Measuring ahead vs. big baby...

slukd79

What is the difference between measuring for example, 3 weeks ahead of your due date, and just have a bigger baby?

(I am trying to ask this non snarkily, I really don't know.  I have been with 4 different practices between my 2 pregnancies due to moves and none of them have never changed my due date. I have asked and was basically told that it would not change.)

Wipz

I don't know.. but I went from measuring a week ahead and a 90 percentile baby  at 28 weeks to a week behind and a 49 percentile baby at 36...  go figure LOL .. all this time they were worried he was going to be too big for me to deliver full term. 

I have absolutely no clue when he will choose to arrive or how big he will be.. only time will tell.  I guess we will play it by ear on the day and if he can come out au natural and drug free .. great.. if not we'll rethink that plan when the time comes.  He's gone from sitting like a bowling ball to floating around like a lumpy thing with no pressure at all... this kid is just not making life simple lol... he keeping us on our toes. 

Last night I could have sworn I was going to go into labor in Walmart and now I feel like he's going to stick it out to the very end... MEN !!! lol

kmhunt11

I could be wrong, but I don't know if there is anyway to know if it's you or the baby without doing an u/s.  I measure 1-2 weeks ahead, but if this baby is like the last one, she'll be totally normal-sized.  DH and I were both normal (both btw 7- lbs) and DD was 7lb7oz.  I think I measure ahead because I just gain extra weight when pregnant.  I don't pig out, but I put all my careful eating practices on hold- low-cal bread, minimizing cheese and other dairy, carbs, carefully watching portion sizes, minimal snacking, etc.  If I'm not super-careful I gain weight.  I'm not being super-careful because I hate being pregnant and don't want to be more miserable than I already am!

Mattel

I just put this in another post - I am measuring way ahead due to big baby (she's 2 weeks ahead), high amniotic fluid, and a large placenta. The baby is measuring 2 weeks ahead - they won't change the due date because she's still the same gestational age, just as big as a baby 2 weeks ahead of her - I'm pretty sure that's all they mean when they say the baby is measuring ahead. Her milestones for maturity and things are pretty much all the same they would be if she was smaller and more in line for 36 weeks.

peytonsmama09

I'm in the same boat, measuring WAY ahead.  Baby is already at 40wks in size and 8lbs, but I'm only 34 (almost 35 weeks) in gestation.  Because of that my doctor is watching me CLOSELY for early labor because his size will more than likely trigger it sooner than my c-section date of March 21st.

TheBeeCharmer

I don't have an answer but I'm hoping it's not too reliable at this point. My fundal height is only one week ahead but baby is still measuring 4 weeks! Ahead by u/s!

Babycakes29

Measuring ahead doesn't necessarily mean anything. In my case though, my LO has been measuring normally but I am retaining a LOT of water. We're checking next week to get an idea of how big he is since I went from measuring 2 wks to 3wks ahead now. But OB still thinks I'm just swollen with a lot of water. When he palates my abdomen he says he can feel all the excess clear as day! 

britglenn9

when people talk about 'measuring ahead' they mean that the fundal height is measuring say 38 instead of 36. when youre 36 weeks you should measure 36, but its different for everyone. they dont really change due dates after 10-12 weeks so even though someone is 'measuring ahead' they mean that their baby could be larger and is measuring at the size of a 38 week baby not a 36 week baby. hope that answers your Q.

jkjohnsonwedding

I've been measuring ahead consistently for awhile now. I had an u/s last week and my son is in the 85th percentile (over 7lbs at 36w). I'm also dilating so much already that they believe it's because he's "big". Everything else checked out fine so they are just expecting me to have a large baby. Watch, he will come out at 7lbs 3 weeks after the u/s... It seems they can be very inaccurate so we shall see.

slukd79

britglenn9:

when people talk about 'measuring ahead' they mean that the fundal height is measuring say 38 instead of 36. when youre 36 weeks you should measure 36, but its different for everyone. they dont really change due dates after 10-12 weeks so even though someone is 'measuring ahead' they mean that their baby could be larger and is measuring at the size of a 38 week baby not a 36 week baby. hope that answers your Q.

This is where I get confused. So if it is a 36 week baby measuring at 38 weeks (by fundal height)-- isn't just bigger/not at the 38 week mark? A 38 week baby would be more matured (lungs, neuro etc.)

I have read some posts where people have their due date changed at the end (my sister included.) I would think that if the due date is changed, then they think a formally 36 week baby is now 38 weeks and thus, more matured/"cooked."

Ok, I don't know why I am trying to figure this out... More important things to attend to like Modern Family.

britglenn9

lol well yeah from what i understood it just means the baby's size is bigger- definitely does not mean that their lungs are more mature- thats why most doctors do not change due dates when youre further along- they could be sabotaging how mature the baby's lungs are when the only real issue was that the baby was big. then if they induce baby earlier or whatnot the baby might not be ready. 

lol Modern Family is awesome, i never catch it on tv but i always order the dvd's when the seasons come out on netflix.  

snowflakemom

As I understand it, "measuring ahead" means the fundal measurement is bigger than the gestational age (i.e. measuring 38wks but you are actually 36wks according to your due date) and this means simply that at 36wks of age the baby is the size of a 38-weeker but is not necessarily as mature as a 38wk baby. I measured anywhere from 2-4 weeks ahead with my other two pregnancies and never once was it mentioned to change my due date. I simply had big babies.

slukd79

snowflakemom:

As I understand it, "measuring ahead" means the fundal measurement is bigger than the gestational age (i.e. measuring 38wks but you are actually 36wks according to your due date) and this means simply that at 36wks of age the baby is the size of a 38-weeker but is not necessarily as mature as a 38wk baby. I measured anywhere from 2-4 weeks ahead with my other two pregnancies and never once was it mentioned to change my due date. I simply had big babies.

You are much more articulate than I am at this point... Bravo!