Baby measuring small

[cathy889]

Hi everyone

I'm currently 24 weeks pregnant. At 20 weeks I had my dating scan and was told my baby might be a bit small so I was advised to come in for a growth scan a month later which was today at 24 weeks. They said my baby is on the small side or a little bit below average. below 10th percentile or something but everything else was fine they even said the blood flow from the placenta to the baby was excellent but was still referred to see an obstetrician.

Neither me or my partner are very big people so wouldn't expect my baby to be either but the fact that she might be smaller than average sounds a bit scary.

I'm worried something is wrong and my baby ain't growing like she should. Has someone experienced this?
Xx

Just wanted to leave a message to say my first was also below the 9th centile, and my second girl was measured as being 10th centile but came out 25th. Baby born on the 9th centile was absolutely fine, she was just small, 6lb5 and over a week late.
There's always going to be smaller and bigger babies. Tbh I prefered hearing that than when they told me my son was measuring large 😅
Congratulations on your pregnancy. If baby is small you may be placed as high risk and baby will have more appointments to check on growth, but there shouldn't be anything to worry about so long as they're not going down in centiles 🙂

I had a scan every two weeks from 20 weeks on as they were worried my LO was measuring small. I was induced at 39 weeks as they weren’t happy with her measurements. She was 6lbs 9 and perfectly healthy. Myself and my husband aren’t particularly tall so it should have been expected really!

@Overandabove1

I had a scan every two weeks from 20 weeks on as they were worried my LO was measuring small. I was induced at 39 weeks as they weren’t happy with her measurements. She was 6lbs 9 and perfectly healthy. Myself and my husband aren’t particularly tall so it should have been expected really!

Thank you that gives me at least some reassurance. Me or my partner aren't very tall either to be fair 🙈

@WoMandalorian

Just wanted to leave a message to say my first was also below the 9th centile, and my second girl was measured as being 10th centile but came out 25th. Baby born on the 9th centile was absolutely fine, she was just small, 6lb5 and over a week late. There's always going to be smaller and bigger babies. Tbh I prefered hearing that than when they told me my son was measuring large 😅 Congratulations on your pregnancy. If baby is small you may be placed as high risk and baby will have more appointments to check on growth, but there shouldn't be anything to worry about so long as they're not going down in centiles 🙂

Oh that's good to hear! I'm hoping there isn't anything to worry about so to hear your baby was totally fine makes me feel at ease :) and thank you I'm super excited this is also my first pregnancy so wasn't sure what to think when they said she measured a little bit small. Hopefully all will go well and I'll keep staying positive 🥰

I was told my baby was measuring small - predicted weight at 33 weeks was 2lbs8... born within 48 hours at 5lbs6.
hope everything is ok with you but try not to worry

@GrannyBloomers

I was told my baby was measuring small - predicted weight at 33 weeks was 2lbs8... born within 48 hours at 5lbs6. hope everything is ok with you but try not to worry

Glad to hear all was ok with you. Hope the same for my baby and that all is well. I'll try to not worry.

@cathy889 hope all goes well for you 😊 I remember googling for hours about measurements and percentiles but looking back there was no need!

I was induced early with my first as it was during covid I hadn't had many appts so it was never picked up until 38 weeks, they induced me the day after and she was born 9 days early on the 2nd centile and weighed 5lbs 3, i am now 26 weeks and this baby is measuring small too and probably going to be induced early again. I will be having scans at 30,34 & 38 weeks and a decision made towards the end about induction. I also have appts with a consultant between the growth scans to discuss. Good luck x

@BabyB19

I was induced early with my first as it was during covid I hadn't had many appts so it was never picked up until 38 weeks, they induced me the day after and she was born 9 days early on the 2nd centile and weighed 5lbs 3, i am now 26 weeks and this baby is measuring small too and probably going to be induced early again. I will be having scans at 30,34 & 38 weeks and a decision made towards the end about induction. I also have appts with a consultant between the growth scans to discuss. Good luck x

Thanks for letting me know and congratulations on ur pregnancy again! I'm glad it went well for you. Hearing all of these stories gives me reassurance and not worry so much xx

[quote Overandabove1]@cathy889 hope all goes well for you 😊 I remember googling for hours about measurements and percentiles but looking back there was no need![/quote]
Thank you! 😊And yes I totally have done the same the past hours just Googling my head crazy, but will try and not worry and think too much about it.

