Small for Due Date?

awy88 · August 2013

Good morning ladies,

I'm not much of a poster, more of a reader to make sure I'm on track with everyone else. Anyhow, I have a question / need opinions.

I'm a FTM due September 17, and I've had a great pregnany so far - weight gain is normal for me, baby's heartbeat is strong, I've been feeling kicks like I should... other than swelling and the heat - we've been great!

So I go to a practice where there are 7 total doctors that see me, so I'm not surprised who delivers the baby. Anyhow, at 30 weeks, I saw the NP who said everything looks wonderful, at 32 weeks, I saw the most established OB (I think he's 70, no joke) in the practice and he said everything was great... And then 34 weeks came and I have the newest OB (only in the practice for less than a year). She measured me and simply said "You were 32cm at your 32 week appointment and 32cm at your 34 week appointment. I want you to get an u/s. You're small for the dates". So of course, I'm asking questions along the lines of "I think my belly moved down, can you remeasure?", "Could this be because I'm a small person? Or does it follow genetics, since my husband and I were both shy of 7lbs when we were born?". And she basically said, just get it, and I scheduled it.

I had my u/s on Monday at 34w6d, and the technician said she couldn't figure out why I would have been sent... She said that based on her measurements, the baby is at 33w5d and weighs approximately 5lbs. From getting all emails, 5lbs looks like where the baby should be, and I was happy So yesterday afternoon, I get a call from the doctor's office (her receptionist, not the doctor who assigned the u/s order), and said that I need to schedule an u/s with Internal Fetal Medicine because the baby's weight is not in the 20th percentile. And then, of course, I start asking questions that she can't answer, and the doctor isn't in, but a message will be left and she should call me back today. I asked when I should schedule this u/s, and she just goes "within the next 1-2 weeks". So if this was an emergency, wouldn't she want to either see me or make me have the u/s sooner? Am I overreacting since I'm freaking out? Has anyone else had this? I thought that the later you got in pregnancy, the less accurate your u/s and fundal heights were... Any advice? With work, home and now this, I'm at my limit for stress. Any thoughts, prayers, advice would be helpful! Thank you!

kimberlymacrae · August 2013

Get a second opinion. Ideally from Grandpa-OB.

JocelynB0911 · August 2013

Fundal height measurements are notoriously inaccurate. Part of it has to do with how baby was sitting when he did it. Call and make sure you speak with the more established ob.

Shanmarie1083 · August 2013

Is there a "hang banging against a wall" smiley?! I swear there needs to be an auto response option for these questions.

Fundal height measurements mean nothing. They are rarely accurate and often cause unnecessary worry because so many factors make up how you measure. Get a second opinion and just stop worrying about it.

NicknShan · August 2013

I wouldn't worry. Just the fact that there was a different person measuring could change your measurements. At 33w3d I measured 33cm. You are totally in the normal range. Your baby can shift from the center to the sides, and it all depends on baby position. I would take to the old man OB and get his opinion :-).

bumpuser9130703 · August 2013

Honestly people, if you can't take the time to read the whole damn post then you really are in no position to "bang your head against the wall". She clearly states that she always thought these measurements were inaccurate and it seems her concern is because they want another follow-up that doesn't seem to coincide with what she thought the first ultrasound results were.

OP, I would ask to schedule an appointment with the OB that you are most comfortable with. Explain what happened and what you believe the ultrasound results showed. I wouldn't schedule the extra ultrasound until you got a second opinion. As it has been said, both fundal heights and late ultrasounds are notorious for inaccuracy, and I don't think you need to stress about this.

april172010U · August 2013

This same thing happened to me with my first. The standard is if you are 34 weeks, you should measure 32-36cm. I stopped growing at 36 weeks and the concern was lack of amniotic fluid. That is why they would do ultrasounds. It is a precaution and I had to have an ultrasound per week and ended up getting induced 2 days after my due date bc of fluid, but I had a very healthy 6.8lb. Baby girl. I think I'd rather a doc be overly cautious, as from 3 days before my due date to 2 days after I lost significant amniotic fluid. Good luck, but don't worry

awy88 · August 2013

I'm sorry you feel like banging your head against the wall and that you feel that I wasted your time. If you thought this was a post that seems reduntant, you didn't have to write anything back. As a FTM, I asked an honest question that was researched before I posted, stating simply that "I thought that the later you got in pregnancy, the less accurate your u/s and fundal heights were... ".

