Baby size - doctors say normal, everywhere else says 90+ percentile

[heybabes]

I had a growth scan at 31+ 3 (I'm now 33 + 2) and the estimated weight was 4lbs 3oz. On the scan notes it says this is the 55th percentile, so measuring bang on track.

However I noticed on apps and things which give you daily pregnancy updates that at 33 weeks it says "your baby weighs around 4lbs now".

I put in the estimated weight in charts online and they all say that 4lbs 3oz at 31 weeks is massive and that 31 weeks it should be about 3lbs 3oz. If I put in charts that predict what the baby will be when it's born based on the estimated weight now, it says between 9-10lbs!

None of the doctors or midwives have said anything else but I'm pretty concerned if I am actually having a big baby as I know it presents higher risk at birth to the baby and to me.

I’d trust my doctors/Midwives more than an online app/calculator 🥴 I’m sure they are trained enough to know what would be 55th percentile. if they were worried, they would say something and monitor. Don’t stress but contact your midwife if you’re concerned

I didn't realise until recently that your growth charts are plotted specifically for you, they take into account your own height and weight and any previous babies, so this may explain the disparity.

Yeah, your charts are based on your height/weight; and previous babies - the online calculators are averaged out.

Trust your doctors

If it helps at all; at 28 weeks my baby measured 32 weeks, and I'm over the 100% percentile even on my own personalised chart... And baby's estimated birth weight is over 11lbs. But nobody is too concerned, fetal measurements are pretty inaccurate, and I haven't even been referred for growth scans or anything. My weight gain has been low; and baby is moving fine, so so far, everyone is happy.

@AllSinging I've gone off the NHS website too! It all says the same thing. At 31 weeks it says: the baby weighs about 1.5kg - which is 3.3lbs.

I'm also 5ft 2 and about 8st pre-pregnancy, and it's my first child so surely this should have the opposite result haha.

I do trust the doctors it just seems like a huge difference!

I think lots of women start freaking out about this (understandably) but the bottom line is - excepting gestational diabetes or other complications - that your body will grow the right size baby for you.

If it helps at all, I’m also 5’2 and was told that my first baby was measuring >97th centile, had a sticker in my notes and everything although like your team, the sonographer explicitly said not to worry and that measurements were inaccurate. At 36 weeks he was supposed to be weighing 6lb something. No GD or other problems. He was born at 38+2 vaginally at 7lb5oz (on the 49th centile), just perfect for me!

Good luck x

Remember that's the 31 week measurement, not the 31+3, you were almost halfway to 32 weeks, and it says 'around 4lbs'. 3oz is a really small amount, 4lb is 64 oz, so as a percentage its only a small difference!

And baby measurements are notoriously inaccurate. Trust the docs and midwives you see rather than the ones online

Can you see your growth chart online? I’m in Scotland so might be different but I could see mine on the Badger Notes app

I had a growth scan with my first at 29+2 and her estimated weight was 4lbs 4. She was born at 38+6 weighing 8lbs 11oz so not dinky. Nobody was concerned, you're still within the percentile graph although your baby might be a bit bigger it's still a normal weight! Growth scans and fundal heights can also be very off so take everything with a pinch of salt. Baby will be here one way or the other!

Also some grow quicker and average out, mine were big early but slowed down, so I had a 31+2 who weighed 4lbs 8oz at birth a 34+6 that weighed 6lb 8oz at birth but my full term babies weighed between 7lbs 9 and 8lbs 10oz so not massive at all but were all off the chart at 32 weeks.