was your u/s weight estimate close? - Page 3

[SwanMom]

I was told DS was 6 1/2 pounds 2 weeks before he was born. He was 9 lbs, 9 ounces. Either he gained 3 pounds during those last 2 weeks, or the scan was off.

[eastkygal]

Nope, not close. DD1 was supposed to be 10lbs +. She weighed 8lbs. 13oz. I didn't do an u/s at all with DD2. She was 11lbs.

[eastkygal]

Originally Posted by bri276

Do OBs say anything when this kind of thing happens? Like...."Oops!" or do they just act like nothing happened?

While my situation was not quite such a drastic difference, I still feel like it was enough to have been talked about. My OB just said Congratulations and walked out of the room. I didn't see her again, ever (7 doc practice).

[wombatclay]

Hmmmm.... dd1 was a 42+ week babe and was 9lbs6oz at birth. There were pregnancy complications that resulted in several u/s. I think the 40wk u/s put her at about 9lbs so they were pretty close.

DD2 was a simpler pregnancy so only one u/s scan was done. The ob used palpation and thought she'd be about 8lbs. She was born at 40wks and was 9lbs even (however she developed shoulder dystocia and it was a bit hairy for a while).

DS had several u/s due to my birth history. I had an u/s about 24 hours before he was born (at 42 weeks) that put him at 9lbs12oz. He was 9lbs8oz so that was more or less spot on.

Each babe was born under the care of a different provider, the u/s were all done at different facilities. So in my case at least the u/s was more accurate than the palpation. But that said, u/s for weight is so unreliable...

[TiredX2]

Originally Posted by wombatclay

Hmmmm.... dd1 was a 42+ week babe and was 9lbs6oz at birth. There were pregnancy complications that resulted in several u/s. I think the 40wk u/s put her at about 9lbs so they were pretty close.

To me, that sounds pretty off. If she was 9lbs at 40 weeks and had over two more weeks to grow, you'd expect her to have been between 10-10.5 lbs, that's a whole pound off.

If you look, u/s is supposed to be correct at estimating birth with something like +/- 20-25%. To me, that's just about worthless.

SIL had a planned c-section on a Monday at 36 weeks. The Friday before they estimated the baby at 7lb 12oz. She was born at 6lb 12oz. This was a child who was going to go straight into daycare and was born in November. She ended up hospitalized for RSV that winter and I can't help but think if she had gotten to cook a little longer she would have been better off.

My sister was encouraged to have a c-section because the baby was so big, 9+ lbs. She was 7lb 6oz, I think--- definately no bigger. Then she had a c-section with her next because she *obviously* couldn't have a vaginal birth

[Mrs-Mama]

I had an u/s hours before my (emergent) c-section with DS (32 weeks 4 days). He was estimated at 2044 grams and came out weighing 2040 grams (4 lbs 8 oz). I assume that it's an easier estimate earlier in the pregnancy like that, though.

[Hokulele]

Not close.

My u/s estimates for both babies was 9+ pounds. DD#1 was 7lbs, 11oz. DD#2 was 8lbs, 3oz.

I wish they hadn't estimated for me because they made me very afraid - several people, the u/s tech, midwives and a doula - about how large my babies were so I went into labor with a lot of fear. Turns out I didn't need to be so worried.

[coldandsleepy]

I had an ultrasound on a Friday, and had my son on the following Monday. At the Friday ultrasound, they guessed him to be "around" 8 lbs. My doctor (who does the u/s herself) said "8, 8.5, around there." He was 9 lbs when he was born.

So not spot on, but it was pretty close for us.

[wombatclay]

To me, that sounds pretty off. If she was 9lbs at 40 weeks and had over two more weeks to grow, you'd expect her to have been between 10-10.5 lbs, that's a whole pound off.

'Cept that fetal weight gain tends to slow towards the end of pregnancy. Gaining a half lb a week at 40-42 weeks would be unusual. Which is one reason the whole "oh, this babe will be huge" arguement drives me nuts. Care providers know a babe isn't going to be growing all that fast after 40 weeks, and they know u/s can be off by a pound or more, so try to scare a mom into an induction or a cesarean because the babe will be too big if they don't "do something now"? Grrrrr!

[sattygirl99]

Originally Posted by Beccasteve03

My neighbor was just induced at 37 weeks because the doctors were telling her that the baby was already well over 8 pounds and would be huge if they didn't induce her early. Baby was born and was 6 pounds 1 oz.

This happened to me with DS!!

The ultrasound the morning of my induction (amnio is requried for a 37 week induction) put him at 9lbs. He was born the next evening via c-section for failed induction weighing 5lbs 11 oz... Boy was I one pissed mama... I didn't know that US has such a tendency to be wrong!

I had an US with DD at 41 weeks and they said 8.5 lbs. She was born at 41.5 weeks weighing 7lbs 9.3oz (hugely inflated though as they pumped a TON of fluid in me when they decided to c-section me at 9CM and +1 station because she 'was going to get stuck' so her more true weight is probably 7lbs 3 oz as she was at 24 hrs).

[Monkey Keeper]

DD2 was estimated at 10lb, 6oz on a Friday, though the tech said they're usually about 1/3lb high on late term u/s and said 10lb even was more likely. She was born that Sunday at 41w @ 9lb, 8oz and 22". I think length can skew weight estimates, too, since in many cases both humerus and femur play into the calculation.

[mandib50]

i only had ultrasounds with my first pregnancy because they suspected IUGR
her estimated birth weight, in the last week of pregnancy was 5 lbs. she was 6 lbs 15 oz.

[MyBoysBlue]

I had an u/s at 33 weeks that put him at almost 7 pounds. He was born at 36 weeks and was one ounce under 7 pounds. They were telling me that he would be huge by my due date and they would have to induce early. I think the truth was that the earlier ultra sound at 18 weeks got the date wrong and he was actually born more likely at 39 weeks. My second was born at 39 weeks and was only a few ounces bigger.

[laughymama]

At 34 weeks they were estimating he would be a good 9 pounds by 38-39 weeks.

I had an awful induction at 39 weeks "because we don't want a BIG baby! Nothing good comes from that!"

He was 7 pounds even.