Help! My bump isn't growing as it should - I'm being sent for a scan. What does it mean and does anyone have experience of this??

[Jojay]

I'm 37+3 wks pg and I've had a midwife appt today. My bump has measured half a centimetre smaller than it did 2 wks ago, so I'm being sent for a scan this week to see what's going on.

What's likely to cause this? Does it mean the baby is small, or could it mean a lack of amniotic fluid? Or something else?

I know the measurements are fairly crude but both were done by the same midwife.

I had this to a lesser extent with DS - the growth of my bump slowed down so I had a scan at 37 wks. Everything was fine, and he was 8lb 3oz in the end, so hardly tiny.

I'm a bit more worried this time though, as i feel like I haven't gained as much weight through this pregnancy (I thought this was a good thing until today!) and everyone keeps commenting on how my bump isn't very big! I'm also weeing like a trooper - 3-4 times an hour sometimes.

Hopefully some of you lovely people will know what all this means.....

I had this last time. I had a v small bump too and was induced at 38 weeks as DS hadn't grown for several weeks. When he was born they found out why - my placenta wasn't big enough to support him. It happens, apparently. So it could be that.

He was quite tiny at birth, under 6lb, but gained fast and is an entirely normal-sized and healthy 2.2 now.

It's quite often that your amniotic fluid has decreased a lot and may mean the baby needs to be born sooner rather than later. Try not to worry - the fact that you've got to term would indicate that things are most likely okay

Could you be leaking amniotic fluid rather than weeing?

I don't know? It feels like a wee!!?? It looks like a wee!!

I wouldn't worry too much because it depends entirely on how measures you!

in my last pregnancy i got measured by a student and the consultant who both turned the tape measure the wrong way round so they couldn't see what they were getting, there were 3cm between the measurements. Don't worry until after you've had the scan, they'll be able to tell you if anything is wrong and at 37 weeks baby should be fine to arrive. Good luck!

I had this with my first pregnancy. Turns out (and this makes me roar with laughter now) that I had very tight stomach muscles back then.

My son was 7lb 4.5 oz, so completely OK.

At 37 weeks, you're nearly there anyway, aren't you?

Let us know how you get on.

When I was pg I went to a mw appt - bump measured 3cm bigger than it should. HB was high too, so got sent straight to the hospital for monitoring. When I got there I measured exactly right....

It just depends on how your baby is lying at the time on how you measure - DS was a right wriggler so it changed all the time

hey jojay, your amniotic fluid replaces itself all the time, so be sure to drink lots of water if you are piddling. Maybe catch a bit of it and bring it in to the scan to show them? I did this in a little medicine jar I got from the chemist - and my waters had indeed broken.

As Dibbler said, babies move around in the womb and where you had a back pressing quite hard against your belly last week, your babe could have stopped flexing his / her little knees this week!

I would wait for the scan to see. As Bride1 used to have (like us all ) you might have tight muscles, and not show as much - lucky!!

You're almost there, so good luck with the birth and the first few months.

I've had this with both my pregnancies- and had 2 DDs 6 lb 13 oz and 7 lb 13 oz. Both times at 36 weeks I was measuring well under (about 6 weeks behind IIRC)

I just carry them small. With DD1 I did have a growth scan at 36 weeks. With DD2 the consultant obs was a little more relaxed and put it down to the way I carry them.

Hope everything goes well

Also don't think that a baby that is small in utero will stay small. My latest was 7lbs at birth and three months later is over 20!

Thanks for all your reassuring words everyone.

As I understand it, and what happened with DS1, the best case scenario is that everything is fine and it was a dodgy measurement.

Worst case scenario is that they'll induce me asap, but as you say, at nearly 38 weeks this isn't really a problem.

Roll on the scan !!!

Could it be as simple as your DC has dropped or engaged and therefore sits lower? Would also explain the weeing. Good luck.

TBh after I had the living daylights scared out of me and was sent for an emergency scan I decided to take not notice of any measurements that involved a tape.

Ditto those hanging scales they measure newborns at home with.

Good luck, I'm sure everthing will be fine

Thanks again everyone - I've got the scan at 9.40 tomorrow morning, so keep your fingers crossed for me!

That's true mrsgboring - babe might be down in launch position - and in Jojay's bladder!

Keep us posted

Well I had my scan this morning and everything is fine - the baby isn't small at all - about 7 1/2 lb in fact - and everything is working as it should.

I must just carry them this way.......

So no induction for now, phew!

Thanks for all your support

Jojay

Good luck!