Baby smaller than expected...

[Kiram]

I got my 8 week ultrasound today. My original due date was December 29th, but after my ultrasound they pushed it to January 4th because the baby was measuring small. They said my HCG levels were accurate with what we originally thought, but that the baby is smaller than that. The doctor didn't sound concerned though...but I am.

I don't think I've been eating well enough and I'm so worried that I've slowed my little peanut's growth down. Can it catch up if I start eating better?

I was craving a lot of salads (Lettuce, tuna/chicken salad sammiches, etc) last week, but that's all I've been eating, and only about twice a day. I'm starting to make an effort to eat more fruits and veggies and bigger meals now, but I hope it's not too late?

 

[Missbb2591]

At this stage what you are eating would make little difference to baby as it will take all the nutrients it needs regardless of what you are eating. Try not to worry it could just be that your dates are slightly different or that by the 12 week scan baby will have caught up, they quite often do that!

 

[xZoeyx]

I'm pretty sure Tuna is to be avoided in pregnancy. I know my doctor told me to cut it out completely with my last pregnancy. But either way whatever you eat now isn't making a difference to baby! Baby will catch up

 

[xdxxtx]

My dr recommends eating light tuna (avoiding Albacore tuna) or some other kind of low-mercury seafood twice per week. I follow these guidelines and eat seafood no more than twice in a week.

Anyway, I went at 9w3d with this pregnancy, and my embryo only measured 7w5d. I'm now 30 weeks along, and my baby had caught up before I reached 12 weeks along. If your embryo is measuring smaller, it's either a future baby who will catch up or an embryo that is failing to develop properly and would not make a healthy baby. Either way, you're doing your best to sustain the pregnancy, but you cannot control if the pregnancy is viable or not. Unfortunately, you've just got to wait and see what happens over the next couple of weeks. I'm sorry you're in this position. I was there, too, and didn't know what to do with myself. I went in with an, "Expect the worst, hope for the best" mindset. Thankfully, it turned out just fine for me. I hope you also come out with a happy ending.

 

[Kiram]

Thanks y'all! I didn't really know what could contribute to a small fetus other than not eating well. I don't think I've ever been so paranoid about so many things at once, until now! Motherhood struggles, haha. Only just the beginning.

My little peanut has a strong heartbeat and everything else has developed fine. The doctors didn't have any concerns, but it still threw me off when they mentioned it's smaller than expected. Pretty sure I'll still be anxious until my next appointment though...a whole month away. I'm not usually a high-strung person, but once I got a BFP I've been kicking myself for every possible little thing I might've done wrong. I was stressing out over fumes from a new toaster oven earlier today...I think I need to relax a bit more, haha.

I didn't ask my doctor about tuna, but everything I've read so far said light canned tuna is fine. I know plenty of mums who swear by it. Though I'll probably switch to salmon salad instead, all the better.