Big fundal height variance....how common is it?

[Willow]

I was always ahead a few weeks in fundal height with DS and was told this was common in subsequent pregnancies.

For what it's worth, my ob hardly ever measured it, I don't think it's that big of a deal, just an indication.

[Pandora]

Thats a good point Willow. I remember my OB last tiem saying it didnt really matter what the measurement was, it was more important that it was increasing.

[~clover~]

I was always at least a week or 2 ahead with all of mine
DD2 measured smaller than DD1, but was born over a pound bigger!

[~*Niadalla*~]

Yep, at 34 weeks last pregnancy I measured 44 weeks. LOL

DS was 4.02kgs.... not ridiculously huge like they wanted me to believe.

[Visitor8]

It can depend HUGELY on which way the baby is laying! At my 36 week check they checked my height, I was always 2cm more than my weeks from about 20 weeks, and I was 42! She said "oh that can't be right" and checked it again, same thing. The MW goes "um I am going to get the doc" which scared the bejeebers out of me. I got up and walked around when the doc came he checked me and I was only 39! She checked as soon as he walked out and I WAS 39, Ash must have been laying funny she said.

[Tobily]

Fundal height is notoriously inacurate, to the point where many caregivers (both ob's and midwives) don't measure it anymore.

If you are measuring so far out of whack, my advice would be to refuse any more measurements. All it's going to lead to is more hand wringing on the part of your CP's for no good reason...which is going to lead to more tests and interventions for you.

If your abs are separating anyway this will be the case even more so.

[Ozziehoffy]

Nialda...that's a huge difference!!

Tobily, how does ab separation make it worse?? Is it because the baby can just stretch out more??

[beau_9]

my fundal height has been different each time also but i've also been measured by different midwives. last week at 36 weeks they said i was spot on but this week at 37 they said i was 35.5, and then at 35 weeks i rememeber them saying i was 34.5. but no-one seems concerned about it either.