Refusing fundal height measurements

[studentmum]

Hi there!

Fundal height measurements are ridiculous - they are notoriously inaccurate especially given that nearly every mw measures differently.

Absolutely request another mw, re-state that you ARE having a vbac and you want a supportive mw.

And for heavens sake don't worry about being told you are too big - I was measuring 43wks at my 38wk appt. and bub ended up being 8lb 6oz, due to having a completely unsupported vbac I ended up with another cs and was told my DD was just too big (aww gee what a consolation) I then went on to have DS in a very easy vba2c and he was 9lb - but as you can imagine I refused to have any scans (other than to check he was in there at the start) and NO MEASUREMENTS!!!!

The size of a woman or her uterus is no indication of how she will birth - just like foot size is no indication of pelvic size (How many ppl have been asked their shoe size though???)

Aside from always measuring big (my firt was u/s'ed and the Ob said 10lber, she was cs'ed out early and I was left with a BIG scar - all to bear a wee little 6lb 15oz DD ) I am also overweight by heaps! And shortish - SO - you can imagine all the crap I get about not being able to birth a 'too big' baby and having a too small pelvis and of course if your baby and you are big then you must have GD too!! Guess what, didn't and didn't bother having the horrible GTT either!

My 9lb'er came out so easy I say bring on the 10lb'er

You can have the birth you want, just stick to your guns, don't subject yourself to their crap and say NO when you have to - enjoy yourself and avoid the stress, I would not bother showing up for any more measurements (Hmmm, I wonder what the "course of action" is for a "big baby"???)

Sarah

p.s. If you "suddenly blow up with excess fluid" fundal height will not be the first indicator, excess fluid is marked by swelling - mainly round the face, the fingers and feet and also on its own is not a problem, excess fluid is only a problem when present with high BP and +++ protein in the urine.