Early baby???

loriann091 · September 2014

So, I am a FTM and I went for my 20 week u/s today (although I am 21 weeks). My doctor told me that baby girl is measuring tall and she wouldn't be surprised if I went into labor closer to 37 weeks than 40. It didn't seem like she meant "premature" ... maybe more that I was measuring bigger or something? I don't know. She didn't change my due date, but I'm wondering if anyone else has heard the same, or of STM have had similar experiences and the baby DID come earlier than expected?

mommadozer · September 2014

My doctor told me that they get a better idea of your due date once you reach 20 weeks. I think before 20 weeks babies generally grow at the same rate but vary after 20 weeks.

psychobutthead · September 2014

When I was pregnant with my first my doctors told me at my A/S at most she would weight 6lbs.

I was due september 15th and she was born August 30th 2 weeks and 2 days early weighing 8lbs. and 12.7 oz. 19in.

Doctors aren't always right.

jennjilljo · September 2014

My initial response to this title was "no, it's too soon. none of us are to the viability stage yet" but I'm really glad that I didn't need that answer.

I'm going to agree with PPs, it's an educated guess at this point so it may or may not be true. Hopefully you make it to the full 40.

lilybug319 · September 2014

My daughter was supposed to be 9-10 lbs around her due date but my water broke two weeks early and she was 7lb1oz and 19 in.

Beth.1212 · September 2014

I know that doctors can be VERY off when it comes to the weight estimates they give based on ultrasounds. They're notoriously inaccurate. I'd imagine length is a little easier to estimate from an ultrasound, but there could certainly still be some error.

My gut says that a dr. can't really tell when you'll deliver based on length of the baby. I mean, some babies are longer than others at birth. That doesn't mean the long babies "should" have been born earlier. I wouldn't put much stock in what your dr. said about your due date based on baby length.

Also, my understanding is that the earliest ultrasounds are most accurate for dating purposes. See https://www.pregnancy.org/question/which-method-calculating-my-due-date-most-accurate.

jmcgra06 · September 2014

Our first was "supposed" to come early, and it looked like I had a short cervix so they did a lot of extra ultrasounds. She wouldn't even come after an induction at 42 weeks. from the operating table, I asked the OB, "what about my early baby?" "Oh, yeah, that's just a guess..." he replied.

Clearly, sir. Clearly.

psychobutthead · September 2014

sarabell52 said:

psychobutthead, you had a sumo wrestler too!

Yep I always tell people she was my sumo wrestler. I'm afraid this baby will be as big or worse bigger.

AngieAn · September 2014

My OB told me that I would most likely go early with this pregnancy as well. I went at 38 with my first and 37 with my second. I have no clue if I will or not but he did remind me that after 38 weeks is considered full term.

dontgiveupnomatterwhat · September 2014

PPs are right...it's a guess. You don't want baby to come before it's done cookin! The longer (not tooooo long), but 40/41 weeks is where you want to be if you can. Mamas of preamies will be the first to say, let them cook!

tee18 · September 2014

I was pretty relaxed with my first until my 39 week appt and my doc said she thought I'd have the baby in the next few days. Cue anxiety! I ended up delivering at 40+4. That was a loooong week and a half of "any minute." Just an anecdote!

I haven't had a doctor tell me this early though about when they thought I'd deliver. PP's had good thoughts on that!

Allie429 · September 2014

I hope yours doesn't come early but maybe baby had a growth spurt before the ultrasound. With my first the ultrasound doctor said a 7 lb 2oz (which is how much I weighed). When I got further, one of my OBs was feeling my belly and said over an 8 lber. Scared the crap outta me. She was a week late and weighed 8 lbs 6 oz.

maltwin1 · September 2014

DS was born at 37 weeks and he measured 2-3 weeks ahead the whole time. He was perfectly healthy, 7lb 11oz and 21 inches long. DS was not a heavy baby, but he was (and still is) very long. Our theory is that he just ran out of room in there.

I did not have any contractions, Braxton hicks or otherwise, before my water broke so it was definitely a surprise. But he was a perfectly normal delivery except for the fact that he surprised us.

