38 weeks pregnant but measuring 5 weeks small!!!

[lovegalore]

Hi,

Just wondered if anyone has any experience with measuring 5 weeks small at 38 weeks? Had routine midwife appt this morning and she's pretty concerned I'm measuring so small.

Booked for a scan at PAU tomorrow but trying to put my mind at ease,

Thanks

Yes - are you tall? If so the baby has more room lengthways before it pushes outwards...

I'm 5'10 so yeah I guess so. My measurements have been bang on every time so far but my bump does seem a lot smaller this week!

Did they measure your bump? It's notoriously unreliable, I have a friend who is a midwife and she says so much depends on where they start and finish measuring and what type of tape measure they use. In training her group all measured they same woman and there were huge differences. Its good they've sent you for a scan to be safe, but please try not to worry.

Hi Op I always measured smaller, by about 7 weeks.... but I had growth scans from 26 weeks as my first was also small!
I just have small babies who are small on the centile lines.

The bump measure is highly inaccurate as everyone’s bumps are different.

Tomorrow they will give you a more accurate centile line in your scan and an estimated birth weight.

With DD I ended up having an induction booked for 37 weeks as her growth slowed down, I had a sweep and she came naturally at 37+4. There was no reason why growth slowed down, but it did!

They will check cord flow in your scan to make sure that is functioning properly, so honestly I’d not worry if you can xx

Yes she measured my bump and measurements have been always pretty bang on for the weeks, I do feel smaller this week and a lot of family members have commented saying I look small for 38 weeks.

She said if baby is measuring small I'll be induced! Does anyone know if that is usually immediately or do they give you a date etc?

Yes try not to panic, I wasn’t even on the growth chart on the 1st percentile last time and I was measuring on the 40th percentile the appointment before. Really got myself worried and packing small baby clothes ready for them to get the baby out that day incase he’d stopped growing... went to the scan and he was 5lb5 at 34.5 weeks and on the 50th percentile!

I’m tall and I think it was just the position he was in when they were measuring, he probably wasn’t anywhere near the centre of my belly and tucked down in a corner somewhere the day the midwife measured me! So wait until the scan as you could save yourself a lot of worry. I hope it’s good news xx

@Changedmynamelots

Hi Op I always measured smaller, by about 7 weeks.... but I had growth scans from 26 weeks as my first was also small! I just have small babies who are small on the centile lines.

The bump measure is highly inaccurate as everyone’s bumps are different.

Tomorrow they will give you a more accurate centile line in your scan and an estimated birth weight.

With DD I ended up having an induction booked for 37 weeks as her growth slowed down, I had a sweep and she came naturally at 37+4. There was no reason why growth slowed down, but it did!

They will check cord flow in your scan to make sure that is functioning properly, so honestly I’d not worry if you can xx

Thanks for the reassurance, I know the bump measurement tends to be inaccurate.

I had a growth scan at 34 weeks and everything was seen to be normal but I was only measuring 1 week behind when they sent me for a scan so for me now to be 5 weeks behind I'm kinda worried! Hopefully nothing too serious, just want me little girl here now!! X

@Catherine1210

Yes try not to panic, I wasn’t even on the growth chart on the 1st percentile last time and I was measuring on the 40th percentile the appointment before. Really got myself worried and packing small baby clothes ready for them to get the baby out that day incase he’d stopped growing... went to the scan and he was 5lb5 at 34.5 weeks and on the 50th percentile!

I’m tall and I think it was just the position he was in when they were measuring, he probably wasn’t anywhere near the centre of my belly and tucked down in a corner somewhere the day the midwife measured me! So wait until the scan as you could save yourself a lot of worry. I hope it’s good news xx

That's good to hear, midwife does seem to think baby is back to back so maybe that could explain the sudden change in measurements? Tomorrow can't come quick enough!! Xx

At 38 weeks I was also measuring 33 weeks. I have quite a muscular physique and a long body which I think made a big difference. However, I also lost my amniotic fluid at 38 weeks so I was induced then.

It's probably nothing to worry about but you'll likely have a little more monitoring which is never a bad thing.

@changedmynamelots can i ask how small your first was to have needed growth scans for your second baby? My first was small so I'm hoping with future babies ill have growth scans too

@MrssC92 he was born at 39+5 and was 6lb, so 2nd-9th centile. he was classed as SGA, small gestational age. If they are SGA automatically with subsequent pregnancies you will get growth scans.
How much did your first weigh?

I at 5,9 and with my first I was 3-4 cm behind and my midwife always said It was because i was tall.

When I went I was in labour after my waters had broke and clearly the baby had dropped I was even further behind the triage was amazed I had never been sent for growth scans.

I had a health 7 pound baby

Thank you @changedmynamelots. She was 5lb12 and born at 37+6 so also between the 2nd and 9th centile. They never gave me a reason for her being so small though.

I was referred to the midwife led unit for being small for dates - I was very worried. On arrival the midwife rolled her eyes (not at me!) and said “well of course you are - look how tall you are!” She was cross on my behalf I’d been worried. DD was nearly 9lb...

Hi @Changedmynamelots can I asked what your second baby weighed? Currently 34 weeks and have had 2 growth scans baby still on 10th centile back next week to see if any change. My ds was sga born at 40 weeks and was only 5lb 8oz x

@Farmgirl85 DD was 5lb 8 at 37+4, it was very accurate to her growth scan. We had our last growth scan at 36 weeks at which the plan was made for induction as her growth had tailed off. Your DS was dinky at full term so I’d imagine your second will be the same!

At 37w I measured 6.5wks behind. I am 5'10 too. The growth scan was fine and she was born at over 8lb and around 91%ile for height at 41weeks. She is still fairly tall at 4.5yrs. Chances are all will be fine! Baby will have just shifted and changed position.

Thanks for your reply @Changedmynamelots I'm expecting her to be small maybe not much more than 6lb do they tend to deliver earlier if there isn't much weight gain. Got booked for csection for 39 weeks but was told today they will monitor and see how much she gains over the next couple of weeks x

@Farmgirl85 if growth becomes static or slows down they they will look at bringing baby early.

I had static growth from my 33 week to my 35 week scan, then I had a Doppler to check cord flow etc and 36 weeks. That was fine, I was the booked for induction. I actually had a choice to wait until 38 weeks for another scan but I chose induction at 37.
She was so so low down in my pelvis that a sweep brought on Labour so didn’t actually end up being induced

Baby is measuring small and growth has stopped, being induced on Sunday!

That's good they have identified that and are acting on it. Good luck for Sunday and hope you get cuddles soon.

@lovegalore good luck for tomorrow! Hope you get squishy baby cuddles soon 🥰

I am quite tall and I also had a small bump. A friend of mine 6 foot and you could barely see any bump. It's very dependent on your height.

Sorry, cross posted. Good luck for tomorrow.

Thank you all very excited to meet her now!