28 weeks and baby measuring at 10th percentile

[Ambern7]

Does anyone know if I should be worried at this point? They are doing another growth scan in 2 weeks, I’m not sure what to think.

Did you have a scan at 28 weeks or was this just a bump measurement? Either way it’s not really a massive worry imo, both are pretty inaccurate in general and then some babies are just small.

@Hufflepods Thank you for the reassurance. The bump was measuring on the 3rd percentile so they sent me for a growth scan and baby measured 10th on the scan. I was wondering how accurate these things are.

How big are you and dad. They were always super stressed that my baby was small, and then I spoke to the consultant when she was delivered, and he was like “oh of course you’d have a low percentile baby, you’re a just over 5 foot woman having a baby with a 5”7 man…

I wouldn't worry, still long way to go. I had regular growth scans at 32,36 and 38 weeks. At 32 and 36 baby was following just slightly above 10 centile and at 38 weeks jumped to nearly 50th centile gaining 600g in 2 weeks, reaching 3.4kg😬A bit worried as my last daughter was born term time 3.7 kg, it's on heavy side for me, just over week to go to find out. A lot can change in last month, I take those scan measurements with pinch of salt, they are rarely accurate.

My brother was born only 45 cm long stretched out. My mum is 5ft tall with size 2 feet. He was never going to be an average length baby.

It really depends on you and your families genetics.

10% of babies have to be on the 10th percentile.

Are you and your partner tall?

They were worried about my second babies growth. She was growing slower than that. They induced me early due to concerns. I am not a small person and my first child was 10lbs so they were very stressed about it.
However she was born completely healthy. She was 6.5lbs which is small I suppose but not worryingly so.
They were so concerned about it before tho I was really panicked thinking she was going to die or something.
I dont think its completely accurate. The scans are more accurate than just by feel obviously but even the scans can be massively out.

10th percentile is ok OP. I know it's a worry though.

Both mine were SGA, DD1 born 4th percentile for weight, and DD2 on the 9th percentile.

Both thriving primary school aged girls but skinny and petite still!

My DS measured on the 10th percentile at every growth scan. They said they weren’t worried unless he dropped under the 10th. When he was born he was around the 50th percentile so not very accurate.
With my DD the measurements were pretty accurate so I guess it just depends.
If there not worried I wouldn’t worry, as long as they keep following the 10th percentile.

My oldest is now a teenager.
He still still around the 5th-10th centile.
He is strong, fit, happy and healthy.
Just not particularly tall ( I'm his tallest parent at 5'7) and built like a whippet - unlike his Mum!

If you and Dad aren't particularly large it may well just be who he is, and doesn't need to be an issue.
If you and Dad are 6'+, or a previous scans have baby much larger, there is something to investigate further, or at least keep a very close eye on.

Some babies are just small and 10% will be 10th percentile or below. It’s more about consistency and not moving too drastically between percentiles or being off the chart small. Although my daughter had one scan where they measured wrong, which caused stress for no reason. My granddaughter was 2nd percentile, but both parents are small and the midwife in charge commented that she was a perfect size given that.

Thanks everyone for your responses, definitely made me feel a lot better about it. We aren’t particularly small, DH is 6ft 1 and I’m 5ft 4. DC1 was born smallish on 16th percentile. Just hoping that the next growth scan is consistent and hasn’t gone down.

@Ambern7

Its mothers size more so than father as you have to carry the baby. It sound like you have small babies maybe because the gap between your ribs and pelvis is not that big. Doesnt mean you should worry just means there is not a lot of room for them to be long especially when they tend to be head down for birth. They can still be chunky. My brother was 45cm and 7lbs 4. He was 11lb 4 weeks after birth
😊

@Bacon88 exactly babies can catch up very fast in first months. I have 11and 13 years old girls, both one of the tallest in their class and grow with consistent speed, both were born average size. Their dad is tall 6.3 I'm average 5'4 so there is only as much as I can carry, DNA determine everything later in life anyway.

10% of babies will be. It's only a worry if there are other things going on e.g. proportions not as they should be, suspected placental insufficiency etc.

Fwiw my eldest was 10thcentile. My boys were 3rd (twins are generally smaller). All totally healthy. I'm a fairly small person so nobody seemed at all surprised.

Having growth scans for current pregnancy (because my other 3 have been small). Theyalways offer them just in case, but for the cast majority all it tells you is that you've got a slightly small baby.

Also worth noting - most babies lose weight after birth. But none of mine did. They fed a lot and very soon caught up with other babies. My eldest is still quite petite, but my boys certainly aren't! 4 year age gap and they are only 2kg lighter than her now.

I was 7lb when I was born almost 2 weeks overdue. I was tallest in my class until boys hit the teenage growth spurt, I'm 5ft 8. All of my family are 5ft 8 are over but all around 7lb at birth, always late. I have a friend who's babies always track high, but she goes into labour naturally at 36/37 weeks and gives birth to 7.5/8lb babies. People definitely make certain sized babies and cook them at different rates. As long as growth doesn't drop off it should be fine!

Thanks everyone. Really good to hear the stories of baby’s catching up! DC1 although small when born is now very tall for their age!