Second pregnancy concerns

[NickyEds]

I'm 18 weeks pregnant with dc2 and there are two things that have got me really quite worried.

1.Baby Size- DS (now almost 14 months) was a tiddler when he was born, 6lb5oz. Nothing was said at the time, no concerns raised other than a mw mentioning that little babies are often hard to feed. He put on weight quite quickly and was on the 50-70th centile by 2 months where he's stayed ever since. When I went to my booking in appointment for this pregnancy everything went fine until she asked about ds's weight and she started asking lots of questions about him, is he ok? Has his development been normal? He perfect. At my second appointment these issues were raised again and mw said she was ordering ds's growth charts (from his scans) and said that I'd have to go for an additional scan at 28 weeks. Mw said that they now scan women who've had a baby below the 10th centile. The thing is she wouldn't really tell me anything else. What are the possible reasons for it? How concerning is it? Might it indicate a problem with my placenta last time? DS measured as if he was going to be around 7-8lb on his charts after scans so he was much smaller than anticipated.

1. Womb tightening. I'm already getting what feel a little bit like Braxton Hicks, mainly at night. My womb tightens for, maybe 30 seconds then relaxes. They don't feel like BH did with ds and they're much earlier. Is 18 weeks too early for BH? They aren't painful, just uncomfortable. I also haven't felt the baby move yet- just this tightening. The mw asked at 15 weeks if I'd felt it yet and said I should feel it earlier second time around.

Both of these together have got me worried. I sailed through my first pregnancy but I've been much more sick and tired with this one and I can't shake the feeling something's wrong. I can't really talk to the mw as it was made quite clear that they're incredibly busy- I've had all sorts of problems getting appointments.

Bless you, just read this and wanted to reply to put your mind at rest!

My DD1 was 6lb 5oz at birth (13 days OD as well) so she was considered small. This has only been raised at one appointment for me this time around. Re Dr asked if she had had any problems, same as you really and I said no she's perfect. He then asked how big my partner is (6ft but slim) and I am average but I guess not a big person. I also told him I was 5lb 4oz at birth and my brother similar (both late babies) but all healthy and he seemed happy with that. I hope you don't mind me saying but generally if you and DH are not big people having a small ish baby is fine and means nothing!! We are all different aren't we...if you are both very tall/big people then I suppose they might expect a larger baby but really I think you have nothing to worry about.

Braxton hicks- yes loads more this fine from 20 wks for me. Having them all the time now at 35 weeks and they are a bit painful. I didn't have them at all with DD1 so I think that's normal. I've generally had more aches and pains this time around and baby seems only slightly bigger. Predicted to be 7lb which based on DD1 seems fine to me. Don't worry I think you'll be fine!

1. Don't worry, perfectly normal for them to give you a growth chart if your baby is above or below a certain centile. Mine were both above the 92nd so I have to have a Glucose Tolerance Test this time, this was the first I had ever heard of it, so can only assume they are monitoring baby's weights more strictly now (this is my third baby)

2. Totally normal, got them from about 20 weeks with DC1, been having them STRONG with this baby since 8 weeks!
   I didn't even know you could get them that early, but it's all normal apparently.
   Sometimes they are so frequent and strong it feels like the old days of being 30+ weeks pregnant!

With DC1 & DC2 I had normal sickness.

With this one I have felt like utter shit on a stick.

It's all good, don't worry

P.s. both of my friend's children were between 4lb + 5lb at birth (both 38 weeks)

Nothing wrong with the babies at all, infact both were home the next day, she just grows small babies.

(small perfect babies)

Thanks so much for your replies. I was expecting the booking in appointment to be so straight forward and was a bit blind sided by the questions about ds's size. I actually had a scan at 30 weeks with ds as I was measuring slightly large and everything was fine, that mixed with him rocketing up the centiles in the first two months makes me think something went wrong in the last 2 months of my last pregnancy. I never even gave it a thought until the appointment.

Thank for the reassurance about the BH. That's what my sister said, well she actually said "you'll be bigger because everything's still knackered from last time and you'll be sicker because you've got a one year old!"- charming!

Haha!! Your sister sounds like a pro!

It's absolutely true. I'm knackered because I am 34 and not in my 20's like I was with the first two!

I know! She had three with a 16 month then 15 month gaps! Hers are much older now and she also says that this is the easy bit compared to having teenagers, aaarrghh.

My ds was 6lbs9 wen he was born and this hasn't been raised at any of my appts. Although he is nearly 9 years old. MW just asked if he was fit and healthy and I said "very". Maybe because hebis older. Xx

Ds1 was 5lb11oz at 39 weeks. They never really established why. No one really batted an eyelid. He was 50th percentile by 3 months and is still there at 5.