Small Baby, dropping centiles

kanga86

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Hey ladies, just need some reassurance. My fundal height was 26.5cm at 28 weeks and on the 10th centile on my growth chart. We had a 4d scan on Wednesday at 30 weeks and he is weighing in at 2lbs 11oz and around the 5th centile, so I keep panicking that there is something wrong or something is going to go wrong with him. He is moving about loads so that is reassuring. Anyone have experience of a small baby and dropping on the centiles? I don't see my mw til the end of next week xx
 
I've always measured 2 weeks behind with DD and she was estimated to be in the bottom quarter but ended up being born on the 9th centile. So pretty tiny at 6lb 2 at about 41 weeks gestation. Like yours she always moved extremely well and no concerns had been raised before she was born (only after - that's a different story ha ha)

Have they said anything during your scans? If they had been concerned they would have sent you to a consultant.

Bear in mind also, growth scans are notoriously inaccurate. Goes both ways. They can under- and over-estimate by a large margin. Including depending on who does the scan on which day of the week ;)

Also what are yours/your OH's / family genetics like? Me and my hubby are both thin and we have some REALLY short people on his side of the family. DD just inherited our/ their statute. She is over 4 years old now and still on the 9th centile and visibly shorter than the rest (still wearing some 2-3 year old clothes) but makes up for it in personality and bossiness.

Long and short of it is, don't worry unless your consultant is worried, I think.
 
My baby measured 27 weeks at 28 (nobody was worried at that point), and then looked like he only made it to 28 by week 31. MW sent me to hospital last week for a growth scan where he measured somewhere in the 30th percentile, so more like week 29/30 than 31. Consultant said this was totally fine, only have to go in for another growth scan in four weeks to check he hasn't dropped further.

I was told that as long as they're moving and there are no issues with blood flow from placenta (they would check that should your MW decide you need another scan on the NHS), there's nothing to worry about. Plus, you're not alone in the 5th centile - try not to worry until you've seen your MW. Easier said than done though, having just gone through this I've basically been sick with worry for a week...but just remember he is moving, and your numbers look like baby is consistently 'behind' rather than dropping, so I'd say that's a good sign. Fingers crossed all will turn out well for the two of you!
 
I wouldn't take much notice of the measurements given at a 4D scan tbh as measurements can be out anyway, and predicted weight, but the sonographers who do 3D & 4D scans don't tend to be well trained in measuring or picking up anomalies.

I'm sure your midwife will be able to reassure you and if she's at all concerned she will refer you to the hospital.
 
Hey I think they said it's ok to be two weeks behind or forward. I would call your mw if your worried tho see if you can get an earlier appointment x
 
Thank you for the replies ladies. I am aware that the scans can be out by quite a bit, but he is still measuring small either way.

Atlantis my boys were 7lb 1oz at 41+3wks and 7lb 6oz at 40+2wks. And until recently I didn't know my 1st was classed as small for gestational age. We had growth scans due to me having a high bmi then and nothing was picked up. I've not seen a consultant about any of it either.

Mrs_z I'm glad your bub is growing well and you got send for a growth scan. Maybe I will feel as ease if I have a detailed scan to check the placenta. We have family members who have had stillbirths due to placenta issues so it plays on my mind a bit.

Phoenix I know scans can be out, but I do trust my local scanning place as all the sonographers there work within the NHS and I have had the same ones do my private scans and my anomaly scans at the hospital.

Think I may phone my mw tomorrow for reassurance rather than waiting for my appointment in a couple of weeks xx
 
Great minds think alike blueclass, missed your post when I replied earlier. Going to contact my mw tomorrow xx
 
I think they only use the charts as a kind of guide- can depend on how baby is laid as to whether they are under/ above what they should be. I've always measured a week above what I should be and if the chart is to be believed I'll be having a 10lber lol! My other 2 were long babies and I think this one has long legs too. If in doubt speak to your midwife but some of us just have little ones! X
 
I measured behind with DD the while way through my pregnancy. She was 7lb 2oz. They had told me she was going to be very small and I bought loads of tiny baby clothes. She never got to wear any of them! They really only use measurements as a guide but contact MW if your really worried. X
 
Thank you ladies, just think I am over thinking things and it will be yet another thing they hold against me for wanting my homebirth. Hoping he has some sort of growth spurt and if my mw won't send me for a growth scan I will pay for a private well being scan xx
 
I take fundal height with a pinch of salt!! Last pregnancy I was 50th or below the entire way through, felt really small. I had a 9lb 12oz baby! My colleague was huge, measured ahead every time, had growth scans (she was diabetic, too), and was told at 35w her baby was already 8.5lb. She gave birth at 38w to a 6lb 15oz baby!

