small for dates

[Maruschke]

Has anyone measured small for dates? I'm measuring 4w behind by fundal height (got measured twice this week) and they have noted insufficient maternal weight gain. They weighed me today and I've put on 2.6 kgs from conception and nothing in the last 4 weeks... I thought it was more than that, but nope. Any ideas? Baby is currently breech but that isn't really a concern at 23 weeks and probably explains the fundal height but not the lack of weight gain. Going for an ultrasound in a few weeks for an EFW.

[Eenee]

Going by fundal height I was measuring 5 weeks behind at 34weeks. My MW wasn't concerned because she finds using the actual measurement as a guide is inaccurate and prefers just to go on how much it grew from last time using land marks.
As for weight, are they weighing you same time of day with same amount of clothes on and same scales etc? Because all those can impact weight measurements.

Anyway hopefully it is nothing to be worried about and all is ok.

[Traveller]

Fundal height measurements is just one tool midwives use in estimating fetal size and it is perfectly acceptable for this measurement to be out by about 3cm. I appreciate you are a little further out than this but just to emphasise you're not that far over normal. Hopefully your scan will help put your mind at ease.

If you are concerned about your own weight then you could try eating full fat dairy, nuts, avocado, etc and try to have 5 smaller meals a day rather that 3 large ones. Please don't worry too much though, if it helps at all I put on no weight until 23 weeks gestation with my twins and I still managed to grow them both to around 3kg at term.

[Maruschke]

Fundal height measurements is just one tool midwives use in estimating fetal size and it is perfectly acceptable for this measurement to be out by about 3cm. I appreciate you are a little further out than this but just to emphasise you're not that far over normal. Hopefully your scan will help put your mind at ease.

If you are concerned about your own weight then you could try eating full fat dairy, nuts, avocado, etc and try to have 5 smaller meals a day rather that 3 large ones. Please don't worry too much though, if it helps at all I put on no weight until 23 weeks gestation with my twins and I still managed to grow them both to around 3kg at term.

That does help, thanks I think maybe I had a bit of fluid build up from IVF that I lost slowly?

[beansbeans!]

My ob told me that measuring fundal height was a hit and miss practice. He used me for student practice at one point, all three students got the wrong measurement. At one point with one of them I was measuring heaps behind!
He did the same as what em said. He just knew by feel that she was growing, and he said not to worry about the measurements.
As for weigth gain, I didnt gain any weight until I was 35wks. I would be worried if you were losing lots of weight tho. But If you are eating healthy and eating enough to make yourself full, then I wouldnt worry.

[Eenee]

Yeah I think Bubs position could possibly effect the measurement.
Hard not to worry either way. But as traveller suggested maybe a change indiet would help. also not sure on your actual size but if you are overweight to begin with you may not put on a lot of weight.

[Maruschke]

Going by fundal height I was measuring 5 weeks behind at 34weeks. My MW wasn't concerned because she finds using the actual measurement as a guide is inaccurate and prefers just to go on how much it grew from last time using land marks.
As for weight, are they weighing you same time of day with same amount of clothes on and same scales etc? Because all those can impact weight measurements.

Anyway hopefully it is nothing to be worried about and all is ok.

Yep similar clothes and same time of day etc. And the fundal height was fine until 19 weeks and it's stopped since then... probably when bubs turned breech?

[xXHopeXx]

According to my "normal" weight before I got pregnant, I don't think I gained anything, in fact I lost! And I was measuring about 4 weeks behind from like 36 weeks onwards, and DD was about 3.24kg (7lb3oz) born at 39w3d

[~ Mylitta ~]

My Obstetrician never once measured my fundal height with any of my three babies. He said it can be very inaccurate because it depends greatly on how each individual carries her baby.

As for the weight gain (or lack of), I always lose 6-8kg before I start putting on weight. Remember bub is only about 500gms at the moment and even the extra weight from uterus size, placenta, amniotic fluid and things like that, it's not a huge amount of weight yet. I'm sure that once you get to 35+weeks you'll wonder how you were ever worrying about not gaining enough weight

Best of luck with your ultrasound

[LuluHB]

My OB is like Mylitta's - never measures fundal height due to the enormous inaccuracies you can get. I had to have a scan at 33 weeks with DD1 and was told that she was enormous and yet she was born spot on average.

As for your weight gain, I think everyone is different. I have gone up and down a little throughout, but am still 1kg lighter now than I was when I fell pregnant. I've lost 2kgs in the last fortnight and that's taking into consideration that I am doing absolutely no exercise because I'm supposed to be on bed rest. So long as you're not consistently vomitting and unable to keep anything down, I think it can be just one of those things.

[ladybirdflies]

Unless the same person is measuring you the result will be differing measurements. My second daughter I did not put on any weight for 9 weeks and was ,measuring quite behind, I had a scan to check everything, she was perfect and so was the placenta. She came out small, with a small placenta, and is still tiny but HEALTHY!
My third baby I did not step on the scales once, she measured behind but because the same midwife measured me each time, she knew that although behind, I was still growing each time. Baby came out my smallest yet with another tiny placenta, now she is two, very tall and robust.

TRy not to worry too much, each baby is so different as they are when they arrive x

[MummaBee]

I was measuring 4 weeks behind and baby was breach they even were saying perhaps induction if the baby is not growing I ended up going one day after my due date on my own and she was 8pnd 13 dont even let it get to you. I was transverse breach so of coarse i didnt measure correctly, at 36weeks the ultrasound tech told me to expect a 5pnder