Measuring a little small :(

[Ahughes]

Had a doctors appointment today and they did a culture test and exam. Doctor said baby has dropped and she could feel his head, but she measured my fundal height and said that I was measuring a little small and wants to have an ultrasound done next week and then an appointment following the ultrasound. I'm being seen once a week now but I think that's the norm. Anyways, of course I went into panic mode and tuned everything else she said out. She said I could have lost some belly due to him dropping, but I'm a nervous wreck. I guess I'm just looking for some reassurance or what I should be expecting come next week. I have my baby shower on Sunday and would really like to enjoy it and not worry about our little man.

 

[bundle4me]

Definitely seen a few ladies on here that are measuring smaller just cos baby's dropped so I'm sure that's all it will be.

 

[spunky84]

It sounds like it may just be a precautionary scan. It could've been from baby dropping, but they probably just want to make absolutely sure just in case so they know how to proceed.

Weekly appointments are normal, I believe, from your gestation onwards. If anything, they'll be monitoring you more closely if he's a little behind, and if he has to come a little early, he's much closer to term. I know that still isn't any comfort.

I think if they were really worried about the growth, they'd have you scanned right away, so I would try to take some comfort in that they feel that the scan can wait until next week.

I know it's, without a doubt, scary and you're worried. Try to enjoy your shower. Can you call your doctor's office to get some reassurance about measuring small and your scan next week? They might be able to offer you some reassurance as to why they are doing it (specifically) and how they will proceed based on their findings. It's may be scary to get through, but I often find that, sometimes, the more information they can provide me with what to expect, the more I'm able to relax a little more as sometimes your imagination can run wild with all of the different possibilities and outcomes

 

[amelia26]

It's really normal for fundal height to fall when baby drops and becomes engaged. It sounds like she's just being very cautious..did she say how small you're measuring?

 

[Ahughes]

No she didn't say. I wish I would have asked but my brain went to mush after she said I was a little behind . I saw a different doctor then I normally see and so maybe she is just more cautious with this type of thing. I'm glad she wants to check on him but I wish it could be sooner!

 

[Amherst1994]

I've been measuring small the whole time but stopped growing at around 35 weeks. I'm 40 now and am barely measuring 36. I had a growth scan and was so scared that something was wrong! Lo and behold my baby is actually in the 67th percentile! Fundal height doesn't really mean a lot. My midwife said he had just dropped and I'm just tiny. My baby is thriving despite being behind on my belly measurements and I'm sure yours is too so really try not to worry!!!!

 

[Clarabell543]

I had a growth scan with DD at 36weeks as my fundal height hadn't changed in 2 weeks. Fundal height is alot of guesswork and can be affect by the position of the baby. Needless to say my little one was born at 9lb7 so try not to worry too much

 

[midwife1992]

I measured 6 weeks behind my whole pregnancy- out popped my baby 6 pounds 1 ounce at 39+6 weeks don't pain just monitor babies movements as I'm sure you usually do and Any concerns ring the hospital

 

[midwife1992]

*panic that was supposed to say

 

[sil]

I'd try not to worry too much. Fundal height isn't that accurate. At 36 weeks I was measuring 5 weeks behind (31), but a growth ultrasound showed my baby is in the 65th percentile. Fundal height can always change and is just an estimate.

I measured way off with my DS too (also really small- many weeks behind) and he was born 10 days early at 8lb1oz.

 

[Zephram]

I've been measuring small this whole pregnancy and have had numerous scans to check on baby's growth. I'm 40 weeks today (whoopee, come on baby!) and two days ago at my last midwife appointment I was measuring 36.5cm for fundal height. I had a scan today and baby's estimated weight is 3.8kg! That's about 8 lbs 6 or so I think, so hardly small.

Obviously growth scans can be off, but my first was 3.9kg at birth, so a similar weight sounds reasonable to me.

Moral of the story is that although small fundal height CAN be an indicator of growth problems, it isn't always, and sometimes it means absolutely nothing, especially if baby is believed to have dropped already or you just carry small, like me apparently.

 

[Loulabear22]

Or the other way round I measured huge, even scans measured a huge baby and he came out at 7lb4! I'm hoping that's the same this time round that there all a little out but don't want to jinx myself xx

 

[Eleanor ace]

. I measured 3cm/weeks behind with my DD, 4cm a few days before I delivered and the MW then said that because LO had dropped that was accounting for the extra cm behind. She weighed 8lbs at birth so totally average not small

 

[Ahughes]

Thanks, ladies! Makes me feel better. My husband said he was a small baby (around 6lbs) and I was just over 7 pounds. I'm on the taller side (5'9"), started this pregnancy a bit underweight and I didn't really start to show noticeably until I was like 25 weeks. My doctors have not mentioned his fundal height measurements as an issue to me until yesterday, so I really think it could be because he has dropped. My boobs don't touch the top of my belly anymore and I can fit more of my hand in between the top of my belly and the bottom of my boobs.

 

[kristy87]

I'm also measuring small. 3cm behind on last check, and have midwife again on Tuesday.

With my little girl I never measured beyond 30 weeks on the fungal height. She was a week over due and 7lb 3oz so I'm not worried at all this time. X

 

[mummyruston]

Yes this happened to me. From 36w to now (I'm 41+2) I''m measuring at 36 still. Yet I've have 2 growth scans and all normal. MW sent me as a precaution more so than anything because FH isn't accurate and if baby moves position it's tricky to have consistent measurements.

On the otherside my DD always measured 2cm / 2w ahead and was told a 8-9lb baby yet she was born 40+4 at 6lb11z

You'll be fine I'm sure and the scan is for precaution only x

 

[GoHawks]

I'm in a similar situation. I went for my 32 week appointment yesterday and was told I was measuring a 30. They have me scheduled for an ultrasound at my next appointment at 34 weeks. The doctor was really reassuring saying it was most likely nothing and that it was a precaution to just get exact measurements and make sure since it was just a little behind. I didn't expect to be exactly on though since I'm only 5'1 and both me and my husband were 6 pound babies.

Try not to worry too much, and enjoy your shower. I'm sure your little guy is doing just fine

 

[jstarr]

I really wouldn't worry, fundal height can be so misleading. I had a growth scan at 36 weeks with my first because fh was behind but scan measurements were fine. It all depends on their position. I've been having extra growth scans for this baby being small but my fh is actually a week ahead

 

[Ahughes]

Good news! Our LO is in the 56th percentile for everything and weighs roughly 6 pounds 9 ounces! He is right in the middle.

 

[Sb86]

I had a midwife app today, I'm 31+3 and now I'm about to go for a growth scan (in an hour) cos I'm measuring not as big as I should be in comparison to my 28week measurement.

Baby was back to back though and my bump was soft so I'm pretty sure it's because of her position that I measured smaller than expected. I'm not concerned, I'm actually excited to see her again during the scan!