Small baby

[junobanba]

Hi everyone/anyone,
I'm new to mumsnet so don't expect any abbreviations on this post😂
I'm currently 34 weeks pregnant with my third baby. From 28 weeks I've been consultant led as placenta was low lying and baby was in transverse position. At 32 weeks baby was measuring small and today at 34 baby is measuring below the 5th percentile and weighing over 2lb. Everything is ok otherwise - fluid, heart rate, placenta seems to be working ok. I am going for 2 more appointments next week to find out what the course of action will be. Can anyone give me an insight into what will happen next as the consultant didn't want to say too much, just that it's unlikely I'll go past 37weeks and to wait until I see another consultant next week. Has anyone been through anything similar? And Should I be preparing for a c-section or induction? I've been very lucky to have happy healthy naturally delivered babies so this is also new to me. Any info/advice would be really appreciated. Thank you

Just bumping for you as I've no experience of this. I suspect they will induce or schedule a C-section as baby is small. Maybe someone can come along who will know more than me though.

Hey Juno, I’ve been in a similar position - found out my baby was measuring small (diagnosed IUGR) at 33 weeks with no apparent explanation. Since then I’ve had weekly scans and consultant appts plus twice weekly CTG monitoring (the second monitoring is just for my own peace of mind!) They will most likely do a growth scan every 2 weeks to see how baby is growing and weekly Doppler scans to test blood flow through the brain and umbilical cord. For the first two scans my baby was showing slight signs of ‘redistribution’, where more blood is directed to the brain to compensate, but fingers crossed for the last 3 scans this seems to have stopped and everything has looked normal.

I’ll be 37+1 on Tuesday and am being induced that day. He’s my first baby so was strongly encouraged to have an induction vs c section!

Overall it’s been an incredibly worrying month but you are in the best hands - I’ve been told repeatedly with small babies it’s important they know about them, so hopefully you can take some reassurance from this :)

Hey Juno! I had to reply to this - I’ve just been through a very similar experience, and now have a 10 day old baby girl - also called Juno!

We were told at the 20 week scan that baby was small. Fortnightly growth scans followed, every one showing that she was little (

Hi OP Sara Wickham has a really useful book all about induction with a chapter specifically about research relating to induction vs c-section vs waiting for spontaneous labour when the baby is measuring small I’d definitely recommend.

My understanding is that smaller babies might not react aswell to the stronger uterine contractions that synthetic oxytocin induces which can make fetal distress and so an emergency c-section slightly more likely.

www.amazon.co.uk/Inducing-Labour-making-informed-decisions/dp/1999806433/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=sara+wickham&sprefix=sara+wi&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1623408480&sr=8-4

I had a c section at 37 weeks due to measuring small on growth scans (referred for due to small bump and weak movements). I was going to have a c regardless, but in my case when baby was born they said she had a short cord which would have made a difficult labour anyway. My c section was lovely and calm and if given the choice then I would definitely advise over induction (having previously experienced induction with my son).

Baby was born small on 2nd percentile, and placenta was small apparently also. She was born licking her lips and fed all night! However, since being out the womb she has thrived and is now a chubby little thing 😊.