Can I decline late pregnancy bump measurements, weighing and extra growth scans?

[Matleaveprep]

I'm 38 weeks pregnant.

Each time I see the midwife the fundal measurement is big. So I travel 45 minutes to the hospital for a scan to show baby is perfectly on the 50th percentile.

On the same vein, whenever I'm put on the scales I'm told off for my weight. Am continuing to monitor portion sizes, nutrition, minimise snacks etc but at this stage it kinda feels like if it hasn't made a difference by now it's not going to change before baby arrives.

At the next appointment (assuming I make it to term) can I just say no to the bump measuring and being weighed?! Or no to any more scans? Baby has shown multiple times that it's growing perfectly. Have been going along with it so far as if they're asking you to do it then surely it's important, but having just had yet another scan show baby is totally fine, I'm a bit done with it!

You can say no but I wouldn’t, you’ve only got a few weeks left and things can and do change, why risk it just to avoid realistically one or two extra appointments?

do they stop offering scans by week 38?

you can decline any treatment you wish.

Yes, you can say no to the scans (I did) and presumably the measurements, although you'll probably then have the midwife and your GP harassing you about whether you're really sure about your decision.

Of course you can, I did exactly the same in my last pregnancy, one week sent off due to measuring small the next I'm big...so I said no to any more measurements and scans around 36 weeks.

This time I'm declining all fundal measurements. I can feel myself growing and I can feel my baby and if I'm concerned about the movements I'll go in.

Also why on earth are they weighing you?

You can ignore any treatment you want.
Just as you can ignore advice to maintain a healthy weight and not eat crap.
Just remember that you and you alone are responsible for your baby’s health while pregnant

@ToKittyornottoKitty am avoiding the car whenever possible tbh as I'm finding it dreadfully uncomfortable. So am not popping to the shops etc but am spending an hour and a half going to and from the hospital, to be there 10 minutes and be told nothings changed since the last time I was there.

@muggart I have no idea. There was a thread earlier where someone was sent for a growth scan and I think she said she was 39 weeks?! Then they couldn't measure baby properly as there's not enough space.

@C152 thank you, will mentally prep myself.

@Unicornorange that's reassuring! Do they not weigh everyone?

@Floppyearedlab absolutely. I don't think I've ever maintained healthy eating for so long in my life 🫣 mainly as I've had a total aversion to anything sweet. Hoping it's the start of long term new habits and I can keep it up. Though most people tell me all I'll want is sugar and carbs when I'm feeding.

Of course you can say no but what if on that one occasion you did ? .......

I declined being weighed .

Tell them in advance that bitching about your weight is neither helpful nor supportive so you’d like to opt of their cute lil’ lecture.

You might help future patients.

If you want I’ll call and do it for you? I grew up with an Almond Mum, weight being criticised for any reason makes me stabby.

I am a midwife OP. Of course you can decline.

if you have had a scan then you shouldn’t be measured again for at least 2 weeks (to prevent this very situation).

We only weigh at booking and about 36 weeks and that is purely so we know your BMI for medications, calculations for blood loss, care pathways etc. so it is important. If you are being weighed more often than your midwife must be concerned at how much weight you are gaining, which can have a direct impact on your baby’s weight and potential risk factors for birth, like shoulder distocia.

@RelievedNoYouTubeMum I've been weighed maybe 4x, and have been told I would be again at the next appointment. Now you've said it I do recall her saying something about that being because of the scan, so they wouldn't measure but they would weigh.

I've put on 9.5kgs and she said at the beginning the max was 10 as my BMI was 30.2. Trying my absolute best to keep any further gains to a minimum in the time I have left. Baby is currently meant to be 3.2kgs according to the scan, which I know aren't wholly accurate.

Could it be different with different trusts?!

@TheLightSideOfTheMoon just looked up almond mum, that sounds intense and not a positive thing to grow up with. I'm so sorry :( but thanks for the pep talk. Helpful!

I is machine different trusts do it differently, yes. Community midwives with the same trust probably do too. If you have been weighed recently then absolutely decline as I know it’s a hard pill to swallow when pregnant.

They may want to weigh you postnatally too if you need blood thinning injections as the dose is weight dependant.

I hope the rest of your pregnancy goes smoothly and you are managing to keep comfortable

Are they worried about gestational diabetes or a very big baby? Have you asked what they are looking for

You can do whatever you like, but you'd have to live with the consequences if anything awful were to happen.

So you want to decline the scans because they make you uncomfortable about your weight?

There is nothing anyone could say that would make me decline a scan for my baby when medical professionals are offering it.

There is a reason they offer them, whether you like it or not.

@Nocommentisacomment gosh no! But if that's how you want to read it 🤷🏼‍♀️ It's more that if I've been consistently measuring big and baby has been consistently measuring perfectly along the midpoint line then perhaps the reason they're offering the scan is because of a system based on averages rather than individual records. So therefore questioning if it's reasonable to avoid what based on evidence to date would be an unnecessary journey.

@jannier not in so many words. She's alluded that to the answer though, big baby is increased risk of complications at birth for both baby and mother so if the bump size isn't 'right' they want to check. I totally understand that and it's why I've accepted so many scans. However baby has now genuinely not left the 50th percentile curve since the start, so am just weighing up my options should the same thing happen again in 2 weeks time.

If baby is 50th percentile im
confused why they scanning so much?

@Arseholeneighbours I've concluded it's something automatically triggered when the midwife inputs the bump measurement. If you're 38 weeks pregnant and bump is 40cm it triggers a scan. Regardless of the fact that those figures (ie my measurements Vs baby) have been consistently following the same curves for the last however many weeks.

I followed all instructions on my first, but on my second was a bit more questioning of the tick box exercises. So yes I did decline some of their recommendations. I guess it’s something you have to evaluate and decide for yourself whether you want to take the risks?

Just to add, I declined some of their advice based on a lot of scientific based research. The NHS is always going to operate on statistics. So when they wanted to monitor me for gestational diabetes on my second pregnancy having just ticked over the baseline on my first and never showing any further indication
s i declined.

I ended up with loads of scans but that was really because unlike you, my baby was measuring (on the scan as well as fundal height) fairly enormous.

You’re nearly there. At most they’d send you for one more? Are you planning on labouring or c section? Hang in there OP. Not long now until you meet your baby!