STM+, slow growth and no weight gain?

mommar13 · April 2016

I had my 34 week appointment today with my midwife and DD is measuring 2 weeks behind for the second time in a row. Until my 32 week appointment, when she measured 30 weeks, I had measured exactly where I was supposed to be. We also found out that I haven't gained any weight since my 29 week appointment either. My midwife was obviously concerned about it, and seemed really unsure about how she wanted to handle this. She ultimately told me to just make sure I eat a lot of healthy fats and proteins and maybe throw in some ice cream and we'd check again in 2 weeks to see how everything looks. I guess since she decided to let it go for now that it's not that big of a deal, but the way she visibly reacted to this makes me uncomfortable. Have any ST+Ms been through this? Did it all work out, or did you have problems? I made the mistake of asking Dr.Google, but I never had this problem with DS.

avidkeo · April 2016

2 weeks isn't a big deal as far as your measurements go. As long as shes growing that's the main thing.
As far as your weight gain, again I believe NBD because it all depends on where you started, how much you've gained till this point. I'm overweight and for thei pregnancy I haven't gained much at all, though am getting little gains (about 2 pounds) every 2-3 weeks.

If its any help, a coworker who was 7 weeks ahead of me was having growth restrictions - baby wasn't growing at all in the last few weeks. They left her as long as they could, and did a c-section at 38 weeks. baby is perfectly healthy, just slightly smaller than average. She was able to go home after a few days, and no time in NICU.

JessicaB0627 · April 2016

I'm measuring almost 4 weeks behind now and lost a pound in the last 2 weeks. My doctor isn't concerned yet since I did grow in between appointments, just not as much as what would be expected. I think it's when you don't grow in between appointments or measure smaller than a previous appointment that they really get concerned.

My doctor also told me to try to eat more snacks in between meals in regards to my weight loss. My nausea has returned the past couple weeks though, so I'm eating what I can manage.

ETA I also did not have this problem with my first. I always measured right on track and I gained the most weight during 3rd tri.

hellogoodbye2 · April 2016

Are you talking about belly measurements? Those can be notoriously wrong. I wouldn't worry about being 2 weeks behind at all.

sparkledonuts · April 2016

Yes, this is my second boy and with my first I gained 40lbs so I am shocked at how different this pregnancy is! I've gain about 12lbs so far and my doctor hasn't said anything about it but I've been measuring fine up until my last appointment and I was a week behind but I also get growth ultrasound every 4 weeks for a medical condition I have and baby always measures fine

Lusitano8 · April 2016

FTM but my weight did plateau at 32 weeks. My OB said that's fine as long as you've gained 25 lbs overall (for the normal range) she didn't care, and that some people put on weight early and others late. You might just be between a growth spurt and gain more in the coming weeks. I think her advice to eat full fats and lots of protein is a good one.

bkjade · April 2016

This!

I have been seeing a nutritionist since my OB referred me to one around week 20 or so. I was small to begin with (5'5" and about 110#) and wasn't gaining "enough" weight. My OB is consistently on my ass about gaining weight while my nutritionist tells me I am doing great. I have gained 12 pounds at this point (I had to go buy a scale which is LAME, I never usually weigh myself), and do my best to add nuts, peanut butter, hard boiled eggs, and other high-fat/protein snacks late at night (CHEESE!). It is super stressful to keep hearing that I'm too small and that baby girl is small. I have googled myself into a panic thinking something is wrong on more than one occasion. I'm eating all of the food, which I log in my food diary (ANNOYING) for my nutritionist, and I'm super active. One doctor (not my favorite in the practice) actually said "Try eating a bag of cookies to put on some weight for your next visit". A BAG OF COOKIES? You want me to nourish my growing baby with a bag of freaking cookies? How about eggs or fish or pasta or something? Jesus. At this point I'm trying to put on about a pound a week, which would put me at almost 20 pounds gained total full term.

