Aspirin after small baby?

[Whathefisgoingon]

I’ve just had my booking appointment and the system triggered a recommendation of aspirin starting at 12 weeks, following my sons birth at 6lbs3. Absolutely was not expecting this and had never heard of it!

Thing is, the placenta/flow etc was all checked as was baby at a scan around 37 weeks and there was never any concerns re growth. I dramatically reduced my dietary intake of carbohydrates from week 36/37 and I believe that is why baby was born smaller, but is 6lbs3 really that small!?

Anyway, I said I don’t want to take aspirin unless something shows there is a need for it at the scan etc.

Anyone had this before or have any more info?

I'm following with interest as my baby boy was born at 5lb 13oz at 39 weeks. Nothing has been said to me regarding his low birth weight in any of my follow up appointments and nothing regarding any complications with placenta/cord etc. We haven't decided if we're going to have another one yet but it is a concern of mine that I will have another small baby!

I took aspirin in my second and third pregnancies due to small for dates and prem babies. Managed to get to 38 weeks and the dizzy heights of 6lb 12 Oz with my 3rd, that was a good weight for me. I definitely think the aspirin made a big difference.

@Yorkiemum89 nothing was said to me when my son was born either! I knew 6lbs was small but I didn’t think it was worryingly small!

@MissyB1 presumably they had picked up and reported on growth problems during your scans in the smaller pregnancy?

There were never any issues with mine, baby always on track.

Yes in my first pregnancy I was diagnosed IUGR, second pregnancy I was on aspirin and monitored closely, they kept saying everything was ok, then I had him at 37 weeks weighing 4lb 7oz.

I wouldn’t say your baby was particularly small for full term 🤔

That's so interesting as it's actually always been one of those things at the back of my mind - as I did feel that he was so much smaller than they predicted. Just simply nothing said at all from anyone! I hope you get on ok with whatever you decide! Keep us updated :)

I'm currently taking aspirin. I was told it was to help increase blood flow to the placenta. I have been told I have low levels of Papp-a which can cause restriction on the blood flow to the placenta and low birth weight. I never understand why people want to pick and choose doctors advice. You can't know for sure the reason you had a baby with low birth weight is because of reduced carbs. 6lb is small for a baby. Aspirin won't do any harm if you do take it so why wouldn't you just take it?

@chezpopbang aspirin can definitely do harm! I’m not one to go against doctors advice but smashing aspirin only due to the fact that my previous baby was 6lbs3 seems like an unreasonable precaution at this stage.

mine was 6lb as weight tailed off following reduced movements and was 9th centile based on my charts. Suppose it depends on your centile charts during pregnancy?

I’m pregnant again and not been told to take anything just a few extra growth scans but I’m already worried that this one will be small as measuring below 10th for bump etc so will need to see what scans show.

Smashing aspirin. It's one a day.

Hello,

Both my children (10&11) were born at 41+3 weeks, both weighing 6lb15.

With my second nothing was mentioned regarding aspirin. Although this was 10 years ago.

I just had my 12 week scan and the hospital pulled me aside and said I needed to take aspirin due to their sizes.

After quite a lot of research and speaking to mums I know who took aspirin, there appears no risk to taking the low dose of aspirin. If there was an issue then the aspirin will help increase baby size. If there wasn't an issue and you just have small babies then apparently it won't make any difference and baby will again be small.

This is a baby with a different father. I am happy to take the low dose. Anything to help have a healthy baby.

At the end of the day it is always your choice. ☺️

@nicolay297 thanks for the reply. I suppose it just seems strange to do if the baby is measuring fine? I would understand if they seemed small again on scans.

I’ve just read the NICE guidelines and it states the threshold to be babies born under the 10th centile.

@Whathefisgoingon what harm can aspirin do?

Yes, both of mine are flagged as 1st centile.

I am quite petite and so is their dad so they didn't seem concerned at the time. I had regular scans from 30 weeks. Every scan they said baby looked good and placenta was working well.

This was 10 odd years ago now.

My baby was born at 40 + 2, she was 6lbs 1oz. Had booking appointment last week and they said no issues. I am small ish myself and was only 6lbs 7 at birth.

I'm sure she said my baby was around 9th centile which she still is 3 years later and they look at under 5th centile. Will see what they say at 12 week scan x

Was gestation was he born at? Term can be anything from 37 weeks to 42, 6lb3 isn’t really small for 37-38 weeks but would be for 40-42.

On what basis do you think your carb intake was responsible? I had an IUGR baby and the consultant was clear it was nothing to do with what I’d eaten or drank and I couldn’t affect anything by increasing or decreasing my own calories intake in the third trimester. Babies are literally parasites. If the placenta and cord is healthy they’ll take what they need from your body.

@Tryingtoconceivenumber2 interesting. Mine was born 40+6 at 6lbs3 and it was the system that triggered it, not even the midwife’s suggestion. I’m not sure why it didn’t do the same for you, as I’d expect it to.

@Moancup There was talk of suspected GD at around 37 weeks, at which point I dropped carbs out completely. Until that point every scans growth indicated baby would be over 7lbs. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that that changed when I drastically reduced calories and carbs.

There were no concerns with growth or cord/placenta at the last scan I had around 37 weeks, so how can it have been a growth problem to do with the cord etc?

@Moancup i think this is the point. My baby wasn’t a IUGR baby, absolutely nothing mentioned about this at all and no suggestion that baby was small until 4 years later at booking appt for 2nd baby.

My first baby was induced due to being SGA. He was 5 pounds 5 at 37 weeks. Currently expecting DC2 and have been on aspirin since 12 weeks. This one measuring lots bigger and it has been a far less problematic pregnancy, which is possibly a coincidence. Like you, my placenta seemed fine throughout my first pregnancy so we're not sure why he was so tiny and eventually dropped off the charts for some measurements. DC2 is on the 62nd centile; whether or not that has to do with the aspirin I don't know, but the benefits seemed to outweigh the risks for me. DC1 had a few issues due to his size and induction. I wanted to avoid that this time around.

My first baby was effected by IUGR and I had regular growth scans. They estimated a 4lb baby, but was born 5lb. There was no known cause and the placenta blood flow was fine too. In my second pregnancy I was put on low dose aspirin and my second baby was just over 7lb. I don’t know if the aspirin made a difference, but there was a clear difference in my babies birth weights. Taking the aspirin had no negative effects.

Ah yes that is small, I would take the aspirin. Chart says he was on 2nd centile ish.

My point was even with extreme growth restriction maternal diet isn’t a factor. High caffeine intake or cocaine yes would be, but I’d be sceptical that dropping carbs was an issue.