Worried after private scan at 32 weeks

[Lucille91]

Hi everyone, brand new poster here. I’m 32 +6 and have had a super smooth pregnancy so far - so had a horror yesterday when DP and I booked a private 4D scan at window to the womb. We only did it so he could see bubba as he hasn’t been allowed to any scans...only for the (very blunt and rude) sonographer to declare that baby is measuring 2 weeks behind and all his measurements are below the 5th centile. We were completely shocked as 1) 20 week scan showed everything average or slightly above and 2) I had a midwife appt on Thursday where my fundal measurement was 31cm, so just 1cm off where it should be and had grown 4cm since my 28 week appt.

I’m now beside myself with worry and upset - can’t get hold of midwife til tomorrow morning and have convinced myself we’re having a severely small or sick baby or even a still birth. Can anyone offer any words of reassurance?! Surely if something was wrong/baby was too small it would have been noticed by midwife or before? Baby is super active and kicking constantly, I’ve put on weight and have decent sized bump. It just doesn’t add up!

Please try not to worry and just wait to talk to MW!

My mum was told I would be born 4lbs and be in the ICU - I was just off 7lbs and perfectly healthy.

Especially due to the fact this was a private scan, not a medical one, I would try and stay calm and talk to your hospital tomorrow.

Aw that is horrible for you! Growth scans, especially later in pregnancy, are often not the most accurate. I had private antenatal care and even with regular growth scans the final outcome was very different. He came out a good lb heavier than they predicted. Another friend was measuring small recently and baby came out a healthy 6lb 11. I would talk to your midwife and see what she suggests - she may book you in for a scan to check/reassure you.

Really would try not to worry too much. I had growth scans all through both PGs. Was wholeheartedly assured both times that I was having super small babies, I'm very petite. First one was 2 weeks early at 7lb 6oz and the second was full term at 8lb 3 oz, she was one they were particularly worried about

Please don't worry too much. I had my daughter last November and had extra scans as she measured small once. I was so anxious, they were talking about me having her earlier but the next few scans showed normal growth and they said they had made a mistake in measurements before.
She was born a healthy 7lb 3oz so not very small or very big.
Contact your mw tomorrow and hopefully they'll book you in for another scan which should give you a better idea.

Thanks everyone for your kind words! You’re right, I need to stop googling and just wait. Managed to get through to maternity helpline just now and they said to call back tomorrow AM to book a scan/OB appointment so that’s what I’ll do. Have read 3rd trimester scans can be unreliable (why they don’t do them normally!) so hopefully it’s just that.

3rd trimester scans are renowned for being unreliable. I was told I was having a ginormous 11lb baby at a scan at 37 weeks but baby was actually just over 8lb and born at 39 weeks. There's a much larger margin of error at this gestation.
Let your midwife know the results of the private scan anyway but try not to get too upset about it in the mean time (easier said than done, I know!)

I had a private scan at 30 weeks that put DD on the 50th percentile, she was born the day before the due date on the 9th percentile. My bump measured a bit small but not worryingly so. She's still on the small side 2 years later.

Please don't worry. I was told I was having a 11lb'er. She weighed 7!

OP you don't have to wait to talk to your midwife tomorrow. You could call the hospital MAU or labour ward for some advice / reassurance. They could book you a scan (which your midwife might need to do anyway) or just give you some reassurance.

Not regarding private scans as I’ve never had one in the third trimester but my midwife suspected I was having an 8lb baby and she was just about 6lb. Nobody really knows until you give birth and hopefully all will be well once you’re scanned again x

I had a private scan at 39 weeks as I felt baby smaller than previous pregnancies and I wanted to check not breech.
They estimated 8 pounds on measurements, maybe 8 pound 6 by term. I was happy.

Then I delivered a 10 pound 5 baby.

Late scans are unreliable! In retrospect I should have not paid any notice to their weight estimate!

I wouldn't worry, at 28 weeks I measured bang on. At 32 weeks I was still measuring 28 so I have a growth scan tomorrow. I don't think baby is actually small but they are back to back and breech so bump is very squishy!

I know someone who measured small and baby was 9lbs when delivered. Don't worry.

Small babies are not the end of the world either OP. I measured a little behind late in pregnancy and mine was born at 37 weeks at 5lb 9oz but otherwise healthy, we only stayed in 1 night after birth. She is now an average sized nearly 2 year old.