If your LO continues to measure ahead I'd make sure your have everything ready sooner rather than later. Doctors aren't always right, but sometimes they are.

kimmykaye · September 2014

The baby will come when he/she is ready to come as long as you don't have any complications during your pregnancy. This is my fourth, and I've always been told 37 weeks is considered full term, but I've never made it that far. My 1st was 3lb 9oz, 2nd was 4lb 12oz, and 3rd was 5lb 6oz. Their growth was normal until about the 26ish week mark. In the beginning, they all measured bigger than my gestation week. Growth can vary after 20 week a/s (in my experience anyway).

ordinary1 · September 2014

kimmykaye said:
The baby will come when he/she is ready to come as long as you don't have any complications during your pregnancy. This is my fourth, and I've always been told 37 weeks is considered full term, but I've never made it that far. My 1st was 3lb 9oz, 2nd was 4lb 12oz, and 3rd was 5lb 6oz. Their growth was normal until about the 26ish week mark. In the beginning, they all measured bigger than my gestation week. Growth can vary after 20 week a/s (in my experience anyway).

I'm not sure how old your kids are, but there recently has been a big push from March of Dimes for thirty seven weeks to be called term and forty weeks full term.

KMommytobe · September 2014

I had an elective ultrasound tech tell me at 30wks that she thought I'd go early cause the baby seemed cramped in there. Went into labor at 32w6d and had him at 33w5d. So she was totally right! Lol I don't think my OB mentioned anything though, but why would he, I had NO signs of pre term labor until it happened.

With #2 I just assumed he would come early as well. I had a June EDD and knew I wouldn't make it to June. I didn't. He came in May (37w1d).

With this LO since I am due end of Feb I am thinking maybe I will go early Feb. I'd love to make it to 38wks but anything after 37w is great in my book lol

animalcrckr · September 2014

DS1 was born at 35 weeks (premature rupture of membranes). He was almost 7 lbs and deemed full term at birth (they had a 5 man NICU team waiting at delivery). He did not need any assistance of any kind and we left the hospital 48 hours later.

At my 20 week u/s with him, he was measuring a couple weeks ahead. They never changed my due date but probably should of.

DD was born exactly at 38 weeks (my middle child was born on his EDD). Both of my early babies were due to labor starting on it's own with a subsequent delivery.

So yes, to answer your question, I had two babies come 5 and 2 weeks earlier than their EDD. Both completely healthy and ready to be born:)

jaztastic · September 2014

I was told anything after 37wks was pretty much okay. Although earlier than the 40 wk mark, DDs are not always exact for each child.

loriann091 · September 2014

Guess we will just have to wait and see

kimmykaye · September 2014

@ordinary1‌ My girls are 5, 4, and 13 months. When did they start to push for that? I'm just curious. When my 1st was in the NICU we received a lot of information and little gifts for our baby from The March of Dimes. They seemed like a great organization.

dreemkin84 · September 2014

My DD was measuring long and she came early at 37 weeks (although my dr said I'd go til the end...). No medical reason why, my water just broke. She was perfectly fine. I wouldn't worry about it now.

ordinary1 · September 2014

@kimmykaye‌ I think it was around May 13. I can't remember exactly when though. I just remember seeing the commercials about the importance of the last few weeks, so I am guessing it was in hopes to reduce unnecessary inductions after 37 weeks.

chicagojackie · September 2014

They make all kinds of comments that may or may not actually reflect what happens.

And to correct above, the most accurate dating is NOT at 20 weeks, it is FIRST TRIMESTER ULTRASOUND for determining due date (crown-rump length). NO ONE should have adjusted due dates based on ultrasounds later than the first trimester--the error rate goes up as the baby gets bigger.

kimmykaye · September 2014

ordinary1 said:

@kimmykaye‌ I think it was around May 13. I can't remember exactly when though. I just remember seeing the commercials about the importance of the last few weeks, so I am guessing it was in hopes to reduce unnecessary inductions after 37 weeks.

Thanks. That's really interesting news. I'll still have a scheduled rc/s for 39 weeks, but with my past history, neither my doctor nor I think I'll make it that far.

rosieo52 · September 2014

chicagojackie said:
They make all kinds of comments that may or may not actually reflect what happens.

And to correct above, the most accurate dating is NOT at 20 weeks, it is FIRST TRIMESTER ULTRASOUND for determining due date (crown-rump length). NO ONE should have adjusted due dates based on ultrasounds later than the first trimester--the error rate goes up as the baby gets bigger.

