What does it mean when you measure behind?

jorie

Does it mean the baby is small or that you're not as far along as you think?  Or could it be either?

 I'm 34 weeks but measuring 32.  I'll have a U/S at 37 weeks to get an idea what size the baby is.  Just curious what others' experiences have meant. 

Sulla

It can mean the baby is small, but it can also just be the way you're carrying. Meaning you measure small, but baby measures fine.

Hooray2005

I've measured small with both pregnancies, and I've known both times exactly when I was pg, so dates being off weren't the explanation in my case.  DS#1 arrived 12 days late, so they simply assumed he needed extra time to bake (they kept reminding me that 40 weeks is the average gestational period, not a firm time frame). 

DS#2 is also measuring a bit behind, and my new OB is attributing it to "just the way I carry" the baby (meaning, the belly measurement isn't perfect, and can definitely be influenced by  your physical structure, how the baby is positioned, etc), and guessing he, too, might show up late.  We'll see

AZ_Erica

For me it means the baby is small, but I have been a measuring about 3 weeks behind.  Baby is healthy just little.  I think also if your baby has dropper it can also cause you to measure a bit behind.

Mrs.JDD

I was measuring small with Claire and they were worried about the amniotic fluid levels.  I had an u/s and the fluid was fine.  She just ended up being small-she was only 6lbs 5oz when she was born.  I think my due date may have been off by a little because of my long cycles.  This time I'm measuring a little ahead, so I'm preparing myself for a big(ger) baby!

jorie

AZ_Erica:

For me it means the baby is small, but I have been a measuring about 3 weeks behind.  Baby is healthy just little.  I think also if your baby has dropper it can also cause you to measure a bit behind.

 What is dropper?

Oh, dropped?  LMAO...I just googled "dropper" before I clicked "post" to make sure I wasn't missing something totally obvious.  I was a little freaked it might be some kind of disease.  Haha, I hope you meant dropped.  I'm carrying this baby really low so maybe that is the reason.  

Mrs.JDD

yeah, I meant to mention about the dropping thing, too!  When I went last week on Tuesday I measured 34 (I was 33w1d) and when I went back on Thursday after all the scary contractions I was still measuring 34.  The doctor said that was good because if it had suddenly gone down it could have meant that the baby had dropped and the head was into my pelvis further (which would have been bad for me, as it could have been an impending labor sign!).

AZ_Erica

Sorry can't type today.  Yes, I meant dropped;)

LeisureSuitLauren

For me it meant my DD was frank breech.  I first started measuring behind at 30 weeks when I measured 27.  I continued to measure 3-4 weeks behind until I delivered a healthy 6 lb 12oz baby girl at 38 weeks.   I did have biweekly growth U/S from 30 weeks on just to make sure.

true_norskie

Starting at about 32w the second time I was measuring 2 weeks behind.  The weird thing is that I was measuring about a week ahead through my 20w u/s.

I consistently measured behind so the doc wasn't concerned because baby was growing.  He said it just meant I'd have a smaller baby, 7ish pounds.

WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!!  Imagine our surprise, as I was delivering at 39w, when the doc (different from my regular ob) exclaimed, "whoa, this is a big baby!"  My "healthy" baby girl came out 8 lbs 12 oz a week EARLY!

So I say, measurements mean nothing! (most of the time)  I measured a week behind with DD1, too, and she was 7 lbs 14 oz when I delivered, again at 39w.