Experience with delivery dates and measuring ahead...

mikeandcristina · April 2012

I had an ultrasound yesterday (at what I thought was 30 weeks 6 days), and was told that based on the femur length our little girl is actually 32 weeks 6 days... they moved my due date from June 30th to June 17th.

My question is this - have any of you had a LO measure ahead like this and actually deliver earlier than inititally planned? I was all settled in to counting down the days until she arrived, and now I'm panicked at the thought of fast forwarding ahead 2 weeks.

I realize that she's going to come when she's good and ready, I just want to be somewhat prepared if there is an actual possibility she could be early.. My thought is that if the 17th is her 40 week mark, that she could come a couple weeks ahead... which means that she has the potential to be here in 4 weeks... (trying to slow my breathing) lol... I'm a FTM if you can't tell!

powderpuff1981 · April 2012

I was measuring ahead by a week or two with my first and I went a week past my due date. They did not change my due date.

GreenMonkey1 · April 2012

I'm measuring ahead a little over a week and my OB has not changed the due date. Both my DH and I are tall so the baby could come around the original due date and just be long. My OB said to be "ready" for labor around 34 weeks as anything after that the hospital will let labor progress. That gives me five weeks - oy vey. Totally gotta get my bum moving.

hewinked · April 2012

I was measuring 38.5 weeks at 36 weeks and 43 weeks at 38 weeks. My due date was not changed and I'm still here waiting!

awinter05 · April 2012

I am surprised they moved up your due date. U/S done later in pregnancy are not as accurate for dating a pregnancy/determining EDD because babies start growing at all different rates. Usually when you are "measuring ahead" later in pregnancy it just means the baby may be a bigger baby.

I have been measuring between 2-3 weeks ahead for quite some time now. We had a growth u/s a couple of weeks ago and will have another one in a few weeks. Baby is just measuring big; they have not moved my due date.

While I think your baby could come earlier than you had originally thought, I would not plan on it. Your baby could still come after your original EDD.

ETA: That's not to say you shouldn't wrap up any lose ends and be as prepared as possible for an earlier arrival!

orleyl · April 2012

I am surprised they changed your due date. Was the rest of her measurements measuring ahead or only her femur? LO's femur was measuring 2 weeks ahead at my anatomy scan at 20 weeks but doc did not change the due date bc her head and other parts still measured on track. I would not want my doc to change due date only based on a femur measurement, maybe LO is just tall. Now, when u are 41 weeks according to them but maybe really only 39 weeks, they will induce or section you.

perfectpair1275 · April 2012

With DS he constantly measured 2 weeks ahead but they never changed my due date. He was born at 38w1d. This time I am measuring 2 weeks ahead again, so we will just have to see if she comes early or not!

kcisthebombdotcom · April 2012

I would not trust a doctor with my child's care and literally change offices if they moved my due date up 2 weeks because of a "big baby". They could push you into interventions at 40 weeks, baby is really only 38 weeks gestation and LO could come out before she is truly ready to come into the world. Ultrasounds that late in pregnancy are notoriously inaccuate and can be off by +/-2lbs. The most accurate ultrasounds are very early in pregnancy-less than 12 weeks. Those are the only true dating ultrasounds. An EDD should not be changed past that point.

I had a smaller baby (well, average-7lbs 12oz) and one large baby (10lbs). With my big one, I measured on time or behind. By ultrasound at 38 weeks, they told me to ancipate a 7lb baby at birth. A week and a half later, I was induced and my son was born weighing at 10lbs. With my smaller LO, I was measuring 2 weeks ahead consistently. At my final ultrasound at 38 weeks, they told me to prepare for a 9+lb baby. At 39.5 weeks, my DD was born weighing in at 7lbs 12oz.

jennyann28 · April 2012

Your doctor is crazy. Think about this from the flip side: my LO's femurs are measuring at 31 weeks. I am 37w4d. So, according to your OB, my due date should be moved 6 weeks later??? That's totally asinine, and I agree with what PP said about them using this new date to push you into an unnecessary induction.

jmgcoggins · April 2012

My DS measured almost 4 weeks ahead at his growth ultrasound-- they still didn't change his due date, because u/s aren't as accurate that far along due to the baby having less room to spread things. I would say if things were accurate at your a/s ultrasound--then it's stupid they moved up your due date. And chances are you will still go over due.

stemms8810 · April 2012

I have had 2 growth ultrasounds at 28 weeks and 34 weeks. Both times the measurements were beyond the gestational age and my due date was never changed. They also estimated him to be an average size baby too, not too big. I would be skeptical if them changing your due date at this stage in your pregnancy as babies grow at different rates after the 1st tri.

kbuesgens · April 2012

This is my 2nd and with my first, the Dr. always said I was measuring right on and she estimated a 7 1/2 to 8 lb baby. Well, she was only 2 days late but was 9 lbs 8 oz and 22 1/4 inches long! In my opinion, they really have no idea...at least the Dr.'s at my clinic didn't.

I feel like I am bigger this time around but my Dr. keeps telling me I'm measuring right on. She did say that I would have a better idea than her on how big this baby will be.

