Fundal Height

[CaliMommie]

Is fundal height supposed to correspond with how many "weeks" you are or with the baby's gestational age? According to my u/s I am 27 weeks, but accordiung to mt LMP I am 29 weeks. I am measuring at 29 weeks, so I am thinking that the u/s date wasn't accurate (considering it was a 2nd Trimester u/s). What do you think? How are you measuring? TIA!

AmiBeth

[kavamamakava]

Fundal height can be off by 2 weeks and still considered within normal range. When did you get your ultrasound? If you got it in the early stages, it's probably much more accurate than your LMP.

[CaliMommie]

I got my u/s done at 19 weeks (according to the u/s date)- 21 weeks according to LMP.

AmiBeth

[kavamamakava]

Hrmmm. I don't know then. I would just go with whichever due date is seems right. Your LMP isn't always the best indicator because that doesn't always predict when you ovulated. Seeing the baby on ultrasound and assessing age based on developments seems more accurate. If I had gone by LMP with my daughter, she would have been 5 weeks overdue. But I went by the ultrasound date from an U/S I had at 10 weeks and she was 10 days late according to that. She looked just about right for being 10 days. Not much vernix but not totally wrinkled from being in there a long time.

[coleslaw]

From what I understand, u/s are only accurate in telling due dates in the first trimester and not accurate when you had yours.

[_jenn]

Originally Posted by coleslaw

From what I understand, u/s are only accurate in telling due dates in the first trimester and not accurate when you had yours.

this is how i understand it too. At my last apt i was 26 weeks since LMP and 26" fundal hieght. I believe that that is the ideal....but not the rule.

[annakiss]

You really in subsequent pregnancies can be off by a number of weeks (more than 2 even) in fundal height and have it be in a normal range. Getting another ultrasound really seems like a waste to me, not to mention that babes don't like 'em! Do you have a good idea of a conception date or was this one a surprise (sorry I can't remember!)?

I've been measuring about 2 weeks ahead, but I KNOW when I conceived because I was charting. Even on a 20 week ultrasound and a subsequent 22 week ultrasound (after my accident) the baby was measuring about a week ahead of my due date. Ultrasounds are notorious for being incorrect about baby size, and I think that checking for dates is best if done in the first trimester, which is also when you have the highest risk of miscarriage, which some think ultrasounds and doppler use can help trigger.

[CaliMommie]

This one was a surprise! And I really don't know when I concieved (both due dates are a possibility b/c my mom watched the boys for us so we could have some "alone" time on both o0f the possible dates!). The only reason for concern is the fact that I am fairly certain the original due date is correct (May 3rd) and I have big babies anyway (and tend to have long, drawn-out prodromal (sp?) labor w/no progress. When they changed my EDD w/my first 2 they later decided that they shouldn't have. Since I am at a new OB he wants to get an idea of how big baby is (he is concerned about a 11+ lb baby fitting through my pelvis). Plus I was measuring right along with their EDD of May 13th & now I am suddenly (2 weeks later) measuring at 29.

AmiBeth

[annakiss]

You Will Not Grow A Baby Too Big For You To Birth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CaliMommie]

I believe that, Breeder! Problem is my OB doesn't & if I consistently measure ahead I am afraid he might try to push a c/s (part of me wants to "accidently" not make it to the hospital : ) Plus I KNOW the u/s weight guesses aren't that accurate~ they said Colby wouldn't be over 8 lbs & he was 9 lbs, 15 oz! Boy was the midwife shocked! :LOL honestly though, after all of Colby's health issues and the nightmares I have been having about this pg a u/s at this point would be reassuring.

AmiBeth

[annakiss]

You know, I'd talk to the guy and suddenly "figure" out when you conceived based on a "diary entry" or something. That way, you can be behind dates and he'll leave you alone. I know you're worried about the bean after Colby's health issues (I TOTALLY get that), but at some point you need to relinquish control.

[kathma26]

Actually it is better to have the doctor think you are less further along then you know you are. When 40 weeks rolls along you know you won't have to deal with being "overdue" when you really are not.

