need some advice - am 31.3weeks baby measuring 33weeks & 4lb11oz

[chocolatebunnies]

I had a 4d scan yesterday,

Baby is measuring 33weeks and I'm only 31.3weeks

Has an estimated fetal weight of 4lb11oz

I am truly panicking, is it possible that they have my dates wrong? Is this baby going to carry on getting big at such a rate?

At 20+6weeks estimated weight was only 1lb.

I am really worried about giving birth now, this is my second pregnancty, my first baby was 8lb10oz at birth and I sustained damage that will need to be corrected with surgery, I dont want this baby to make the damage thats already there worse.

Does anyone have any adivce?

Can hear you panicking which is understandable if you had a traumatic first delivery. What I would say is..

1. It is only an estimate of average weight and babies do not actually grow in a way that can be plotted in a straight line on a chart. It can speed up and slow down.
2. Birth weight is only one (and definitely not the most important) factor in how delivery will go. Much more important is good midwifery that protects your perineum as baby crowns. So a 9 pound baby will not damage you further if it is handled well. Plus first baby has already paved the way and it is likely to be much much easier.

Hope all goes well , I had 2 big boys - 1st damaged me too, second was a lb heavier and was actually a fairly easy and lovely labour.

I don't know anyone whose scans have actually estimated the weight correctly. My last baby was estimated at 9lbs and was 6lbs 14 and my SIL was told her 3rd baby was likely only to be 5lbs but was 10 lbs 3!
I was told that a measurement of 2 cms either way is totally normal so if you're measuring 33cms and 31 weeks then maybe you have nothing to worry about.

My fundal height was right at the top of the range at 28 weeks. I'm now 37 weeks and since then my growth has been in line with the shallowest curve on the growth chart and is now as a result average.

The sonographer said that its nothing to worry about and that Im just in the top of the top range set for me, but then she not the one carrying or having the prospect of birthing and I paid a lot of money for the scan so she had to be nice!

I am really worried, I didn't think I looked big, but now, well I really don't know, I've been completly thrown.

If I cut down on what I eat will this have an effect at all? I have been a regular chocolate muncher, if I stop eating chocolate will this change anythng or will the baby just take everything else I do eat and get bigger?

I am waiting for midwife to ring me so I can ask her, I was planning a homebith, but now I don't know whether thats going to be possble, I suffer with anxiety and panic attacks, and this has really set me off, sorry if Im not makeing much sense.

Thank you for your replies

Hi chocolate

I was told on 1st pregnancy that baby was 10.5lbs+ but in reality turned out to be 8lb so I don't think that the weight estimations are v. accurate. I had a 9lb 10 baby second time (in water) with no tearing / grazing etc so weight isnt everything. I was dashing around ikea the next day !!!

Don't forget you also have a lovely neat bump too so you should be fine. Great idea to speak to your mw about it though. Big hugs.

I have the same issue in that I was originally told that I was going to have a small baby as I have a low PAPP-A reading in my blood, but at my 28 week growth scan (to check she wasn't too small...) she's actually weighing 29-30 weeks!!

However, looking at the individual readings for Head Circumference, Abdominal Circumference and Femur Length, the problem is actually her stomach... At 21 weeks all three measurements were travelling along the average line but this time, the stomach was towards the top line. Since then I have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes and so the reason for the stomach is that my amniotic fluid is too sugary and that's what she's drinking.

They would have told you, I'm sure, if that was your problem aswell, but it may be just worth checking with your MW. No chocolate for me now for 12 weeks - boo hoo...

xxx

I think some hospitals will do growth scans if they feel the baby is going to be particularly big. It might be worth asking about these. A scan nearer your due date may put your mind at rest, or if it continues to show your baby as being big, then at least you will have recent info about which you can make an informed decison.

I had a scan at 36 weeks with my second dc because I was having a homebirth. My ds's tummy was so big, the sonographer had to work out the details by hand because the computer couldn't cope with the figures! He was a week bigger than dates at his 12 weeks scan and 2 weeks further on at his 20 week scan. The hospital was a bit freaked out by how big he was, but my community midwife was very relaxed about it. As she said, a tummy is squishy, it will come out no problem. And she was right. The scan was correct about him being huge for his gestional age. He was only 8lb 10oz, but he was born at 37 + 0. The birth was infinitely easier than the birth of my first child. Much quicker and no tearing. I had a brilliant couple of midwives at my homebirth who managed the birth really well. I think this really helped.

I think it might be worth identifying what bits of your baby are particularly big. Tummies don't necessarily mean a problem, but I think big shoulders can be.

Hope it all works out for you.

Righty, I have now heard back from my midwife, she said I have nothing to worry about at all, she said that babies at this stage have growth spurts and then platu out and then have another spurt, so chances are that baby has just had a spurt, she also said that the 3 lines on the graph are not accurate, she said most people believe that the middle line is average, when actually average is between the middle line and top line and as long as baby follows that trend then it will be fine.
She also put my mind at rest about the birth, she said that its alot to do with the position of the baby than the size, and that its easier to birth a bigger baby in the right position than a smaller one in a bad position (baby is currently as has been since 28 weeks been in the 'right' position) as long as we stay there we'll be ok!
So Im feeling a bit better about it now, sort of, think I am going to take it easy on the food front mind you.

Glad you are feeling happier now.

Thought I'd share with you that DS2 (now 3 weeks old) measured 2 or 3 weeks larger than my dates suggested. All through the pregnancy. And he was born only a few days early and a healthy 8lb 8oz. Yes, he's bigger than DS1 was but nothing unusual. I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. I was told by the midwife and consultant that average fetal sizes are actually out of date for today's pregnancies and are based on babies born two generations ago.

Eat sensible though - don't start eating less, just eat what your body tells you to.

So glad you are reassured by MW.

tummum us may 2009 ladies have moved on to another new thread, come find us!

Chocolate just had a look at your pictures and your bump is teenytiny! Doesn't look like that of a excessive chocolate muncher!