How do you know how much your baby weighs?

natkay02 · August 2011

I've always wondered this. They did a growth u/s for me at 32 weeks (I know all offices vary on the timing of this), but then after that they just start checking your cervix every week after 35. So as far as I know, I won't know how much he weighs until he is born and that is more than okay with me.

I don't understand what the point is in freaking everyone out telling women their babies are huge. My best friend's doctor even tried to convince her to get a c-sec because her baby was so big at just 36-37 weeks, but he came on his own at 40 weeks and weighed 8lbs 1oz. Confused If the technology isn't very accurate, why even try to predict the baby's weight at all? I don't get it.

Azrayla · August 2011

See I dont understand this aas welll.. with DD I measured 2 weeks aheqd and my ultrasound showed her large.. She came on her own one day from 37weekks at 7lbs 11oz which *is* big for that time frame.. (dates were correct) however during all this they told me there was no plan of induction prior to 39 weeks and csection was never mentioneded.. this time they ddidnt call my scan a growth but did say they wanted tto make sure he was growing properly and heck everything I guess for last minute issues.. While I was told the weight, that wasnt the sole purpose of the scan

MsCrispy · August 2011

The techniques are not totally accurate.

The best way to measure is through the growth ultrasound. I'm not high risk or having any problems, so I'm not having one of these. My doctor manually feels and measures in order to guess the size, I'm guessing this is pretty inaccurate, but at least gives a ballpark estimate. My doctor is saying my baby is big.

I don't think people should worry about it too much. And in most cases, I think it is a bad reason to induce or get a c-section.

ar78 · August 2011

YES. And time and time again, these "estimates" are seem to be frequently wrong.

Kimmyis · August 2011

My midwives are doing it based on feel. I am a pretty tiny person and my belly is incredibly round so finding the baby is easy. Last night was the first time I heard a guess weight so far- 6 1/2 lbs. Apparently they are pretty good and spot on most of the time. They say I am on track for an average to a little smaller than average baby. I don't know how much I believe them but we will know for sure when he makes his appearance!

lanoed · August 2011

i don't get it either. i haven't had an u/s since 20 weeks, my docs usually just measure with the tape each visit. I had a friend who was told her baby was a huge 6 lbs at 32 weeks, she had him at 36 and he was barely over 5. even if the docs decide to do another ultrasound i won't be putting much stock into whatever it says.

TeamJAS · August 2011

Yesterday I had an appointment with a high risk doc due to a possible infection. She did an US to check baby out and took a boat load of measurements. She mentioned to us that baby girl weighs about 5 1/2 lbs. I think it's cool hearing her weight, but I take it as just an estimate. If my OB didn't refer me to high risk, I would just have the weight estimate that's in every weekly update on the bump and I'd be fine with it. In the end, I don't care what my baby weighs as long as she comes out safetly.

veronicafvr · August 2011

I don't get it either, they really aren't accurate in determining that at all....

I have no clue how big mine is, never got a measurement from her anatomy scan and no u/s after that.

BarefootAndSinging · August 2011

I don't get it either. Seems like the problems/anxiety/interventions these ESTIMATES cause far outweigh (haha. pun. I'm a dork.) any possible benefits.

msmarsh · August 2011

TeamJAS:
Yesterday I had an appointment with a high risk doc due to a possible infection. She did an US to check baby out and took a boat load of measurements. She mentioned to us that baby girl weighs about 5 1/2 lbs. I think it's cool hearing her weight, but I take it as just an estimate. If my OB didn't refer me to high risk, I would just have the weight estimate that's in every weekly update on the bump and I'd be fine with it. In the end, I don't care what my baby weighs as long as she comes out safetly.

Agreed. They even told me during my L & D trip that the measurement can be off by 10 oz... which is a lot when he is on;y measuring 4.5 lbs any way. It is cool to think about whether they are accurate, but I'm not freaking out about it.

linzica · August 2011

well, in my case, I have GD so I get monthly level 2 ultrasounds, which are more specific so I guess maybe more accurate in determining weight? Either way, they want to keep track because I'm at risk for a dangerously large baby.

However, in general agree with you. If it's not accurate telling a woman that she's going to have a huge baby is just- mean.

Mereou12 · August 2011

I don't get it either. And that's coming from someone that ended up being induced for a "big baby." He was 7 lb 8 oz. HUGE, right? Confused

My MW was concerned about my hip structure and DS's estimated size at my 37 week scan (they said he was already 8+ lbs), so she convinced me to go for an induction. I was very favorable already (3-4cm/95%), so I naively went ahead with it. I had an awesome induction experience and DS arrived less than 10 hours from the time I was hooked up.....but still. It was all for nothing, really, as he wasn't anywhere even close to the size they thought he would be (except for his shoulders -- he had massive shoulders!!). I totally missed out on the "am I having contractions? Do we need to go to the hospital yet?" part of the birth experience.

