Measuring 38 weeks at 36 weeks

[traceyturnblatt]

Hi, looking for a bit of advice- I saw my midwife today as I'm 36 +2 and she measured me and said I was 38 weeks. I joked about it being because of all the cake but she said that my bump is solid and it's all baby.
I'm seeing the consultant next week about my chronic pain issues and she seemed confident that I'd get booked in to be induced.
Does this mean that my baby is going to be really big? What does it mean when you are bigger than you should be? Did I get my dates wrong?

I never had this with my lo and now I'm really nervous!

It's notoriously inaccurate as full bladder or baby position can influence it. If she was actually worried, she'd have referred you today for a growth scan/ to Day assessment unit.

Could be a bit of extra fluid. Might be an error in the reading.

You wouldn't be induced for a big baby without a scan, and definitely not at 37 weeks unless something was 'wrong' so try not to worry.

Sorry posted too early.
As PP said, if she was really worried about the baby being very big/not following centile you'd have been referred for a scan. And fundal height is almost always wrong! Varies from person to person measuring and how baby is sat.

I'm currently 28weeks and measuring at 33 🙈 I'm booked for growth scan on Monday but my midwife wasn't worried at all and said if baby is big or it's excess fluid either is fine the midwifes etc just need to be aware in case certain provisions need to be put in place for labour. Like PP has said though, it could be how baby is positioned, bloating, full bladder...things like that. My midwife got me referred for a growth scan within 2days but as you're quite close to your due date anyway it might be that your midwife is happy for you to wait till next week and see if anything has changed in that time? I think because I've still got a while to go they're keen to monitor the situation.

I was measuring 28 weeks at 24 weeks and referred for monthly scans, actually induced on my due date because ultrasound measured him as a large baby but he was a perfectly respectable 8 pound something. It's a VERY unreliable method of checking. Ultrasound itself can be 10% out either way. I really wouldn't worry too much. Ironically I was concerned with my next baby but they didn't pay me any attention and he was just under 10lb and got a bit stuck! It was all fine in the end.

I'm very jealous that you are going to get to meet your new baby soon, how amazing. Good luck and try and relax, it is all over so quickly.

Round here they don't do anything unless you're more than 3cm our either way. I've been measuring 2 weeks ahead last few times (last time 33cm at 31 weeks). I ended up having an unrelated scan a few weeks ago (because of reduced movement) and babies measurements were all pretty much 50th centile. Like others said, it's not very accurate. I'm sure all is fine!

Thank you all so much for your replies, I feel a lot better about it now.
I think because my first pregnancy was so different to this one I feel like a newbie all over again!
Hope you all have smooth pregnancies from here to baby hugs- I feel like I've been pregnant forever so can't wait to meet my lo soon!

I'm measuring a little big now too at 39 weeks. I keep asking for a scan but they refuse saying it's nothing to worry about. I'd be surprised if you were induced for it!
I'm putting it down to the fact my abdominal muscles are separated and so there's nothing to hold me in properly like there was first time round. Also, the head isn't engaged yet like it was by now the first time.

red with second time babies it's extremely common for them not to engage or engage/disengage right up until labour starts.

Sorry just reread and realised you weren't saying it as a concern wanted to reassure you if you were worried.

I had a previous big baby (10lbs 8oz) which went unnoticed. This time I had growth scans at 30 weeks and 34 weeks. At 30 weeks I was measuring 33 weeks and estimated weight of baby was 4lbs. At 34 weeks I was measuring 38/39 weeks but never caught the estimated weight.

My bump has always been spot on and, in one or two instances, a week behind.

No one is concerned and I've booked an elcs at 39 weeks due to a previous emcs. Nothing about going early due to size, try not to worry!