I was going to say something similar. I was told by my doc that in the first trimester US can be off by 1 week either way, 2 weeks in the 2nd tri and 3 weeks in the 3rd tri. I've also been told 36 weeks is consider full term. No one can predict when these bambinos will get her. We just prepare the best we can, but when the time comes it's out of hands and we can just hope for healthy babies!!

SaraMGood · September 2014

Pregnancy is actually considered full term at 36 weeks. So I wouldn't worry.

ordinary1 · September 2014

Does anyone have any links where it says 36 weeks is full term? Everything I have read and heard is 37 weeks term and 40 full term.

HerHighness · September 2014

SaraMGood said:

Pregnancy is actually considered full term at 36 weeks. So I wouldn't worry.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/22/full-term-pregnancy-definition/3145107/

chicagojackie · September 2014

Prematurity is defined as a birth that occurs before 37 completed weeks (less than 259 days) of gestation. Premature infants are classified by birth weight or gestational age.

I think the misunderstanding may be that term in a multiple gestation used to be 36 weeks but now they shoot for 37+ for everyone.

chicagojackie · September 2014

https://www.marchofdimes.org/mission/prematurity-campaign.aspx

Check out the March of Dimes prematurity campaign for more info. @SaraMGood‌

elephantsonpatrol · September 2014

chicagojackie said:

Prematurity is defined as a birth that occurs before 37 completed weeks (less than 259 days) of gestation. Premature infants are classified by birth weight or gestational age. I think the misunderstanding may be that term in a multiple gestation used to be 36 weeks but now they shoot for 37+ for everyone.

That no good for me since the farthest I'll be allowed to go is 37 weeks, and probably won't even make it to that

chickyclg · September 2014

chicagojackie said:
Prematurity is defined as a birth that occurs before 37 completed weeks (less than 259 days) of gestation. Premature infants are classified by birth weight or gestational age.

I think the misunderstanding may be that term in a multiple gestation used to be 36 weeks but now they shoot for 37+ for everyone.

I agree that if she is carrying multiples where an OB would say 36 weeks is what they consider term, but not for a singleton. I have been told based on my growth that our goal might change from 36 weeks to 34weeks due to possible growth restrictions, but with saying that the thought of having 34 week babies scares the shit out of me.

SaraMGood · September 2014

Sorry. At the END of 36 weeks baby is considered full term, according to some sources. Others say at the end of 37. Forgive my mistake.

kefttsc · September 2014

chickyclg said:

Prematurity is defined as a birth that occurs before 37 completed weeks (less than 259 days) of gestation. Premature infants are classified by birth weight or gestational age. I think the misunderstanding may be that term in a multiple gestation used to be 36 weeks but now they shoot for 37+ for everyone.
I agree that if she is carrying multiples where an OB would say 36 weeks is what they consider term, but not for a singleton. I have been told based on my growth that our goal might change from 36 weeks to 34weeks due to possible growth restrictions, but with saying that the thought of having 34 week babies scares the shit out of me.

34 is my first goal, because I can't go to my preferred hospital unless I get that far!

nohalo21 · September 2014

My first was always measuring a week ahead. She came a day before her due date. The early u/s are the most accurate in predicting due date. As the baby gets bigger estimates are just that due to position, etc.

mom2case · September 2014

I've never heard of the baby's size having anything to do with when they come. My first baby was less than 7 lbs and came at 38w5d. Second baby, I went into labor at 26 weeks. He was 2 lb 11 oz when he was born at 28 weeks. I've had two friends with 9 lb babies that went a week overdue. Babies come on their own time. I wouldn't expect your baby to come early unless you're dilated early. I was already 4 cm dilated at 36 weeks and baby kept baking for almost 3 more weeks.

chicagojackie · September 2014

@kefttsc‌ and @chickyclg‌ the above definitions exist for women with no complications or medical indications requiring an earlier induction or medical management. The march of dimes thing is for elective inductions. There are plenty of circumstances (both with mom and baby) where delivery of the baby is preferable to mom staying pregnant.

With my medical issues we are hoping for 37+ weeks and will be getting lots of testing (nsts, bpps, likely amnio).

DD was born at 38&2 so we will see

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