Very small baby IUGR

[secretangel]

I could cry. I've hard a tough pregnancy with stress. I'm over 40, been so sick and have chronic high Bp.

Had my first growth scan today as was always planned. My baby is measuring under the 5th centile at 29 weeks.

I have to have scans now weekly and 2 every other week and I've been referred to a city hospital. I'm so sad and worried.

Any similar experiences, good or bad so I can get my head around it.

Thank you x

My DS2 was born at 40+1 weeks at only 6lb 2oz because the IUGR wasn't picked up on pregnancy despite me telling them at my last check up that he only moved four times a day. He was so skinny when he was born, with long blue fingers and no fat on him anywhere. His weight gain was slow and he stayed on the 0.2 percentile for ages but now he's 15 years old and taller than most of his peers so he caught up eventually. With a subsequent pregnancy I took a baby aspirin every day, is that something they might recommended for you?

Thank you. I'm glad your DS IS OK NOW! I've been on 150mg aspirin since 12 weeks as my PAP A was very low and I'm also on dragline injections...

Fragmin !

My little girl was born at 37 weeks weighing 5lbs. She has always been tiny. Perfectly proportioned, but tiny. She does have a rare generic condition but it's highly unlikely your baby would have the same condition because it's incredibly rare and there were abnormalities seen at the 12 week scan. The thing with percentiles is that there has to be someone at each point on the percentile of you see what I mean. My daughter is now 4 and not bothered by being tiny, even though her 2 year old sister is now bigger than her! I really hope everything works out ok for you, I had to have scans every 2 weeks and it was a worrying time but my little girl is happy, and her size hasn't caused any problems.

I was induced at 37 weeks and she was 5lb 3oz on the 3rd centile and Perfectly formed and needed no extra care. She's now 2 and 24 pounds of whirlwind 😂.

My niece arrived 37+2 and was 5lb 13. She’s a very tall and highly energetic three year old now.

I was told I was carrying small and baby was small. Growth scans were mixed bag. He arrived 40+2 a very averagely healthy 7lb4. The scans aren’t always that accurate. Keep going mama. You’re so close now

My second baby measured small from 28 weeks. At one stage he was on the 4th percentile and had "small legs" Had numerous growth scans and he continued to measure small throughout with no obvious reason (blood flow good etc).

He was predicted 5lbs 10ozs but was actually born 6lbs 6ozs on the 9th percentile by planned c-section at 38+3 weeks. They brought him a little early because my consultant felt that as I was having a section anyway, it wouldn't do any harm.

He is 8 weeks old now and still is a bit small, but has gained weight well and otherwise doing well.

Its worrying but you will be monitored closely and they will hopefully explain everything as you go along.

Hi!
I have had three small babies.
DS1 - 2nd centile from 20 week scan onwards, scans every fortnight, regular Doppler checks as well, close monitoring with a view to early induction, settled on leaving him in til 38 weeks- my bump grew a lot in those final 2 weeks and he was just over 6lb at birth so not as small as expected!! Healthy- apart from reflux - and is now 8 and average size but skinny.
DS2- measured just above 5th centile all the way through, again close monitoring with induction at 39 weeks- he was a little bit larger than his brother at birth but not much. Now 6 - and a bit on the small side but healthy.
DD- again tiny like DS1. I was 39 when I had her and they were watching me closely- had scans every fortnight from 20 weeks onward to monitor growth. Induction booked for 38 weeks but she showed up a bit early. Was same size as DS1 and is now a healthy toddler.
I have inflammatory bowel disease and am on immunosuppressants so that may have been the reason they were so little, but equally it could be something else- the experts just didn’t know. I spent a long time blaming myself and it achieved nothing!
I know exactly the fear you’re feeling because I’ve been through it and the only advice I can give is to look at all those extra scans as reassurance and a chance to see the baby. Know that you’re in the best place and you’re being watched closely which is the best thing for you and your baby. The doctors won’t take any chances.
Very best of luck and I hope it all goes well.
Just remember- to make the centile charts, someone has to be at the top and someone at the bottom. Xx

I was told my second would be around 5lbs at term. I was also having growth scans every two weeks. She came at 38 weeks at 7.11 lbs. They have a formula for birthweight, to do with abdomen and femur measurements, my baby’s abdomen was tiny so they thought she would be small. She was skinny at birth but was the longest baby I have ever seen.

I had a DC born on 2nd centile for weight and similar for height. Born early, small for dates.
He has always been small, and is still probably around 9th centile for height or maybe just above. However, he is a totally healthy 16 yr old now, just on the small side!

Hi OP, I know exactly how awful this situation is! I found out at 20 week scan my DS was 3rd percentile and like you, I had scans every second week, which then became every week.

I had an amnio to see if there were any genetic issues, especially as femurs was so short, but nothing found. However, that two week wAit for results was excruciating, especially as the specialists told me to prepare myself that it could be Down Syndrome or a form of dwarfism.

