btdt moms: baby measurements and due dates

kaushaun · August 2013

I'll start out saying I'm 33w4d. I had an apt yesterday with my OB and my fundal height was measured at 36 weeks. She said baby was prob just stretching out, but since he's been measuring about 2 weeks ahead at every apt I'm curious to know if any other moms have had baby's measure ahead of their edd and have the baby come early or if they have just had larger babies. my husband and I are hoping he comes a little bit early as he is going off to basic training about a week and a half after baby's edd, so if we can get an extra week or two in there it would be wonderful.

bookworm982 · August 2013

My DD was always measuring 1-2 weeks ahead. She came 3 days late and was 9.5 lbs.

PrettyInPearls23 · August 2013

DS always measured right on track. He was born a week early and was 8lbs 4oz.

Shanmarie1083 · August 2013

I wish doctors would just give up the practice of measuring fundal height. They are frequently off and cause unnecessary worry. I'm sorry to say that they have absolutely no bearing on when LO will arrive.

Statistically, you are likely to deliver within 1.5 weeks of your original due date in either direction. Other than that, you need a crystal ball.

amu110902 · August 2013

I've been measuring consistently a week or two ahead as well. My OB is not concerned at all, says it's perfectly normal and MIGHT mean that he's on the bigger side. If we're concerned closer to the end, we can try to get an idea of size from an ultrasound, but I'd rather just go for it and try to have the delivery I want than to worry about him being big and making things seem mentally tougher for me than it already will be.

Luckymomma4 · August 2013

Shanmarie1083 said:

I wish doctors would just give up the practice of measuring fundal height. They are frequently off and cause unnecessary worry. I'm sorry to say that they have absolutely no bearing on when LO will arrive.

Statistically, you are likely to deliver within 1.5 weeks of your original due date in either direction. Other than that, you need a crystal ball.

This! There is no way to tell based on measurements. That sounds ridiculous! My third child measured two to three weeks ahead the whole pregnancy and that was because he had extra fluid and he was born via induction at 39.5 weeks. This baby is measuring two weeks behind right now most likely because she has dropped some.

AngelMommy11211 · August 2013

My babies always measured 2 weeks ahead and they have all been big babies (9-10lbs).

michelle7482 · August 2013

DD always measured a week ahead and she was 22 days early.

Jason&Erin82507 · August 2013

Dd always measured 2 weeks ahead (as does this LO)..she was born at 41w 2d and weighed 8lbs 1 oz. In my case, i had a lot of amniotic fluid which made me measure ahead...(though I wasn't polyhydramnois)...in other words, there was no correlation between measuring ahead, when I actually gave birth or the size of the baby...

lovemyboyyss · August 2013

DS1 measured a little behind and was born at 37 weeks and was 6lbs. DS2 always measured 2-3 weeks ahead and I went into labor on his due date. He was 9lbs. For me, size has nothing to do with when they will come.

I hope your husband gets some quality time with your new LO! DH is in the Marine Corps, and is actually a recruiter right now and I can tell you that his guys are getting pushed back ALL the time to leave for boot camp. I wouldn't count on it, but it may work out in your favor that he will be home a week or so longer then you thought. Good luck with everything

mrs.mickulz · August 2013

Shanmarie1083 said:

I wish doctors would just give up the practice of measuring fundal height. They are frequently off and cause unnecessary worry. I'm sorry to say that they have absolutely no bearing on when LO will arrive.

Statistically, you are likely to deliver within 1.5 weeks of your original due date in either direction. Other than that, you need a crystal ball.

My fundal height measurements have been "all over the place" with this pregnancy and previous pregnancies. My practice has 9 doctors so I just don't think it's an accurate measurement. A month ago, they were talking about checking me for polyhydraminos, because she measured me four weeks ahead, and the following appointment, my FH measurement was right on track.

Habs2Hart · August 2013

Mine was 2-3 weeks ahead for a bit and then my 32 week measure was right on. We'll see what he measures tomorrow. My MW predicted a midsized baby.

imakeeff0rts · August 2013

Just like with ultrasounds, fundal height measurements are an estimate. Your LO's positioning, like PPs have said, can affect how you measure.

Even if you have an ultrasound and you're told that you're going to have a huge baby, take it with a grain of salt and move on. They're very often inaccurate and your LO will come when s/he is ready.

Shanmarie1083 · August 2013

mrs.mickulz said:

Shanmarie1083 said:

I wish doctors would just give up the practice of measuring fundal height. They are frequently off and cause unnecessary worry. I'm sorry to say that they have absolutely no bearing on when LO will arrive.

Statistically, you are likely to deliver within 1.5 weeks of your original due date in either direction. Other than that, you need a crystal ball.

