Baby B is hogging all nutrients now (35 weeks preg) - has this happened to anyone else?

AlexPuppy · January 2010

My OB did measurements at 33 weeks and Baby A was 5lb 1oz, Baby B was 5lb 5oz. I saw the Peri last night (at 35 weeks) and he measured them at A: 5lb 3oz and B: 6lb 3oz.

They each have their own placenta and sack and have generally been very close in size until now. The Peri's explanation is that a uterus is only made for 1 baby, you get 2 in there and eventually one placenta is going to be more dominant.

I am stoked at Baby B's growth, but am still getting tears when I think of Baby A. How common is this size differential so late in the game??

I will see my OB today and see what she says. But, please, tell me your experiences.

kimarino13 · January 2010

Mine share a placenta, but Baby B is getting bigger than her sister at each scan. At last measure, Baby A was 5 lbs 2oz and Baby B was 5 lbs 10 oz. They used to be equal. My Peri is not concerned, especially since the differences started happening beyond 28 weeks, and both are still over the 50th percentile. He said he would be more worried if one showed signs of IUGR, but that is not the case.

Wantastickybaby · January 2010

Hi there,

Our girls also had their own placentas and sacks and were the same size for most of the pregnancy. When they were born, Baby A was 6.12 and Baby B was 4.10. They are both healthy and happy! The size difference didn't happen until the end of the pregnancy. They just kept and eye on things and I delivered at 37 weeks. Your babies are already a good size and both will continue to grow even bigger!

GL!

joliemariée · January 2010

my girl was 25% smaller than her brother at their 29wk scan. My MFM was concerned and told me to spend most of my time laying on my right side ( where my bigger baby is) in order to give more blood flow to my girl. Also she had me increase my protein first thing in the morning...Well, 3 weeks later at their 32wk scan they were within 3oz of each other - he slowed down & she gained the weight she needed!!!! Amazing I thought!

MFM told me if she hadn't caught up that he would continue taking more and more of the nutrients and that would be a problem but thankfully they evened out.

Maybe try laying mostly on your dominant baby - I thought it was crazy, but it worked for me

macchiatto · January 2010

My boys were just 3 oz apart at birth but they did seem to have a much bigger size difference in my late growth scans. I would definitely take those with a grain of salt; it's harder to get accurate measurements late in pregnancy, especially with multiples because they're so squished (to use the technical term). Like my Baby A was estimated at 5 lbs 12 oz at 35w ... and 5lb 11 oz at 37w! I was really worried about him but at birth my babies were 6.10 and 6.7 (I can't tell you which was A and which was B, but they were close enough to get the moral of the story

).

keg · January 2010

Yep, my DDs had the same situation you were talking about (same size up until 35 weeks where it seemed that one hadn't grown since the previous scan). For me, they decided at that point it was best if delivered within 24-48 hours so I was scheduled for a c-section the next morning (35w6d). My DDs were born at 4lb12oz and 5lb14oz and now are about 4 lbs different. However, they have different body types, so it's not terribly surprising. Good luck!

coffee bean · January 2010

This happened to us too, about where you are gestation wise (also two placentas and sacs). Ended up Abby (Baby A) was 6lb 11oz and Lily (Baby was 5lb 13oz. I delivered at 38wks.

It never became anything serious to worry about, although Abby still steals food from her sister!!