I guess I am just saying it's so hard to guess on the size of babies and even if they are measuring big, it doesn't mean you will go into labor earlier. You just never know! Good luck and just get everything as ready as you can just in case!

allisonmarie22 · April 2012

KC_13:
I would not trust a doctor with my child's care and literally change offices if they moved my due date up 2 weeks because of a "big baby". They could push you into interventions at 40 weeks, baby is really only 38 weeks gestation and LO could come out before she is truly ready to come into the world. Ultrasounds that late in pregnancy are notoriously inaccuate and can be off by +/-2lbs. The most accurate ultrasounds are very early in pregnancy-less than 12 weeks. Those are the only true dating ultrasounds. An EDD should not be changed past that point.

I had a smaller baby (well, average-7lbs 12oz) and one large baby (10lbs). With my big one, I measured on time or behind. By ultrasound at 38 weeks, they told me to ancipate a 7lb baby at birth. A week and a half later, I was induced and my son was born weighing at 10lbs. With my smaller LO, I was measuring 2 weeks ahead consistently. At my final ultrasound at 38 weeks, they told me to prepare for a 9+lb baby. At 39.5 weeks, my DD was born weighing in at 7lbs 12oz.

I agree with all of this. Moving your EDD is really weird this late in the game. All babies grow at different rates, so your EDD should stay consistent with your LMP. Don't be surprised if their next step is to try and scare you into unnecessary interventions that you don't want because your baby is "overdue" or "too big."

mikeandcristina · April 2012

orleyl:
I am surprised they changed your due date. Was the rest of her measurements measuring ahead or only her femur? LO's femur was measuring 2 weeks ahead at my anatomy scan at 20 weeks but doc did not change the due date bc her head and other parts still measured on track. I would not want my doc to change due date only based on a femur measurement, maybe LO is just tall. Now, when u are 41 weeks according to them but maybe really only 39 weeks, they will induce or section you.

Everything was measuring ahead which is what made me panic- the primary reason was to check her growth and determine size... I'm not sure if thats a "growth sonogram" or not...

But thanks ladies! I feel a little better - Thankfully my OB is very careful with inductions and will not push them on you. And I want her to come when she is ready, no sooner!

PetitePomme · April 2012

My doctor changed my due date to April 13th based off of an ultrasound later in pregnancy. The original due date that I was given was April 28th (today) and I'm still pregnant. Baby is big but comfy, cozy in there!

Changing your due date could mean that baby will come earlier or it could mean that you end up being induced when baby is considered late. You never know what might happen.

wheelsonthebus · April 2012

DS measured over two weeks ahead at the last few ultrasounds I had with him. 35 weeks or so. The ultrasound tech said she thought the ob should change my due date, but they left it alone. I ended up delivering my DS two days after my due date. He was just a big baby.

ashcart01 · April 2012

Before we got our new doctor, we were seeing a fertility specialist- so we KNOW when we concieved.

Our new doctor changed our due date, and my LO is constantly measuring ahead (in ultrasounds). I Have a scheduled C section for June 15, and I have an eerie feeling I'm going to go into labor before then.

flyer23 · April 2012

I agree with everyone else. They shouldn't be changing your EDD this late in the game. Ultrasounds are fairly accurate during the first trimester, because babies grow at a very predictable rate. Past that time, some babies grow slower and other babies grow faster, but that doesn't mean that the faster-growing babies are gestationally "older." Just bigger.

The tech who did DD's a/s put it this way: "Shaquille O'Neal and I were once the same size [i.e. in the first trimester]. Obviously, we aren't anymore. But no one says, 'Oh, he's so big. Let's change his birthday.'"

I remember when I was pregnant with DD, there was another Bumpie who went for a growth scan at 37 weeks and was told she was measuring 3 weeks ahead, so her OB changed her EDD... and promptly induced her, because he had a 40-week routine induction policy. Surprise! She ended up with a c-section, and her baby had a brief NICU stay. Probably because her body wasn't ready to go into labor at what was really 37 weeks, nor was her baby ready to be on the outside at that point.

Even if your OB isn't that induction-happy, most OBs and hospitals have a policy of routine induction at 42 weeks. Which is now July 1 for you, i.e. just one day past your real due date. That doesn't give you a whole lot of time to go on your own.

Personally, I'd be having a long talk with my OB and asking for my EDD to get changed back.

Megloveshim07 · April 2012

awinter05:
I am surprised they moved up your due date. U/S done later in pregnancy are not as accurate for dating a pregnancy/determining EDD because babies start growing at all different rates. Usually when you are "measuring ahead" later in pregnancy it just means the baby may be a bigger baby.
I have been measuring between 2-3 weeks ahead for quite some time now. We had a growth u/s a couple of weeks ago and will have another one in a few weeks. Baby is just measuring big; they have not moved my due date.
While I think your baby could come earlier than you had originally thought, I would not plan on it. Your baby could still come after your original EDD.
ETA: That's not to say you shouldn't wrap up any lose ends and be as prepared as possible for an earlier arrival!

Want a personalized experience?

Experience with delivery dates and measuring ahead...

Re: Experience with delivery dates and measuring ahead...

Choose Another Board

Search Boards