The good news is that since the little gal has consistently been measuring small (between 1-2 weeks behind) they told me I could do a growth scan. Went yesterday and they said she's in the 60th percentile. So she's actually quite normal. More good news, my nutritionist told me that she believes the focus on weight gain here in the US is BS and leads many women to gain more than is actually healthy, and that the recommended weight gain guidelines are too high in her opinion.

Also, with my previous pregnancies I had midwives and there was *no* mention of gaining/not gaining weight ever. So I think it really depends on the doc.

ayeshaohara · April 2016

bkjade said:

This!

I have been seeing a nutritionist since my OB referred me to one around week 20 or so. I was small to begin with (5'5" and about 110#) and wasn't gaining "enough" weight. My OB is consistently on my ass about gaining weight while my nutritionist tells me I am doing great. I have gained 12 pounds at this point (I had to go buy a scale which is LAME, I never usually weigh myself), and do my best to add nuts, peanut butter, hard boiled eggs, and other high-fat/protein snacks late at night (CHEESE!). It is super stressful to keep hearing that I'm too small and that baby girl is small. I have googled myself into a panic thinking something is wrong on more than one occasion. I'm eating all of the food, which I log in my food diary (ANNOYING) for my nutritionist, and I'm super active. One doctor (not my favorite in the practice) actually said "Try eating a bag of cookies to put on some weight for your next visit". A BAG OF COOKIES? You want me to nourish my growing baby with a bag of freaking cookies? How about eggs or fish or pasta or something? Jesus. At this point I'm trying to put on about a pound a week, which would put me at almost 20 pounds gained total full term.

The good news is that since the little gal has consistently been measuring small (between 1-2 weeks behind) they told me I could do a growth scan. Went yesterday and they said she's in the 60th percentile. So she's actually quite normal. More good news, my nutritionist told me that she believes the focus on weight gain here in the US is BS and leads many women to gain more than is actually healthy, and that the recommended weight gain guidelines are too high in her opinion.

Also, with my previous pregnancies I had midwives and there was *no* mention of gaining/not gaining weight ever. So I think it really depends on the doc.

Clearly that OB doesn't know the difference between gaining fat and eating good nourishing foods. Sounds like you're doing a great job and I'm sure it must've been a relief to hear that your baby is growing so well. I've put on the recommended 30lbs and my baby is 20th percentile currently. Just goes to show that weight gain doesn't predict health and size of your baby, it's just about risk factors! Your baby is taking from you everything it needs!

saladflambe · April 2016

I was measuring right on then measured 2 weeks behind for about a month or more and then suddenly, at 34 weeks, I'd caught up. Weight gain for me has been slow and steady. 2 weeks behind shouldn't be a concern - they don't even do an ultrasound to check growth at my midwife practice unless fundal height is 4 weeks behind (and it's all really inaccurate anyways). If there's NO growth, they get concerned (meaning you measure 28 weeks at 30 weeks and then still measure 28 weeks at 32 weeks).

I wouldn't fret, honestly. It's all very much an inaccurate guessing game right now.

mommar13 · April 2016

Thanks for the replies and making me stfu and think lol I know that the measuring thing is really inaccurate and it depends on how baby is laying, etc. I guess I just panicked over her reaction more than the actual information. I measured 29 weeks at 29 weeks, 30 weeks at 32, and 32 at 34, so she is growing still and that's what matters. My weight has been really wonky with this pregnancy too. I started off on the bigger side, lost 40lbs in the first tri, and have been slowly and sporadically gaining since around 19 weeks. I'll just take it one day at a time and try to incorporate some healthy snacks throughout the day and see if I can get it straightened out. Definitely going to try and not stress on it anymore.

pelicanesque · April 2016

I have gained less than the normal amount (18 lbs @ 35 weeks), am "carrying small", and doc ordered a growth scan. Turns out baby's getting everything it needs and is in the 51st percentile for weight! (even though scans can be notoriously off by 1+lb). They just care that from visit to visit you're growing which has always been the case with me, albeit slowly.

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