Sudden Foetal Growth Spurt/Large Baby

[MeadowHay]

Hi, just wondering if anyone has been through anything similar. I'm 32 weeks pregnant and it's my first pregnancy. I had hypermesis for the first few months of my pregnancy. The first time the midwife measured me I was measuring around the 35th percentile, I think that was around 20 or 24 weeks? Then the next time I was 27 weeks and measured around 50th percentile, midwife said this was good as I was a lot better then and had been gaining weight appropriately for a good few weeks by that point. I saw her a few days ago when I was just 32 weeks and I'm now suddenly measuring at 95th percentile! I'm only 5'4 and a size 8-10! I also had the GTT a few weeks ago because my ethnic background generated the referral, I've never been overweight. I was told I'd hear back only if I had GDD and I was positive I wouldn't but went for it anyway, and didn't hear anything back. However the midwife checked my test scores at my appointment and apparently sugars of 7.8 and above is GDD and mine were 7.5, so borderline! I asked her if I needed to do anything and she said try and improve my diet to cut down my sugar - I am eating a lot of sugar recently so I will be doing that. And she said she's not worried at the moment and my bump is not really massive and neither did I have sugar in my wee so she is happy to leave things for now until my 34 week appointment and review everything then. But now I'm terrified about having a huge baby that I will struggle to give birth to and also worried about whether I should have been sent for a growth scan or not? I don't want to doubt the midwife and she didn't seem too concerned but as I say this is my first and birth is getting a nearer and scarier thought each day. I think if baby is going to be huge I would really rather just have a planned C-section than try and birth it myself and have a horrendous tear or need an emergency C-section anyway.

Any reassurance/info would be appreciated, feeling quite panicky about it . I have an anxiety disorder anyway so things like this set me off worse.

Mine did the same, I'm 32 weeks too. Getting a private growth scan this weekend. PAU didn't feel the need to do one, but like you I am concerned. My name worry, aside from GD, is too much amniotic fluid. I have another GTT this week though as a precaution.

*main, not name.

I think if you are on the 95th you should be sent for a growth scan to rule out polyhydramnios. For what it's worth I had a big baby and polyhydramnios (extra amniotic fluid) and baby was absolutely fine, just big (9lb 11). I'm the same as you 5'2 and small framed so not sure where big baba came from!!

I did end up having a planned c section although I'll warn you the recovery is very hard, coupled with a newborn it's very very tough. I'd ask for a growth scan and referral to consultant if I were you. Good luck and try not to worry.

Well I can't see the midwife really before my next appointment anyway as it's not an emergency and she only comes to my GP surgery once a week and the appointments get booked up 2-3 weeks in advance. Plus I don't really want to second guess the midwife and act like I know more than her when I obviously don't...DH is going to come with me to my next appointment too to help me raise my concerns because I get all anxious and clam up and my mind goes blank.

In 3 pregnancies, all of them under consultant-led care, my bump was measured once. I asked why it wasn't measured again, and was told that it wasn't particularly informative and not normal practice to measure the bump.

One-off growth scans aren't reliable either. And even with the multiple scans my dc had at major teaching hospitals (including at a leading specialist foetal medicine unit) none of the predicted birth weights were accurate.

You're designed to give birth. The chances are that you can do it. Have faith in yourself.

Honestly don’t worry. I was size 8 with my first and delivered a 9lb11oz baby with no problems. Your body is capable!

I second @JellySlice measuring the bump is very unreliable I was told, by bump alone I would have been giving birth to a 13lb baby and obviously she wasn't that big! It was a lot of fluid!

Of course I understand you don't want to seem like you are second guessing her, I'd be the same. Just mention you are anxious about it and if you are still measuring big next time I'd be surprised if she didn't offer you a referral for a growth scan after that. I think I had to measure big at 2 separate appointments before I was sent for a growth scan but I was consultant led anyway so it might be different.

It could have resolved itself by next time, my MW told me it happens a lot!

Based on midwife measurements I was expecting a 8.5lb baby with my first.
Ended up with a 4lb14oz one at 42 weeks with 3 stone to lose.
Honestly: the size of your bump is such a crude indicator. If your urine is clean it will be fine.

Thanks ladies, I appreciate the reassurance. Trying to be calm and positive now...