36 weeks baby 3rd centile

[arthurandhaydnsmummy]

Hi guys!

Baby's been measuring small the whole way through the pregnancy, she was at 10th centile, dropped to 5th and now on the 3rd. I'm booked for a c-section at 39 weeks on 22nd December but last week I had a bleed. They couldn't find a cause and all the tests showed baby was still OK and placenta wasn't the cause. They gave me 2 doses of steroid injections incase baby came early because she's so small.

When I was being discharged a different consultant to mine saw me and asked had I considered moving my section date forward, and explained there's risks involved with baby staying in until 39 weeks because she is so small she would be at risk of stillbirth and that with the steroids there's a risk of neurological issues the longer it takes to deliver her after the steroids are given. His opinion was optimal time to get her out would be 37-38 weeks.

My consultant however believes the longer she's in there the more chance she has of reaching a better weight, he's estimated by 39 weeks she would be 6lbs and doesn't want to change the csection.

I'm really stuck on what to do. Any advice please?

Sorry you’re being given this conflicting information - as if things aren’t stressful enough for you. It’s one of those things where there is no right or wrong answer so it’s a judgement call. Personally I think I’d want to move the section forward. Baby is almost full term. If they do need a little help with breathing when born then this is something they do in the NICU every single day, even for tiny little premature babies the vast majority of whom go on to be perfectly healthy. It’s obviously not ideal to have a nicu stay (been there, done that, very much hope to never do it again but recognise that the care is amazing) but baby can be monitored very closely to make sure they are ok.

Would also say that currently pregnant with a baby that is somewhere between the 2nd and 10th centile (depending on what scan is correct!). Current plan is to induce at 39 weeks but I’d be open to bringing that forward to 38 or 37weeks depending on how things go (currently only 26 weeks). Just want baby to be here so I know she’s ok.

It's really tough, especially with conflicting advice. I'm the opposite, big baby on centiles, and also have some complications (gestational diabetes and low Papp A) which mean my placenta could deteriorate quicker. My obstet would prefer 38-39 weeks for baby development, but I'm pushing for 37-38 weeks due to worries about placental function and stillbirth. This is after doing some research and speaking to others with similar issues, but still I'm petrified of making the wrong decision

Thank you so much for your replies! It feels like a really impossible decision and with my anxiety I know I'm going to wreck my head either way. But my thinking right now is she's alive and healthy in there and I'd rather have her out just incase anything goes wrong. I've had 2 average sized babies before so I've never understood how she's been so small the whole way through, its even baffled the consultant. I think I'm going to ask him to change my date to 37 and a half weeks on Monday. Please god I'm making the right decision.

Good luck OP. You can always ask to talk it over again with your consultant.