Anyone have a "small" baby at 26 weeks? Especially a small abdomen?

electricdoctor83

 

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So I went in for my weekly cervical length ultrasound and came out with "we need to watch for IUGR in the coming weeks". I have had a few growth u/s this pregnancy and baby has always been totally average with no concerns. The last growth u/s she was perfectly on track and 1 lb 11 oz. 4 weeks later (over 4 weeks really) she is now in the 20th % overall and her abdomen is now in the 5th % and is 1 lb 13 oz.

So we checked her cord and everything appeared okay, she has been hiccuping lately so we know she is practice breathing and my fluid levels are okay.

I'm terrified I'll go in for the next growth u/s in 4 weeks (I go weekly for the cervix check) and she will still be small and not grown. Terrified. I seriously don't think I can take another issue with this pregnancy. PTL, IC, cerclage, contractions, and now possibly a IUGR problem.

Anyone have any insight? Anyone have a "bad" growth u/s followed by a totally normal one? I've been ordered to increase my carbs and help her grow.

katkatmoss

For the last half of my last pregnancy, our baby was in the 4th % for her abdomen and around 20th % or less overall. But she stayed consistent (and small) those last months. They were concerned. But everything seems to be ok. She is 10 months now, and overall, she is just on the small side (still). She is healthy. Just remember that these are estimates. Eat the right things. Stress won't help you. Somebody has to be the lower end of the curve )

jennyann28

Yep.  At 21 weeks, I was referred to MFM because my baby has SUA (single umbilical artery).  Her cord looked ok, and she was 11th percentile for growth.  They had me come back for another ultrasound a couple weeks later and she was measuring 27th %.  So they let me go longer between ultrasounds.  Next time they checked, she was below the 10th % and diagnosed with IUGR.  I've since been monitored intensely with bi-weekly NSTs, and ultrasounds every week switching back and forth between growth & BPP.  Our goal was to make it to 37 weeks before they'd induce me.

Luckily, baby hit another growth spurt and has been passing all of her tests, so they will let her go to 40 weeks now, but it has been pretty intense.

I will say that I am REALLY surprised that your doctor told you to eat carbs to help baby grow.  Mine told me that carbs will just fill me up, but to eat as much PROTEIN as possible.  Are you sure you heard your doc right?  Mine put me on a special protein powder supplement, and recommended I get around 150g of protein per day to help baby grow.  He also put me on a regimen of 2 baby aspirin per day, and extra prescription folic acid (also a protein). 

electricdoctor83

jennyann28:

Yep.  At 21 weeks, I was referred to MFM because my baby has SUA (single umbilical artery).  Her cord looked ok, and she was 11th percentile for growth.  They had me come back for another ultrasound a couple weeks later and she was measuring 27th %.  So they let me go longer between ultrasounds.  Next time they checked, she was below the 10th % and diagnosed with IUGR.  I've since been monitored intensely with bi-weekly NSTs, and ultrasounds every week switching back and forth between growth & BPP.  Our goal was to make it to 37 weeks before they'd induce me.

Luckily, baby hit another growth spurt and has been passing all of her tests, so they will let her go to 40 weeks now, but it has been pretty intense.

I will say that I am REALLY surprised that your doctor told you to eat carbs to help baby grow.  Mine told me that carbs will just fill me up, but to eat as much PROTEIN as possible.  Are you sure you heard your doc right?  Mine put me on a special protein powder supplement, and recommended I get around 150g of protein per day to help baby grow.  He also put me on a regimen of 2 baby aspirin per day, and extra prescription folic acid (also a protein). 

yeah, I even questioned him about it because with my DS I was instructed to drink protein supplments (so I did high protein Boost) to get him to fatten up because we though he was coming at around 32ish weeks since I was having problems with PTL.  DS was measuring right on track but we wanted him to be as big as possible.  That was with my OB. 

Now with this pregnancy my high risk peri told me to do carbs more than protein?  I asked him about the protein supplements and he said increase protein a little bit but eat more carbs than anything. He said protein would "just fill me up".   

I plan on talking to my OB about it next week.  It's hard having 2 different doctors from 2 different practices....they seem to contradict eachother on treatments sometimes.

 And thanks girls   I am hoping maybe she'll just catch up and nothing is wrong with my placenta or her cord. 

smacb

My son's head was in the 90th percentile at his growth ultrasound 4 weeks ago and his belly was 40th percentile.

We had another BPP this week and his head was 95th % and his tummy was 90%.  A lot can change in a few weeks.  Hang in there.