Does anyone else grow small babies?

[MrsCremuel]

I am 5'8 and a size 14, husband 6'3 and a 'solid'.

My first son was born on the 11th centile and steadily grew up and up (exclusively breastfed so apparently couldn't be overfed!) and now at 2 is settled on the 90th.

I am pregnant again and baby is once again measuring 'small' - sub 10th centile like my first was before birth. Growth scans have just started at 28 weeks.

I think I grow small babies. I was a whopper at 9.10 and my husband around 8. I feel like my son was 'supposed' to be bigger as he has grown so much since birth.

Has anyone had a similar experience? I wonder if I don't eat well enough or maybe my placenta is sluggish? No real reason has ever been suggested.

I feel that I'm pretty much the same. I was monitored during second pregnancy due to it. As soon as dc left my body they became huge and were massively chunky babies and toddlers, and are now very tall children. I felt ill through pregnancy and did probably eat a poorer diet. I think one side of my family does have small babies though, but they are small too. I'm 5' 8" with size 8 feet.

Hey, I’m pregnant with my third. My 1st was 7.6lbs at 40+6 and my second was only 5lb at 38 weeks, this baby they thought maybe smal, first scan at 32 weeks he was small and now my last scan at 38 weeks he is probably going to be bigger than my 1st so I think it just differs with each pregnancy.
Nothing was ever mentioned why they thought my second was so small? Xx

I've had two both born at 5lbs noticed they were small a round the 40 week mark and was induced at 37 weeks for both. To me they said my placenta must just stop functioning at full capacity and they stop getting everything they need, so once term it was better they were out then in. Both of my babies once out thrived and have hit all developmental milestones at appropriate times. So I don't think it's down to what your eating, remember anything you eat the baby will take all the goodness from that. So yeah I think I'm one of those people who just grows small babies.

30 week*

Silly question, but do you smoke?

2 small DS here. First was 5lb 5 oz, the second 5lb 11oz. They've both gained weight very quickly after birth and thrived since. I'm tall but slim myself, same as their Dad. Myself and my siblings were small babies as well - around 6lb. So I do think it's genetic in my case.. The consultant told me they couldn't find any reason so "I must be fated to make small babies"

Do you think you have a healthy diet..? Lots of fruit & veg, healthy fats and proteins..?

All the best to you and your tiny but hopefully perfect baby xx

Yes my first was 5lbs 7oz at 38+4 (2nd centile) and my second was 6lbs 10oz at 39+2 (9th centile). The second one is currently 5 months old and gone from 9th centile born… to 25th centile… to 50th centile and to 90th centile! Hasn’t been weighed in ages now due to Covid but is basically a massive chunk I’m not complaining- I had no tears, no cuts and no stitches and pushed for about 10 minutes, and they’ve both caught up no problem.
I’m 5’5” and a size 14 so pretty average, my DP is 6’1” tall and slim.

Opposite issue here 😅 my first was 8lbs 14oz. I’m due my second in September and feel absolutely massive already at 32 weeks, reckon this one will be bigger 😅 I’m 5”4 and normally a size 18, although did go down to size 16 before I got pregnant with this one. OH is 6”1 and has a slim build.

Have they checked your blood flow? My son was born 4th centile for his gestational age even though a growth scan at 33 weeks predicted 50th, obviously he could have dipped after this. He'll be two in September and about 50th centile now so has caught up nicely.
I'm consultant led this time due to his size and baby showing around 50th centile at 32 weeks. They did a blood flow doppler scan around 21 weeks which showed I have a notch on my left uterine artery so are monitoring me very closely as that can cause growth issues and higher risk for preeclampsia.

Mine were 6lb 6 oz and 6lb 5 oz at full term.

I'm small and my husband is fairly average sized, so I think they were meant to be that way.

I'm the opposite...
I'm 5ft and DP is 6ft 6.,,
DD1 was born 8lb 10.5oz at 38weeks
DD2 was born 8lb 2.5oz at 39 weeks

Opposite here.. I do think people just tend to have similar sized babies be they big or small. I'm 5"7 size 12, I have 8lb babies at 38 weeks

Apparently I do, DD was pretty average (fundal and then one scan after RFM) right up til the end where they identified she had tailed off growth, was induced and born on the 9th centile. She's still only about 25th centile but I'm quite petite and my DP is tall but slender.

