Hello everyone,

This is my first post on BabyandBump, but I felt the need for a little reassurance.

I'm a petite woman at 5'5" with a healthy BMI. 33+6 pregnant with my first baby. I'm under consultant care due to some abdominal scarring from old surgery, and have a particularly small bump.

At week 30 I had a scan as recommended by my consultant. Baby was a little above average size and weight for his age, despite a low fundal height. There was also a good amount of fluid and minimal cause for concern apart from my placental position, which is being monitored

The midwife, who is not in charge of my care and who I visit just for general check ups, measured my bump today and stated 28cm as my fundal height, and she panicked. I'm afraid to say she ran around the consulting room like a headless chicken and was generally very un-reassuring. She did not even remember to check the baby's heartbeat until I reminded her.

I'm already booked in for a scan in ten days time, but her reaction has made me very edgy. I keep telling myself that everyone's different, and that my baby movements are fine, but has anyone else had anything like this, particularly measuring small for their dates in late pregnancy?

What were your experiences, and how accurate is fundal height measurement compared to a growth scan?

Thank you in advance for your input. I'm off to put my feet up and to try and put this out of my mind.

Asli xxx

I've never had this (not as far along as you though and this is my first). Hopefully one of the other girls can give you some better advice

Welcome to the forum

Thank you for the welcome, Vicki, and congrats on your first too. I hope you have a smooth ride of it.

As xxx

To measure 3 or four weeks + or - in fundal height is pretty normal I think. Sometimes baby can just be in a position where it exagerates or minimizes our bump measurements. I've been measuring right on the money on my fundal measurements, though yesterday I measured almost 38 weeks (+2 weeks) But I know baby is dropping, and moving about in ways she doesn't normally.

Certainly if you are concerned, get checked again, but I think that unless there's a consistent problem with fundal height, there's nothing to worry about (and you noted you have a scan in a week or so, and that's much more accurate anyway).



Sorry the lady was such a twit for you...

Cant offer any advice here as my measurements have always been spot on... but welcome to baby and bump... i hope everything is ok

xxx

I have the opposite problem I'm measuring large. I do hope you get the reassurance you need xXx

I know Luckyme225 was measuring small for a while, you could talk to her about it and see if she has any advice. I wouldnt worry too much as long as your feeling baby move and the heartbeat is good. Could they not get you in sooner than 10 days?

Welcome to Baby and Bump!

I measured about 4 weeks smaller than I should from about 34 weeks onwards, & I had to have lots of scans & monitoring every week until I was induced at 37 weeks. My baby had stopped growing due to my placenta not working properly (intrauterine growth restriction) & the doctors thought she'd do better out of the womb. She was small, but perfectly healthy when she came out.. & soon made up for the lack of growth!

I'm not saying this is what's happening to you.. there can be lots of reasons why a baby is measuring small, but the midwives will probably want to keep a close eye on you over the next few weeks, & you might be induced early depending on what the problem is. Good luck!

Not sure, but didn't want to read and run, .. It should all be okay though, every baby is different from one another. Welcome to BnB!

I just wanted to thank everyone for their advice. I went to get a second opinion from my GP, who measured my bump as 32cm, rather than 28cm. He took the time to plapitate the baby properly and to reassure me that he did not think anything was wrong with the size of my bump.

I've made the decision to not see my community midwife again, as she is not actually in charge of my care and won't be present for the birth. Her attitude was just completley wrong, and if I was a more nervous mother I would have been in complete nervous breakdown town!

I have a scan on the ninth of May to check my placental position, and they'll be checking everything then.

Wish me luck!

As xxx