How do you check fundal height?

[muttix2]

How do you tell the difference between it and your stomach muscles? Do you do it standing? How far up should it be right now (I'm 12 weeks)? Haven't seen my mw yet and I want to make sure everything is going along fine but I can't seem to find mine. TIA!

[impromptukiss]

i'm not sure if it's really reliable this early. i think my mw started checking last time around 20w? i just found this -
http://www.3centres.com.au/maternity...consumer_3.pdf

this seems to say 22w.

[muttix2]

Ok, thanks. I just saw people posting about their fundal height and was beginning to worry.

[kati_kati]

You can usually feel the top of your uterus earlier than 20 weeks. I'm 12 weeks too and when I lie down I can usually find it (depends how bloated I am - works best when I'm not). I start from my belly button and kind of walk my fingers down while pushing in until I feel a ridge of firmness. That's the top of the uterus. I read about it in The Pregnancy Book (by Dr. Sears) and had the m/w show me too. Dr. Sears says the top of the uterus should 'pop up' above your pubic bone when you're around 14 weeks (says 12 in the book, but they count weeks since conception) but I can already feel mine.

You may have to push in (down) about an inch or so, depending how many weeks you are. You will notice a distinct difference between the softness of your belly in general and your uterus. Mine is now only a couple inches below my belly button - which is bigger than I expected but I don't really know what to expect!

[muttix2]

Off to try that, thanks

[StrawHatBrat]

Mine popped up to a little below my belly button already!! I can really feel it without ever trying hard. I can also hear the baby's HB up there too.

[impromptukiss]

yes, you can definitely feel it before 20 weeks, but i wasn't sure if measuring it was as acurate this early. i've been able to feel mine for a while now, and actually when we get the heartbeat, it's already right under my belly button.

[bryonyvaughn]

Originally Posted by muttix2

How do you tell the difference between it and your stomach muscles?

Your stomach muscles will be uniformly soft or uniformly hard across your abdomen. When you're palpating for your uterus and fundal height just do a little ab crunch. Your tightened abs will feel unmistakably different than the organs behind your relaxed abs.

Do you do it standing?

When you're much farther along you'll be able to easily feel your fundus during Braxton-Hicks contractions but to feel this early and to get a measurement you'll need to be on your back. Bend at the knees to relieve pressure from the small of your back.

How far up should it be right now (I'm 12 weeks)? Haven't seen my mw yet and I want to make sure everything is going along fine but I can't seem to find mine. TIA!

Generally the uterus is tucked behind the pubic bone for the first 13 weeks with the uterus being smaller and tighter for first time moms than those previously pregnant to that point. It's expected not to be able to feel fundal height at this point in your pregnancy. You can relax.

I think kati_kati gave a really good description of checking fundal height. I use a similar technique except I find it easier to put my hand in a knifehand strike position (like a tensed hand saluting), place it across my abdomen perpendicular to my spine with my thumb and index finger up and pinkie against my belly, and inch by inch feel my way down my abdomen until I feel something firm across my lower abdomen. Then I kind of wiggle and dig in until I easily find the transition. I measure from the top of my pubic bone to this point. (Sometimes I dig in a little bit to clearly delineate the top of my pubic bone... it's covered with more fat than it used to be.)

The rule of thumb is 20 weeks = navel height and after that each cm above the pubic bone = one week of pregnancy. IME women follow the pattern of their previous pregnancies far more than the do the average for all pregnant women. I think it relates to pelvis size, shape, and somewhat to the baby's position. I must have a generous pelvis as the only pregnancy I measured average, at 38w4d I birth a 9lb 15.5oz, 23.5" long son with a 17.5" head circumference. (For the numbers-numb that's a newborn the weight of the average 1mo, the length of the average 3mo, and the head circumference of the average 6mo.) All my other babies measured small for dates. If I ever measure even 2cm large I'm not telling my husband (he panics) and will immediately palpate for twins.

~BV

[Peacemamalove]

I am 12 weeks as well and it was also really hard for me to find except one night after DH and I DTD and my uterus was contracted and hard I was like wow there it is just like the top of a ball and really easy to find...

[muttix2]

Well I tried feeling it all over my abdomen and I can't find it. So I guess it is still behind my pubic bone. I did measure small with my oldest, so small that they changed my dates in the third trimester to two weeks later. Had a healthy, very full-term baby on my first due date. With my youngest, I believe I measured on track though. Since this is my fourth pregnancy it is a little worrying to me that I can't find it but I'm trying to relax. Thanks for the responses.

[Tiffany_PartyOf5]

Originally Posted by muttix2

Well I tried feeling it all over my abdomen and I can't find it. So I guess it is still behind my pubic bone. I did measure small with my oldest, so small that they changed my dates in the third trimester to two weeks later. Had a healthy, very full-term baby on my first due date. With my youngest, I believe I measured on track though. Since this is my fourth pregnancy it is a little worrying to me that I can't find it but I'm trying to relax. Thanks for the responses.

I wouldnt worry too much.. I think the rates of growth are very different at this early in the pregnancy.. they normally dont start measuring until 22-24 weeks or so.. before that it can be off..

[muttix2]

Thanks

[DoulaLMT]

I'm just now able to feel mine at 13 weeks. I tried a few times before that and couldn't find it, but now if I lay on my back, it's always easy to feel (I'm thin).

[muttix2]

I'm not thin, not obese but not thin, so maybe this plays a part. Though I'm digging pretty deep trying to feel something. Anyway I've decided to *breathe* and not think about it... When I'm not prodding my belly to see if there has been any change in the last day

[kati_kati]

Another thing - I think it's easiest if your stomach muscles are relaxed, so make sure you're not lifting your head to look while you feel. But just get them to show you at your first appt. Definitely don't stress about it!

[Marlet]

Not in your DDC but saw this on new posts.

I was able to feel mine at about 15 weeks (I didn't start looking until then ). I did it once we were in bed for the night (since I was more likely to be relaxed) and laying down. I found it helps to "trace" the shape of your uterus...start at the sides and work your way up. The top of mine was easy to find since it dipped quite a bit that it was like my fingers suddenly fell in a ditch. It was easier for me to find early on and now close to term I have a hard time finding the top.

[ShannaW]

So I was going to reply yesterday that I've never had much luck finding it in the past, even though my OB showed me how. But today the new OB said my uterus seemed a little larger/higher than he expected. So tonight after I (ahem) knew my uterus was contractiing, sure enough... there it was, just a finger length below my navel. Having read that navel = 20 weeks, I begain picturing big surprises at the ole 20 week US!! But I pulled out my old chart from dc#2, and there it was 14-16 cm at 14 weeks. So as long as my pelvic bone starting point is right, I'm right on target with prior pregnancy. Maybe I just have a low belly button! lol!

[Shefalismommy]

Thanks for posting this! I also semi-freaking out at the fundus thread. I kind of check every morning, but no fundus yet for me. (2nd time momme, 12.5 weeks)