Growth scan... reassurance?

[SweetSunflowerBoo]

I've just been to my midwife appointment (34+4) and I have to have a growth scan on Monday...

They said baby's heartbeat is good but I'm still so scared.... this is my rainbow baby and I can't lose him

Is it quite common to have to have a growth scan?

I am a tiny person- as in size 4/6 clothes but I can see a massive difference each week in my bump so I don't understand how he's not the size they want him to be this week.

Reassurance please??

@Liervik

Do they have an issue with your fundal height? Sending you for a scan is probably just because your numbers don't fit where they like them to be. I had loads of growth scans, and a completely normal (admittedly 91st centile) baby. They just want to investigate why your bump is bigger or smaller than they expect, it could be amniotic fluid levels being high or low, and they can change your care appropriately so your baby is taken care of properly 🙂

Yes, they said he is smaller than they would like.

But now I'm wondering if it's because I was in a different room to usual and the bed wasn't flat like it usually is- so I was tilted so it could mean my tummy wasn't sticking out like it usually is?

I honestly don't understand anything about "centile" i don't even know the meaning

I'm a size 4:6 and I grow babies that are small like me. They then get born and grow up to be a normal rather large child. Why would you grow a giant? How could you grow a giant?
It's the most worrying thing being told your baby is small. Are you short as well?

How big is the baby on the growth chart

I grew a 4lb 10 baby at 35 weeks
6lb 14 at 39 weeks

Pregnant again but I'm 15 weeks so don't know their size yet

It's so stressful with the first pregnancy being told your baby is small. What are you meant to do to make them bigger though?

Does your trust do personalised growth charts or is it a standard chart? If it’s a standard chart and you’re petite the chances are you will always measure small on fundal height and indeed on scans.

And yes a non flat bed will make the measurement smaller and inaccurate.

I had growth scans as 32 and 36 as a routine part of an IVF pregnancy. So they are not a massively rare thing that is only done if there are obvious problems.
Mine were wildly inaccurate. I was told baby was was measuring over 7lbs at 36 weeks he was born at 42+3 weighing a bang average 7lb8. According to the growth scan and forecasts from that he should have been 11lb+. But they do enable the sonographer to spot problems, to see if there is a reason for reduced or increased growth which may mean treatment is needed. Try to relax and look forward to the opportunity to see you little one.

I had growth scans every week from 32 weeks. Despite being the size of a house my bump was apparently small. I'd go to the scan, all would be fine, then back to midwife the next week and another growth scan referral! One of my scans showed polyhydraminos, 3 weeks later I was on the lowest scale for fluid and they actually had to test if my waters had broken.

Fluid levels change huge amounts, baby changes position, different midwives measure from slightly different points. Never had any of these issues with my first apart from my baby measuring literally off the chart every week for fundal height. She was born 4 days late and 7lb. I wouldn't worry too much. Just enjoy the extra chance to see your baby! I got extra scan pics every time too.

I had growth scans throughout both my pregnancies,my first was due to bump measuring consistently small- I was also petite like you. I had scans every 2 weeks and he came at just short of 40 weeks weighing 6lb exactly.
With my 2nd I had various issues already and also growth scans due to my first have SGA- small gestational age.
Long story short… I was set to be induced at just short of 38 weeks as I get growth slipped, one sweep later she was born at a dinky 5lb8 🙌
I just have small babies, I’m tall and slim so to be expected.

The growth scans I saw as an extra opportunity to see my DC… they measure their head size, Tummy etc. Then they will measure the blood flow between the placenta and cord etc too .

@cultkid I'm about 5"5 I think

I just wish my midwife had said something reassuring to me

I will attach the growth chart becuse I don't understand it

Also the weight predictions they gave for both my DC were spot on, they’ve also followed that centile line ever since…. 2nd-9th for my first and 0.04 for my 2nd

@CovidCorvid it's a standard chart. I will attach it below

My fundal height measurements have been all over the place. At one point it appeared from FH that my bump has shrunk over the week! At another time I was measuring really big by FH but growth scan showed a petite but perfectly normal baby the next day. Try not to fret about this. FH is not accurate. Good luck with your scan and the rest of your pregnancy.

I think we have also normalised the massive weight gain in mother's when pregnant too which doesn't help if you remain normal set for Your pregnancy

I'm sure that if you are eating well and happy and not fatigued there is nothing you could do to make your baby any bigger

If they have a growth restriction then scans can help pick that up, it can be a sign your placenta isn't doing a full job BUT it's more likely that you're small and so your baby will be, too.

That baby is fine by the chart it's between the lines not off the lines and stayed roughly the same the whole time in size I wouldn't worry
I would worry if it started off at the 50th centile then dropped off to the 3rd for example

I just had a discussion this week with my midwife who said my baby on the 23rd and the other on the 37th or something like that were good sizes!

The baby is still in a normal range

Wish your midwife had been more soothing to you sorry she wasn't xx

I know it's nerve wracking (I've had multiple losses too) but with my last pregnancy I was sent for about 4 growth scans because my fundal height measured small. The baby always measured fine. I think it was because I am tall and so have a long torso and so I never got a huge bump. I actually found having extra scans really reassured me so I get turned out to be a positive thing. Hopefully that will be the case for you too! Good luck!

@cultkid thank you- I wish she had also talked me through it a bit more because to me the chart doesn't look good- just scares me more.

I think it's the wait that's scaring me more too. If I only had to wait a day it would be different but obviously I have to wait until Monday so it's scary

I found that with my first baby when I was 23 I was not treated with enough respect by my midwife. I am now 29 and being treated a lot more respectfully, by everyone

I'm sorry you feel in the dark

Have you got friends with babies you can talk to?
G XX

Mine the bottom got chopped off when the midwife sent me it on WhatsApp but here is mine for you

So you can see my babies weights there and she literally said mine were a good size

I think it will be because your bump measurement is about 2cm less than the weeks, baby looks consistently around the 50th centile which is good, but I think it will be due to bump size. Did your midwife explain what the centiles mean?

I'm having growth scans due to my bump measuring 4 weeks behind what it should be. At the last growth scan baby is measuring fine but bump still small.

@cultkid I had to change midwife because the first one was AWFUL- she never answered the phone even if it was very important. And she was unbelievably rude to me.
I'm still throwing up now and she always used to say "just deal with it or don't get pregnant. Simple" and I literally couldn't keep any food or water down AT ALL.
This one is a lot nicer but she doesn't reassure me like I wish she would. This is my first pregnancy that's made it past 9weeks so obviously I'm scared

I've got 1 person I know but I'm not close to her at all. And she had twins

I had growth scans all the way through pregnancy, every four weeks and then every 2 weeks towards the end. If they were really concerned they would have pulled you in to have it done now.

I wouldn't worry too much at this stage - both fundal measurements and growth scans can be wildly inaccurate - even with all those growth scans, they were out by a whole lb when my baby was born. (Bigger than expected).

Try not to stress too much, I know that's easier said than done - but if they do pick up that he's on the smaller side, at your gestation then they'd probably not mess about if they had concerns, they'd probably make a plan for delivery.

If anything WAS wrong and he had to be delivered early- he should survive at this point now shouldn't he? I'll be 35weeks on my scan

Don't worry OP- remember the abdominal measurement is of the uterus and contents not baby. It is a screening tool, so many women are referred in this way. The screening (the scans) will pick up the small babies that need closer surveillance whilst most babies will be absolutely fine. Keep an eye on your baby's movements and contact the maternity unit if you have any worries
Best wishes