small baby

kristaG1280

At our 20 week ultrasound our little girl was only in the 17th percentile.  We rechecked at 25 weeks and shes still about 20th percentile.  According to our doctor this is normal and we just have a little baby, what I was wondering is how little? Anyone else have a baby this size? How big (pounds) were they when they were born? Just curious what to expect! 

starree444

When I went for my AS my girl was measuring 2 weeks behind. I was sent for an amnio and all the genetic testing they can throw at you. We know she doesn't have downs and we're waiting for the rest of the results. Most likely, she's just small. 

The percentiles are just an average of "normal" some babies are bigger, some are just smaller. It happens

danizar8

Ours was small at the 20 week US. MFM ordered monthly US to monitor his growth. OB, though, not worried. She explained that sonograpghy can be subjective in that it can be difficult to capture precise images and that this is one polaroid in baby's growth...

Mommyduclos

My baby measures a week behind they are going to monitor growth via a couple more ultrasounds. I'm on blood thinners for a possible blood clotting issue and the high risk dr was concerned that my babies keep getting smaller, when usually subsequent pregnancies the babies are bigger. My son was 6 lb 15 oz and my daughter was 6 lbs 6 oz and this is the first time I've ever actually measured behind enough to be noted so this baby seems to be smaller still. But we'll see. There definitely is some variation and an error range with ultrasound and even though they take that into consideration it can still be wrong. I wouldn't worry unless your dr is genetics plays the biggest roll with size- I think it's only a huge concern if 1. There is a genetic issue they are concerned about or 2. Growth stops all together.

livins

I had an US at 16 weeks with my MFM and baby measured 54th percentile. At my AS baby was in 28th percentile. I have a growth scan in 3 weeks and I've been consciously increasing my protein intake since at my last appointment I was still 4 lbs under my prepregnancy weight (better than the 10 lbs under I was!). I also have hashimoto's so I knew I'd have growth scans. MFM dr didn't seem concerned about size so I'm trying not to freak out but I get where your coming from! Good luck!!

enkb

Just to keep things in perspective, I believe the way these percentiles work is that if your baby is in the 17th percentile that means 16.9% of babies are smaller than yours. that's more than 1 in ten and not outside the range of normal at all. If the doc isn't worried there is no need for you to, you just have a slightly smaller kid.

andreachristine81

At 20 weeks my baby was measuring in the 15 percentile. I had an amino... Everything was normal. At 23 week ultrasound the baby was measuring in the 23 percentile... My doctor told me that he is probably going to be a small baby. Just to be safe we are having another ultrasound in two more weeks and then 3 weeks again after that. I am sure you guy are fine!! So hard not to worry though!!!

skfg

Exactly what PPs have said. DS was 18-20 percentile the entire pregnancy and healthy as could be. There are more concerning benchmarks than size alone. The bigger concern with the doctors is that the size stays the same percentile or larger each scan. Going down consistently is concerning. If doctor said not to worry, then I'd take that and run w/that. They will let you know when there are concerns.

Eastoncjr

My son was 26th percentile and when he was born at 38wks he was just shy of 6 pounds. He's still thin but average height at 2. So he's just a little guy.

willashbaby

My Mom had twins (which I know throws things off but) one was 6lbs at birth and the other was 7lbs7oz. They were 39.5 weeks. The "little" guy is now (age 12) 6 inches taller than the other guy! It means nothing and is not something to really be concerned with unless your baby is in the bottom 5%. That's the way percentiles work. Bottom or top 5% or a major change in "trend". If baby goes from 26% to 15% to 8% THAT demonstrates potential problems. 

Grassieta

I am a LC and I keep reminding moms that a 20th percentile is just as far away from the mean as an 80th percentile is, yet no one worries about babies (both in and out of utero) in the 80th percentile.

bishoplmb

My DD always measured small, 20% or smaller my entire pregnancy. I had to go in for weekly ultrasounds at the end to make sure that she was growing. I delivered her at 40w5d and she weighed 7lbs 5oz. Totally healthy. My doctor just kept reminding me that some women just make smaller babies and that its not a bad thing (only took me 3 pushes to get her out). 

mamakculb

My SIL just went through this with her second. He was consistently measuring small the second half of her pregnancy, and her bump was a lot smaller than with her first. They ended up inducing at 38.5 weeks and he was 5lbs 14oz, 18 inches long. That was in July and hes just now getting up to 10lbs. He's been a healthy, happy baby, just petite. Just keep eating well and whenever you're hungry. If the doctor says you're in the normal range then you probably are. You may just get to enjoy the teeny tiny stage a little longer

EvaD84

At my 22w4d u/s I was in the 17th percentile. Dr showed me a graph and middle line means a baby of 3kg and top line a baby of 4kg and above at birth.

I was just below middle line but dr wasn't so worried. He said you can't predict a babies growth as some start being small around 20 week mark and gradually gain weight so i can move into the above 3kg mark..

He is just going to monitor at every appointment where i sit along that graph. That being said babies on my dads family are around 2.8kg to 3.4kg but they are solid babies and have a strong quick growth spurt compared to other babies.

At 21 weeks my baby girl was measuring 386g and 22w4d she was measuring 501g and was still in a normal range... Alot of drs say once baby is above 3.5kg at birthtime, alot of mums have no energy to push and end up with c-sections and inductions

Just because a baby maybe 4kg doesn't necessarily mean better as i know alot of asian mums who eat junk food and greasy food and think yay 4kg healthy baby but the weight is bad fat

Also i am a caucasian delivering a baby in malaysia so i am not surprised my results are different as plenty of malay women here even the young ones have complications and gestational diabetes and don't eat healthily so babies are always born practically obese...