Kathy

[CaliMommie]

Yeah, except with dd2 I KNEW to the day when I concieved & he was overdue by my calculations (his size, appearance etc led the midwives to agree that I was right) and if I would have waited until their EDD he would have been over 3 weeks past due. I have never gone into labor on my own (I have had 6 days of PAINFUL prodromal labor though, that caused NO dilation, etc.) Anyways, I am pretty sure the May 4th EDD is when it happened b/c it fits w/my LMP & when my mom watched the boys~ which is what I told the dr. I'm just wondering why I would measure 1 cm larger each month & then 2 weeks later, meaduring 3 cm more. Growth spurt maybe?

AmiBeth

[annakiss]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being 3 weeks past due. It happens all the time. LMP means absolutely nothing when considering conception. Sperm can live up to five (some say seven) days. The only way to know when you conceived/ovulated is to chart your temperature and note a temperature rise.

With my first pregnancy, according to LMP, DS was 15 days past due. That also made sense according to when we had sex, but DS seemed on time. Now, because I charted for 5 months and have more awareness of my cycles, I think that we had one of those instances where the sperm lived a while and DS was actually conceived about a week after when my LMP would have indicated. Therefor, he was only about 8 days past due, which doesn't matter at all, as I also think it takes me a little longer than "normal" to gestate babies.

It is so much better for you to allow labor to start on it's own. With my 1st pregnancy, I was dilated 3 cms and having irregular contractions for over a week before labor actually began. You will hear stories like that all over. It's normal. You are normal.

Measuring larger in subsequent pregnancies means nothing.

[annakiss]

I'm sorry, I hope you didn't take what I said in my previous post to be offensive. I didn't mean it that way. I just want you to have a good outcome and experience, and maybe I'm projecting what I think a good outcome and experience is. I get frustrated when I see people not having faith in their bodies. You know you better than I do and better than any doctor. Please forgive me.

[CaliMommie]

No apology necessary! I wasn't offended. I get passionate like that when it comes to BFing! It's actually nice to hear from someone else that yes my body knows what it's doing! B/C so often dr.s try to convince you it doesn't. I think part of the reason the dr wants the u/s is that I have only just started seeing him, so he hasn't really had time to judge for himself whether my suddenly measuring much larger sould be an issue.

I have thought & thought about this, and we had an "oops!" late late July, and were just plain not careful enough Aug 10 & the last weekend in August (those 2 weekends my mom had our boys overnight & we had our first overnight alone w/out my being pg since we were dating! :LOL I was pg on our honeymoon! So we threw caution to the wind ) So I really have no idea when I concieved. My LMP was July 27th, but it was a light one, and I had stopped taking Domperidone in late June. So who knows? My u/s is in half-an-hour, I'll update when I get home.

[CaliMommie]

Forgot to add~ I don't have much faith in u/s this late in pg anyway. With Colby they did one at 36 weeks & said "He will be around 8 lbs, definitely not over 9 lbs"~ he was 9 lbs, 15 oz.Yep, really accurate.

AmiBeth

[mommyto2]

Sorry to jump in here.... I just wanted to say that fundal height is not meant to be totally accurate. I measured 41 cm at 32 weeks. Mine is related to fibroids, I am sure. Don't second guess your body. It can be related to baby position, amount of amniotic fluid, etc. The baby will grow as big as he/she needs to... I hope all of your stress goes away soon!

[wende]

I can tell you that their "best guess" is nowhere near a best guess. They told me that my first would be "around 6lbs" and she was 9lbs, 13oz. I was told that my second was "fairly good sized" and she was 6lbs, 15oz! Just remember to stay at home for as long as possible when you go into labor and remember that you always have the right to say "NO".

[CaliMommie]

So they decided based on BOTH sonograms the due date is May 3rd. Which made the most sense to me anyway. I plan to try touse herbal remedies to help labor along if necessary. Any suggstions on herbal remedies?

AmiBeth