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Anyone know their fundus measurements?

785 views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  Kyamo 
#1 ·
Hi all,

I had another midwife appt today and she said she usually doesn't start measuring the fundus height this early, but I felt really big so she just did it out of curiosity.

I am 13 weeks today and measuring 17 weeks. I realize this is my 6th pregnancy and my uterus isn't as toned as it once was, but I am curious to hear what others experience has been. We looked up the records from previous pregnancies and I measured a little big on my last ones, but at most two weeks.

I think after bleeding from weeks 8 to 12 straight, anything that isn't perfect is making me nervous. But the bleeding seems to have stopped and baby looks great! So I am thrilled and hopeful all will be well. Baby has measured big at both ultrasounds, but not that big. Only about 5 days bigger than due date.
 
#2 ·
Nope, but my fundus definitely is palpable at just under 13 weeks. My doctor was easily able to feel it at 12 weeks to use the doppler. I had a miscarriage at 6 weeks and got pregnant before a complete cycle, so my uterus may be a little larger than normal at this point.
 
#4 ·
I'm 3.5 finger widths below my navel, so 16.5w-ish measurement. For me, measuring big is really really common. I have bigger babies generally and have had a few babies. But I've measured big since baby #2.

Are you worried, or just curious? I hope she reassured you.
 
#5 ·
Fundal height is more useful as a tool to track progress. It's not at all reliably correlated with how far along you are before about 18 weeks. It's more important that you're getting bigger, not how big you are. Actually it annoys me that they measure fundal height in "weeks," and even more so when they do it before 18 weeks, because there is no real correlation at that point. My understanding is that what they have done is worked backwards from 18 cms = 18 weeks to say that 14 cm = 14 weeks, for instance. But since most people's fundus is just coming up beyond their pubic bone at 10-12 weeks, they would have to suddenly pop up to 10-12 cms above their pubic bone to measure "correctly."

I have to say, though, that I do think it's a neat coincidence that measurement in cm = weeks pregnant (well, weeks from LMP), approximately. Though that kind of adds to my skepticism -- it's a little too perfect, you know? :p

So short answer is I don't think you should be worried. I always measure small, but if they measured before 18 weeks, I would be measuring a few/several weeks ahead.
 
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#6 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by BirthFree View Post

I'm 3.5 finger widths below my navel, so 16.5w-ish measurement. For me, measuring big is really really common. I have bigger babies generally and have had a few babies. But I've measured big since baby #2.

Are you worried, or just curious? I hope she reassured you.
Like I said, I think things that normally wouldn't worry me are giving me more pause simply cause I am still a bit shaken after all the episodes of heavy bleeding. My midwife didn't alarm me. It just seems like the fundus reaches my naval at about 20 weeks and it is at most i finger width below that right now.

On top of that, that I forgot to mention, both appts so far I have had protein in the urine. This worries me even more because I have a history of kidney problems and they always intensify during pregnancies, but this is so early on so it has me more in edge. I am hoping it is just a fluke and not a sign of kidney stress. Can't other things (like semen) make a positive reading for protein?
 
#7 ·
Were you using the dipstick? Was it a trace amount? What did your midwife say about it? I often have trace amounts of protein in my urine during pregnancy, but my blood pressure is so ridiculously low that I figure it's probably not pre-e. Trace is normal, simply from your kidneys working overtime. I can understand your fears, though, between the bleeding earlier and a history of kidney problems. But your midwife knows your history, right? If she's not worried, I'm guessing you're fine.

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#8 ·
It was trace amounts, which she said is totally normal late pregnancy but not this early, and she basically said she expected it with me because we know I am dealing with kidney issues and we are dealing with it the best we can so she reassured me, but it still makes me nervous because I never remember having even traces til the end of pregnancy, and with how easy I have been trying to be with my kidneys its just disappointing to think they are under stress already.

It makes it seem almost inevitable to end up with a bigger problem by the end. My right kidney has a really hard time draining and late in pregnancy is prone to getting a kinked ureter which stops it from draining all together until it swells huge and is insanely painful. The hospital's only way of treating it is to use a giant syringe and go right through my back and draw the urine out of the kidney directly to relieve the pressure. Not fun. So when I can tell it kinks, it is a race against time to get it unkinked before the pain becomes too unbearable to even move. I have found really big yoga like stretches to be pretty effective, but when baby gets big it seems like I am at the mercy of the baby's position as well and sometimes there isn't much I can do but nudge baby and hope for a better position to relieve the kink.

It also refluxes and aches frequently if I lay down weird or "hold it" to long. I'll just keep doing my best and hoping they can hang in there. My kidneys are the biggest reason I think I need to not put my body through another pregnancy. Everytime they swell, they can get permanently damaged. I just keep hoping my body can be strong one last time!
 
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