Baby measuring small

[MamaFoxToBe]

Currently in hospital due to high blood pressure at a routine midwife appointment yesterday. Got sent for a scan this morning and baby is measuring behind and is at the bottom of my growth chart 😫 consultant said the placenta and everything is fine, he might just be small. I'm 34weeks +1day. She did mention the possibility of getting him out at 37 weeks if another scan in a week's time doesn't show any growth. Anyone else been in a similar position? Can't stop crying because I had a miscarriage just before this pregnancy so have been really worried throughout and now I'm terrified that something is going to be wrong.

I am learning lots about small babies as I'm on my second one. What's more, I'm pretty sure we're under the same hospital - what are the odds, hey? (Though I'm also under another smaller hospital for scans and some appointments but baby will be born in the hospital you're at as they have the facility to care for baby if they need extra support.)

I'm very similar to you in that baby looks small but everything else looks ok, though in my case with this baby they've looked small all the way from 20 weeks! From what I've been told, of everything else looks ok then baby probably is ok, and they won't want to deliver too early as even if baby's not growing the lungs and so on will be developing. But if baby's not growing then they'll want them out at around 37 weeks as they should be fully developed so there's no real benefit then to keeping them in. My midwife told me that these babies then generally do really well and put on loads of weight!

I'm sure you've been told this but it is really important to pay attention to movements. (I wish I had £1 for every time I've been told this!)

Hopefully it's a false alarm and when you go in next week baby will have grown loads.

Given we're under the same hospital you're welcome to PM me if you'd like!

Thank you, will PM you now, I'm also usually at the smaller hospital too for my appointments x

My son was smaller at the scans, at week 34-35 I had two scans that week which showed no growth. Had my induction at 35 weeks and then emergency c-section.

born healthy with no issues and didn’t need NICU. We are about to turn 1 in 19 days time and he’s still smaller than most babies his age but developing ahead of his peers.

You need to remove the sonographer's name from the bottom of your report on the photo.

How do I do that? Can't find an option edit my post

My little girl was born at 37 weeks, I was induced for a different reason and it was never picked up how tiny she was during pregnancy, even though I had extra scans. I had LOTS of extra checks due to other complications and no issues were ever picked up. She was born weighing below the 10th centile, but perfectly healthy. Still tiny and healthy now at 25 months.

I had a small baby. She dropped down the growth curves all through the scans. She ended up being born at 37+5 and weighed 5lbs 12oz. For me, the issue was my blood pressure - i had been taking asprin throughout my pregnancy and when i stopped at 36w, my bp went suddenly very high. I was advised to induce at 39w but i actually went into labour spontaneously at 37+4w.

My DD did need a NICU stay but that was unrelated to her size (she got an infection during the labour and developed sepsis). With small babies, they can be very sleepy and don't want to wake to feed. But obviously they need to feed lots to catch up their weight. So i found it helpful to set loads of alarms on my phone so that if she hadn't woken for a feed, i would wake her to feed. I also ended up combi feeding to help her gain weight (she dropped below 0.4th centile at one point) but i know other tiny babies who have been fine just breastfed (if that's what you choose to do).

Good luck - it can be scary having a tiny baby but as pp have said, lots of them go on to absolutely thrive. DD is 13months, on 25th centile and doing really well! Fingers crossed for a good outcome for you too 💐

Thank you all and glad your little ones are all okay. I've got to have another growth scan in 2 weeks so hopefully he has a big growth spurt 🤞 also have to go and see specialists in Cardiff but hopefully he stays in as long as possible x

Hi I was induced at 37+4 with my
First and she was
Born 2nd centile 5lb 3oz.

Currently 33 weeks and baby has gone from 30th centile to 5th centile from 28 to 33 weeks so looks like I will
Be induced early again. That's fine by me, my daughter had no health issues and no NICU stay.

I've attached my chart. The 3rd growth scan isn't on there...but it was 2 weeks after the final dot and in the same weight place. They couldn't be sure she hadn't grown or if the previous scan had overestimated (most likely scenario)...

She was born on the 9th centile for weight (50th for height)...she's now 8 months old now and measuring 98th centile for height and 99.5th centile for height - she's done a lot of growing haha. Both myself and dad are tall, so we expected her to be tall)

Hello, my baby was measuring very small at 27 weeks and had stopped moving, placental issues… it was a nightmare as I had to deliver him then. However, he has just turned 2 and is a cheeky clever boy!
I am only writing to offer support, as if you did have to deliver him early modern medicine is amazing these days. The hospitals will know what they are doing and babies can catch up, if they aren’t getting what they need inside then they are better to be out. Mine was measuring 10th percentile but caught up to 50th by his due date.
I would have loved to even keep him up to 30 weeks…. so try not to worry x

My measurements were similar. About 2/3 weeks behind. I was induced at 38 weeks, baby born 6lb 8oz x