Baby small; what can I expect at 34 week scan?

[Wantthosewellies]

Hi, I've been having growth scans for the past month as it was picked up that dd was small (femur length dropped from 50th to 5th centile between 20 and 28 week scans). Went back today and had another growth scan. Her head has gone up from the 32nd to 37th centile, femur has stayed on 5th centile, abdomen has dropped from 38th to 22nd centile and her EFW has dropped from 25th to 18th centile. We're going back again in two weeks, and the consultant said that they will make a decision then whether to start giving steroids to mature her lungs. I asked what would happen if she wasn't tracking her own little line, and she said "we won't talk about that now, but we can deliver from 34 weeks. Keep an eye on movements". How worried should I be? And how ready for an early delivery? I'm scared, but don't want to worry dp by letting on how scared I am.

[FeelingForSnow]

I have had several growth scans. I am 37+5 now and had my last scan yesterday.

All growth scans are the same. They check the same things and analyse what has changed and in which direction.

If they thing that things aren't improving they will most likely consider inducing you at 36 weeks unless things are not looking good at all and they will induce you straight away. I hope that is not the case but is a possibility.

They wanted to induce me at 36 weeks but luckily she showed slow but steady growth and was following her own curve on the 10th centile or just under ever since.

They will however induce me on my due date unless she decides to come before then.

All I can advise and looks like you already know is to check baby's movements.
Even if all appears OK on the scans they dont always pick up the reason why babies are small and movements will be something that you can use as your only tool to tell if your baby is in distress.

Try not to worry too much. I was worried sick to start with but all scans have been OK so far and her movements have been OK so far too. All that has calmed me down but I do keep an eye on her movements like crazy.


I just have that feeling that it is the only thing I can do. So I do that!

Hope all works out OK for you.
xxx

[Justmadeperfectflapjacks]

I had ds at 35 weeks. Small apparently..
5-7 and was fine except a bit jaundiced. .
I had 1 steroid injection and he didn't need sc.

[Wantthosewellies]

Thank you both so much. I am worried about checking movements, as they have definitely decreased in both amount and intensity this week, but I don't know if that is due to lack of space! The blood flow is always fine on the scans, but it just worries me that she is going down on the centiles. I keep worrying that something will happen between scans and we will lose her (I had fertility problems, so am still semi-convinced that we won't end up with a baby at the end of it anyway, which sounds a bit morbid, but it still feels too good to be true; it's taken years and years of trying!) xxx

[MrsPear]

Please keep an eye on movements. Anything and i mean ANYTHING that is not normal for you - whether increase or decrease please get checked.

I hope you get to full term. Good luck

[MrsPear]

Oh and make sure they check both baby heart rate and blood flow.

[Ditsy1980]

Oh, poor you, such a worry. Keep a really good eye on movements.
My SIL had her DS at 35weeks, he was small due to reduced blood flow through placenta. She had a growth scan at 33 weeks after measuring small, they gave her steroid injection same day then again after 24 hours, she had to go x3 that week for foetal heart monitoring, then had another scan where blood flow had increased slightly so another week of monitoring before another scan. At this one baby hasn't grown and blood flow decreased so she was induced there and then.
Baby was 4.5lbs, super healthy, didn't need SC as expected and is now a luscious 9week old. Lots of worry but SIL felt very well looked after and monitored well.
Sending hugs OP

[FeelingForSnow]

Please do not think that movements decrease due to lack of space. THEY DO NOT.

That's is one of the most dangerous housewife tales that NHS and Kicks Count are trying to get rid but there are still people including some MFs who say that.

Please do not hesitate to go and get checked.
Even if you have to go twice in one day it's better to do that.

They do indeed sometimes have got quiet days but you don't really know if today is just a quiet day or a day of reduced movement.

Ring them up and let them know that you are worried m, baby measured small and that you think she/he has been too quiet.

They will not turn you away.

That is what au have said to them on some occasions that because she measures small I panic very soon if she is being quiet.

They do understand it and to be honest they often don't know why babies are small and measuring heart rate puts them at ease as well.

[welshweasel]

Ditsy, are you my SIl?!

I had a very similar story and DS was delivered at 35 weeks after a multiple scans and lots of monitoring. I had the steroids and he came out at 5lb 9oz, didn't need special care and came home day 3, although was jaundiced for almost 3 weeks.

Please please please go and get monitored if you've had any reduction in movements, however small. The main reason for slow growth is placental failure and decreased movements can be a sign that baby isn't doing brilliantly. It was what flagged up that I had the problem initially and also what eventually led to the scan where the decision was made to deliver at 35 weeks.

[Passthebiscuit]

I had regular growth scans and they also checked the flow in the card. When the growth plateaued I was booked in for induction at 37 weeks with monitoring every other day . Defined as high risk so was on the monitors constantly in hospital. Baby was small but fine!

[Ditsy1980]

Welshweasel - my nephew came home at day 3 and was also jaundiced! Parallel lives! X