3rd centile at 30 weeks, quite miserable

[EBenes]

This happened in my first pregnancy, when the baby was 10th centile at a 28 week scan, so I was told the growth rate would be monitored for this one. So today, I was told it was just below 3rd centile and I had to have some steroid injections and more tomorrow, to urge on lung development in case they take it out some time from 32 weeks.

My first made it to full term and was about 5 and a half pounds, but it's felt this one is smaller. I feel like inside me is obviously the best place to grow - and the blood supply by the umbilicus is totally fine, but I have a teeny tiny baby. I have almost no amniotic fluid again, and the baby is transverse - I wonder if that could affect the size it grows - my last one was transverse too.

Basically, if it doesn't get a move on and grow, they want to take it out. I'm really sad, in case it means there's something very wrong and have read all about the problems with intrauterine growth disorders. Has anyone got a very healthy baby story to share who was in this position?

Also, does anyone have any tips for making amniotic fluid?

Hi Ebenes.

Dd measured on the 3rd centile from 22 weeks - we were monitored regularly and she stuck to the 3rd centile until somewhere between 35 and 37 weeks where she stopped growing so had to come out. She was born on the less than 0.4 centile weighing 4 lbs 9oz at 37 weeks. However, from the moment she was born she thrived and never had any problems. I'm now almost 16 weeks with DC2 and waiting to see if the same happens !

Feel free to ask any questions - I'm not around at the moment because my husband is in hospital but I pop in most days.

DD's growth slowed in last trimester and they induced at 39w4d. She also came out at 5lb 8oz. She wasn't very well the first week but I am inclined to put that down to some crappy labour management and postnatal care in hospital - overdoing the syntocinon for example and then using ventouse because I couldn't push because of the epidural (requested after they broke my waters without asking .

We were in Transitional Care. I think if they had let me have her skin to skin a lot of the time, she would have been fine. They made me put her in a plastic cot, which they then wanted to heat to maintain her temp - but then let her overheat. They kept screwing up the blood sugar thingy and making me give her ff. It was all a bit crappy tbh .

Now she is fine. She is light for her age and a wee bit smaller, but everyone has to be somewhere on the chart. She is full of beans and not skin and bone. I had endless grief from the HV about her being low down on the centiles (gasp! in the red danger area!! ) However she kept chugging along at the same rate and does just great now - eats like a rugby player!!

If you can avoid an induction, do. It is very stressful for a smaller baby. Obviously you will have to be guided by your consultant as very slow growth could present problems but your last baby made it to term.

Even if you have absolutely no intention of bf then do try to have your baby skin to skin as much as possible (hard to do in hospitals, I know). She will maintain your body temp and thrive on the physical contact. If you think you might bf then talk to a bf counsellor before the birth as the baby might be a bit weak to suckle at first and might need some help (expressing colustrum to give by pipette or special cup for example). don't rely on the hospital to provide that sort of help. IME they panicked and shoved the bottles of ff in my hands too quickly.

Good luck - I found it a worrying time and really hope that all will turn out well for you.

Yes, breastfeeding my first was a terrible experience, she was very small and sleepy and we had no skin to skin and never got it together - my hospital also panicked and talked about jaundice and us never going home constantly. Wow, my dd's weight sounds so big now - as does 5 pounds 8, certainly doesn't at the time, does it. I'm determined to try everything I can to breastfeed this time. It sounds like your hospital didn't listen to your instincts at all, and so many of us know how frustrating and upsetting that is, although obviously they do what they've been told is right. You just know, though, sometimes.

I would to be honest be very scared, Wheelybug, by the 0.4 centile, so it is lovely to hear that your dd has always thrived. Hope your husband is well soon.

Thank you so much for your lovely thoughtful answers.

My friend's babies were both in the low 51bs at term, and were fine, needed no additional care, breastfeeding was established reasonably easily. Best wishes for the rest of the PG, and hope that we see you moaning about being overdue!

Hiya, my dd was born at 6.4lbs but throughout my pregnancy I was told that I was carrying a growth retarded child who would weigh around 5lbs.I had like a million scans and found it so stressful and heartbreaking but all was well in the end thank god.

