Bump not being measured?

[spydie]

Currently 25 weeks with Dc2. First baby I carried small (I'm quite slim) but this time popped much earlier and have generally been feeling bigger, unsurprisingly as it's No.2.

I had low Papp-A and am therefore booked for monthly growth scans from 28 weeks. Saw MW last week who wouldn't measure bump as said I'm having growth scans and the different type of results will mean my graph is inaccurate. Thing is, whilst I felt I was definitely carrying bigger before, last week or so I don't feel any bigger than last time/looking at photos from first pregnancy I look smaller than at the same stage previously (if that makes sense!). Just starting to feel a little uneasy really, mainly due to the low papp-a. I'm not seeing MW now until about 2.5 weeks time and scan is just over 3 weeks away. Please can someone reassure me that I'm just being paranoid!?

Well she's right, what would be the point of fundal height measurements under the circumstances? They're a very crude tool whose main purpose is to... Identify people who might need a growth scan. Fundal height isn't the same as bump size either; two people with apparently very differently sized bumps can have the same fundal height.

Keep an eye on your movements as normal but otherwise I wouldn't worry.

Oh not disputing it, I get the rationale behind it, just feeling quite uneasy really as just feel like I haven't gotten any bigger over the past couple of weeks. And it just felt very much a case of just waiting until the first scan, which was at the time, almost 5 weeks away...

I honestly would trust your midwifes advice here, and go by the growth scans. How big you look/feel is so subjective anyway and doesn't have any bearing really on what your fundal height is. I've always looked pretty small in pregnancy and yet my fh measurements are ahead and my growth scan shows a big baby.

At my 16 week app. I was given a graph to measure myself, did you not get this?

During my first pregnancy I always measured behind and was berated at the hospital as to why I hadn't had growth scans... erm because I wasn't referred! I was induced for lack of movements eventually and had a small ish baby.

@Nothisispatrick I was given a graph but for MW use. I have measured my fundal height myself (and did last time too and was generally getting measurements that my MW was getting) and it's way below where my graph says I should be. It also says for first measurements that fall below the range plotted, a referral should be made. So I just feel uneasy really. I'm keeping an eye of movements and generally feel fine, just small when earlier in this pregnancy I was noticeably bigger than last time!

A lot of Trusts don't start measuring until 28 weeks pregnant anyway but if she did measure and found you to be bigger or smaller she would only refer you for a scan which you already have booked in anyway so I am guessing that was maybe her thinking?

My midwife has measured as well as me having growth scans. She said it will just give another way to monitor baby and give her something to keep an eye on between growth scans. She’s moved my midwife appointments to weeks where I do not have a consultants appointment (yet) just so they are using the appointments more effectively (this was after a couple of consultant appointments followed by the midwife the next day!)

I'm 31 weeks and never been measured by my midwife. It's my first and I didn't know that you were measured?