Doctors think my baby is too small????

[samaraxx]

I am 37w 4d today, and this isn't the first time in the last month or so that I've been told my baby feels a bit small... I am going for an ultrasound on in 6 days to check the measurements of my baby ( checking for growth retardation, scary!). But I'm curious, what should a babys fundal height measurements be at 37-38 weeks??? Mine is 34cm. Am I worrying too much or is my FH low?? Please help!

[Just Me]

Try not to stress until you have your ultrasound. Their methods of telling what size a baby is (even with an ultrasound) are fairly unreliable. I had a friend who was told at 40 weeks pregnant that her baby was tiny. He was born a week later weighing over 5kg and was nearly 60cm long! She got told that with all her babies. She is very tall herself and has a very long torso, her fundal height never got as high as it *should* according to medical statistics.

I am the opposite, I tend to get told my babies are very very large because my fundal height is currently 30cm and I am only 27 weeks pregnant. All my babies have been 3.8kg when they are born - I don't think it is overly huge.

They are really working off statistics and very little knowledge. It is good to get it all checked out just in case and make sure that there is nothing obviously wrong going on, but just be careful about what they say - they are not as accurate with scans and fundal heights as they like you to believe they are and those things are not the be all and end all of every situation. Just go with an open mind and listen to what they have to say.

I know it's going to be a long 6 day wait for you and I am keeping everything crossed that all is fine. Try not to stress since there is very little you can do in the meantime (easier said than done)

ETA: Normally fundal height is measured at 1 cm per week - but towards the end of your pregnancy, your belly can drop quite significantly in preparation for birth. So while you might be nearly 38 weeks, it would be reasonable that if your baby has settled into your pelvis, your fundal height would be less than 38cm. Everybody is different and every woman has a different shape which means babies all carry slightly differently and it is not really a case of the same rule for everyone. Also, your baby may not be huge and taking up lots and lots of room but it doesn't mean that he or she is too small either, if that makes sense. There are so many different variables.

[samaraxx]

Thanks Just Me! I am trying not to worry myself too much until then! I am quite tall also and I have a fairly long torso. My daughter was full-term and 7lb 8 oz (3.4kg) and absolutely perfect! So I'm not expecting a BIG baby... But we will see what they say about my ultrasound and hopefully all will be ok! Alot of family has said my belly isn't as big as last time but I am rather thin (unpregnant) and I put on an extra 10kgs last time so maybe that explains that!! lol.
Thanks alot though you have made me feel a little better about it all
I'm trying to eat up as we speak lol

[Just Me]

Not gaining the extra weight can make a big difference to how you look too - I have carried all my babies completely different and gained varying amounts of weight. They have all come out the same size though so don't worry about what people say about your size. Another of my friends who is very tall only looked 5 months pregnant when she was full term with her second baby because she didn't gain anywhere near as much weight as she did with her first. Her baby was also born in a very normal weight range.

I think it is scary when the doctors/midwives etc get all stressed about stuff like that but don't really explain anything. I have found that most of them only look for key indicators that something is not right and then follow a procedure for checking things out. I think it is good for them to check things out but I think way more often than not, everything works out okay in the end. They don't seem to understand how stressed out people can be in the meantime. I really think it is because there are so many variables and so much is unknown.

I hope that you can relax a bit in the next week. At least you are over full term now so there are lots of options but you never know, your fundal height may be low because you might be meeting your baby sometime very soon

[samaraxx]

Thanks so much again! Sometimes the midwives can't explain it nearly as good as another mother. what you said totally makes sense! Plus my daughter was breech till the end and delivered by c/s so she definately sat alot higher! Thanks for you reasurrance and kind words!! All the best to both of us!!!

[skybie]

hey hun i had a growth scan at 35/5 and was told my baby was small for dates, she was born 2 days later at 36 weeks weighing 3550 (7pd 8) and 50 cms, so she was definetly not behind for dates! if anything she was ahead of dates. try not to stress too much, if theyre happy for u to wait another 6 days b4 having the scan done then they cant be too concerned, plus u'll be almost ready to pop by then too!
best of luck
xxx

[Lenny]

samaraxx - try not to stress hun I was told both my darlings were 'too small' yet both entered the world at 7.11 and 7.4 so they were very healthy sizes. I am tallish and slim. I think at this stage in your pg they would be more concerned with growth continuing from week to week.
Try to rest up when the weather is warm and keep your fluid intake up.

[shellbell3]

I was told DD2 was going to be small, all my measurements were under and some weeks the measurements hadn't increased yet when she came out she was 7p9 so not small at all! I don't think the fundal height measurements are all that accurate. I wasn't big at all, didn't put on much weight, just seemed to hide her well!

[CrazyLady]

I was told DD was too short but I measured small because I have a long torso. DD was 49cm long when born at 36 weeks. She had low birthweight because I had high BP though. Dr was saying that DD would probably only be 40cm long by the ultrasound results a week prior to being induced

HTH

[samaraxx]

Thanks everyone for your wonderful comments! It is doing me wonders! I'm going to do my best to relax and help bub pack on the pounds until my ultrasound on Monday

[Early Kids]

I agree with the others, I would not be concerned just based on fundal height. A friend of mine recently gave birth to an 8lb baby, the week before the Dr's had her having u/s etc and was told he baby was very small for dates she was only about 30cms in fundal height at 39 weeks. Bub was born the day before his due date and perfect.

Good luck

[Jaycee]

I had a growth scan at 39 weeks as they were worried DS had growth restrictions and was too small.

I was induced a few days later due to DS being so "small" and I also had signs of pre-eclampsia. There was a humi crib on standby in the room as they thought he'd be so small that he'd have to go to SCU. He was born 6lb 5oz and was absolutely perfect. His weight was on the small side, but no where near as small as we were prepared for.

Hope all goes well

[Marnikat]

My first baby was scanned frequently and classified as IUGR. I was told I would be lucky if she was 6pound born. Tiana came at 38 weeks 7 pound 4 and perfectly healthy!!

[nellnell]

Totally agree with the others.

I had growth scans for my DD from 34 weeks. She was symmetrically small and they just wanted to check things out. My fundal height was behind the 'norm' from 20 weeks and the day before she was born (at 41 weeks) my fundal height was 35. She was born 6pd 9oz (2.98kg) and healthy

My second preg fundal height was = to about 28 weeks then started falling behind. Growth scans again from 35 weeks, but more of them as bub was showing to be smaller than DD. fundal height 33 at 39 weeks. I was also subjected to CTG monitoring every second day for 1/2 hour to check on bub. Induced at 40 weeks and bub born at 5pd 13oz (2.66kg). He was skinny but all was okay.

Try not to stress too much, I know it is hard though.

GL