Measuring Small

[Rachiefoo89]

Hello everyone, I'm new here!

My first child is due in November, a little boy. 😀

Anyway, a few weeks a go at my midwife appointment he was measuing small with the tape measure. I got referred for a growth scan and he was small but nothing concerning. His placenta was fine, he had plenty of fluid around him and his heartbeat and movements were all good.

Yesterday I was at the midwife again and was still measuring small, she said he was the same as last time. So again I have been referred for a growth scan. But that's not until Thursday. I was fine until last night and then I kept overthinking things and googling what a small baby meant. Now I'm worrying.

I have 2 CGT's before because the scan is outside of the 72 hour wait.

He's moving about plenty but I'm still worried.

Just wondering if anyone is in the same situation or has been in this situation before.
How accurate is using the tape measure and how accurate is the growth scan?

Also forgot to mention I have a 5cm fibroid so she said that could be making the measurements off a bit.

My last baby measured small on my bump and I had numerous growth scans due to this putting her around the 50th centile. People used to say I also had a tiny bump. She was born at 39weeks at 7lb 11 perfectly healthy x

I had a scan today, they managed to get me an earlier one. He's ever so slightly under the 10 percentile. She had to measure a few times because he's curled up. Back in 2 weeks time for another growth scan! She tested me for pre-eclampsia but all was okay! Placenta was fine and plenty fluid. He's about 3Ib 4oz I'm 31 +3 today.
Yeah I have a teeny little bump too!

Babies come in different shapes and sizes, just like adults do. Scans predicted my first would be big, she was born 7lb15oz at 41 weeks, she just had long legs. My 2nd was a little below average according to scans but was born below the 10th centile at 7lb at 40+6. I'm pregnant again and this time he's a baby elephant. Predicted at 9.5-10lb.
Honestly I think they're a rough guide, and it's more about whether baby sort of follows their curve, or whether they jump up or down the lines which could suggest a problem.
It's good to be monitored and I'm sure they'll keep you informed if they become worried etc x

Hi I’m going through the same thing as you, I’m 32 weeks today, at my last growth scan (due November also by the way!) he was measuring just below the 10th centile, 2.8lb estimated weight, I have my next scan on Thursday to see where he is up to and I’m deep down worried sick! I don’t know what this means for birth options etc but c-section has been mentioned in passing by two midwives now! Keep us updated if you can :)

My baby has been measuring small the full of my pregnancy (currently 40 weeks) had a few growth scans always at 10th percentile but my most recent scan baby has had a big spurt and now 30th percentile so not worried at all!
My sister got told she was having a small baby the full time then baby was born early at 9lb so I would take these scans with a pinch of salt they can be so inaccurate

I guess they have to check but they seem to get it wrong a lot! I'm glad that they're keeping an eye on him though. He's been moving around plenty etc so I'm not overly worried now, just worrying when the midwife keeps referring me and it makes you wonder why.

Hello Georgia.
I was 31 weeks and they said he was about 3Ib 4oz. But she also couldn't get an accurate measurement because he was curled up. She did measure a few times to make sure. He was just under the 10th percentile too but she marked him on it because it wasn't much off.
I'll keep you updated. I'm back on Monday for another scan at around 3pm then midwife on the Thursday.
A C-section was mentioned for me as well. But it has been since the start because of the fibroid and placenta previa so I've kind of got used to the idea now. He's also breech. I don't mind having a C-section if it means he gets here in the safest way possible.

Yeah, I heard they get it wrong quite a lot. It doesn't seem like the most accurate way to measure. (the scan and the tape)
I guess we'll just see when our babies are born!

Update.
I just came back from my scan. He's still on the 10th percentile. He's about 3Ib 15oz now so he has grown 11 oz since my last scan 2 weeks ago.

I have to go back for yet another scan in 2 weeks time. Also have to see a specialist got my placenta as it's low.

Hi there OP. Glad your scan went well today and he's gaining. Do reassure yourself that some baby has to be on the 10th percentile, and it is within the range of normal especially if he's tracking his line.

But I would also take fundal measurements/scans with a pinch of salt - I have friends who were told that their babies were whoppers but which turned out to be perfectly average weights, and I know one person in particular who was told that her baby wasn't growing and it was really serious, left work early etc etc for daily scans, only to deliver a baby that weighed several lbs more than she'd been led to expect. It's not an exact science.

My fundal height (the measurement they do with the tape measure on your bump) didn't change after 32 weeks which had professionals concerned (and people commenting that they'd expected me to be massive and I wasn't, which is... not really a compliment when you're trying to grow a human). I had a few growth scans but my baby was born 6lb 4 and perfectly healthy. She was breech and sitting very low in my pelvis so that may have had something to do with the measurement being off.

My bump measured small for my entire pregnancy with my first, I was never referred for a growth scan. I was induced at 40+5, she weighed 6lb and half an oz when born, so she was small but she was perfectly healthy

Hey all. It's been a while. I thought I'd share an update. I had my baby boy Finley Eli on 20th November via emergency C-section.

I was induced on the 19th but it didn't work after the 3rd gel. On the morning of the 20th they checked baby on monitor and his heart rate kept dipping so they were talking about a C-section then but when the Dr came to see how dilated I was he accidentally broke my waters so I was took the the delivery room where baby was monitored and I was on a drip to start contractions. At 8 in the Sunday night i was only 3cm dilated and baby's heart rate kept dipping so they took me in for a C-section. He was born just before 9 and weighed 7Ib so not a small baby at all.
He spent a few days in the NICU as he stopped breathing. His lungs had air around them and he needed oxygen. He responded well to treatment. He's 10 weeks old today and at his last weigh in he was 10Ib 4oz.

@Rachiefoo89 so glad your baby is well now ❤️