Just curious...estimated weight vs. actual birth weight

jlf1019 · December 2014

I know ultrasound weight estimates can be way off, so I'm just curious about others' experiences. If they estimated your baby's weight before birth, how close (or not close) were they to the actual birth weight?

I'm 37.5 weeks and being induced Monday due to GD and some other issues. Today, the US tech estimated her weight at 7 lbs 15 oz and her guess was about 21 inches long based on femur length. I know they use the femur length to estimate the weight, so I'm just wondering if maybe she's just a long baby and won't actually weigh as much as they say. I just don't "feel" like I'm carrying an almost 8 pound baby if that makes any sense lol. It FOR SURE feels like she's in there, and she makes herself known quite often, it just doesn't feel like she's that heavy. The midwife estimated 7 lb range based on palpating my belly from the outside.

I only have 5 more days before we see for ourselves, and I'm hoping for chubby cheeks, but just wondered about other experiences

YaMrWhite · December 2014

Estimated at 38 weeks to be 7lbs and a few oz and came out at 39w1d weighing 6lbs 11oz.

LadyXaverian · December 2014

My older daughter was estimated to be over 9 lbs, but I can't remember the exact number. She came out 9 lbs 2 oz.

At my growth scan at 32 weeks, it was estimated that this LO will be born at 9 lbs 6 lbs.

LaBellaVida · December 2014

At 37 weeks they estimated 7 lbs 8 oz.
I had him 18 days later, and he was a whopping 6 lbs 15 oz!

nursemarie925 · December 2014

I'm interested to see how mine comes out. I had my scan today. Estimated weight today is 5lbs 13 oz. I've never had a baby less than 7lbs. So we will see

BackseatDriver · December 2014

In triage they estimated 7.5lbs give or take half a pound. He was 8.5lbs.

SSCmomma · December 2014

This thread is so perfectly timed. Just had an US this morning and dr said that at 35wks1day baby is 7 lbs 7oz already! Kinda freakin out here!

robsbabygirl08 · December 2014

With DD at 38weeks she was estimated to weigh between 8.5-9 pounds. She weighed 6 pounds 10 oz

jlf1019 · December 2014

lol I was freaking out a bit at first, too. Even though we're being induced, we're already dilated to a 3 and so I'm really hoping everything works out to where I can still deliver vaginally and the induction goes smoothly. So therefore, I don't want her too big! But 8 lbs is a completely normal weight, at least to me. If I were going to be holding out until 40-41 weeks, then yes, she'd be rather big most likely. My husband and I were both over 8 and I was born 10 days before my due date. My mom delivered me vaginally after an induction, so I'm hoping for the same result!

sanbry · December 2014

Well we didn't have a growth ultrasound with DD, but my dr felt my belly a few days before my induction and said he thought she'd be 8lbs5oz. And she was. Dumb luck I guess lol. I hear the ultrasounds can be off by a lb or more in either direction. They estimated my friend's daughter at almost 10lbs and she was only 7 and a half!

BookitBoo · December 2014

Baby is estimated to be 6 lbs 5 oz today (34 weeks). Her big brother was born at 39 weeks at 8 lbs 14 oz. I didn't get an estimate with him

Edvent · December 2014

My DD always measured on track with fundal height but I never got a weight estimate with her, she was born at 39 weeks at 7 lbs 9 oz.

This little monster was estimated to be 6lbs already at 33 weeks and I'm measuring three weeks ahead. He feels bigger than DD already just becuase he's all up in my ribs (and putting pressure down low) and she never got up that high. I'm so interested to see how big he'll turn out. I'm guessing (based on nothing but gut instinct) 8.5-9lbs if I make it to 39 weeks!

atrinh11 · December 2014

I don't remember the exact numbers for my son, but we had our last ultrasound at 36 weeks with him. They estimated him to be somewhere in the low 6lb range. He was born at 38w3d at 7lbs 3oz. I think his estimated weight was proabaly right on, but I feel like they are wrong more often than they are right. He just happened to be right on with the estimates.

Lanatir · December 2014

I've never had a growth scan. Last time my OB tried to tell me DD1 would be right at 7 lbs because of how I was carrying and the size of me and my husband. DD1 was 8.5 lbs at 40w 3d.

This OB (a different practice than last time) has told me if I have a baby over 8 lbs, he'll eat something weird. I'm starting to brainstorm...

llambrose · December 2014

I had an u/s the day before induction at 39 weeks. They estimated she would be around 7 lbs, she was born the next day at 5 lbs 12 oz, super tiny! I haven't had a u/s since 20 weeks this time

but I think this baby is bigger, I feel bigger this time.

GromMom · December 2014

My midwife thought I'd have a 7.5 lb baby at my last visit with ds and he was 7 lbs 5 oz, so she was pretty accurate if she was predicting right around then, I gave birth 11 days early so she'd be off if she had added in for extra gestation time, I hear babies can grow a lb a week at the end.

lavet22 · December 2014

DS1-ultrasound estimate at 36wks was 7lbs some oz, he was born at 38wks weighing 7lbs 0oz

DS2-estimate by external palpation at 38wks was 8lbs, he was born at 40+ weighing 7lbs 13oz

DS3-No estimate, born at 40wks weighing 8lbs 3oz

DD1 (this LO)-Ultrasound at 34wks 7lbs 6oz, External palpation said 7.5lbs at 34wks as well. I'm 38+wks and a little freaked out. She's measuring via external palpation to be 9+lbs. I have another ultrasound next week and will be induced the following week (40w+3) if she hasn't come sooner.

