Midwife not measuring bump

[NAR4]

At one of my midwife appointments the midwife measured my bump and said I was measuring 3 or 4 weeks too big yet wrote in my notes the same measurements as my weeks. Since then she hasn't measured my bump but has wrote each time in my notes that she has and it is measuring the same as my weeks.

Do I need to quiry this tomorrow at my next appointment or does it not really matter? Sounds a silly question but don't know why they measure your bump.

Yes I would say it is important! They measure it too check its growing, too check its not growing too much or too little. If it doesn't grow or grows too fast they can then send you for a scan to check all is ok. If you measuring big you could have too much fluid or just be expecting a big baby. You should have a graph in your notes for the baby's growth to be plotted against.

How many weeks are you now? They started measuring me at 28 weeks.

My first was done at 28 weeks (when she said I measured big) and I am now 37 weeks.

On my scans (12 wks, 20 wks and 32 wks) they all showed my baby to be a bit below the 50th centile on all measurments.

In my previous pregnancies I have had low amounts of water. It says what they are now, on the scans, but don't know what is normal. I assume the levels are fine as noone has said otherwise. Does anyone understand these readings on the scan?

Thats' falsifying legal documents, saying she has checked when she hasn't. Push to get them removed, go higher if necessary.

Mine never measured me as she always said she was 'happy' by sight. I didn't have much confidence in her for other reasons, but actually this didn't bother me.

i would def say something especially if she said you were measuring too big to begin with. she isn't doing her job properly if she isn't measuring you at every appointment xx

No scans since 32 wks. That extra one was to check if placents had moved up, which it now has. Also my midwife and the one that covered her over Christmas don't agree wether baby is breech or not. My midwife said if it was head down most of my kicks would be at the top. When I told her they were about equal at the top and very low down, she said it would be fine. She said by the fifth time round (this is my fifth baby) I would know if it was breech because it would feel differrent to the others. Seems a bit vague to me!

Don't really mind bump not being measured but find it annoying that she is recording that she has measured it, when she hasn't. She does seem a bit slack, don't know if she just thinks I have a magic sixth sense because it is my fifth, but I don't.

I just realised I haven't been measured yet either & I'm 34/35wks & haven't had a scan since 21wks. Midwife has a good old feel but no measuring. It's my second & I'm planning a home birth but don't know if either of those are factors in why not being measured?

Thanks Twitchy I was wondering how to bring it up with her. I hate confrontation and often find it hard in situations like this, when I feel it does need to be challenged, but just don't really want to do it.

Twitchy I was measuring big particularly in the last 6 weeks or so and my midwife referred me to the Obs, he also measured me big and sent me straight for a scan (at 37 or 38 weeks) and sonographer said all was normal, normal size baby no worries. 2 weeks later my 60cm 10lb 1oz baby arrived. I trust the measuring!

If you're measuring big it can also be an indicator of gestational diabetes I believe (although mine wasn't).

As said above, if she has measured you as large for your dates and then recorded something different in the notes AND then recorded when she hasn't even measured you then she is falsifying a legal document. You should definitely challenge her if you can. I'm a midwife and this makes her sound lazy and giving poor quality care if not worse. Go to her manager if she palms you off.

Leannac you should have been measured at each appt from 25/28 weeks. Particularly important if you are planning a home birth. We can tell a lot by the feel and a few years ago we didn't have to measure everyone routinely like we do now. But it is now part of the NICE guidelines and I'm sure it will be part of the hospital policies your mw is working under. Don't worry about not having had any more scans though, this is normal.

Has the mw been feeling your bump at appointments?

Midwife has only felt my bump at the last appointment (35 wks), when she disagreed with the other midwife who had felt baby at the appointment before and thought it was breech.

She also puts on my notes at every appointment that she has felt fetal movement, which isn't true either. But obviously I have and don't have any concerns there.

Had midwife appointment and she assurred me she had measured me before and I must have just forgotten. She did measure me today though and I measure spot on for dates.

I don't remember having my bump measured by anyone, or even having the midwife feeling it. I had all scans though.

I never had my bump measured - MW had a good poke though when she could start feeling where the baby was.

I was measured at each appointment with dc4. Consistently measured slightly small., but was growing steadily. I had a scan at 34 weeks(privately, because I was concerned) that said baby was slightly under 50th centile. I asked midwife to have a feel and have a guess at weight when contractions started(home birth) She guessed about 8lbs.

Ds was born weighing ELEVEN POUNDS.

Even though it can be way off, I still think it is an important part of antenatal care. There is no way she should be saying she has measured if she hasn't!

She does sound a bit lax - but she isn't saying that SHE has felt fetal movement, she is recording that you have felt normal movements :) She has been asking you this, I hope?