Shrinking bump...with pics!

[FirstTimeInForever]

Morning all,

Just wanted to pick your brains about my bump. This is my fifth pregnancy, third baby, two ectopic. With my previous two successful pregnancies, I have always been big and have grown big babies! DS1 was born by section at 36 weeks and was 8lb 6oz and DS2 was another section at 37 weeks and was 7lb 3oz. So I was quite surprised at my twenty week scan that this little boy was measuring dead on the 50th centile as at this point with my two DS's, they were on the 90th.

Anyway, bump has been growing normally until last week. I now have 9 weeks to go to my section and I feel smaller than I was at 15 weeks! My previous section scars have bulged outwards over the past few days and they're very painful, although they have been painful since 12 weeks. I also have an anterior placenta so I can go a few days without feeling any movement, making it difficult to keep a track of movement.

In the attached pics, I'm 15 weeks in the pink jumper, 26 weeks in the black dress and the one of me in a black vest and pj's was this morning with 9 weeks to go.

So, what do you think? Any ideas/advice will be most gratefully received!

You need to see a midwife ASAP. They should be measuring your growth as you go along

I'd be very concerned and ringing the midwife ASAP. Are you losing fluid?

In the pink photo and pj photo you're twisted towards the mirror.

The black dress photo you're only using one hand on the camera and aren't twisted.

Could it just be the angle?

My c section scar was painful in my second pregnancy too, I did used to bio oil it but tbh not much helped!!

Maybe the baby's position has changed?

When was your last midwife appointment?

Thanks for your replies. I'm not losing any fluid and I've never been measured by the midwife as they don't do it at the 16 week appointment and I don't have another scheduled until Tuesday. In my area, for a third baby, there are huge gaps between midwife appointments. No midwife on call over the weekend either, you just have to ring the maternity ward of the hospital! I'm under consultant care because of my complicated history with pregnancy and I do have her direct line number (she's fantastic by the way) but she's not in until Monday either.

Make an appointment to see your midwife, she will routinely measure your bump and if she's concerned will book you in for a growth scan.

It could be the angle of the photo, or the baby could have turned around into a different position. But I agree you should contact your midwife.

Is the baby moving normally?

I'd try to get seen today tbh. Call maternity assessment.

I've had two sections and two ops exactly the same as sections given the complicated nature of my two ectopic so it's four previous in total and the pain is breathtaking informalmother.

My last midwife appointment was at 16 weeks rollonthesummer.

Ok, so the size difference has been confirmed by the fact that I've been in maternity clothes since 12 weeks but I've just got into my pre-pregnancy jeans. Think I'll give the maternity ward a ring now.

I haven't felt the baby move for a few days cutyouhair but as the placenta is anterior and blocks me from feeling movement, that's not abnormal.

Did you not have a 28 week appointment to have bloods taken? She should have measured you at that appointment.

Go get checked ASAP.

Have you had no movement whatsoever? Hope everything's ok.

It's late Lj8893 and it's booked for Tuesday.

Have you lost weight/gone off food (your arms look thinner in the newer pictures) it could be that?
The 15 week bump looks really big for 15 weeks so maybe a combination of bump and bloating?
I'd ring a midwife though and get them to check. Or if you have a tape measure you could measure your bump like how midwives do?

Thanks wellerr. No, no movement but the placenta is in the very best position for blocking the feeling of movement according to the Consultant. The only movement I ever feel is when he kicks downwards!

I would contact your maternity unit, even if just for reassurance.

It could be as simple as a change of baby's position making your bump appear smaller. But it's worth getting checked over.

I would call the maternity ward anyway but it's not necessarily the sign of a problem. I 'shrank' considerably in the third trimester because my HG ramped up a notch and I was loosing 'belly' iykwim. I measured 34 weeks at 40 and had extra growth scans to check DS2 and he came out a very healthy 8lb 5 oz.

That's great to know originalusernamefail. I'm usually having growth scans at this point because I'm growing giant babies, not the opposite!

The midwife led unit will never turn you away over a weekend. If you're feeling even a bit worried (obviously you are as your posting on here) just ring up & ask to go in & they will do a routine check up. I had cholestasis so was in there a lot during my pregnancy but also just a couple of times when I'd not felt movement - baby was fine but they always said they would so much rather people came in & got checked then left it just in case something was wrong.

Thanks youcan. I'll be giving them a ring asap.

Get it checked but I shrank in my last trimester too - combination of eating better and less (due to heartburn) and baby changing position. In terms of weight I went from just over 70kg in October to under 69kg when I actually gave birth in February. But my bump measurement technically stayed on track it just shifted down I think.

I am currently 31 weeks, also with an anterior placenta. You should still be feeling something - no movements at all for a few days is very worrying. I'd be going straight there.

No experience with csection scars but some bump differing can be normal, thats not to say yours is or isn't so I would definitely get in touch with somebody. Call the hospital, they will not turn you away.

With my third pregnancy by bump shrank from 36 weeks - 40 weeks, I think baby just changed position, it wasn't a huge change but definitely noticeable in pictures. I also wouldn't worry to much about scan growth percentiles, dd3 was measuring the same as Dd1 did at the 20 week scan yet came out over 3lb heavier at the same gestation.

I'm sure all fine but please go and be seen

Thanks all. It's always nice to hear that what you perceive to be a problem can actually be normal. It's jyst that my previous pregnancies have never been normal so it's my default position to worry!

Hope everything goes ok. Best to get checked out and be reassured xx