Small measurement - 20 weeks?

[JordieC]

I had my scna on Monday and all seemed well except for minor kidney enlargement on baby which will be checked at 29 weeks. My ob said today though that baby was measuring SLIGHTLY smaller than expected at this stage but said there was NOTHING to worry about at all and we would just check at 28 weeks on scan.

I didn't worry at the time but I have been thinking about it all day and still am worried. Anyone else had this happen? He said about 5 times not to worry cause he wasn't but still...I started thinking "if onyl I hadn't drank so much coke" and things like that.

Please give me some good vibes!

[Nelle]

Here's my theory that I've never bothered to ask about but I bet it's true.

You know how babies out of the womb have growth spurts? Where in one week they can be 300g heavier even? I reckon babies in utero do the same thing, because in my pregnancies I have measured behind, ahead, behind, ahead...

Or it's possible that bub is just a titchy one. A midwife noted that I was pretty small for dates this time and asked how big I thought bub would be. And he was 7lb9oz (compared to his 9lb4oz older bro) which isn't too small, but at 1 year old he's pretty small now. Perfectly healthy. Just...compact!

If your ob says not to worry about bub's size, then don't worry.

[sloane]

sending you lots of good vibes jordie, but it sounds like your ob isn't worried at all

if it helps - our bubs was measuring exactly right about 3/4 weeks ago but then last week seemed to have undergone an enormous growth spurt & is now well ahead of its dates. i also get a weekly update from a baby website & every week it has a disclaimer saying that all babies develop at different rates

[CatherineL]

I happen to think along the lines of Nelle...

But I just wanted to offer you some reassurance. With my first, I measured behind through the whole pregnancy. I even had to have scans to check my placenta was doing it's job in the third tri and my fundal height always measured behind even at my last antenatal at 40weeks. Ro was born 9lb 2oz... so not as tiny as we expected and were lead to believe. Even the professionals were shocked. This time my Ob hasn't commited himself to an opinion. Everything will be fine - even if bubby is petite!

[Just Me]

JordieC. It can be scary to be told your baby is very small or very big. If your Ob is not concerned then I wouldn't stress. Babies are just like all other humans and can be completely different sizes depending on their genetics. They base all their info on averages. Rarely is anyone exactly average so most babies measure out a little bit. But as with adults, there are the extremes either way as well. Your baby may just be genetically petite. There is nothing wrong with that.

I think measuring unborn babies in an ultrasound is actually not as accurate as they often make it out to be - if they measure something a couple of millimetres out or don't do the measurements right on the exact area they need to the baby can measure quite a few weeks out.

My last pg they measured my DS as 2 weeks ahead of his due date on the 20 week scan and i had follow up scans at 32 and 36 weeks. Because he was apparently so massive in the 36 weeks scan still, I was induced at 38 weeks. It took 3 days of induction before he was born weighing 8 pounds and measuring 53cm when I was 38 wks, 3 days. My DD (my first pg) was born at 39 weeks weighing 8 pound 4 ounces and was only 50cm long and they measure her as being 5 days smaller on my 18 week scan. I don't think my DS was all that massive especially considering his length.

I had a friend last year who had a baby and was told he was very small for his age and was born weighing 11 pounds, 58cm long and head circumfrence of 37cm.

I really think it is a very inaccurate art. It can be very stressful in some ways, but especially if your Ob is not concerned, I wouldn't stress.

Try and enjoy the next few weeks of your pg and look forward to getting see your baby again on the ultrasound . . . not many people get to see their babies after the 20 week scan until they are born. Take it easy

[bridee]

I'm being monitored closely because of a couple of issues that causes babies to be small. What I have learnt from this monitoring is consistent growth is more important than the size itself. While I agree estimating weight via ultrasound isn't always accurate at least if done regularly a pattern can be seen with growth. As an example my bub seems to be in the 10-15th% for growth but has been consistently there so she is putting on weight each week but just not huge weight.

If OB is not worried than try and relax, I walk out of my OB office each week saying he's not concerned so I won't be, no point worrying needlessly.