As for everyone else, thank you. I will be seeking a second opinion from my grandpa OB. Stil lwaiting for this doctor to call me back to even say what made her write the order.

imakeeff0rts · August 2013

If you truly lurked here, you'd know the responses that you'd get...especially since there have been a handful of "baby too small for EDD" posts within the last couple of days. All of those women got the same advice - talk to your doctor.

No one can give you any other advice other than to continue this conversation with a different doctor, which you seemed ready to do in the first place.

sgautschi · August 2013

I have no real input about this, since I'm a FTM, but I wanted to say good luck to you and I hope this all gets resolved so you can stop stressing over it.

1bratmom · August 2013

I'm kind of in the same boat. I just started bi-monthly growth scans and weekly fluid checks. They told me yesterday that her femurs are very small. But her estimated weight is 4lb 10oz, right on track. She's in the 40% so that's still good. They don't worry until the teens. They said they aren't worried about femurs because I'm so short, 4'-11". But honestly how could I not worry just a little bit seeing her femurs measure 28 weeks. Even thought the doctor says don't worry.

I know your situation is a bit different but it's hard anytime they say anything but baby looks great!

I hope she calls you back soon and gives you more info and answers your questions.

Shanmarie1083 · August 2013

imakeeff0rts said:

If you truly lurked here, you'd know the responses that you'd get...especially since there have been a handful of "baby too small for EDD" posts within the last couple of days. All of those women got the same advice - talk to your doctor.

No one can give you any other advice other than to continue this conversation with a different doctor, which you seemed ready to do in the first place.

Exactly this.

OP you answered your own question in the post so it sounds like you've already got it figured out. Therefore what exactly was the point? Get a diary or a blog if you just want to whine. If you want "support" then maybe you should have spent less time lurking and more time participating. Gotta give some to get some sweetie!

Luckymomma4 · August 2013

I would get a second opinion by one the doctor you have seen the most. At my 36 week appointment I was measuring 35 weeks. My doctor paid no attention to it because baby could have dropped and throughout my pregnancy I have measure spot on with everything. I would be annoyed with the doctor that is sending you for more u/s without any real explanation. I also agree with @Shanmarie1083 that fundal height measurements can be off this far into pregnancy and it's normal.

bumpuser9130703 · August 2013

Shanmarie1083 said:

imakeeff0rts said:

If you truly lurked here, you'd know the responses that you'd get...especially since there have been a handful of "baby too small for EDD" posts within the last couple of days. All of those women got the same advice - talk to your doctor.

No one can give you any other advice other than to continue this conversation with a different doctor, which you seemed ready to do in the first place.

Exactly this.

OP you answered your own question in the post so it sounds like you've already got it figured out. Therefore what exactly was the point? Get a diary or a blog if you just want to whine. If you want "support" then maybe you should have spent less time lurking and more time participating. Gotta give some to get some sweetie!

8-|

MamaInMN · August 2013

We have opted to not have any ultrasounds so I'm not really sure how the process works but it seems odd to me to have another one without talking to the doc first. Would she call you back to answer your questions? If not, maybe make an appointment with her...I know pp said to see grandpa OB, but if I were you, I'd want to hear straight from the new OB why she is trying to order the second ultrasound - it would ease my mind.

Also, I find it odd that the technician commented at all. Maybe that's normal, but it doesn't seem like their job?

Anyhow, I know this stuff can be scary, despite how much "it's all normal" you read. I've barely gained any weight at all in about 8 weeks (1 pound total) and it has been stressful at moments, even though my midwife isn't worried at all. So, my advice to do take whatever action you need to in order to bring peace of mind, even if that means nagging the office for answers to all your questions. Less stress is good for baby. Good luck!

starinyte · August 2013

I would try not to worry about it until you've spoken with the doctor. My LO was measuring at 13% at my 35 week growth scan. My doctor wasn't concerned at all about him being below 20% because the little one measured small at my 20 week scan as well, so his growth curve is steady.

And as others have pointed out (but it sounds like you already know very well) these late-stage U/S measurements are notoriously off.

As I said, try not to worry until you've spoken with the doctor. Good luck!

Jilly82 · August 2013

Good luck!

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