C section at 37 weeks as they were worried and DS was born at 4 pound 12. So tiny but so gorgeous!!

He’s now a happy and healthy 4 year old, just over 50th percentile. I would never have expected that outcome when I was pregnant and dreading each scan!! And the femur measurements that were off the charts negative = he’s just got short legs like his dad!

Please try not to worry, take care of yourself and take each day as it comes

DS born on 0.3 centile at 33w.. this was classed as severe IUGR. Had him via c-section. Stayed at SCBU for 6/7weeks. He's now a boisterous, smart little thing at 16mo and he's hit all his milestones early or on time. Walked at 9mo. Absolutely nothing wrong with health wise. He's still quite small for his age but he's getting there hope this eases your mind with a very positive experience from us!

It was tough though at the time and I sympathise. I was seen every 2 weeks by 20 weeks.. then weekly.. then every day before they had to deliver him via emergency section. It's a stressful time but rest assured you're in good hands and it's good they're being cautious and they're seeing you more regularly.

Thank you so so much everyone. I just feel like I'm letting my partner and his parents down it's so silly. I excessive and eat properly, rest as much as possible. I just want everything to be ok. It's good knowing I'm not alone!

I have as diagnosed IUGR at 26 weeks with my first, had to be delivered at 30 weeks as placenta had basically packed in. Ds weighed 1lb 10oz! He’s now a perfectly healthy successful 31 year old man.

Next ds I took aspirin, he was born at 37 weeks, weighing 5lb, perfectly healthy.

Don’t panic, small babies can do perfectly well.

As long as you’re eating healthily, not restricting meat proteins and diary and not smoking, then you’re doing everything you can.
A close friend of mine had IUgR with her first and he’s now a strapping 6 footer on course for Cambridge.

Both my babies were SGA.

DC1: 5lb8oz at 38 weeks. Needed to be induced as doctors were worried she wasn't putting on enough essential fat. She was so skinny when born. She fattened up pretty quickly on breastmilk and was such a chubby baby often floating between the 75th-90th percentiles! She tall and skinny now.

DC2: 6oz exactly, at 39 weeks. She's 2.5 now and still very petite but perfectly proportioned.

Try not to stress OP You may well be induced early if baby isn't growing. I was told "better out than in".

Undx IUGR here too
Ds1 was 4lbs 15oz when he was born at 37.5 weeks. He was very scrawny!
He is off to university next month :)
It can be difficult getting adequate nutrition into a tiny baby but try not to stress to much re the scans be sure quire often they are WAY off!
Good luck x

Oh and ds1 was in the 91st centile by the time he was 1! ;)

....and ds2 was 8lbs 4oz!!! 😀😀😀

Please don't blame yourself op
I don't drink, have never smoked and only took 2 paracetamol in my whole pregnancy...
They just don't know enough about what causes placental insufficiency.

My little twin was so small she didn't even make the centile chart - well below 2.5 centile. I had almost weekly scans but they were happy she was growing at her own pace and doing her own thing - there isn't anything more you can do - you're doing the best you can for your baby and there isn't anything you have done to cause this x

My first pregnancy I had IUGR with dd noticed frkm 19 weeks.
She was born by emergency c section at 35 nearly 36 weeks, was given a steroid injection for her lungs before c section. She came out blue and not breathing. She was 4lb 8oz and she was in scbu for 3 days to egt help with breathing then she joined me on the ward.
She is 12 now and just started high school.
It is a scary journey you are on.

One word of advice never, be worried about going to hospital to get checked over if baby has been extra quiet. They are happy to see you and reassure you rather than sit at home fretting.
I wish you and bump so much luck

My daughter was born at term undiagnosed IUGR. She was under the 2nd centile.
She is now a perfectly healthy 2.5y old she's just over the 9th for weight and just under the 75th for height. So she's long and skinny but perfect.
Some babies are just small and there's probably nothing you could have done about it so don't worry! They've picked it up and are keeping an eye on you some hopefully everything will work out for you.

My Dd1 was diagnosed as iugr at 20 wk scan. She had been scanned at 15 wks measuring normally then at 20 wks only measuring 17 wks. There was a lot of talk about pregnancy possibly not viable as too early for delivery and possible genetic disorder as iugr was symmetrical. Amino was normal. I then developed hypertension at 30 wks, then pre-preeclampsia. After spending several weeks in hospital Dd was born at 37+3 weighing 4lb 12oz. She grew along 0.4th centile for a few years. She is now 12, still petite but very strong, fit and healthy.

I'm 35 weeks and have been having fortnightly scans since 28 weeks due to him measuring small.
I also have low Papp-a.
His head & abdomen are measuring normal
But his femur length is well below the 5th centile which overall gives him a low estimated weight.
He's currently somewhere between the 5th & 10th centile and has been since 28 weeks so they are happy he is growing at his own rate.

They have said it's likely I will be induced around 37 weeks due to high Bp & his small weight. X