An unexpected ultrasound!

[curvyred]

So, I figured I was all done with ultrasounds at my 20 week, but I'm off for another one tomorrow (I'll be 36 weeks this Thursday.)

I've measured 31 cm for my last three midwife visits, including today. So, I've been at 31 cm for six weeks AND I'm now measuring 5 cm less than I am weeks. The midwife said baby FEELS appropriately sized and I'm sure my uterus has grown the last few weeks. I also started this pregnancy a good 70 pounds overweight, so even though I've gained appropriately (22 pounds) I'm wondering if I just lost some belly fat.

Anyone else fall outside of the +/- 4 cm range for measurements or stop showing growth for several weeks?

I'm not stressing, it's just a departure from my normal, "looks great, see you next week . . ."

[HeatherB]

Was she able to tell how your fluid is by palpation? (My MW can, but she said it was quite tricky to learn!) I would drink up and make sure you're well-hydrated. Otherwise, I would also suspect it's a shifting of weight. I have had plateaus where my MW has assessed that all is fine despite lack of weight gain or fundal gain or whatever. We big mamas have a tendency to go against the grain.

Hope all is perfect tomorrow!

[curvyred]

No mention of amniotic fluid levels. She's not overly concerned, just enough lack of change to prompt an ultrasound. I have a feeling if I was totally anti-ultrasound, they would have let it go a week to see.

[FloridaBorn]

I'm 30 weeks and see a rotation of 3 midwives at my birth center. 6 weeks ago I was overmeasured... the midwife said she "liked to be generous" and measured me at 29 weeks. Then two weeks ago a different midwife measured me at 26 weeks

I can *tell* the baby is getting bigger from her movements, and am not putting a whole lot of stock in the measuring techniques of three different people!

[curvyred]

Well, we had a cool US tech who actually talked to us about what she was seeing (she's done the three scans we've had so far.) No huge red flags, but we are outside of "normal" territory. Baby's head is measuring quite a bit ahead of his femur and abdomen percentils (Head is close to 50-ish and femur/abdomen are 6th and 10th percentile.) May be evidence of "brain sparing" ie, babe isn't getting quite enough of what he needs, so his body feeds the brain first and lets everything else lag.

She checked out blood flow through the cord and vessels in the brain and I think those were slightly outside of normal too.

Good news is no huge red flags--total weight is ok (or at least not excessively small) and placenta and fluid levels look ok. Radiologist didn't page the midwives, but was going to follow up with a report. This means I have to wait until tomorrow for further instructions. I'm guessing more follow-up ultrasound next week.

I'm 36 weeks this week, so a week away from being cleared for the birth center. It's a little stressful, but not TOO freaky at this point.