My fundal height measurements have been "all over the place" with this pregnancy and previous pregnancies. My practice has 9 doctors so I just don't think it's an accurate measurement. A month ago, they were talking about checking me for polyhydraminos, because she measured me four weeks ahead, and the following appointment, my FH measurement was right on track.

I have multiple midwives in my practice and even though I primarily see one, I have occasionally had others if my MW was attending a delivery. They all measured the fundus differently. Some started at the pubic hair line and measured up, and others started at my previous c/s scar. So of course they are going to be all over the place. Based on my measurements, they had me thinking I was carrying a giant baby. 2 unnecessary ultrasounds later and baby is perfectly on track.

Some of these medical practices are so outdated and completely unnecessary.

mmdd20 · August 2013

I was always measuring about a week ahead with DS. While he was 2 weeks early, it was due to my water breaking and not actual labor or his size. He was only 6 lbs 9 oz.

sugarellie · August 2013

I always measured right on track with DS, I think maybe a couple days behind one time and I had him at 37wk 5 days and he was 6lb 6oz. So for me he pretty much measured normal the whole time and had him at term but on the early side.

Kdstar411 · August 2013

The responses on this post have actually put my mind at ease. My baby hasn't once been weighed by ultrasound but by measuring fundle height I'm measuring a month ahead. Doctor told me I'll probly have a monster size baby. Thanks doc... Thanks a lot. So I've been kinda scared to have a 10-13 lb baby!! LoL. Anyways thanks girls!

kaushaun · August 2013

I know every pregnancy and baby is different. I was just curious if there was a trend. I've only seen my OB each apt, so she measures the same way each time. And the two ultra-sounds I've had measured him at 2 weeks ahead also. This is our first baby, and with DH leaving we are pretty much doing everything we can to get our hopes up that baby will get here early...stupid I know. But we can't help it, we're just excited!

kat81 · August 2013

often the reason they say measuring big = early is because it's usually caused by women not knowing their actual due date to begin with (i.e. LMP is a really bad way of doing that, and if you don't know when you ovulated it could be a few weeks off.)

That being said, my friend who was measuring very big throughout DID know her EDD accurately all along (she knew when she ovulated) and her baby did come 1.5 weeks early. And he was big.

Arielle27 · August 2013

First baby measured slightly ahead (1 week or so) and was born at 39w4d. He was nearly 9 pounds to everyone's surprise!

Second baby was measuring right on target and was born 2.5 weeks early at only 5lb 13oz.

So in my experience (and pretty much everyone I know), there is really no relationship between measurements, actual weights and due dates!

waterfall11 · August 2013

My DD always measured 1-2 weeks ahead (but we knew EDD was right because of an early ultrasound) and finally came out at 41w5d after induction. This one is also measuring about a week ahead but I don't expect her to come early either.

waterfall11 · August 2013

Forgot to add, mine were u/s measurements, not fundal height.

psychgirl33 · August 2013

With Molly, my fundal height measured right on until 34 weeks when it went to 3 weeks ahead. Based on the growth scan they did, they guessed she would be about 9lbs. She came on her due date and was 9lbs, 2oz. This time I'm measuring right on for fundal height still.

psychgirl33 · August 2013

@auroraloo I've been lurking, but I haven't been around much (as I see you noticed). I hit a wall about 4 weeks ago and being home taking care of Molly wore me out! I was napping whenever she was down so I didn't get on the computer. But I'm back to work now so I'll have a little more time to get on here again! I've missed you guys. I see that you are apparently the devil and all you say is evil spewing (on the "wish you knew before delivery" thread). You naughty girl!

psychgirl33 · August 2013

Oh, I also just figured out how the damn tagging works. LOL. I just noticed the red notification tag up at the top. Ooops...

LnR70707 · August 2013

fundal measurement is useless IMO. Wirh the exception of one week when DD was transverse, I always measured dead with both my pregnancies, even though u/s and actual birth weights put me about 2 weeks ahead. DS did come early, 6.7lbs at 34w6days, and induced with DD at 37w1day but she probably would have stayed in at least another few days if I hadn't, so weight really has little to do with when they arrive.

KGiesel · August 2013

Just as a side note too... I have always measured right on for fundal height but my baby is in the 10th percentile .. So my uterus is the right size but my baby is not.

ETA: this was the same with dd- I measured right at or 1 week behind according to fundal height but she was born at 4 lbs 13 oz

SweetPeaK26 · August 2013

Dd1: measured on track the whole time. Born at 41 weeks. 9lb9oz, 21.5 inches long

Dd2: measured on track the whole time. Born at 38 weeks. 7lb4oz, 20.75 inches long.

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