Small Baby - Stories/ Reassurance

[Tigerlily08]

Hello ladies,

A little background, I'm T1 Diabetic 29 weeks pregnant with my 2nd baby. My first was born at 38 weeks weighing 8lb 10 and it was a very 'typical' Diabetic Pregnancy - she tracked large on every growth scan.

I had my first growth scan and follow up today and they're concerned my 2nd is very small, I think the consultant said she was on the 3rd centile (DD1 was tracking on 98th centile at this stage). I've had a lot of issues with my blood sugars being low this pregnancy, but the endocrinologist didn't think that would explain a small baby. I've just been started on an insulin pump so hoping that the hypos will be reduced massively.

All the other readings were normal, including the placenta and cord blood flow. I've got to go back for another growth scan in 2 weeks to see if she is growing, just on a lower centile curve.

Anyone had similar and would be willing to share stories? Did your baby's grow or did you have to deliver early? If so, how early?

TIA x

Thanks!

Hi,

I am in pretty much the same position as you. Currently 32+3, I was told last week that baby is on the 3rd centile. I’ve been referred to foetal medicine. I also have another growth scan in 2 weeks to see if she’s growing on the 3rd centile.

I am also getting CTG’s twice a week to make sure she’s okay in general.

It’s really scary and I spent the whole weekend distraught. Unfortunately I can’t give you a positive story as I am going through this right now but hopefully are babies grow and are just born smaller than your average baby.

Stay strong! It will be a tough journey but we have to trust that we’re in good hands

@Clomid1 ahh fingers crossed! Is your baby moving well? I was surprised as I literally feel like she is beating me up from the inside! They've told me to be extra vigilant with movements and go to triage if at all concerned.

Have they said anything to you about early delivery or just playing it by ear? It's going to be a long 2 weeks for both of us I think x

My baby was born on the 3rd centile for my height/weight.

35 weeks she was measuring small

37 weeks measuring normal

38+6 weeks measuring small (they couldn't be sure if she'd stopped growing or if 37 weeks had overestimated - as the curve followed the 35 weeks curve) anyway...

39 weeks i was induced. Baby born 6lb 7oz (3rd centile for me and about 25th centile according to the red book)...now at 5 months old shes about the 91st centile (red book) - she had a huge growth spurt around 3-4 months and the healthy visitors now think shes where she should have been from the beginning. Shes 91st centile for weight and between 91-95th centiles for height. Shes definitely one of the taller babies at baby class!

I meant to add, despite baby being small she was very strong inside with plenty movement. When the midwife first listened to her heartbeat at 24 weeks she kicked the midwife who commented it was a very strong kick for so 'young'. Shes been so strong on the outside too haha.

I had a small baby. Her growth dropped down the centiles at every scan and there were some issues with my cord flow, despite taking asprin. I also developed pregnancy induced hypertension at the end of my pregnancy. I was advised to induce at 39w, which was booked, but she made her own appearance at 38w. She was 5lbs 12oz, which was bigger than predicted by a couple of ozs. She's 10months now and since weaning has gone to between the 9th and 25th centile, but she is long and slight in her frame so I'm not expecting her to massively jump up.

One thing to be aware of with tiny babies is that they can be very sleepy after birth. I had to deliberately wake mine to feed or else she just wasnt interested. Then once she got a bit bigger, we got into a more "normal" routine, as in she would recognise that she was hungry and wake.

DS who is now 18 was born just below the 3rd centile
He was my first and the scans didn't pick up he was small or, as my midwife said, maybe he stopped growing and so I was only told baby was likely to be very small around 9 days before I gave birth.
No health issues, he's very slim 5 ft 5 tall and completely healthy.
My others were all similar weights but with them I had loads of growth scans to track if they were just growing slowly or losing the weight towards the end. They're all perfectly healthy as well.

I should add he was born 5lb 3oz but didn't drop any weight after birth and had a steady weight gain which if I remember correctly was half a pound gained every fortnight.

@Tigerlily08 i have an anterior placenta. The kicks and movement are not as strong as you’d have with a posterior placenta but she is definitely moving around. Doesn’t help that this is my first pregnancy in which I’ve made it past 7 weeks. This is why I am glad I have the ctg’s twice a week. Every day is spent praying and hoping she’ll get through another day. It’s so depressing.

i’ve been told they’ll monitor her growth and the ctgs and if they are concerned they’ll deliver. But they are hoping she’ll just continue to grow and if thats the case they’ll induce between 37 and 40 weeks.

My hospital bags are packed and ready! Just taking it a week at a time.

How are you feeling about it all emotionally? Are you coping over? Try not to stress too much ( advise I should really take myself) as that’s not good for the baby. At the moment your focus should be that baby is healthy and still with you, take it a day at a time.

Thank you all for your positive stories, it has reassured me somewhat and I am hopeful that the next scan shows growth.

@Clomid1 I'm flitting between rational and irritational to be honest - I've struggled so much with my mental health surrounding my diabetes this pregnancy, feeling guilty whenever my blood sugars are high of low and convincing myself that I will do harm to my baby. My last pregnancy I was fine so it is frustrating.

