Anyone’s baby ‘felt small’ to midwife and been bigger?

[Tattybogle89]

Hi my first born was a big baby not far off 10lbs and I’m 38 weeks with number 2.

Midwife sed she would be massively shocked if baby is much over 7lbs as his head “feels small” and body isn’t big either.
I am also measuring under bumpwise but I was with my first baby too, all the way through, and he was hiding his massiveness in there somewhere!

Could she be right? Will I have a tiddler or can she palpate and get it wrong?!

My midwife and every person alive
Told me my baby would be tiny, 5/6 lbs
Midwife actually said I needed to go and get some tiny baby clothes for my hospital bag
Growth scans etc
I'm guessing their assumption was because I'm tiny and had a really really small bump

Well he popped out a completely average 7lb4
Not sure who was more surprised me or the midwife ...

My midwife said I was having an eight punder...to be fair I had a huge bump and could walk with a mug upright on it from 5 months!

At 42+1 she arrived, weighing 4lb 14oz. Exactly as her Dad had done, to the day and to the ounce.

It's in the genes and the midwife can only guess. The scan will tell you if your baby is too small or too big, otherwise take everything with a pinch of salt.

I was sent for a growth scan because i was measuring small and mw was worried. Growth scan was at 39 weeks and i was told 7 and a half pounds. Baby was born a couple of days later 8lb9

Yes! I was sent for extra growth scans at around 35 weeks because midwives and sonographers were fretting that DD was measuring small. My first child was a sturdy 7lbs 12oz and 56 cm at birth (I had to borrow some scissors and cut the feet out of the baby grow I'd brought to the hospital because his legs were so long!), and apparently is unusual for subsequent children to be much smaller. Although we were told to expect her to be 5lbs or less, DD ended up weighing 6lbs 13oz and was 49cm. She's five now and still elfin (9th centile).

Presumably the midwife isn't worried OP?

Both were born and 39 weeks, and DS also had a whopping head! He got stuck and had to be forcibly removed, whereas DD was a very straightforward birth. So that's a bonus, despite any added worry!

I had several extra growth scans in my last few weeks as bump consistently measured small, but DD was 7lb 5oz at birth (I'm only little so that was a pretty good size). Think the issue was she'd dropped early making my bump sit lower and therefore measure small

All three of mine were 'small'... measured small, small heads. Midwives always anticipated I'd have small babies none over 5 lbs.
8 1/2 lbs at term, each one.

I had extra growth scans for mine (due to medication I’m on, not because they were worried) and the estimates were still out. They predicted he’d be 6lb something and he came out 7lb 14.

Midwife said the day before I gave birth (overdue) that my growth scans (suggesting a fairly large baby) were clearly wrong and that I was carrying a ‘tidy’ 6-7 pounder. Baby born next day weighing 9lbs 9.

Had same thing with second baby, only that time I was able to tell the midwife about the previous pregnancy and she was more trusting of growth scans. She said she still felt baby #2 was going to have a small head, but he was 9lbs 12, and head was 38cm.

Both born by caesarean in end and badly positioned so maybe that was part of it.

My midwife said I would have a small baby as my bump was always measuring less than the 2cm range they allow each week (e.g. I was less than 34cm at 36 weeks etc). I went for a scan at 36 weeks and the scan put DS on the 98% percentile and estimated birth weight of 9lb12oz..... he was born 2 days late at 8lb4oz

Hi thanks for everyone’s stories.
No midwife not worried at all, I hadn’t had her before and she was surprised at the aiE of my first born and said no way that’s happening again baby feels small in there .

My usual midwife said baby felt really long at the last visit and will likely be bigger than my first.. so I haven’t bought any newborn clothes . All 0-3months as that’s what my first went straight into.. I don’t know whether to go shopping again or not now!
She said head felt small (which would be a relief after a near 3rd degree tear delivering my firsts giant head!) but if I am 3/5 engaged how can they really tell the head size if most of it is hiding 😂

Also for measuring small last time, I got about 4little stretch marks. This time my whole lower tummy is covered.. made me think it was a bigger baby?!

Ds1; midwife said they'd need to monitor me as the baby felt small, he was 8lbs 8oz.

Everyone said I was small, and my bump measured two weeks behind at every appointment. My daughter was born at 38 weeks at 6lb8oz. I don't think that's small at all considering I could've potentially gone another 4 weeks.

My “small” baby was measuring bang on for dates every week but Midwife didn’t expect any higher than 6 and half lb. a week later dd was born an ounce off 8lbs 🙄 so much for my 6lb baby 🙈 to be fair we had to buy some newborn as although she was heavy she was quite short

Dc4 after delivery, i was known for larger babies so when dc4 was born dh asked if he was over 10lb, midwife looked at him in his cot and said "doubtful, but hes def over 9lb", then she picked him up and said "oh my, im very wrong" she was, he weighed 11.6lbs. In fairness even though he was my heaviest baby he was not my biggest in overall length and chubbyness.

My mother was told that I would be small. In the end I was so big that she couldn't give birth to me and went into distress. Doctors seemed a bit embarrassed when they finally got me out and realised that they had nearly killed their patient by refusing a cesearian until the last minute.

Ttbb that’s terrifying! 😱

SIL was told to prepare for a very small baby - we even went and looked at preemie clothes - dn was 7lbs 11.

@Tattybogel89 it was years ago and we both survived so all's well that ends well (turns out she just had a massive pelvis).

Dr felt my tummy as I was worried about him being big. She said oh about 9lb. So large but given my own size not a worry.

Born later that day, 11lb 14 😂 birth was fine though luckily, easier by far than my first (8lb4) and my third who I had last month (6lb 9)

11lb 14 holy shit @cagliostro.

Respect 😂

My mother had us at 35 and 36 weeks. When my younger sister came along, her (very experienced) obstetrician was certain she was going to be smaller than me. Apparently his first words when she was born - very long - were "my goodness what a whopper". I'm not sure she's ever forgiven him ... I was over 8 lb and my sister was nearly 9 lb.

Yes! My last 2 pregnancies I measured small, MW said she thought they were going to be smaller than DD1 (9Lbs). Turned out at 10.2 and 10.7lbs.

Argh I don’t know what to think now!

I have this fear, possibly irrational , of a baby any bigger than my last, getting stuck ☹️ Or causing a difficult birth.
Been worrying about it since I conceived.. and this midwife has thrown me off. I almost felt relieved it might be a smaller baby.

But reading everyone’s stories she may well be wrong . Eek x