very scared about size of baby :-(

nixickle
nixickle Posts: 229 Member
edited January 4 in Social Groups
Just going through and looking at some of your bump pictures, your bumps look tiny compared to mine! My profile picture was taken at 32 weeks and 5 days. I went for a growth u/s at the time it was taken, and baby was measuring around 4 pounds and 6 ounces. My first born was 9.2 pounds, hence why I am having extra u/s. I have another booked in for when I am 37 weeks. It is predicted that this baby will be about 8 pounds, but looking at the size of my bump I'm not convinced!! I have gained 45 pounds in my pregnancy already (I gained 45 pounds with my first, but that was at full term....I'm still going with this one!!)

I'm hoping I will be induced at 37 weeks :-( feeling very worried at the moment!

Can't wait for him to be here and for my pounds to hopefully start dropping again!

Thankyou for letting me share

Replies

  • snowgrrl83
    snowgrrl83 Posts: 242 Member
    The bump and ultrasound aren't accurate indicators!
    You uterus could be a huge ball of water and little baby.
    My mom's belly was biggest first my birth (compared to her 2 other kids) and I came out the smallest. I was 5 pounds and 6 oz. Also, the ultrasound had said that I was going to be a large baby(they had predicted 8-9 lbs).

    It is completely normal to feel worried though if Doctors are making you feel that way.
    Remember that your body most likely won't produce a baby that you can't push out.
  • chickybuns
    chickybuns Posts: 1,037 Member
    I agree, nobody really knows for sure. I've heard of the u/s being off 2-3lbs and people carry differently. Don't worry :)
  • blink1021
    blink1021 Posts: 1,115 Member
    Try not to freak out my SIL bump was enormous I had never seen anyone so big and she delivered her daughter 1 week before due date by csection and she said when they cut into her she had so much amniotic fluid that some of it came up and soaked her to her shoulders instead of going down the cut outs in the table. Her daughter was only 8lbs. Unfortunately your first one was large so expect this one to be too. My first one was 8lbs 14oz and he was delivered 5 days early. They told me back at 28 weeks that this one was on track to be 7.5 -8lbs. I have only gained 7lbs and do not think that I am overly large and I have really paid attention to make sure my blood sugar stays in check and what I eat. If your blood sugar spikes it can act like a growth hormone and can cause large babies. Other than that its just going to be the way it is. I had an u/s at 32 weeks and 4days and she was 4lbs 7oz. I just had another one at 36 weeks and 4days and she is at 7lbs 3oz. If she gains her 1/2lb per week until due date she will be lighter than my first by 4 oz if she even makes it to her due date. I asked my u/s tech the accuracy of the machines in our office and she said that they are usually accurate within a lb in either direction, but there are exceptions. I have had so many u/s because of weight issues with the first and I was told if they feel that she is getting too big they will suggest an induction. I may consider it so that I don't have to worry about a csection or to deliver a huge baby. Unfortunately when they are large especially in 10lbs it can possibly cause problems health wise with the baby. Try not to worry, but I am with you on the worry and to tell you the truth you do not look that big. You are carrying all in belly and some of us aren't. I should put a picture of mine on here and you can see mine is more distributed evenly from boobs down. Don't get discouraged your doctor is taking extra precautions with the extra u/s and if they are worried will talk induction. I will be 37 weeks tomorrow and my doctor based on that last u/s isn't considering an induction just yet.
  • redheadmommy
    redheadmommy Posts: 908 Member
    Bump size has nothing to do with the baby size. I had a huge bump with my first baby, even my uterus measured 4-5 weeks ahead of time. Still at the end I had an average or slightly below average baby 7 lb 4 oz. I just had so much fluid that I was leaking for hrs in the delivery room.
    This time my bump was so prominent much earlier, which is normal. Once you had a baby, the following pregnancies will have bigger bump , because your uterus already knows how to expand, and expands faster.
    I think today's u/s are quite good. They can make a miscalculate a bit, but they are tend to be fairly close. If they predict your baby to be 8 lb,she probably will weight less than your firstborn. Since you managed to give birth to a 9 lb 2 oz baby , you should be fine with this one.
  • nixickle
    nixickle Posts: 229 Member
    thankyou all for your kind reassuring words. The main reason for my concern is that my first got stuck (however with a little intervention she did come out and i didn't even tear!!) i like the thought of my bump being full of fluid, though he does feel quite sizable from his movements! it's reassuring to hear that some of you have had big bumps and average size babies. if he is smaller than 9.2 I'm not too concerned, I'm more just scared he'll be 10 and get more stuck than my first! Blink 1021 your story is very reassuring as we were measured around the same time and our babies measured around the same size, my next u/s is also about 36weeks and 5 days so again that will be a good measure, it will be interesting to see if our babies still measure the same and yes I'm very interested to know what weight your little girl is when she is born. it would be nice if this baby is smaller then my first. i guess it is just a waiting game till my next u/s and i will ask the consultant about the accuracy of the tests and will keep you all posted :-) thankyou though for all your reassuring words they have helped :-)
  • redheadmommy
    redheadmommy Posts: 908 Member
    Just to add to the calculation. They measured my baby to be 5 lb 1 oz at my 34 week ultrasound, and they said I can expect a 8 max 8.5 lb baby at the end.
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    With my first son, the doctors were constantly commenting on how large he was going to be. I had multiple ultrasounds. He was 24 inches and 7pounds 12 ounces. I asked them where my huge baby was when they handed him to me! He was such a skinny guy and at 6 years is still a skinny kid. Just relax. Even if your child is the largest ever, or not so small, you will be fine and the doctors will make sure your delivery is safe. You just might not want to invest too much in the fist 2 sizes of diapers...:wink:
  • ehg87
    ehg87 Posts: 430 Member
    With my first they told me she would probably weigh approx 6lbs at birth; she came out at a surprising 7lbs 12oz on her due date...I was tiny the whole pregnancy (as in I never had to get maternity clothes) 2nd child I was gimongous and they told me to expect an 8lb baby...he came a day after his due date at 9lbs 12oz. My experience, they're just making a guess. You never know till that lil joker shoots outta there.
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    I am currently pregnant with my third baby - I am *just barely* starting to show right now (like after a big meal LOL) but with my first 2 my bump was HUGE - I was the one constantly getting questioned by strangers asking if I was having twins, people sharing stories of their friend who has a cousin who's sister thought they were having one baby but there was a twin hiding behind it on the ultrasound etc LMAO - I had exactly ONE baby each time, perfectly average sizes of 7 lbs 13 oz and 7 lbs 8 oz - not huge at all, especially compared to the 37 lbs that I gained with each pregnancy! I just carry huge. There is very little space between my pelvis and my ribcage, baby/uterus goes all out in front and I look like I swallowed a watermelon. Bump size does not indicate baby size one bit or I'd have 10 lb babies at least. LOL (I generally measured about 2 weeks larger than my gestational age, too - meaning at 30 weeks my uterus would measure around 32, etc) Position of the baby, fluid levels, etc can affect those measurements as well as ultrasound measurements.

