ADVICE NEEDED - How small is too small?!?

[Noodles]

I pay no attention to my fundal height (mainly as it's a load of crap) I'm measuring 5 weeks behind, but I had a growth scan at 31 weeks and everything was fine so although my fundal height is below the 10th percentile mark it is still on a nice steady growth line so I have had no worries there.

I have got a growth scan on Monday as my new midwife seemed to think it was odd that I was still measuring so small and not been scanned for 6 weeks and told me that if he is measuring small they will 'get him out'. Now me being the big numpty that I am just smiled and nodded and left. But now I'm thinking, how small would he need to be for her to count him as small?

I thought as long as he is above the 10th percentile mark they would leave him in there but my hubby and friend reckon that he will have to be around the 48th percentile like he was last time and if he measures less than that (on the scale so less than the 48th percentile eg the 30th percentile) they will induce me (as it is easier for them to gain weight outside of the womb) because techically his growth will have slowed down from the last scan.

Is this true? or do they only induce if the results from the scan are less that the 10th percetile mark? Also can I be induced even if he's not engaged?

 

[bekkie]

no advice here, just didn't want to read and run

hope everything goes well at your scan on monday!

 

[mrsadair]

i can't offer any advice, either... they never tell me how big my son is, ever. it really irritates me... everyone talks about their baby's size and such and i'm clueless with mine can you call up and ask?

 

[flowertot]

a relative of mine was induced at 35 weeks because her little was not growing but i don't know the details, sorry.

 

[Noodles]

i can't offer any advice, either... they never tell me how big my son is, ever. it really irritates me... everyone talks about their baby's size and such and i'm clueless with mine can you call up and ask?

I will do tomorrow, i'm such an idiot, it didn't even enter my head to ask.

 

[DaisyDuke]

If baby has been steadily growing on any percentile above 5% they keep them in but keep a close eye. Matilda grew on the 5th percentile the whole way thro so we were kept a close eye on then at 37+4 weeks on the scan the fluid disapeared so they induced me that night. I had 4 failed inductions then an emergency c section so wasnt born till 38 weeks, Matilda is fine but was a tiny 5 1/2 pounds. If u have a small baby like Matilda then my only advice is to ask to express ur milk come the 2nd day (if ur feeding urself) just to get ur milk in quicker. I wish i was given this advice cos Matilda dropped to below 5bls by the 3rd day so we were kept in longer and ended up on tcu. However i have a feeling they will keep a close eye on u and u will go to 40 weeks and having a 6bls baby. Good luck, so exciting not long now.

XXX

 

[ellie27]

48th centile is the average size baby- so you certainly have nothing to worry about!!

When I was at my growth scan on tuesday the doctor said as long as baby is between those 5th and 95th centile lines then they are happy!

I am sure you will be fine on monday

 

[caz81]

unless the baby has stopped growing all together generaly they dont want to induce, my baby is pretty small but they are keeping her in until 40 weeks

 

[JayDee]

Can't they measure blood flow from the placenta and other such things on the scan as well? I think that would influence whether they wanted to induce you more than the size of the baby as that would show whether he was growing or not.

A friend of a friend of mine had to be induced early because they picked up at a growth scan that her baby wasn't feeding from the placenta properly, again, don't know the details of how they knew that though sorry. I do, however, know that 6 months on, her baby is fine.

 

[alibaba24]

Ok i have no advice your post confused me me and figures - dont mix hehehe! didnt wanna read and run though hope you get the answer your looking for

xx

 

[caz81]

Can't they measure blood flow from the placenta and other such things on the scan as well? I think that would influence whether they wanted to induce you more than the size of the baby as that would show whether he was growing or not.

A friend of a friend of mine had to be induced early because they picked up at a growth scan that her baby wasn't feeding from the placenta properly, again, don't know the details of how they knew that though sorry. I do, however, know that 6 months on, her baby is fine.

yeah i had that done, its a doppler ultrasound, they can do it when doing a normal ultrasound, if your baby is not really growing they do this. on mine the blood flow was fine so they are trying to keep her in until 40 weeks as she may grow a bit more before then!

 

[DaisyDuke]

They measured the blood flow on Matilda at each scan to

 

[Noodles]

Thanks girls! I think it is more of why he wouldn't be growing rather than his size. But I just presumed that as long as it was above the 10th percentile mark then things couldn't be that bad. Whereas my hubby and friend believe that if his growth has even slowed down then they will think that there must be a problem.

I can't have a baby next week anyway as I have show tickets for a week on Saturday!

 

[Laurn82]

I have been measuring small from 28 weeks. I'm not sure about the whole 10th percentile stuff but I know that after my 32 week appointment (Tuesday 32+3) I was measuring just under 30cm. Mw said that growth had slowed slightly but it was just a matter of keeping an eye on her. To go every week now and get checked. Don't know if its the same everywhere but mw told me that as long as she was still growing they would just monitor. If growth stopped they would look at induction! Don't know if this helps at all (probably not) but just thought i would share my experience. x

 

[xxx bex xxx]

iv a growth scan tomorrow,im 39 weeks and measuring 35! iv just asked pretty much the same question in the baby club section!

 

[Noodles]

iv a growth scan tomorrow,im 39 weeks and measuring 35! iv just asked pretty much the same question in the baby club section!

Good luck! I'm 37 and measuring 32 which isn't really a problem for me as I know that fundal height means nothing, but I don't want him to still be growing but ust at a slightly smaller pecentage rate and them whip him out.

 

[Laurn82]

They can't just 'whip him out' anyway. It would be a joint decision between you and your maternity unit. They should explain their reasons for suggesting induction and if there would be any problems with going naturally. x

 

[QTPie]

Hi

Interesting reading this... my baby is measuring pretty small and his "rate of growth" appears to have slowed (between 28 and 32 weeks). He was around 25 percentile at 28 weeks and now (32 weeks) is around 5%/10% percentile. I have another growth scan booked for 35 weeks.

The sonograoher checked the placenta and cord and said that everything looked very healthy - so no obvious reason. But my own weight has been "stable" for the past 4 weeks - so the MW is not sure that I am putting on enough weight... My fondal measurements are normal, it is just the baby's abdominal circumference on the growth scan that is dragging things down.

Neither husband or I are large (I am just under 5'4", he is about 5'7") and we wonder if there could be a relation between size/growth and ethnicity (husband is Chinese - maybe the figures are more causasian biased...).

My baby is breech at the moment: so waiting to see if he can put on weight AND turn around...

QT