What 'should' a baby weigh at 36 weeks?

[cat811]

Just had 36 week scan, and seen on my notes that the estimated foetal weight is 7lb7oz - does this seem big bearing in mind I have 4 weeks to go?!

Well in the last few weeks they are supposed to gain about an ounce a week, so that's not that much more- mine was 7.3 at 34 weeks so it works out reasonably similar.
If you add your 4 weeks that means an 8 pounder which sounds rather good to me.

Anyone else?

(by the way those estimates are often very wrong anyway- so you could find yourself with a way smaller- or bigger baby)

DD was estimated at that big at 36 weeks, and she was 8lb 15oz at birth.

On average they gain half a pound a week in the third trimester I think (at least that's what I've always gathered, and it's born out by graphs of fetal weight at various gestational ages... haven't come across the one ounce a week figure), so that would imply somewhere around eight and a half to nine pounds at delivery.

You have to remember that those estimated weights can be way off.

But agree growth scans are notoriously inaccurate (they have been spot-on for both of mine, but I'm about the only person I know in that position).

They told me on a 34 week scan the dd was weighing 8lb!! She was born 1 day early and was 7lb 1oz!!!

I'm curious, how do they estimate the baby's weight?

Good question! They didn't mention it when they scanned me, just happened to be reading through my notes afterwards and saw it at the bottom! it's a mystery to me!

They measure several things (can't remember exactly, but I think head diameter/circumference, abdominal circumference and maybe femur length) and feed them into an algorithm that estimates weight. There's a site on the web where you can do it for yourself (given the right measurements), if I could only remember where it was.

That does seem to be a good weight My DD was born at 36 weeks and weighed 5lb 8oz- she was on the 25th centile.

But such weights by scans are estimates so I wouldn't concern yourself too much by them- only if the doctors are concerned would I get concerned!

Good luck for the next few weeks!

mine were both born at bang on 37wks, both weighed 7lb, give or take half a an oz.

both my girls were born at 38wks
1st 6lb10

my daughter who is 4weeks weighed 5lb3
but they were worryed in my growth scans a week before i had her i had a scan they said she was 5lb12 in she was less..
she now at almost 5weeks weighs 7lb12

gdluck

hi
My son was born at 36 weeks exactly and weighed 5 pounds 8.

I was ALSO born at 36 weeks and weighed 7 pounds 5 ! so i think there is huge variation probably all normal.

sophie

ds1 was born at 36+4 and weighed 7lb14oz
dtd was born at 38 weeks and weighed 6lb 14oz
dts was born at 38 weeks and weighed 7lb 14oz

Kyme goodness, I read that as your daughter weighed 1 stone 6 lb 10oz, not that your first daughter weighed 6 lbs 10oz!

DS was born at 35 weeks exactly and weighed 6lb 5oz.

sorry...am confused what do u mean?
you read what???

both of mine were born at 36wks, one was 5lb 12oz and the other was 7lb 13.5oz.

they dont put on an ounce a week - its around 1/2 - 1lb.

My DS was born at 35 weeks weighing 5lb10oz, which i was told was a really good weight. does that help?

My baby was measuring in at 6lb 7oz at 36 weeks, but reading these comments i take it that's normal and on track for a decent 8lb+ baby?.

Can you not track it on a growth chart?

Ds1 was born at 36 weeks exactly and was 6 pounds 1 oz. I worked out that he was average size for that gestation and was on track to be about 7 1/2 pounds if he had made it to 40wks.

The growth chart is spot on and says baby is measuring well, my midwife has said baby is growing well that was her only comment.

My 36 weeker was 6lb 5oz!