Told to take aspirin due to previous ‘small’ baby?

[candyem]

Hi ladies,

First post in second tri!

I had an emergency c section with my first (a vbac with my second) but because of this I am consultant lead again.

I saw my consultant today. I would have only been in with him for 90 seconds as I am happy to try again for a vaginal birth but then he said he needed to book me in for growth scans at 28,32 and 36 weeks as my first son was 6lbs 12oz at 42 weeks. He said his size is considered small for gestation so they want to monitor this baby. This is fair enough, although my daughter was 6lb 15oz at only 3 days late and I’m petite so it is unlikely I will ever have a big baby.

He then said I had to start taking aspirin daily!? I checked with him three times but he didn’t really explain why and was quite difficult to understand. Everything I’ve read about aspirin in pregnancy is to prevent preeclampsia. Has anyone heard of aspirin for a possible small baby?

I’m going to speak to my community midwife tomorrow but was wondering if anyone had had the same experience or heard of this before?

 

[sevenofnine]

Hi ladies,

First post in second tri!

I had an emergency c section with my first (a vbac with my second) but because of this I am consultant lead again.

I saw my consultant today. I would have only been in with him for 90 seconds as I am happy to try again for a vaginal birth but then he said he needed to book me in for growth scans at 28,32 and 36 weeks as my first son was 6lbs 12oz at 42 weeks. He said his size is considered small for gestation so they want to monitor this baby. This is fair enough, although my daughter was 6lb 15oz at only 3 days late and I’m petite so it is unlikely I will ever have a big baby.

He then said I had to start taking aspirin daily!? I checked with him three times but he didn’t really explain why and was quite difficult to understand. Everything I’ve read about aspirin in pregnancy is to prevent preeclampsia. Has anyone heard of aspirin for a possible small baby?

I’m going to speak to my community midwife tomorrow but was wondering if anyone had had the same experience or heard of this before?

In some women, aspirin helps reduce intrauterine growth restriction. With that being said, I haven’t heard of any doctors prescribing it simply for that... usually it’s because of a pre-e risk (that’s why I have to take it).

It might be a good idea to seek a second opinion. My DD was 6lbs 6oz at 4 days overdue, so was also small, but perfectly healthy.

 

[candyem]

Hi ladies,

First post in second tri!

I had an emergency c section with my first (a vbac with my second) but because of this I am consultant lead again.

I saw my consultant today. I would have only been in with him for 90 seconds as I am happy to try again for a vaginal birth but then he said he needed to book me in for growth scans at 28,32 and 36 weeks as my first son was 6lbs 12oz at 42 weeks. He said his size is considered small for gestation so they want to monitor this baby. This is fair enough, although my daughter was 6lb 15oz at only 3 days late and I’m petite so it is unlikely I will ever have a big baby.

He then said I had to start taking aspirin daily!? I checked with him three times but he didn’t really explain why and was quite difficult to understand. Everything I’ve read about aspirin in pregnancy is to prevent preeclampsia. Has anyone heard of aspirin for a possible small baby?

I’m going to speak to my community midwife tomorrow but was wondering if anyone had had the same experience or heard of this before?

In some women, aspirin helps reduce intrauterine growth restriction. With that being said, I haven’t heard of any doctors prescribing it simply for that... usually it’s because of a pre-e risk (that’s why I have to take it).

It might be a good idea to seek a second opinion. My DD was 6lbs 6oz at 4 days overdue, so was also small, but perfectly healthy.

Thanks for your reply. That makes sense! It seemed strange to me too because he wasn’t considered a low birth weight at birth and there were no concerns about his size when I was pregnant with my second so I am a little surprised they are worried now.

 

[SoldierWife]

I honestly haven't heard of it being used for anything other than Pre-e risk (which is why I'm taking it too). It wouldn't surprise me tho, when I talked to my doctor about the aspirin for pre-e she had mentioned they were seeing all newer studies with it showing some of the things it can help with. She mentioned there are things that doctors can't really explain as to why the aspirin is helping but due to the low dose it isn't going to hurt anything either.

Idk maybe ask your doctor a little more? My understanding is that its a pretty new thing doctors are trying because earlier in pregnancy the dosage is low enough that it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[yazzy]

I've not heard of it but pregnant with my third and am consultant led with extra scans because my daughter was 6lb 1oz at term and my son was 8lb 7oz. They are saying my daughter could have been just small or something could have been wrong so just been booked in for extra scans at 30 and 34 weeks.

 

[lilmisscaviar]

Low dose aspirin has quite a few benefits during pregnancy. I take it in the first trimester to help prevent miscarriage, as I'm prone to early loss. In the third trimester it is recommended to take if you have low birth weight babies because aspirin helps assist blood flow to the placenta, which in turn helps get more nutrients to the baby and so the more nutrients the baby gets the bigger the baby grows.

 

[candyem]

Thanks for the replies ladies, I knew people on here would have some ideas. I’m waiting to hear from my midwife.

 

[Spiffynoodles]

My first was 5lbs 7oz at 38+4 weeks, so I was put on baby aspirin for all the rest of my pregnancies. In my case it's to prevent intrauterine growth restriction, since that's what caused my first to be so little

 

[sevenofnine]

I will add that baby is growing much better this time around. Can’t say for sure whether it’s because of the aspirin, but I do seem to have better growth this time.