Freaked out at measuring larger than I am....

[Toposlonoshlep]

Hi lovely mamas,

I had an OB visit today and when she measured my fundal height (I am 31 weeks and 2 days) I measured 34.........

She was really vague about what this means or doesn't mean, but did give me a requisition to have an ultrasound.

I do feel HUGE with this pregnancy because I've gained 32 pounds already and with my first I only gained 20 the entire term. My first son was just under 7lbs., so I don't know why this baby would be HUGE or anything...Also, my EDD is based on my last period, which I am pretty confident about. No signs of GD. All blood work looked good last time......This baby is already head down with its feet in the right side of my ribcage constantly.

Should I be worried? Did anyone else measure larger and then have an average size baby?

[Chloe'sMama]

i had large babies  both  times, so I can't reassure that way, but fundal height fluctuates in each pregnancy and even within it....

DD1 I measured small (3-4 week) almost the whole time.... she was10lbs, 5 oz

DD2 I measured ahead (2 weeks) for a while and she was 9 lbs, 12oz.

Who knows.

[Avallone38]

Fundal height measurements can be really prone to error. For example, two different doctors/midwives can check you and get a different measurement. I know this because I measured 2 weeks or 4 weeks ahead my entire pregnancy and I was freaked out, too. I went on a Google rampage trying to figure out why. In my case, I just had a big baby! But that's no reason to be scared, either. This won't make you feel better, though, because no matter how many times I heard people say, "It's no big deal.", it still bothered me.

[Toposlonoshlep]

Thank you for sharing your experience. It DOES make me feel better, because of course when you google it you get all kinds of freaky stuff about too much amniotic fluid and such.....But the few experiences I've heard about thus far make me think that this is unlikely, and that perhaps I should avoid this extra ultrasound, because if they suspect the baby is large they may push me to induce and c-section. Which terrifies me more than pushing out a huge baby, quite frankly.
 

Originally Posted by Avallone38 

Fundal height measurements can be really prone to error. For example, two different doctors/midwives can check you and get a different measurement. I know this because I measured 2 weeks or 4 weeks ahead my entire pregnancy and I was freaked out, too. I went on a Google rampage trying to figure out why. In my case, I just had a big baby! But that's no reason to be scared, either. This won't make you feel better, though, because no matter how many times I heard people say, "It's no big deal.", it still bothered me.

[dkenagy]

With my first, I went from measuring "right on" to measuring a full 4 weeks ahead between my 24 wk appt and my 28 wk appt. (at 28 wks, I measured 32). I had an u/s that revealed nothing out of the ordinary (normal amniotic fluid levels, avg size baby, etc) and went on to measure 3-4 wks ahead for the remainder of my pregnancy (41 wks), at which time I delivered a healthy 7lb 8oz baby girl.

[Toposlonoshlep]

Thanks for sharing your experience! I am thinking of skipping the extra ultrasound because it is so darn innacurate at predicting the baby's size anyway. And so many women are scared into thinking they need to be induced or c-sectioned. I just don't even want to know the theoretical weight until the baby is born. 

[SunnyB1978]

"Big babies" are a scare tactic used by OBs.  My sis was convinced to have a c-section for her 8lb8oz baby that was "too big" for her to birth.  I had a relatively simple, strait-forward all-natural birth of a 10lb2oz baby.  We are both small people, my sis is a size 4 and I'm a size 2.  Narrow hips.  My midwife was the mother of 5 babies, who ranged in birth weight from 5lbs to 9lbs, and she swore that it is all about position.  She said the 5lb daughter was a much harder birth than her 9lb son.  

And yes, I measured larger throughout the pregnancy.  But it isn't a bad thing!  Larger babies can hold more milk in their stomachs so they sleep better.  They can lift their heads sooner and turn over sooner.  They fit into cloth diapers sooner without gaps on the legs.  Big babies are the best!

[moonInLion]

In all three pregnancies so far, I measured "large for date". With #1, my m/w back then ordered extra ultrasounds to check things out, and then I had to have yet another ultrasound at 8.5 month just because that's the protocol if you have had so many ultrasounds. Thanks!  DS was born perfectly fine at 9 lbs 0 oz. With #2 and #3, I just informed the midwife that I used to measure large for dates, so they took it without further worry. DD was born at 8lbs7, and DS was born at 9lbs4. So yes, big babies, but not too big to cause problems. I second PP that larger sized babies are great, so much easier to handle!

[Toposlonoshlep]

Thanks everyone. I am now at almost 37 weeks and am measuring on target. When I was measuring large, I went for the ultrasound (wanted to make sure it wasn't extra fluid) and the baby actually measured a week small.  They gave me a whole "e'll have to see you again in two weeks to make sure the baby is growing" spiel, but I find it ridiculous since I was at 34 weeks and the baby was measuring 33 weeks and estimated weight was 4lbs. 7oz. I said "Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't ultrasound measurements just a rough estimate? Also, doesn't the baby gain 1/2 lb. a week now? Which would put my "tiny" baby at a healthy 7lbs. on my due date?" 

They don't really believe me that I make small babies (my three year old still fits 24 month clothes and the father of the kids is 5'9" and 130 lbs.), but whatever. It seems like they are just looking for a reason to give me a hard time...Or to have my insurance pay for extra ultrasounds. Either way, I'm close enough to popping this kid out that they won't get another ultrasound out of me.

Thanks for all of your encouraging stories!!