Slightly different situation to yours but wanted to wish you luck and hope the baby will be ok xxx hugs xxx

Well, I had my second shot today, appointments made for 31 and 32 weeks, so it's safe to say it's not coming out till at least 32 weeks, and I have friends who've had it much worse, and the posts here have helped greatly putting it in perspective. It's always really terrifying getting bad news, even not-that-terrible bad news in a pregnancy, and this place is the best I know for comfort, so again, thanks so much for your answers, and I will relax more from now on.

My first was an IUGR baby weighing 4lb 7oz. This was put down to placental dysfunction i.e. the placenta was rubbish. Pg again and asked the consultant about the chances of it happening again and he said extremely unlikely. A bit worried about this though as people who have very small babies seem to have the same experience second time from what I have read on here.

If its any help though, despite her weight she breast fed really well (although I had to ff as well as she didn't put weight on).

Just a bit worried that in a few weeks I will be in the same position as you, but I can't be induced as had a c-section first time, so would have to have a c-section again. Just trying not to stress about it.

Don't stress! You have no reason to think anything wil go wrong. How far along are you? My GP relative said that the uterus was usually most efficient at having babies the first time, so I shouldn't be worried about having a smaller baby this time - but that obviously just makes me worried - except, you and I both have healthy first babies! The likeliest thing, she said, is that I have a rubbish blood supply to my uterus altogether.

And congratulations & well done for successfully breastfeeding, I'm definitely more equipped with information this time to have a better go (didn't think it would be hard, so hadn't read up on it first time) but unfortunately face pressure from my mum who's one of the 'oh just ff' sorts.

Hi
My last two midwife appointments have shown that my babies growth rate is dropping. This was done my measuring my bump with a measuring tape and plotting on a graph. I am now 38+4 and have been referred to the consultant on Friday for a growth scan. I was wondering if anyone had experience of this and what could be causing this drop in weight. This is my second baby, my DS was born 2 weeks early and was 5 15 lb.

Ebenes, I am now 14 weeks, the growth scans will be every 4 weeks from 20 weeks so we'll just have to see how things go then. I know I am going to spend 2 weeks getting over 1 scan and 2 weeks worrying about the next though!

I am very pleased that I managed to bf, I think this was down to 2 things.

1. We had so much support from our neonatal outreach people who were fantastic. The person who came round to see us twice a week until she was 8 weeks was brilliant and told me exactly when and how to feed her. She worked out a very detailed feeding regime for us.
2. The formula milk we had was a prescription one designed to get them to put on weight quickly and was truly disgusting. I couldn't smell it let alone drink it. Anyone would carry on wanting to be breast fed if that stuff was the alternative. If she had had a formuala milk she had liked I think she would have gone off breast feeding.

CandC, measuring with a tape measure doesn't tell you much. I can see why you would be concerned but I'd try not to think about it until the growth scan.

Cookie - I am in a similar position - am 17 weeks with previous IUGR baby. I too will be scanned every 4 weeks from 20 weeks.

I was told about taking low dose aspirin by a private consultant I saw in the early days for scans. I checked this with my NHS consultant who said it was a good idea. I think there's no definite proof it helps but there it doesn't do any harm. Apparently its best to start taking it before 16 weeks.

My consultant considered it then said it wouldn't help in my case because my blood pressure has always been fine during pregnancy.
I feel as though I am in good hands at the hospital but the only thing they said that I am not convinced about was that it was unlikely to happen again. I've never come across anyone on Mums Net or in real life who has had this happen once but then not for subsequent pregnancies. The only thing that makes me feel better about it is that at least this time we will be better equiped to deal with it mentally.

Fair enough Cookie - Iguess your consultant knows best . I know what you mean about being better prepared though - at least we are expecting it so it won't be a shock. I also think that at least I (and I assume this is the case for you too) won't have to go through a failed induction/emergency c-sec again. I have been told if I have no signs of the same problems it will be my choice whether to go VBAC or elective. At the moment I am thinking VBAC but will consider it more closely nearer the time (when I know whether its a decision for me to make or not).

B/f was difficult/ impossible for me and dd. I didn't get great support (we did not have neonatal support which probably would have helped as they would have had specific experience with little babies). It was a pretty low time as i was getting lots of pressure but little useful support. This time I am going to get extra help beforehand but I also feel happy that formula didn't actually do dd any harm (so far at almost 4, I hastily add) so will feel happier dealing with the situation if it arises.

EBenes, sorry for hijacking thread - how's things going with you ?