Growth scan- normal femur and head, massive belly

[user29863]

I had a growth scan earlier this week and I can't stop obsessing over the results. Previous babies very normal weights (7lb each at full term), this baby is the same gender, DH and I aren't tall, no diabetes, BMI was 24.7 at booking which is on the heavy side for me but far from obese. Growth scan said baby has normal leg and head measurements (37th centile) but an abdomen measuring off the charts. They're pushing for a c-section or induction and I just feel completely thrown by it all. I'm petrified of having an 11lber and keep crying thinking about her tiny newborn clothes she won't get to wear (I realise this is silly and the least of my worries!). I also feel rather irrationally sad that I am going to 'miss' the sweet, teeny newborn stage- my others weren't pushing 10lbs until about 6 weeks but looks like I won't even get that this time.

I know I should be very glad baby is fine and I am but my hormones are raging and I'm very frightened about the control they seem to want to exert over my birth now (previous births all natural).

Does anyone know if 1) it is at all possible the abdominal measurement is just completely wrong and the others are accurate?
2) Whether such a huge abdominal measurement for what seems to be an otherwise average-sized baby means she will be so fat her shoulders get stuck?

I do have an appointment on Friday to follow up from today's findings but I can't stop worrying and thinking about it.

My second dd had all sorts of strange scan measurements. At one point she had a massive abdominal measurement and three weeks later her legs and head had grown but tummy had shrunk. That caused an extra scan to check blood was flowing correctly because they were concerned she was using energy stores to grow instead of getting it freshly from me. I had scans every few weeks at that stage because they then got concerned about all sorts of measurements. I came to the conclusion they just aren’t that accurate.

By the time she was born they were predicting over 8lbs but she came out as 6lbs 2oz - but with extremely long legs and everything perfectly fine and normal. She still has long legs, her weight is about 50th percentile and height is in the 90s.

Oh bless you, pregnancy is such a worrying time!
I was told my baby was expected to weigh 6lbs a week before he was born... he was 9lbs13oz.

I guess I'm just trying to say, please don't take these measurements to heart. If there wa something to worry about, you would know!

Our newborn's abdominal measurements were off the charts. In the end he turned out to have a generous tummy, he was long and n 75th centile. I don't think we tried newborn clothes but 1m clothes were fine. Was told later I probably should have been tested for GD.

And he was 8lb, relatively big but he was fine! Please don't worry.

In my last pregnancy my baby was measuring huge and my belly was massive she was born under 7lb! I think the measurements can be really off. I was having 2 weekly scans too.

My LO had a large tummy with everything else in proportion and this was taken as a potential symptom of me having gestational diabetes so I commenced blood sugar monitoring.

He was born perfect, although with the help of forceps (due to position not size) and in newborn sizes for a few weeks.

My DD’s tummy was also off the charts, she did end up being 9lb 2 so fairly big but not 11 pounds! They tested me for GD but I didn’t seem to have it. I ended up with forceps but that was only because of her position, plenty of women birth much larger babies with no issues. They were also concerned her femurs were far too small at one point but all was fine so i’d always take the measurements with a pinch of salt.

Thanks so much, I needed to hear this! I knew going in that the measurements aren't always correct but they've really scared me, particularly the tone of the midwife going from really cheery to suddenly incredibly serious. I'm scared to eat anything with even a hint of sugar in now too which is probably mad as I doubt I can change anything with only a few weeks to go.

Hi
how far along are you? I had growth scans all the way through due to high fluid and there was always talk of inducing me. At every scan my baby’s femurs measured small and I drove myself insane googling everything and became completely obsessed that something was wrong as my partner is 6’3 and I have a boy. I did end up needing to be induced but not because of any concern just because my waters had broken but I didn’t naturally go in labour (I was 41+2). Anyway when he was born he actually has very long legs and everyone comments on how long he is so the complete opposite to what the growth scans suggested. I would try not to get overly obsessive over it, I did and it ruined things for me. Like you I started thinking about things that are not even important like clothes etc. x

with my youngest son a scan at 36 weeks they predicted he was around 7lbs.. he was born at 41 weeks 7lb 13 😃

My DD had large abdominal measurements which suggested she was a LGA baby. I did lots of research while deciding how to deliver her, and a big tummy is easier to deliver than a large head circumference- the tummy is squidgy.

She was born weighing less than predicted by the scans.

I has a baby measuring "very small", would definitely be 6lbs or less apparently. He was 1 day early and 8lbs7oz, hardly small and predicted now to be 6ft3! 3rd baby had large stomach and induced partly because of this (not abdomen), but she seems completely normal and I'd rather petite generally. All very odd. If they're a few mms out on measuring or baby is in a funny position, it makes such a difference with such tiny measurements. I wouldn't let it bother you.