Baby Measuring Small

[coldestwinter]

Hello,

Just looking for some familiar stories and what the outcomes were.
Bump measured small at 28 week midwife app so I was sent for a growth scan the next day which confirmed baby was around 5th centile. Growth had been fine at 20 week scan. Baby is moving lots throughout the day, blood flow through cord was apparently fine, and heart trace was fine but I've now been passed to a consultant and to go back in every 2 weeks for scan and heart trace on the baby.

They said baby was small but everything looked as it should, so I'm wondering why I'm being passed to a consultant and to have scans every t2 weeks. Obviously any extra reassurance and monitoring is fine with me, better safe than sorry. But I just felt like I was missing something.

Midwife briefly mentioned being induced early for a small baby but didn't elaborate on that - has anyone else on the 5th centile been induced early? I had thought that would be in the case where baby's growth slows or stops.

Can honestly say I'm not currently worried as I'm being monitored, but I'd like to be a bit more prepared for the next scan to know what to ask etc

Thanks

Induction is likely depending on growth scan outcome

My ds measured on the 5th centile close to the end of my pregnancy 33ish weeks. They arranged for another scan at 37 weeks and decided I should be induced as my water was low. They thought this was a sign my placenta was coming to the end of its life. And they were right as I went into labour naturally the next day and gave birth to a perfectly healthy 6lb baby. In my experience they like to keep an eye on you and know they can do more to help baby outside the womb than in. I turned down induction at 35 weeks as baby was only measuring 4lb and they said he was not in any danger they would just be more comfortable inducing me that early. That wasn’t. A good enough reason so I said no and agreed to daily monitoring instead.

My first measured small, it can feel alarming. In our case there was never a reason identified - but in case there is, it's great you're getting such good care. Because there was no particular problem found and all was going ok at that point, just on a lower percentile, I carried to term and had dd1 at 39 weeks. She was just under 6lb but totally healthy and is still small 6 years on.
Dd2 was then well over 8lbs so having it happen once also doesn't mean it has to happen again.
If you have other behavioural risk factors then now is probably a good time to stop (e.g smoking, not eating well, a ton of caffeine), but otherwise there's not a lot you can do but take their guidance and look forward to meeting your baby. Worst case if they induce early, you'll have a smaller baby to deliver and will.meet then sooner! Maybe ask them your question about what would make them induce early? Otherwise not much I'd add

Thank you so much. First baby was 7.5lbs so not big, not small, quite average. DH is very tall, and I would say I am fairly average build so neither of us are particularly petite. I think I was just so convinced that they would say the baby was a fine weight at the scan that I never really had time to think up all the questions I now have.

I think my only concern is that there turns out to be placenta/cord issues and baby isn't getting enough nourishment, but I guess with fortnightly scans that will be picked up on if that's the case.

To be honest I wasn't really concerned after the scan - spoke with 2 midwives and a doctor before leaving and they were all very reassuring and said they would keep an eye on her and me etc. It wasn't until I mentioned it to other people that they started to freak me out a bit!
Does anyone know whether, now I'm consultant led, I can still give birth in the midwifery suite or will I automatically have to go to the labour ward no matter how the birth progresses?

I had my small baby on the midwife suite (well, ended up an emcs but that was for other reasons not size related), and am consultant led again now (due to our previous small baby) and still ok to go on the midwife suite at a different hospital. As far as I understand it will depend a lot on your baby and whether there is an underlying issue, and I believe definitely for babies that are forecast to be much under 6lbs as they are more likely to have weaker lungs and need extra support.

Anyway - you'll need to ask, but at least as some hospitals you will have the option!

Hi
I am currently having the same problem. I am 21 weeks and one of my twins measures small. I have been monitored since 16 weeks but they explained that if he's still following his growing curve there are no problems to reach full term and delivery can be done either naturally or via c-section, even if I am consultant led.
They need to monitor him because if his growth slows down or stops they might need to deliver both babies earlier. As it's twins, not to risk the health of my other one, they wont do it before 28/30 weeks. If it was a singleton, depending on the gravity, they could deliver from 24 weeks.
You are already 28 weeks, so there is much less concern now and I am sure you will be absolutely fine. Good luck!

Oh thank you! That's given me a bit of hope. Obviously as long as baby is healthy and has a safe delivery then that's all that matters but I loved how relaxed the midwifery suite was first time round. I'll write a list of questions for the consultant this time so I don't freeze up and forget everything