radar & can be monitored appropriately. Try not to worry (i know,I know!) & hope it all goes ok thur :)

I meant I hope it all goes ok!

My sister was told from 34 weeks she was carrying a tiny baby and they were very concerned about its size she went on to have a 9lb2oz baby try not to worry

I had to have growth scans this time as I was measuring 31 at 34 weeks. The baby was fine, perfectly on track, the fluid was borderline low so had another scan at 37 weeks (just now) and fluid is up, baby still fine.

It can be all about the position of the baby.
Please don't panic. There's no reason to think it has stopped growing at this point - the scan will be very thorough and measure all of it in detail, as well as the fluid.

Your saying the movements are hurting makes me think it is possibly just low fluid - I'm finding mine quite painful too, if you think about it it makes sense.

Good luck, and yes drink plenty as this can help to top up your fluid.

I measured small with DC2 and my midwife recommended a scan, for same reason as you.

I didn't get anxious about it for two reasons. The first was that I felt there is was nothing wrong; the second, is because my midwife was so on the ball I had faith it would be all right.

Your midwife sounds amazing - maybe just try and have a little faith that it will at least be all right because you have her looking after you (if that makes sense).

Another one here with a small bump and had a normal size baby - well 6 lb 4 so on the small size but she was born at 38 weeks. The growth scan I had showed a slightly larger than average baby.

Weirdly they still got concerned about the size of my bump whilst I was in labour. Not sure what could be done at that point!

Please don't worry - I know I panicked myself and there really was no need. My dd is fit, healthy and feisty.

OP they don't measure at all in my health trust area as its thought to be so inaccurate. Try not to worry.

I'm in the States and they haven't measured me once - they scan me instead. Seems to be the more accurate way (in their opinion).

Try not to worry: worst case is that the baby isn't growing properly, and, if so, it's best to know that. Much better to know than to just assume everything is ok. Best case is that everything is fine. So the scan is actually a good thing if you can think of it in those terms.

Hi all thank you for your kind. Words and positive stories.
Update you were all right! Baby is fine no worries at all with him. He's weighing in a great 4lb 2 and a massive head just over 95th centile!! Ouch!
Massively relieved x

That Is fantastic news!!!! :o

Good news!!!!