kelliwill · January 2010

Mine shared a placenta and were about the same size up until 30 weeks when it started to change. Baby B started taking more than her sister. My peri said that the difference was not enough to call it TTTS, but due to the discrepancy we decided with my OB to deliver at 36 weeks via c-section (The lower baby was breech). Gracie was born first and weighed 4 lbs 3 oz. The NICU Dr's told me that she had IUGR (Interuterine Growth restriction) and that the majority of her energy went to growing her brain which is why her head was large for her small body. Ava came second and weighed 5 lbs 2 oz. So, they were about an oz. apart. Gracie had to do NICU time because of her weight (the hospital had a rule any baby under 4.5 goes to NICU). She required no feeding tube or breathing assistance. They are both growing very well. Ava is over 7 lbs and Gracie is almost 7 lbs. Ava is still bigger and her head is larger etc. Over time the difference should get smaller and be less noticable. Talk to your Dr's and decide what the best way to handle things. My Peri would have let me go longer, but wit my OB we decided it was best to deliver at 36 weeks. It was a REALLY hard decision for me and I labored over it and cried, wondering if I was making the right decision. even though I was upset that she had to do NICU time, the NICU Dr's were great, overall she was very healthy, and they assured me that it was best that we delivered when we did, so that the discrepency would not get worse. It may be totally different for you however because your babies each have their own placenta. GL to you!!

Temp159135562506975 · January 2010

my boys measured very similar my whole pg - and at the end, at birth, they were about 2lbs apart (6lb 6oz and 7lb 15.6oz)... they are now 5lbs apart- so it's not just a placenta thing for my guys- they just are different sizes (and different appetites!)

don't worry- it's not such a big difference that you have to worry- and you are close to the end. If it was earlier then they'd worry that A was not getting enough.

Temp6313048411121614 · January 2010

Our A was 3/4 pound bigger at birth. At our last U/S, A was around 23% or 27% and B dropped all the way down to 3%. Now our B is bigger than A.

AlexPuppy · January 2010

joliemari?e:

Maybe try laying mostly on your dominant baby - I thought it was crazy, but it worked for me

I will totally try that. And it makes sense - the smaller baby is on my left side, and I mostly lie to my left. I'll start switching to my right immediately.

AlexPuppy · January 2010

Ladies - THANK YOU so much for responding with your stories! I feel a LOT better now. I'll see my OB "around lunch" which is an hour or two from now. I'll post again and let you know what she says and what she decides.

LoveTravel · January 2010

macchiatto:
My boys were just 3 oz apart at birth but they did seem to have a much bigger size difference in my late growth scans.

This is what happened to me as well, although the boys shared a placenta, I know at one growth scan one baby was estimated almost 1 lbs more than the other and they were only 3 oz apart at birth

Rinnie · January 2010

My boys were always a about a pound off in weights.

When they were born they were exactly a pound difference and to this day, the are a little bit older then a year old, they still keep that pound difference.

My boys were indentical and shared a placenta, so I don't know if they worry as much if they have different placenta's, because that isn't my experience. But I had a friend who had faternal twins - at birth, full term one weighted almost 9 pounds and the other way 6 pounds.

I can't remember now but they don't go by weights more by percentage and I can't recall what that percentage was.

From my experience I wouldn't worry about it, but still talk to your OB and see what they say.

The good thing - your almost to the end of your pregnancy and those are pretty great weights.

GL!

kimby3679 · January 2010

Mine were born at 34 weeks, and in the 3 weeks prior to delivery DS was definately hogging the food. (still does actually) He was 5lb 4oz and DD was 3 lb 13oz. I honestly think your babies are OK and the dr was correct. I can understand the worry though.

Northof54 · January 2010

they sound like they're doing wonderfully

My GGG were born at 33.6 and were 3.12 / 4.4 / and 5.5

you see a huge difference... all fraternal.

good luck!

SportsLover · January 2010

I had the exact same thing happen to me between week 28 & 32. At week 28, they were about an oz or two different in weights and by 32 weeks, baby B was about 1lb 4 oz larger. I started to get nervous about it, but my peri told me that because baby B was on top of baby A, it's very common and they would just keep an eye on it. I delivered at exactly 35 weeks and baby A was 5lbs, 3oz and baby B 6lbs, 6oz. Baby B still continues to be a little bigger now at age 2. Your weights look great to me. Good luck!!!

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Baby B is hogging all nutrients now (35 weeks preg) - has this happened to anyone else?

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