Fundal height behind - small bump

[Nurse15]

Hi just posting for some reassurance / advice. Have been seeing midwife / consultant every few weeks due to history of PCOS / uterine septum. Baby has been breech from 24 weeks and I am now 35 with no sign of baby making a move towards head down so will likely end up having a c section! However yesterday at midwife my fundal height was measuring 4cm behind taking it down to below the 5th centile. Baby and fundal height have previously all been between 50th - 75th centile. Should I worry? I have another scan to check positioning of baby in two weeks but starting to worry about growth restriction!

I had this from week 32 or so. Had numerous additional growth scans and dopplers to check placental fucntion. My baby was also breech and I ended up having a c section (which was fine by the way); however, you could explore vaginal birth because it's ok for breech babies these days in most circumstances if your hospital supports them. DD was about 6.5 pounds in the end so a perfectly good weight. Fundal height is very imprecise, especially if the baby isn't head down, and growth scans are also inaccurate. So don't worry too much at this stage

I'm 34+5 now and have been having growth scans since 31 weeks when my bump measured 28.

Baby is head down and the first scan did indeed show that she is small.

I also know that those measures aren't very accurate and secretly hoping that she is bigger than what it says but do not bank on it.

No other problems were detected. Cord was fine and placentas was all good and baby does not redirect blood from one part of the body to another to compensate small abdomen or head.

I was extremely worried to start with but have now calmed down since all the other bots appears to be normal apart from being just small.

She was under 10th centile but has now measured exactly on the 10th.

She follows her own curve on the growth charts and Drs seem to be happy with that.

So am I for the moment.

The only thing I would strongly recommend is to check baby movements. I'm sure you do hat anyways but be even more critical about it.

It might be that the baby is just small but it also might be that there is a reason why that no scan will pick up and the movements is basically your only tool to use.

If anything go to your MAU and they will take a good care of you. And it is reasonably safe for a baby to come out now if there is some distress.

Hope all works out fine for you. I have bought tiny baby clothes and some premature as the Drs were considering inducing me at 36 but luckily she picked up and that is no longer the case.

I suggest to prepare yourself for a tiny baby but hope for a whopper

Xxx

Just to follow on the point about centiles, DD was on the 10th when born but then dropped to the 2nd where she has been ever since. She's just meant to be delicate! She's tough as old boots though

Thanks for the replies! Yeah I think what's worrying me more is that I've dropped from 75th percentile to less than 5th in 4 weeks! And I am quite chubby around my stomach so if anything I should be measuring large I'd have thought!!

I rang my local hospital and spoke to one of the midwives there who agreed it seems strange and has booked me in with my consultant tomorrow so I can't complain

Good tip about small baby clothes - I had bought all 0-3 mostly cos my husband was a 10lb baby lol!! Might go and view some smaller stuff today just in case they decide she's arriving tomorrow or anything drastic like that!!

Thanks for the reassurance - will update tomorrow!!

Hi.
I'm 38 weeks and measured 30 weeks at my last appt. At 34 weeks I had measured 35 weeks. Previously I had been measuring 2cm or so above my gestation so had a growth scan at 34 weeks.
Was sent for presentation scan in case baby had turned (but still head down) then growth scan. Growth scan showed baby happily plotting along the 40th centile in line with my 20 week and 34 week scans.

So in summary - I think the bump measurements are very flawed. But they should send you for a growth scan (still flawed but less so!). I'm surprised they wanted you to wait two weeks though so glad you are seeing consultant.

Is it your first baby? Mine is third so am sure that has impacted bump measurement. I presume my baby has just dropped down or shifted position. Nobody seems too worried!