NatureLovers · December 2014

The day before my induction the ultrasound put her at 6lbs 15oz. She was 6lbs 9oz.

jlf1019 · December 2014

TRexsMum said:
Oh, also if they're using femur length only, then that's crazy and way off. My baby's measuring in the 50/60th percentile for everything except femur length where she's measuring 98th. But my husband is 6'6 - all legs.

Should have clarified that she measured head and abdomen as well, sorry!

speu511000 · December 2014

The ultrasound one week before I delivered showed 5 pounds and 2 ounces, +/- some. She delivered this week at 5 pounds exactly.

SSCmomma · December 2014

The other measurement that has me concerned is the abdomen. Dr said everything was measuring around 35 + weeks but the baby's abdomen was at 40 + weeks. He said it could be nothing but it could indicate that GD was missed in my original screening and he said he would mention to my MW about retesting. Only problem is the MW's office will be closed for 2 weeks. I'm going there tomorrow for my regular checkup so I'll discuss it with her but I'm not sure if she is going to be able to do another GD test late in the day on a Friday right before they leave for holiday. Has anyone here had any experience with the abdominal measurement being so off and if so how did your dr proceed?

Jamie02Lee · December 2014

This was a great question. Glad I read this post, thanks for everyone who answered. I've been a tad concerned because at 33+6 my dr said our little guy is only 3lbs 2oz. I'm 35+1 today n we meet with dr tomorrow who Erik schedule us for another sizing ultra sound next week to make sure he's getting bigger. Our C section is scheduled for 39 weeks now instead of 37 to give him more time to cook. GL everyone :-)

Bigboneded · December 2014

Lanatir said:
I've never had a growth scan. Last time my OB tried to tell me DD1 would be right at 7 lbs because of how I was carrying and the size of me and my husband. DD1 was 8.5 lbs at 40w 3d.

This OB (a different practice than last time) has told me if I have a baby over 8 lbs, he'll eat something weird. I'm starting to brainstorm...

how about 6 dates a day for 4 weeks? ;-)

Our growth scan Monday showed over 6 lbs and 4lb 7oz....
hopefully will be another week or so before we find out!

liladelphia215 · December 2014

An Ultrasound between 38 and 39 weeks with my DD showed she was 9.5 lbs - but they told me there was a margin of error of 1.5lbs in either direction. She came out at 8lbs, 3oz. So the official number wasn't all that accurate for me, but she did fall into the parameters that they told me she would.

gaftgirl · December 2014

They estimated my son to be 7 lbs 6 oz at 38 weeks. He was born at 38 weeks at a dainty 9 lbs 12 oz.

jlf1019 · December 2014

SSCmomma said:

The other measurement that has me concerned is the abdomen. Dr said everything was measuring around 35 + weeks but the baby's abdomen was at 40 + weeks. He said it could be nothing but it could indicate that GD was missed in my original screening and he said he would mention to my MW about retesting. Only problem is the MW's office will be closed for 2 weeks. I'm going there tomorrow for my regular checkup so I'll discuss it with her but I'm not sure if she is going to be able to do another GD test late in the day on a Friday right before they leave for holiday. Has anyone here had any experience with the abdominal measurement being so off and if so how did your dr proceed?

I, obviously, don't have any personal experience, but I know abdomen size is one thing they've been keeping an eye since I have GD. The first time they did my BPP, the US tech was explaining that GD babies, if they're going to be large, tend to have large, round bellies. Our LO has measured a few days ahead on abdomen size, but not bad.

Do you have any other GD symptoms? Like high fluid levels? That's another one they told me about, so they're always checking my fluid levels during the BPP.

SamiBabi006 · December 2014

Just saw my midwife yesterday and asked her if she had an estimate. She estimating her at right around 5lbs right now (35w 1d) so she is predicting about 7-71/2lbs by the time she decides to show up. So hopefully she is correct and my LO isnt any bigger. the idea of any bigger scares me! lol

SSCmomma · December 2014

jlf1019 said:

SSCmomma said:

The other measurement that has me concerned is the abdomen. Dr said everything was measuring around 35 + weeks but the baby's abdomen was at 40 + weeks. He said it could be nothing but it could indicate that GD was missed in my original screening and he said he would mention to my MW about retesting. Only problem is the MW's office will be closed for 2 weeks. I'm going there tomorrow for my regular checkup so I'll discuss it with her but I'm not sure if she is going to be able to do another GD test late in the day on a Friday right before they leave for holiday. Has anyone here had any experience with the abdominal measurement being so off and if so how did your dr proceed?

I, obviously, don't have any personal experience, but I know abdomen size is one thing they've been keeping an eye since I have GD. The first time they did my BPP, the US tech was explaining that GD babies, if they're going to be large, tend to have large, round bellies. Our LO has measured a few days ahead on abdomen size, but not bad.

Do you have any other GD symptoms? Like high fluid levels? That's another one they told me about, so they're always checking my fluid levels during the BPP.

Doc at ultrasound said everything else looked good. I went to the midwife today and she said my last GD test was 90 so she didn't think that was the issue but she is sending me for another test just to be on the safe side. The ultrasound place had not yet sent the U/S results to my midwife yet (she kept having the office staff call them while I was in her office) so unfortunately she had to base her decision on how to proceed on what I was telling her. Her office is then going to be closed from 12/23 - 1/5 so i probably won't get much information until baby is almost here! I don't know or care if the baby is as big as they claim, I just want it to be healthy!

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