The fact that our babies are merrily moving around is a great sign, and the CTGs twice-weekly mean they're keeping a really close eye which is also fab. Please keep me updated x

My first was predicted to be 'big' at our 37 week growth scan they told me she was already 7lb but was born at 41 weeks weighing a very average 7lb15oz, my second measured slightly below average and was born at 41 weeks weighing 7lb, but we had an issue with the cord/placenta which wasn't diagnosed until birth. My eldest is tall with a big head (hence why they said she was big on the scan) and my 2nd is petite all over.

This time I'll have growth scans again due to my second being 'small' but to be honest, it's very hard for them to judge babies size by the scans, if it's got a big/small head/femur length the measurements could be out.

Not sure my response is massively helpful, but just wanted to show how the scans can be off x

My son was measuring 2nd centile on the growth scan. He was born after PPROM a couple of days after the growth scan and born 34+4 weeks, at a heathy 4lbs 11oz which was a healthy weight for his gestation. He spent 2 weeks on SCBU but he had no problems, he just had to be tube fed for a while until he could feed

I had growth scans for different reasons but DD was measuring small but still followed the curve on around the 9th centile. I was induced for various reasons and she was born at 37+2 weighing 5lbs 14oz, otherwise she's perfectly healthy but she lost quite a bit of weight after. She's only just reached her birth weight at 3 weeks old and is still in tiny baby stuff

My daughter was born at 2nd percentile, with no prior indication. She actually dropped down to 0.4th, but combi feeding eventually resolved that. She's now almost 2 years old, measuring around 70th percentile. She knows her own mind and not her limits 🤣. Her new favourite word is no and she's pretty stubborn too. She loves being read to and will pretend to read to her toys. I've completely lost track of how many words she knows and she'll talk in short sentences. She can even count up to 13. She's perfectly happy and healthy.
I'm pregnant again (will probably have 2 under 2, just!) and am having growth scans this time around. No. 2 seems to be a more normal weight.

@Tigerlily08 hey! How are you? I have my scan this week on Friday, when is yours? Absolutely petrified just hoping she’s grown even if it is on the 3rd centile.

I’m sorry to hear about your struggles with mental health. This situation doesn’t make it any easier. 🥺 I genuinely hope that things improve for the both of us. Good luck.

@Clomid1 I have everything crossed for you! Mine is on 10th May. Hoping as my sugars have been better (way less hypos) she will have moved up the centiles or is growing on the 3rd but we will see.

I'm feeling calmer than I was, I have got bits for the hospital bag now so I think being more prepared is helping. How are you doing? X

@Tigerlily08 Glad to hear you’re feeling a bit better.

My scan on Friday is with a sonographer. I also have an appointment on 10th to see a specialist in foetal medicine.

Hoping both of us get a bit of good news.

With your little one what is on the 3rd centile? For me its the abdominal circumference. I’ve added my measurements on the screenshot.

@Clomid1 I believe it's her overall weight but I'm not 100% sure - they didn't actually mention anything specific. I feel like I've popped out a bit more so I'm hoping that's a good sign and she is still moving like she's having a mosh pit inside me! It does seem like time has stood still though, I'm sure you're feeling the same waiting for Friday! X

Good luck today @Clomid1 I'm thinking of you! Let me know how you get on x

@Tigerlily08 thank you 😊. It’s later today will come back and update you regardless of how it goes 🥺. Trying to keep positive but also super nervous.
My foetal medicine appointment was rearranged to Monday as well so I one day earlier than before.

@Tigerlily08 Things have gone well today. She’s growing. All the measurements have changed again but it was abdominal circumference they were worried about and thats gone up to 16th percentile. Head has dropped to 5th percentile but she didn’t seem concerned. I still have my foetal medicine appointment which has now been moved to Monday morning. I’ll keep you posted.

@Clomid1 that's great news! I'm so pleased for you. I believe they're only generally concerned when they consistently stay below the 10th centile so amazing that she has climbed so well up the centiles ❤️

@Tigerlily08 They’ve booked me in for a scan at 36 weeks. I’ll let you know how that goes. Things I did differently was drink 2 to 3 litres of water a day. 2 cups of whole milk, had eggs everyday, protein cereal bars, consumed more dairy and protein in general. My doctor had said it was nothing to do with nutrition but I thought why not so I tried it. My husband is still convinced the sonographer last time didn’t measure properly. He doesn’t think a jump of 13 centiles is possible?

We’re nearly there for Tuesday. We’re on count down so hold in there.

I had a scare with DD when they told me she had dropped to the 9th centile (with no notice; she'd been measuring fine up until then). Cue big panic, lots of talk about delivering early, IUGR, etc. - to cut a very long story short, she was born at 6lb14 at full term. The doc said she thinks that sonographer just got it wrong.

Not sure if that's helpful, but just wanted to say not to put too much faith in the scans - they're not gospel. Wishing you the best of luck

@Tigerlily08 Foetal medicine have confirmed that the 3rd centile measurement was a mistake. She’s actually on the 16th centile. But she said given my ethnic background she is happy with it.

wishing you the best of luck for tomorrow. Hoping you get similar good news. Fingers crossed for you.