It's all totally anecdotal but it's 2 examples where the measurements have been quite out!! It's more worrying, I think, when EVERYONE seems to measure large! try and remember though, someone has to be on 5th centile and maybe you just don't make huge babies? Do they know about the stillbirths in the family - does that mean they check things more? (I've no idea about these issues so just clutching at straws here!) xxx
 
When I went overdue I got a growth scan and he was measuring at 37w I was 41w. I was told hed be tiny.

He was 7lb 3oz. Spewk to your mw but im sure all is ok?

xxxx
 
I measured 3 weeks small from 28 weeks pregnant, my midwife had a feel and said I'd have a small baby, then she came at 8lb 2oz. Try not to stress too much
 
I spoke with my mw and she didn't seem too concerned. She wants to see the scan report and decide from there what to do. I am going to ask for another scan though just to properly check the placenta and cord. I've never mentioned the stillbirths in the family this time because they never seemed relevant after having 2 healthy boys. I had extra growth scans with Harry because of my bmi and so I wasn't worried about having a problem until now. I have chilled out about it though so if he follows his brothers and gains 4lbs from the scan date then he will be 6 lb 11oz so not too small.

Harry was 3lb 1oz at 29+4 and weighed 7lb 1oz born. James was 3lb 6oz at 30+1 and weighed 7lb 6oz xx
 
Just wanted to update this. I had a growth scan at the hospital at 32+6 weeks and baby was still measuring small, weighing 3lb 8oz and well below the 10th centile on my growth chart. More concerning to the consultant was that his tummy measurement was only just on the 3rd centile, indicating possible inter uterine growth restriction (iugr). Placenta flow and fluid levels were checked and all fine for now, the consultant also done an extra scan the measure the brain blood flow which again was OK.

We are back in hospital tomorrow to check placenta function and fluid levels again and then next week where they will also do his measurements again to check his growth. So for now we are being closely monitored, but there is a strong possibility that he will be here early. How early depends on how well he grows between scans xx

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Awww cumon MR! Behave and grow for mummy!!

Keep us update hun xxx
 
I know, I need him to have a huge growth spurt. My friend had the same problem and she was induced at 37 weeks after no growth. He was 5lb 6oz and perfectly fine. So I'm hoping to get that far at least xx

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Fingers crossed he's grown tomorrow, my sister was induced with 2 of hers at 37 weeks due to slow/no growth and both were 5lb+ And perfectly fine...I think that aslong as there's some growth they'll keep monitoring and won't induce until 37 weeks if possible x
 
My fundal height just dropped 1cm from the expected range and I went in at 37w for a scan to check baby's position (he'd been transverse til that morning).

The sonographer very quickly picked up that there was actually a problem with blood flow on the umbilical cord, took reading several times to be sure. From that point onwards I was monitored for fetal movements almost every day until being induced at 38w.

Baby was born 6 lb but lost weight due to feeding issues & ended up being 0.4 percentile for weight. (He was a healthy 25 percentile at 13 months).

I think my point (other than sharing my story) is that an ultrasound should quickly reveal any big issues, and if you detect ANY drop in baby movements then it's worth going straight to the pregnancy unit to get it checked out. xx
 
Thank you tinsel cat, they are all saying that they are happy baby is doing ok as long as he is moving and to not hesitate to get checked out. Glad your little boy was OK even with placenta issues.

Just had my supervisor midwife visit, they were here 1.5hrs and it was so good. She was very supportive of all my choices and gave me all of the risk factors. She has basically ok'ed a homebirth with my previous section, previous retained placenta and previous gbs positive risks as long as baby is above the 10th centile at our next scan.

She was most concerned about baby measuring small and possibly not coping as well in labour, as smaller babies don't necessarily have enough reserves to get them through the contractions. She likened it to if she was to dunk me under water for the length of a contraction at each contraction then I would obviously cope with that for while but it does depend on my fitness level and it's the same with baby they can only cope with the stress of contractions for so long and in smaller babies it is usually less time.

So if baby is measuring under the 10th centile or there are any other complications then I will take the advice from the consultant team with regards to induction and being on labour ward. She did say they can still offer wireless continuous monitoring and possibly the pool on labour ward too should I wish.

So overall I feel relieved and happy to have some plans in place, it's all down to how baby grows in the next 3 weeks xx
 

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