Growth has stopped

[rosebud111]

Hoping to hear others experiences for a bit of reassurance!
I'm 36 + 3 weeks and had a routine midwife appointment today. I'm a low risk pregnancy.
My bump measurement has dropped from the 50th centile to the 3rd and I've been referred for a growth scan at the hospital tomorrow.

Has anyone had similar happen to them and what was the outcome?

Babies heart rate and movement is all fine so I'm not hugely concerned I'm just a bit gutted that I feel like I've fallen at the final hurdle of being pregnant. I was induced with my first baby for high blood pressure and I really want to avoid induction again .

Any experiences? Xx

Not sure if your midwife explained this to you, but if your baby is engaged or moving further down the pelvis, then that can impact your bump size. Measuring using a tape measure is very subjective. Scans are more reliable.
Try not to worry, and just enjoy the extra scan xxx

Thanks for the reply! She did have a feel and she didn't say he was engaged.
I know it's not an exact science so trying not to read too much in to it.

I did ring triage a few weeks ago as I thought I was leaking fluid but it turned out to be a false alarm so that's at the back of my head too!

Will try to enjoy scan tomorrow! X

Try not to worry! Fundal measurements arent the most accurate. Between 2 of my appts (my 34 + 36) my fundal measurement came back that it hadnt grown at all. Bump definitely had as I had taken a photo both times - he had his arse sticking out at my 34 week and she measured straight over it and I knew straight away that measurement would be wrong and would mess up the 36 week one...which it did!
Growth scans are more accurate than fundal and a plus you get to see your little one again tomorrow!

Sister in law's first baby stopped growing the last few weeks so she had an early C-section. Had a beautiful son who is now 12 years old and thriving.

When I was in hospital for two weeks between 26 and 29 weeks, my measurements ranged from 27 weeks to 34 weeks and back again. It varied depending on who did it. I’m assuming it’s not a dependable measure. Good that they’ve referred you for a scan but I wouldn’t worry, wait and see what the scan says.

Thankfully I never went through this as doc always scans me and never relies on fundal height. There are 2 possible outcomes there :

• scan will show everything is fine and you'll be sent home

• or the scan may show growth restriction and you may need to deliver the baby early.

I think option 1 is more likely because this is a very sudden an abrupt change in measurement. At least you don't have long to wait to find out !

If it did turn out to be growth restriction, don't worry too much as outcomes are often excellent and you're far enough along to deliver safely should that prove necessary.

*to clarify : seems to me such a sudden change in measurement is more likely to be due to baby changing position.

Frankly I often feel like my bump is bigger or smaller depending on time of day and my own position. It's a fairly unreliable measurement at best.

Yes I'm hoping that the baby has just changed position.

I have been feeling more comfortable the last few weeks which I suppose goes against the grain in late pregnancy so I wasn't hugely shocked that the measurement hadn't gone up.

Thank you for all the reassurance, I'm very tall and people always comment that I barely look pregnant and I've always said I think it's because baby has lots of room to stretch out, but it does make you paranoid and question the growth- I wish people wouldn't comment!!

Scan is at midday so hopefully will update with good news

It'll be their position, i kept measuring 2 weeks ahead and then back to normal so they sent me for a growth scan and when they scanned me they could see she was sitting with her bump really poking out which was giving the bigger measurements and then when she'd stop I assume the measurements went back down again, I wouldn't worry as the measurements of our bump is really only a rough estimate of what is going on in there x

Her bum not her bump sorry

I had two separate midwives measuring and one seemed to measure big and one small so it always looked liked the baby had got bigger and smaller depending on who measured so had to have a few growth scans. Everything was fine in the end. I don't think measuring is terribly accurate so hopefully everything is okay with you.

Everything turned out to be fine!
All measurements taken show him just underneath the centile he should have been on 🙂
So feeling much better!

Did give me the excuse this morning to clean my house top to bottom on the small chance I needed to be induced so every cloud!

Now it's the waiting game I suppose!