Last 8 weeks-how much does baby grow?

[cappuccinosmom]

I'm curious--ultrasound today (: ) showed everything perfectly fine but just a "big" baby--4 lb 15 oz at 32 weeks. So how much exactly will this baby grow until 40 weeks? Do they really put on 4-6 lbs in that short time span?:

[NaturalMommaof3+1]

no!! From my experience, they don't put on that much weight at the end. During the last 4 weeks, they put on a 1/4 pound a week totalling 1 pound during the last month. I actually just asked my u/s tech about this. That is the most weight they put on in the last 4 weeks. It's slower up to that point. I was going in every other week during my lst pregnancy for the last 2 months and I know that this is true!
Congratulations on your u/s! :0)

[the_lissa]

Every baby is different, not that another 4 pounds would be a big baby imo, but the thing to remember is that u/s can be off by two pounds or more.

[ktmelody]

I have always been told 1/2 pound during the last 4 weeks.
Because my baby has IUGR i am having regular U/S. My baby weighed approx. 3 pounds at 32 weeks. I was told that the margin of error on ultrasound is no more than 7 ounces either way. Now this is at my peri's office and they have brand new updated machines. Older machines can be 1pound off in either direction.
I would assume your baby will gain about 4 more pounds in the last 8 weeks. So maybe an 8-9 pound baby. Not too big IMO.
My OB predicted my baby will weigh 6 pounds at 36 weeks when we deliver due to the IUGR.
I would not worry.....

[NaturalMommaof3+1]

I always thought it was 1/2 per week the last 4 weeks also, but I asker my u/s tech about it and she said a 1/4 pound a week. She was right. That's what he ended up gaining-a pound in the last month. Circumstances can make things different though example genes and whether or not you have GD.

[kerikadi]

Keep in mind that U/S are terribly inaccurate at determining weight and can easily be off a pound or more either way.

Keri

[momto l&a]

I always thought is was .5lbs a weeks for the last few weeks. Thats what I have read and my mw told me. Has proven true for me.

And yes U/S aren't accurate in weight.

[Full Heart]

Lets assume the u/s is correct. And lets assume the baby gains .5 lb a week for the last 8 - 10 weeks. And lets assume you go to 42 weeks again (and thats alot of assuming lol) then you would have the same size baby this time as you did last time. Of course if the u/s is incorrect, the baby gains less than 1/2 lb a week (which seems like ALOT to me) and you don't go to 42 weeks this time you could have a considerably smaller baby this time than you did last time. I wouldn't worry about it or think about it too much. Thats alot of ifs.

[megviolet]

I also was told 1/2 lb a week for the last 2 months, and that it is the fastest growth period for the baby. At 28 weeks my u/s said babe was 3 lbs... i have another u/s at 32 weeks... but ultimatley my understanding is that they cannot accurately predict the weight

I'm more curious how fast I will gain weight in the next 10 or so weeks! At 30 weeks i gained 28 lbs... anyone know how much weight the momma is supposed to gain in the last 2 months??

[WeasleyMum]

I wouldn't worry to much. Don't have any personal experience but know second-hand of many ultrasound weight estimates that were waaay off-- and the earlier they are, the less accurate.

When my little brother was in utero, he had two ultrasounds a couple days apart-- by two different techs. One showed him to be just over 5 lbs, and the other over 9! (This was right before delivery, I think 38 weeks) He turned out to be 8 pounds at birth. But, that was in 1991.

Last year, my co-worker's daughter was induced because an ultrasound showed a 9-pound baby. The baby weighed less than seven pounds at birth, and the induction resulted in an undesired C-section.

[sarahbay]

U/S's are usually off.

Your body will grow the right size baby for you no matter how big the Dr, or U/s technician says it's going to be.

If you are seriously worried about too big of a baby, just eat less sugar, carbs and refined foods until the due date.

Eat as whole foods, as you can. Focus on plenty of protein, veggies, whole grains and fruits.

An average woman's pelvis can EASILY push out an 11 lb baby, so I think you'll be ok.

Besides they can't just cut you open just cuz the U/S says it might be a big baby. They have to ask your permission first, and of course you'll say "NO, I can do this on my own, thank you very much."

[AugustLia23]

Originally Posted by kerikadi

Keep in mind that U/S are terribly inaccurate at determining weight and can easily be off a pound or more either way.

Keri

The average for the last 4 weeks is 1/2 per week, equalling about 2 lbs for the last month, but if you are eating well and listening to your body, you will not grow a baby bigger than you can birth!

[cappuccinosmom]

Oh, I'm not worried about him being big. I just thought it so strange that they were telling me a 5 pounder (and I know that's just their guess) was going to be "huge". Huge to me is over 10 lbs, so I was trying to figure out how exactly they were thinking this one is going to get that big? Maybe if I were to eat at McD's and Dunkin Donuts for the next coupld of weeks. :

[cappuccinosmom]

anyone know how much weight the momma is supposed to gain in the last 2 months??

I'd like to know that too. I'm so happy that I'd only gained 15 lb at 31 weeks, but then, looking back at my last pregnancy journals, this seems to be about the time when I start to explode into whale-ish proportions.

[NaturalMommaof3+1]

Originally Posted by AugustLia23

The average for the last 4 weeks is 1/2 per week, equalling about 2 lbs for the last month,

where is everyone getting this 1/2 pound figure from? THis wasn't true in my case at ALL!!! And I asked my doctor and my U/s tech about it and they both said it is a misconception and that baby only gains a 1/4 pound a week during the last 4 weeks. That proved true when we monitored babys progress during the last 8 weeks through U/S and baby only gained 4 ounces a week the last 4 weeks.

[kosheng]

on the flip side of your coin, and with the inaccuracies of u/s measuring weight, i'd like to know how your doc assessed weight gain at 4oz per week? all snarkiness aside, what makes your doc and u/s tech the authorities and everyone else's wrong?

the moms here can only go by the information that they have been given, either by personal experience or other acquired knowledge. my personal experience IS up to 1/2 lb per week, give or take a few ounces. everyone has a different set of circumstances and experiences.

[NaturalMommaof3+1]

What makes them wrong and everyone elses guesses right? THey are the professionals!! And like I mentioned, I WAS monitored by ultrsounds and this did prove to be true about gaining just over one pound the last month. I've mentioned that it can be different for each person according to genes, GD whatever the circumstance, BUT the average from my experiences has showed 1/4 pound a week the last 4 weeks.

Were you monitored weekly for the last 4 weeks of your pregnancy?