Early Induction due to small baby

[Pingu]

Hi all,

I had a growth scan yesterday as my fundal height was measuring 4 weeks behind. Baby is measuring small so I was sent to see a consultant today who has advised that they will need to induce me between 37 - 38 weeks. From my notes I can see the approx weight of baby now is 4.5lb and it says growth is on 5th centile. I am seeing consultant again next Tuesday so I hope baby has a growth spurt before then and they will let me go longer.

I am really shocked beacause at my 4D scan at 28 weeks baby measured perfectly.

Is anyone else possibly going to be induced early for the same reason or been told they would be but then left to go full term?

xx

 

[WW1]

Sorry I don't have the same experience but don't want to read and run! I'll keep my fingers crossed that bubs has a growth spurt over the next week xx

 

[Christine1993]

Hi hun, i just wanted to say that at my 28 week appt my fundal height measured 23cm so i had a growth scan and baby measured small. I went full term after the m/w said baby would be small..my baby boy was born at 7lb 13 x

 

[Nic1107]

My fundal height also measured four weeks behind, and baby is still under 5 lbs. at 36+1 (or +2 or wherever I'm at now, lol). They were going to induce immediately at one point because they thought baby wasn't getting proper nourishment, but it was a false alarm. They're letting me go full term and go into labour naturally... My baby is about the same size as yours, but they said she was in 10th percentile. Have they determined that your baby isn't growing at the proper rate then?

 

[DaisyBee]

I was induced at 37 weeks as baby measured small in a scan on 36+6. My bp had been going up and down during 3rd trimester so they were concerned. They had been monitoring me closely (non-stress tests 2ce a week and fluid level scans once a week) for quite a while. I had a growth scan (cause higher bp without preeclampsia can cause issues with placenta and cause baby not to grow enough) on 32+6. Baby at that time measured around 4 1/2 lbs they said and was in the 49%ile - so growing just right. My scan on 36+6 showed that baby was weighing between 4 1/2 & 5 lbs! So basically no growth at all hardly in a whole month! Went in that same night to start cervadil & induced the next morning.

Baby was born weighing 5 lbs 14 oz - basically a whole pound above what the scan said just the day before. She is absolutely perfect - no issues with being too small and no issues with being induced early. She went home with me right on schedule.

They told me that if the baby isnt getting the right nutrients in the womb it would be better for her to be born. It was a bigger risk leaving her in.

 

[ellie27]

I really do have the tiniest ever bump!!

I have been measuring small all along and now had 2 growth scans.

Babys measurements are 'fine' - never been given an estimate weight. Fine to them at 36+wks could simply mean over 4lbs - so no idea really!

My baby is breech so there will be no early induction for me!

Am seeing consultant next at 37+4 to discuss where we go from here - hoping they will keep baby in longer as I do feel baby is growing more in these last few weeks than ever before!

These estimate weights I have heard can be as much as 2lbs out!! They will be doing what they think is best for baby

 

[LoobyLou75]

I have a tiny bump too and after my hopsital visit last week was told by the midwife i'm having a tiny baby. In my 4D scan, the Sonographer said she's a little on the small side.
As of my 31+1 week antenatal check, she was measuring at 30 weeks.

I hope your LO has a growth spurt and you can go a bit longer, but if not that's ok as baby will be still full term at 37 weeks and they will only induce if they think it better for baby.

 

[STACE F XXX]

Hi love

Exactly the same thing happened 2 me and i had my son at 37+4 wk as the scan said 4lb 5 that was 4th Dec and they told me i was 2 b induced the next day i was sooo scared, he came out at 5lb 9 and perfect no problems at all and he ead 2.5 wks early! I really think it is hard 4 them 2 give accurate info as all through my pregnancy they thought my baby was big, my anti natal the day b4 my scan i was told 8lb then CRAZY!!

x

 

[Xinola]

At 35wks my fundal height was short too. I was sent for a growth scan that showed baby was within the average measurements. But then, the sonographer told me that my amniotic fluid was less than the expected.... so I had two further scans set. On Monday I had the AF scan,done by a different sonographer, and showed that there was enough. But, I still have a growth scan next week (at 39wks).

My point here is that, sometimes, the way they measure things varied and depend on from one sonographer to the other. At least, that is my experience so far. They've distraught me in the past three weeks with this diverse information.

Wish you the best of lucks Pingu And don't worry if baby has to be induced a bit early. You both will be fine.

 

[caz81]

i measured ahead up to about 28 weeks then baby just stopped growing, i had high bp and i think this caused it, they thought she was about 5lb 5oz, i was induced at 39+3, she got massive distress so had emergency c-section. when she was born weighed 6lb 1oz so was bigger than predicted and apart from being little is perfectly fine!

 

[MUMOF5]

I had the same with Evie, I was going to be induced early, around 36 weeks as she was so small, (they gave me steroids for her lungs), but she beat them to it and arrived at 34 weeks exactly, after my waters breakng 2 days earlier. She was 3lb 12oz at birth and spent just under 3 weeks in NICU and SCBU. She is still tiny (on the fifth centile, but other than that she is fine . Please try not to worry too much hun, probably means that your placenta isnt working as efficiently as it should, as was the case with mine. They wouldnt get her out early if they didnt think it was in her best interests. . xx

 

[Pearl]

wow ur all saying ur babies were small weights. coz with my first at 36 weeks my son was measuring at 5lbs and then didnt put much on when i got to 36 weeks (must have been 5lbs 5oz) so doesnt seem so small as 4lb yet they still induced me at 39 :S

 

[Pingu]

Thank you all . When the sonogrpaher was doing the measurements I could see they ranged between 32-33 weeks so 3.5 to 2.5 weeks from what they should be.

The consultant was adamant that I need to be induced but fingers crossed baby has growth spurt before next Tuesday and she might change her mind.

I am now panicing we are not prepared! x

 

[Pooky]

Hi Pingu, I have been having scans since 28 weeks and my LO has followed the 5th% line too. They have only been concerned that he stops growing - not that he is actually following that line. I am really surpirsed they want to induce you so early. I would ask the reasons why. As long as LO is growing then they are better off being inside you surely?

 

[XxXBubsXxX]

I was induced at 39 weeks as my bump measured 4 weeks behind. a small baby on its own isnt too much of a prob but i had very little amniotic fluid too and she weighed 5lb 12oz at 39 weeks. She measured perfect until 33 weeks then started to measure small.

 

[AP]

i hear the scans can never be believed - and dont worry - 37 weeks IS full term!

 

[xxx bex xxx]

i measured 4 weeks behind i was induced 3 days early....lexi arrived at 5lb 15oz.....tiny....now weighs 6lb 12 0z after 10 days!!!!! so just shows she was better out than in!! xxx

 

[MummyKaya]

I think even if your baby does turn out to be small at birth (which may not be the case for you, docs often get it wrong) it's not necessarly a problem. I measured 5cm behind throughout my pregnancy and at growth scans said all was normal and good weight, when he was born was only 5lb6oz. He has no problems, didn't need an admission to nicu, no jaundice, nothing. The only thing he has is daily vitamins and iron which is standard for low birth weigh babies. Oh and non of his newborn clothes fitted him lol! Try not to worry I'm sure everything will be fine.

 

[Pingu]

Thank you all for your reassurance. I will be asking more questions on Tuesday to find out if it is really necessary. I feel more comfortable that 37 weeks is full term but would prefer baby to stay inside for as long as possible until ready but I can only trust what they say as they know what is best.

Have a lovely Christmas all xxx