My baby was below the 9th centile but it wasn't picked up on scans. I remember at my anomaly scan at 21 weeks baby was measuring 19 weeks but they never made any comments. I had extra scans for other complications but again it didn't get brought up. DD was 5lb12 when born at full term, absolutely beautiful and perfectly healthy, just petite. She still is now. Ive just found out I'm pregnant again and got told I'd be consultant led so extra apps and scans. I'm not worried, babies come in all sizes and can still be healthy x

@Jfb23

My baby was below the 9th centile but it wasn't picked up on scans. I remember at my anomaly scan at 21 weeks baby was measuring 19 weeks but they never made any comments. I had extra scans for other complications but again it didn't get brought up. DD was 5lb12 when born at full term, absolutely beautiful and perfectly healthy, just petite. She still is now. Ive just found out I'm pregnant again and got told I'd be consultant led so extra apps and scans. I'm not worried, babies come in all sizes and can still be healthy x

That's great I'm glad ur baby was perfectly fine. I hope that's the case for me too :) as I have read that smaller babies have higher rate of stillbirth which is a big nightmare, but hoping everything will be okay 🥰

Not in the uk but where I live, if they think baby will be less than 2.5kg at birth then birth must take place in hospital not at home. So might be same rule ??

@Rainbowqueeen

Not in the uk but where I live, if they think baby will be less than 2.5kg at birth then birth must take place in hospital not at home. So might be same rule ??

Yeah I'm sure it's the same in the uk. I have always planned to give birth in the hospital anyway as I feel it's safer in case of complications.

To add to last comment I did have some complications at birth (nothing to do with baby she was fine) and got taken to theatre so although a home birth is a lovely thought and I love the idea of it I will definitely be going to hospital to have this one too x

My baby consistently measured below the 10th centile during pregnancy and I had extra growth scans as well. I'm 5ft 2 and my partner is 5ft8 so I was always expecting a small baby! He was born a few weeks early at just under 5lb but perfectly healthy (I had low Papp a so early birth may have been because of this). He's now 18months and still smaller compared to his peers but completely expected given mine and my husbands heights 😊

I'm sure your baby will be absolutely fine and just take some comfort in any extra scans offered, I just enjoyed them as a chance too see my baby more often until he arrived! I'm pregnant with my second and I'm fully expecting to be told I have another small baby at my 20 week scan but won't be concerned xx

I had growth scans from 28 weeks as my baby was measuring small. She was born 5lb 3oz and was on the 2nd centile. I'm
Pregnant again and high risk so consultant lead this time abs they expect it to be a somilar situation induced at 37weeks again.

At our 20 week scan baby was measuring at about the 12th centile. Due to complications in previous pregnancy we then had regular growth scans. At 24 weeks we were told baby on below the 5th overall with head circumference below the 3rd. Next scan was back at the 12th. She gradually climbed up to the 50th on my personalised chart and consistently tracked that curve and was predicted to be about 6lb 10. She was born at 8lb 6!!

Trust me, I know how hard it is not to worry but try not to and especially try not to fixate on individual measurements as no matter how good the sonographer they are just estimates.

If you and your partner are both small find out what your birth weighs are.

I'm small but have large babies, as did my Mum and DGM. For small people it's usually the opposite though especially if being short is in both sides of the family!

@RandomMess

If you and your partner are both small find out what your birth weighs are.

I'm small but have large babies, as did my Mum and DGM. For small people it's usually the opposite though especially if being short is in both sides of the family!

My mom said I was about 8lb when I was born my partner was about 5lb. Hopefully baby will be ok even if she's a little one or she might turn out to be bigger than what they say:)

@Fleur405

At our 20 week scan baby was measuring at about the 12th centile. Due to complications in previous pregnancy we then had regular growth scans. At 24 weeks we were told baby on below the 5th overall with head circumference below the 3rd. Next scan was back at the 12th. She gradually climbed up to the 50th on my personalised chart and consistently tracked that curve and was predicted to be about 6lb 10. She was born at 8lb 6!!

Trust me, I know how hard it is not to worry but try not to and especially try not to fixate on individual measurements as no matter how good the sonographer they are just estimates.

Yeah trying not to think too much about it. Hearing everyone's stories gives me reassurance and calms me down. Happy ur baby climbed up got bigger eventually hope this is my case also. At my 20 week scan they never told me anything just said baby was small and told me to come back at 24 weeks for a growth scan and that's when they said she below 10th centile so was no referred to fetal medicine unit to see if baby is okay. Freaked me out a little bit but hopefully she's just small and everything else is ok :)

My baby was the 3rd centile for my height and weight (I'm 5ft 11), born at 6lb 7oz. I'm fairly sure she's at the top end of average now.

The pregnancy growth charts are based on you, the baby growth are based on general population (so I'd expect baby to be larger centiles just as we are both tall). I was 7lb 2oz when born but they didn't take my birth weight into consideration.

So long as baby is healthy thats all that matters.

@Dipsydoodlenoodle

My baby was the 3rd centile for my height and weight (I'm 5ft 11), born at 6lb 7oz. I'm fairly sure she's at the top end of average now.

The pregnancy growth charts are based on you, the baby growth are based on general population (so I'd expect baby to be larger centiles just as we are both tall). I was 7lb 2oz when born but they didn't take my birth weight into consideration.

So long as baby is healthy thats all that matters.

Yeah I agree with you. As long as they are healthy it's all okay. I must admit though that going to these scans now gives me a bit of anxiety, but I'm sure it's all fine and I'm just thinking too much about it.