This one wasn't very big at 20 week scan but they didn't seem worried. I'm on aspirin and had a doppler flow with no issues, first fundal height this week and sure enough small again. Already had a growth scan booked for 32 weeks so they aren't doing anything else til then but you can't help but worry. I really would prefer to have a spontaneous birth this time but all roads seem to be leading to an induction at term for me again. I'm trying to take it easy and eat plenty of good calories, I feel like I'm carrying bigger but it would appear not. All the other checks, and movement, seem ok so maybe it is just that naturally growing small babies thing. Somebody has to be in the lower centiles I guess!

Mine were both small especially in comparison to me and DH as we're both lanky. 5lb6 and 6lb6. They are both now ridiculously tall for their ages and as lanky as us. The doctors conclusion was I just grow small babies as they couldn't find a reason.

We just grow small babies and we’re small babies ourselves.
I was the heaviest sibling at 6lb 6oz, DH was 6lb 5oz.
DS1 was 6lb 5oz and 46cm long (a few days shy of 38 weeks)
DS2 was 6lb and 45cm long (38 weeks)

I’m 5’ 8” and DH is over 6ft but both families on slim side and we just grow small babies.

Yes, both mine were 5lbs at 36 weeks when born.

IUGR apparently secondary to pre eclampsia.
Meh.
I have absolutely no idea what percentiles were or are tbh stuff like that had very little impact on anything, weight was of more interest to me.

Anyway both breast fed like crazy, exclusively for months. Gained weight, perfectly healthy, no issues.
To reassure you, my 5lb 4oz first born, now 6 ft tall with head wedged in the fridge permanently hungry.
No impact whatsoever in the long run.

Yep! 5lb 12, 5lb 20 and 6lb1 all at 37, 38 and 40 weeks.

I have a bicornuate uterus though so that's probably why. I also had flu and gastroenteritis with my second which didn't help!

Yes. I think I probably do. Babies not tiny but smaller than you'd expect given I'm tall and so is DH. And that I expanded hugely in my pregnancies - no neat little bumps.

DD was 6lb10 at birth, now a 5'8 teenager with more growing to do. DS was 7lb12 so probably average birth weight, but very quickly became an enormous baby and toddler. At 18 he hit 6'3 with size 13 feet.

In contrast I have a 5ft friend whose son was 9lb10 at birth but who is now 5'2 at 17. So based on that purely anecdotal evidence I'm not sure the correlation between birth weight and child growth or adult height is very reliable!

Yeah. DD was 2nd centile when born, then shot to 50th by 3 months and has stayed there (now 18 months).

Clearly she just wasn't getting what she needed from me! Made up for it with voracious BFing.

Yeh my first was 5lb 10 and it seems this one is a dot too.. 29 weeks and currently just below 10th centile despite the fact mine and my partners dad are above 6 foot and my mom is foot 9.. we aren’t massive though and were both around 6-7lb born too. X

I'm 5'2 dh is 5'11 I've had 2 6lb 9oz and a third 6lb 12oz. My siblings are with similar height men, had bigger babies

Both mine were on the 2nd centile. DH is very tall, and I’m just a bit shorter than you. I was only around the 9th centile at birth though.

I asked my obstetrician who didn’t give a reason, just briefly said I had a very small/short torso. I also had HG both times but that was never mentioned. Both now on the 75th centile for height, and 50th for weight.

@8dpwoah - Hi, first of all best of luck with your second baby, hope all goes well for you both :-)

Just wanted to say - remember you DON'T HAVE TO go along with induction... I know it can be scary making that decision and going against the doctor's advice but it's YOUR decision after all. You're free to decline.

With my second I opted for daily monitoring and then a sweep at 39 weeks which thankfully did the job.. I don't know if we were just very lucky but I went with my instinct and it just seemed to be the right decision at the time.

Once again, all the best for you both xx

@swordplah, thank you 🙂 I will see what gets said nearer the time, for various reasons I wouldn't turn down an induction if it were medically advised although I would want my Bishop's score checking first this time... I appreciate your good wishes though!

Yep - DD1 was 5lb 11oz at 40+11. DD2 was 6lb 6oz at 39 weeks. No one ever said anything about it at any of my antenatal appointments or at the hospital.