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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Baby's head measuring big!

13 replies

ecossegirl91 · 02/09/2022 11:34

I had a scan at 31+4 for my low lying placenta (its moved, yay) and whilst there the sonographer measured head circumference, abdominal circumference and femur length - but she done it so fast. The whole appointment was like 5 mins and baby was moving around a lot.

She said everything looked good, normal, brain was 'lovely' but when I checked the head measurement (317mm) - thats like 95th percentile or something? The tummy is around 60ish and I dont have a note of the femur.

Baby itself weighed like 4lb 1oz which is normal too - should I be worried about the head? Got myself in to a tizz about dwarfism or other skeletal issues but then the logical part of my brain kicks in that if the sonographer was concerned she would have said something/referred me/booked another scan - right?

Maybe they just have a big head!

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Aubyone · 02/09/2022 14:00

Hi, I know seeing 90 something percentile always feels weird, but know that it's still within a healthy, normal range. They absolutely would have said if there was anything to be worried about.

I fully emphasise, our baby (just over 35weeks) is measuring on the smaller side overall (16th percentile weight wise on a recent scan, with short femur and lowish percentile abdomen) - but with a massive head! (95 percentile). This takes his head/abdomen ratio off the scale, but I've asked several people now (2 sonographers, 2 midwives) whether there's anything to be worried about and they are all very very confident that this is still normal, and some babies just have bigger heads.

Try not to worry (but baby buy a bigger hat!) x

PeanuttyButter · 02/09/2022 14:27

I don't have an answer I'm afraid.
Except I had a scan this week at my baby's head and femur is in the 7th centile and body 60th. Nobody has any answers except watch and wait. I mean there's nothing they can do is there really except wait xx

Cakeandslippers · 02/09/2022 14:36

I don't know too much about this but I know both mine were similar, they are now 2 and 3 and still have huge heads... both wearing hats in age 6-9. They are very healthy and look totally fine they just have big heads for their age!

FannyFifer · 02/09/2022 15:06

When my baby's head measured big, the Dr laughed, looked at my DH and said just like daddy.

Hatscats · 02/09/2022 20:30

Mine was born with a head on the 98th centile, she was 75th for weight, and 40th for length. She’s evened up now at nearly 2!
I’ve got a big head myself and I’m short 😂

Tangfastic91 · 02/09/2022 20:42

Take all ultrasound measurements with a pinch of salt. I had one at 33 weeks for low placenta, head barely fit on the viewing screen and was coming out at 98th percentile 😬, plus with the 1/2lb a week general rule for last week's of pregnancy I was on for a 9lber if I went to term. Baby was born on his due date, 7lb 8oz with a 50th percentile head!

toooldtodate · 02/09/2022 20:45

Babies grow head down so the head is always on a higher centile

Original poster

ecossegirl91 · 02/09/2022 22:14

Ok thanks everyone! Hopefully it’s just a big head and I’ll stock up on bigger hats!

ill take some comfort from not being referred or asked back and that the sonographer said it was ok!

OP posts:

Babyenroute · 03/09/2022 07:45

I had my 32 week growth scan on Monday and had the same worries as you until I did a bit of googling and saw it was relatively common. The sonographer also didn't worry.
My baby also weighed an estimated 4pounds 1 oz, head was on the 98th percentile but overall it was only on the 20th percentile so it has a far smaller body!

MandaLynn · 03/09/2022 08:36

Just buy bigger hats! The first thing the midwife said when DS was born was "wow he's got a big head". 3yo now and wearing 6-9yr old hats.

Oysterbabe · 03/09/2022 09:38

My son's head is 98th centile. He just has a big head 😂 If everything looks normal then please don't worry.

Loulou1712 · 03/09/2022 10:47

As other's have said they'd have referred you if they were concerned.
I had a growth scan yesterday and babies measuring 97th centile which is estimated at 10lb at fullterm with his head measuring 3.5weeks bigger than my dates. Looks like there's a few of us in the big head club 😂

Weathergirl1 · 03/09/2022 12:52

My DS was born with a head over the 99th centile! It was slightly mis-shapen too - they all flapped about saying he was abnormal when we were on postnatal - not what you want to hear as first time parents 🙄. My DH has a huge head and when we saw a paediatrician in outpatients a few weeks later, his first suggestion was to dig out baby photos of my DH - he said always look at the parents before suggesting there's a problem. Lo and behold it was the same head shape (funny no-one batted an eyelid about it in the early 1980s!). DS is still over 99th centile for head circumference now and is in 5-6yr sunhat. His head filled out to be exactly the same shape as my DH's.

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