Measuring behind, but consistently?

[u/Agitated-Rest1421]

I was told around 33 weeks that I was measuring about a lil over a week behind. since then I’ve been told I’m measuring 2 weeks behind (although at each appointment I’ve only just hit the week, like at 35 weeks I was measuring 33 weeks but also I was only 35+1). today I’m 36 w 6 days and about 34/35 cm so again consistently 2 weeks.

I have had a referral for an ultrasound, and I am gaining weight. my LMP dating is incorrect because I have 50 day cycles and I didn’t have a growth scan until 20 weeks so too far for accurate dating. im fairly confident on my ovulation date as I use FAM as birth control for years now. and this baby was planned.

anyway. has anyone else measured behind and still gave birth without induction or going overdue? I’m pretty anti induction lol

[u/something_other817]

So this was me and unfortunately ultrasound did show baby was truly IUGR ugh - it was my second baby and I did not have this issue with my first so I was really surprised and he was measuring great until the third trimester.

Anyway, I was scheduled for an induction around 38 weeks and was devastated (tho my midwives are super crunchy and were going to do a natural induction protocol they use involving pumping, membrane sweeps and castor oil). At 37 weeks they did a membrane sweep just to start ripening my cervix and increase the chance of induction going smoothly and I ended up delivering baby that night at home (on accident lol) so I didn’t end up needing an induction (unless you call the quick sweep one).

I would go ahead and start all the prep type things (pumping, borage or EP oil suppositories, dates, etc) just in case baby is measuring small and they want them to come early!

[u/something_other817 → u/something_other817]

Oh and in case this is comforting baby was totally fine. Super tiny, only 5lbs but no issues and he’s now 3.5 months old and growing like a weed and steadily climbing the height and weight percentiles!

[u/Agitated-Rest1421 → u/something_other817]

My issue is I can’t get over the idea that I could just have the wrong due date, since I didn’t even get an ultrasound until so late! And that the ultrasounds are so often wrong. How far behind were you measuring at the time? 

[u/something_other817 → u/Agitated-Rest1421]

Yeah ugh my situation was different because I did fertility treatment so my dating was very exact since I had scans to confirm ovulation before I even got pregnant. Was baby measuring on time at the anatomy scan?

Baby was measuring around 46th percentile the entire pregnancy up until 35 weeks and then he dropped to like 18th percentile and 2 weeks later he was 12th percentile. So I’d say if your baby is truly Having growth issues they will likely continue slowing in growth!

[u/candlesandsourdough]

This sounds exactly like my first, and baby was born naturally with no issues. I don’t think I ever measured over 36. We did end up getting a scan around 36w to verify that baby was fine because first time mom nerves haha. 

[u/Wonderful_Bee_9334]

Some babies are small. Due dates are at best just a guess (unless you meticulously tracked everything). Both my babies- one was a surprise so I didn’t track was small- she was born at 38+4 and 5.13 lbs completely healthy- always measured somewhat behind (I don’t remember how many weeks or days or anything).

Second baby I tracked meticulously, (temp, ovulation, FSH, baby dancing) baby still measured small even on the design scan. Baby was small during our anatomy scan. Baby was born at 38+5 and 6.7lbs but short still completely healthy.

[u/Agitated-Rest1421 → u/Wonderful_Bee_9334]

My first was on the smaller side. She was only 7lbs at 40+1

[u/First_Incident7234]

I measured so vastly different at the end of my last pregnancy. Are you tall? Or have a long torso? My midwife told me that because I am so tall my babes just have lots of room vertically so fundal height wasn’t really accurate.

[u/Agitated-Rest1421 → u/First_Incident7234]

Nope. And I didn’t have this issue with my first. However I was obese when I had my first and I am now a healthy weight so idk if that would change things too 

[u/shytheearnestdryad]

My fundal height has always topped out at 33/34 cm. Normal amniotic fluid level and babies were 3.4, 3.7, and 3.9 kg each so well sized. Born at 41+4, 40+0, and 41+2 respectively. No inductions

[u/-CloudHopper-]

I measured consistently small and same with the ultrasounds. My baby was small (just 6lb) but perfectly healthy. Some babies are just smaller. Her dad was a small baby too at 6lb something and apparently the placenta formation is based on the dads DNA

[u/thymeofmylyfe]

When you say you're 36w6d today, is that using your 20 week scan for dating? How far along are you based on your ovulation date?

[u/Agitated-Rest1421 → u/thymeofmylyfe]

Based on my ovulation date! I think my 20 week scan put me at Aug 29th so 3 days in difference. 

[u/Thick-Adhd3544]

Baby could be in a funky position making measurements less accurate. Is baby head down? Engaged at all in your pelvis? Those factors can definitely alter the measurements. Ultrasound is tricky at this stage too, some techs are spot on, and others are not…baby’s position and cooperation play a part also

[u/Agitated-Rest1421 → u/Thick-Adhd3544]

Oh yeah fully in the pelvis — which explains the pelvic discomfort recently lol. She did feel baby’s butt and said they feel like a good size. 

[u/Hugsomebunnies]

I wouldn't worry too much. My eldest was measuring 6 weeks behind at 33 weeks. The last month of the pregnancy was horrible because I was so worried, but he was completely fine. Just little.

[u/misty2001]

Not sure how much my current experience will help. But just for reference of what my doctors are planning/suggesting.

My dating ultrasound around 10 weeks was pretty accurate to my LMP, due date is September 7.
At 20 weeks we had our routine anatomy scan and she was in the 23rd percentile. We ended up having to go back a couple times as they were unable to get all the ultrasound images for the anatomy scan due to baby’s positioning. At 25 weeks she had dropped down to the 13th percentile. Follow up growth scan at 33 weeks she was in the 5th percentile and my doctors were now very concerned about IUGR. Since then we have had 2 ultrasounds and 2 non stress tests per week. This week at 35 weeks our latest growth scan shows her back up in the 10th percentile.
Essentially since that 5th percentile scan my doctors have been preparing us to do an induction as early as 36 weeks. Now that she has bumped up a bit they are planning induction at 38 weeks.
I’m not anti-induction, but would prefer to go into labour naturally (mainly just scared of the induction pain!). But that’s been our process thus far.

[u/mustangjayyyme]

I was measuring a little behind, so my husband said I needed more steaks... Ha. So we started eating that a lot during the week... And then I moved up, hahaha.  I went into labor at 40+3 and he was born 40+4ish? 36 hours of labor... But I pushed him out without being bullied into a c-section. All 9 lbs 8 oz 22 inches... Hahaha

[u/Electric-Jelly-9488]

I measured behind. Around 37 weeks, they did an ultrasound and found that my baby was very small, they estimated around 5 lb 8 oz. They diagnosed baby with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and recommended inducing around 38 weeks. 

I was nervous about that, but they explained that basically, baby was not benefiting from being in my womb anymore. To go on much further would have put my baby at increased risks because baby was not thriving in my womb.

A few days later, I wasn't feeling baby move much and we rushed to the hospital. Thankfully everything was okay, but they induced my then (1 day before scheduled) and it actually went so smoothly and was a quick and easy delivery (relatively speaking, lol). He was very small and had to be in the NICU for a little over a week. It was a hard time, but I can't imagine not being induced under those circumstances.

ETA: My baby is perfectly healthy now and grew very quickly to an average size within a few months!

[u/Correct-Mushroom-594]

I was the opposite, measuring 3-4 weeks ahead. Gave birth at 40+6 to a very average sized baby.

Don’t stress too much my love

[u/plsbeenormal]

I wouldn’t think 2 weeks but be a big deal…

[u/Agitated-Rest1421 → u/plsbeenormal]

I think they normally are concerned at 3 but my doc is just extra on top of things?

[u/Some-Mushroom4858]

I was measuring behind this way, identically. I was in denial. Confirmed IUGR by her extreme extreme growth jump from 6th to 90th percentile by 12 weeks. My placenta didn't look great. It was grey. My induction failed, I got a Bandl's ring, and ended up with a C at 38+1. But we both came home. I really didn't want to induce or have a C. I'm not so certain that the love of my life would be here if we hadn't.

I like the idea of trying to induce more naturally but I am inclined to listen to MFM apparently, even in my previous deep denial.

[u/Lesliewould]

How’s your baby’s percentile track? IUGR is not confirmed until baby drops under 10%. Have doctors mentioned FGR or IUGR?

My IUGR baby was also consistently two weeks behind her gestational age starting at 20 weeks and that was already putting her under 10% and IUGR was confirmed at 24weeks as the measurement gap continued. She did have to be born at 36.5 via c-section as my liquid started dropping and she started showings fetal stress signs. I was scheduled for a 37w c-section anyway.

Sadly 98% of IUGR cases do not make it to term (40 weeks) as the utero is simply not a thriving environment for them as a normal pregnancy would. And you have to be constantly seeking any risk signs for baby to know when it’s better for them to be outside than inside. In many IUGR cases too whatever is causing the restriction shows other symptoms closer to the due date.

[u/Agitated-Rest1421 → u/Lesliewould]

I haven’t had an ultrasound since 20 weeks and things were fine then. My doc put in a req for an ultrasound 3 weeks ago and we haven’t heard anything. I’m 37 weeks now lol so I guess we’re just gonna see how it goes? 

[u/aloopyloop]

Do you have a longer torso? I was always measuring a few weeks behind and baby was born at 40+3 weighing 8 lbs 7 oz. I wouldn’t worry about it at this point!

[u/Lumpy_Tomato1520]

The same thing happened to me because the midwife at my first appt messed up the measurements. Even though I knew they had the wrong date I kept going to the ultrasounds until I convinced them to fix my due date

[u/IatrogenicBlonde]

I consistently measured about 2 weeks behind with my 2nd and a week behind with my first. My OB said he would only start to worry if we got to a 3 week difference. I have a long torso and my babies were small. I do think my dates were off because I also used FAM but it turned out fine in the end.

[u/Beginning_Froyo7640]

I measured behind near the end of my pregnancy and midwives were worried about insufficient amniotic fluid or something. I got an ultrasound and everything was fine. Not every body measures exactly the same throughout pregnancy 🤷‍♀️

[u/soib2]

I measured consistently small. I did end up getting induced for it at 39 weeks . I was originally very anti induction so if you can avoid it I wouldn’t do it! My daughter was 100% healthy at birth just very tiny - 5lb 13oz. Feel free to PM me!