    Ultrasounds are not very accurate past the first trimester - they have a range of +/- up to 2 lbs, sometimes even more. Yes sometimes they are quite accurate but not often enough to cancel out the many many times that they are very 'off'. Keep in mind they are looking at a 2-dimensional picture and trying to guess at a 3-dimensional measurement. It's very difficult to be completely accurate b/c there are factors involved that they can't account for. A good friend of mine was talked into having a c-section b/c they did a third-tri ultrasound and said baby would be 'way too big for her' at least 9 lbs - when they did the c-section they pulled out a nice little 7 lb baby. Don't let ultrasound measurements scare you. Even the ACOG (american college of obstetrics and gynecology) says that 'estimated large baby' is NOT a good reason to induce early or do a c-section, simply b/c it is not completely reliable AND you don't know how mom and baby will move/change during labor until you try it. Baby's head squishes (cone head! LOL) and mom's pelvis moves and separates to make room for baby coming through. It's miraculous! We are built to birth babies and babies are built to be birthed. Don't let any possible size estimations freak you out. :-)
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    Also, even if you do have a big chunky 10 lb baby, keep in mind fat is squishy. ;-)
  • cocolo89
    cocolo89 Posts: 1,169 Member
    I have a pretty small bump. I am actually measuring behind on my belly measurements, but at my 20wk u/s the dr told me to expect a 8.5lb baby. I had another u/s at 32wks and his weight is 4lbs 2oz. Now I am starting to worry he might be huge even though my belly is small. Belly size doesn't determine the size of baby. I had growth u/s with my DD and they were extremely accurate. Few days before I gave birth they had her measuring 6lb10 and she came out 6lb13. I guess we won't know until the babies start coming!!
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
    I wouldn't fret too much. I know lots of women who've had bigger babies, followed by smaller ones. A lot of times it's how long they're in there that makes the difference between a 7-pounder and a 9-pounder. When I was last pregnant, I was measuring right on every time (I only had an u/s at 20 weeks), and then another doctor saw me at one point while I was in labor and told me I was going to have a huge baby. I had never seen her before (she's in the same practice as my OB, but for some reason she was at the hospital even though my OB was on call), so that was based on the size of me/my belly, I guess. He was 7lbs 3oz.
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    I have a pretty small bump. I am actually measuring behind on my belly measurements, but at my 20wk u/s the dr told me to expect a 8.5lb baby. I had another u/s at 32wks and his weight is 4lbs 2oz. Now I am starting to worry he might be huge even though my belly is small. Belly size doesn't determine the size of baby. I had growth u/s with my DD and they were extremely accurate. Few days before I gave birth they had her measuring 6lb10 and she came out 6lb13. I guess we won't know until the babies start coming!!

    Giving a birth weight estimate at 20 weeks is RIDICULOUS. First off they ave no idea at that point if you'll deliver at 37 weeks or 42 (both are in full-term range). 5 weeks makes a big difference! Secondly, 4 lbs 2 oz is a perfectly respectable 32 week size. My good friend had her first baby just over 31 weeks and he was 3 lbs 19 oz. Third, they should know that ultrasound estimates are not accurate! Telling you what to 'expect' based on their best guess from a 2 dimensional picture and using it to freak you out is crazy! Sometimes they get it very close, sometimes they are WAY off.
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