Below 3rd centile. Anyone had a similar experience?

[Lulubon]

Today at my 28 week midwife app I had my bump measured and I was plotted below the 3rd centile and sent for a growth scan which is tomorrow morning. I was due monthly growth scans anyway due to my medical conditions causing me to be high risk for preeclampsia.
Has anyone else been plotted below the 3rd centile and the baby was actually perfectly sized?
My consultant suggested I could be induced at 37 weeks if needs be- and he’s not growing to speed. Now they have mentioned possibly 34 week if needed. Just slightly worried as I’m not sure how the NICU is functioning with visiting etc due to corona...

My baby was born in the 8th centile with reduced cord blood flow! Which was repeated scans weekly but took ages for them to actually act and I was 37+5 when born
Growth scans never picked up she was so tiny! And had her on the 25th centile! I don't trust scans and feel let down by them she luckily was very healthy no issues!

I wouldn’t place a lot of faith in bump measurements. My bump was measuring very small at 36 weeks in my last pregnancy and had an 8lb baby a few weeks later. I’m tall so my bumps are generally smaller anyway!

It’s good you’re having the growth scan though, hopefully all is well :)

This happened to me a few days ago. Based on my bump measurements I was plotted quite a bit below the 3rd centile (my bump was 2cm 'too small'. I had a scan the next morning and baby measured fine - he was actually on the larger side of normal.
I'm high risk too and at risk of pre eclampsia so it's hard not to worry when things like this pop up. I know it's easier said than done but try not to worry - chances are, baby will be fine and just lay in a funny position!

@lastbany oh god that must have been such a worry! Thank god she was okay in the end x

@Foreverbaffled thank you! I’ve heard a lot of scepticism about bump measurements, good to hear you have a healthy baby- I am naturally really thin so it wasn’t a huge surprise... hopefully it’s nothing to worry about.

@LittleMissSunshine2020 oh wow sounds like a really similar situation! I’ve been feeling really lucky and thankful that everything’s been going well so far in my pregnancy so I did feel a bit panicked but it’s good to hear these positive outcomes- wish you all the best with the rest of your pregnancy.

As similar posters have said it seems that bump measurements are not the most accurate. At one point in my first pregnancy my bump measurement dropped off the bottom of the centile scale but growth scans showed an above average sized baby. I think as I was quite thin I just had a small bump. Good luck for your scan tomorrow 🙂

My bump tracked the 10th percentile all the way through but she was born on the 60th percentile!
I'm quite petite and due to pregnancy sickness I only put on the minimum amount of weight. I don't know if this contributed, I didn't have growth scans as you have to be below the 10th percentile in my trust and I was bang on the line

All my 3 previous pregnancies babies were on or just below the 10th centile, had fortnightly growth scans and they were born on centile 4, 3 and 2, every pregnancy the baby has been lower in weight and centile each time, currently pregnant with number 4 and have been told they are expecting him to be even smaller so I am to be induced from 36 weeks x

Dd was born and wasn’t even on the chart. She was like a wee doll and is “up your boobs now mummy!” At 7.

@Glitterheart thank you- hoping that will be the exact same situation for me. I know my bump is deffo small but he’s moving around like a mad thing so he must be doing relatively okay. Glad to hear everything was okay for you in the end

@Superscientist that’s good to hear! That’s what’s happened with me. I was thin before being pregnant but then I had hyperemesis and lost 2 stone so it’s taken a long time to get back into a healthy weight range. So glad your baby was nice and big despite the sickness etc.

@Maidmummy oh wow! Hope they are okay! Are you expecting a short stay in the NICU? That’s something I’m really worried about if I’m induced early.

@serialreturner aw that’s good that she’s caught up now! Sounds like there weren’t any major complications

I was told all the way through I had IUR with my third baby as she was under the 3rd centile. As a result she was born by CS at 40 weeks. She was 7lbs and not even my smallest baby. Why had they said she was dangerously small all the way through? A sonographer had plotted her incorrectly on the graph, more than once. The tippex became apparent afterwards.

Also my middle one was 10lbs+, I was scanned every two weeks for the entire pregnancy, under consultant care and not a single person noticed that birthing him naturally would be an impossibility for me.

So yeah, if they say baby is measuring at x,y,z I just smile and say ok, whatever lie you want to make up this time

As others have said bump measurements aren’t that accurate. I was measuring under the 3rd centile and sent for repeated growth scans even though I was following my line (different midwives) but baby was always around the 50th centile on scans. Born early at 36 weeks (unrelated to growth) and was 7lbs which I think was around the 50th centile. He is now following the 75th centile for weight and 98th for length.

Thank you everyone!
Scan was fine measuring on the 50th centile so for now I won’t worry. I have another one booked for 4 weeks so fingers crossed it’s fine from here x