I'm glad that my new OB doesn't do growth scans late in pregnancy, because I have very little faith in them. I'm fortunate that I ended up with an awesome delivery, but many aren't that lucky. I can guarantee that I will NOT be falling for the same thing this time around!

ETA: I was induced at 39w5d, not right after my scan at 37 weeks. That would've been REALLY stupid on my part. :P

kayak11 · August 2011

They usually feel around my belly at each appointment to check the baby's position, but I've never heard them say anything about how much they think he weighs. I'm sort of assuming that our baby will be around 7-8 lbs because that's what DH and I were. I am planning to ask at my next appointment because I'm curious!

Pina · August 2011

The number of women freaking out on here because of big babies is insane. Everyone needs to take a step back and relax. Back in the day they didn't induce because a woman was having a baby, they let her push and out the baby came. I am bothered by all this induction talk because it seems so not necessary. And for the record a nine lb baby isn't cause for a c-section. I am "on the way" towards a 9lb baby and no one has even mentioned the words induce.

IrishGal002 · August 2011

My OB spent a while feeling the baby through my stomach, light pushing on the sides of the baby and using his fingers around the sides of the head through my skin - then said "your baby is between 6lb 8oz and 6lbs and 10oz" I was surprised that he said he had a 2oz margin of error --- but he laughed and said he has been doing this for 20 years and can feel the size very accurately & hasnt been far off yet. This was a week ago, so little one is prob around 7lbs now. I wouldnt use the measurment 100% but at the same time, i feel that a good OB should be able to tell more from using his hands and brain than a machine reading

caffinated_tulip · August 2011

This makes me feel so much better to hear from all of you. They told me that LO weighed 7lbs 5 oz at my 36 week "growth" ultrasound which scared the crap out of me and now I have another one at 38 weeks to determine how big he is then. If he goes over 10 they want to c-section me, which I really don't want. Why would they do that if the estimations are so frequently wrong.

Azrayla · August 2011

Pina:
The number of women freaking out on here because of big babies is insane. Everyone needs to take a step back and relax. Back in the day they didn't induce because a woman was having a baby, they let her push and out the baby came. I am bothered by all this induction talk because it seems so not necessary. And for the record a nine lb baby isn't cause for a c-section. I am "on the way" towards a 9lb baby and no one has even mentioned the words induce.

Not sure how far "back in the day" youre talking but my mom was induced 2 weeks early with my brother for big baby.. He was 8lbs ssomething.. however that was 18 years ago which isnt way back in the day but still almost 20 years... and I think theyve actually gotten more strict with NOT inducing till 39 weeks just recently.. but thats my two cents. Either way while fun to have guesstimates I think OB offices and techhs should kkeep the weight hush hush..Theres nothing wrong with big babies!

Pina · August 2011

Azrayla:
Pina:
The number of women freaking out on here because of big babies is insane. Everyone needs to take a step back and relax. Back in the day they didn't induce because a woman was having a baby, they let her push and out the baby came. I am bothered by all this induction talk because it seems so not necessary. And for the record a nine lb baby isn't cause for a c-section. I am "on the way" towards a 9lb baby and no one has even mentioned the words induce.
Not sure how far "back in the day" youre talking but my mom was induced 2 weeks early with my brother for big baby.. He was 8lbs ssomething.. however that was 18 years ago which isnt way back in the day but still almost 20 years... and I think theyve actually gotten more strict with NOT inducing till 39 weeks just recently.. but thats my two cents. Either way while fun to have guesstimates I think OB offices and techhs should kkeep the weight hush hush..Theres nothing wrong with big babies!

I am proud of my big baby! My mom delivered three big babies naturally and without induction back 30+ years ago. I was referencing like cave man days when women had babies without medical assistance but it was more of snarkiness. I think the estimates, although fun, scare people and allow drs to jump the gun with induction and c-section. Things should just happen naturally.... IMO.

solsburyhill · August 2011

These things are never accurate and I think people freak out over the predicted weight for no reason.

LadyBugLove7 · August 2011

I'm not sure why they even bother with these things. I took a class based on the physics of medical imaging, and while yes they can get rough measurements of lengths of things, as those are pretty finite, there is no way to determine the weight of something when you have a sound wave bouncing though at lease 4 layers of human tissue, bouncing off the baby (some being adsorbed by you and baby) and going back to the transducer. U/S is a great 'imaging' tool...not a great 'weight estimation' tool.

I would be much more inclined to believe a dr. feeling around on my belly before I would trust the equipment. Heck, I don't even trust the automatic BP machines, they always register my BP higher than if a real live person takes it. I always disregard those.

Amanda&EricB · August 2011

I like to have the u/s (I get one every week due to GD) because I see how much he is growing and changing. I do not really freak out with the size estimates, especially now that I see the changes from one week to another. The very first estimate freaked me out but I'm ok with it now.

I wouldn't beg my doctor for an induction or c-section based on a weight estimate on an u/s.

Want a personalized experience?

How do you know how much your baby weighs?

Re: How do you know how much your baby weighs?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards