Post # 1
Member
701 posts
Busy bee
Wanted to see if anyone else had any experiences with this, since I’m mostly trying not to be concerned. I went in today to have a positioning ultrasound since the doctor couldn’t tell just by feeling if the baby was breech or not last week (I’m currently 37w6d). The good news was, he’s not breech. When she was doing the ultrasound my DH asked if she could estimate the fetal weight because we were curious how big he is…normally I guess that’s a separate thing, but she said she could do it anyways just for our information. Well, he measured tiny…like 2-3 weeks behind. They estimated his weight at 5 lbs 10 oz, which would put him in the 11th percentile for 37 weeks…and just the 5th percentile for 38 weeks (since I’m almost 38 weeks, I didn’t know which was more important).
She ended up passing the info onto our doctor even though it wasn’t specifically ordered. The doctor said that he’s definitely small, but that it wasn’t “abnormally” small, and not to worry because he was still above the 10th percentile. She also mentioned there’s a fair margin for error with the ultrasound estimates. Soo…basically, she wasn’t particularly concerned at this point…but I can’t help but worry a bit. Neither my husband or I are particularly tiny–I’m 5’5 and he’s 6’0…so I wouldn’t think we would make a really small baby.
Post # 2
Member
9878 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
Those estimates can be really off. I honestly wouldn’t stress about it. They said my dd would be 6.5, maaaybe 7 lbs max and she was 7.5 at birth.
Do you have weekly NSTs/ultrasounds?
Post # 3
Member
2167 posts
Buzzing bee
I do not trust ultrasound measurements at all, they can only do their best to get as close of a measurement as they can and it can be super misleading. I have a friend that her baby measured petite her entire pregnancy and was average size at birth.
I also have a friend that was pressured into a c-section because they measured her at 37 weeks to have a 7.5 lb baby in her stomach and estimated she would be close to 10 lbs by her due date, the baby was born at 39+2 and was 8 lbs so no way was it 7.5 at the U/S.
I know it’s impossible not to stress but just know that those U/S are infamously wrong. He will be perfect!
Post # 4
Member
251 posts
Helper bee
- Wedding: October 2015 - Swaneset Bay Resort & Country Club
They told my Mom I was going to be close to 10lbs and when she was pregnant with me she was measuring ahead consistently 2-3 weeks ahead of where she was. Yeah… I was born at 6lbs 4oz. Take what they say with a grain of salt. It’s exactly what they call it, an estimate.
Post # 5
Member
1128 posts
Bumble bee
Just to add to PPs comments – they told me the day before my son was born that he MAY be 7 and a half pounds if I were to go to 40 weeks. He was born the next day at 37w5d and he was 9lbs 2oz.
They are wrong all the time. Try not to worry 🙂
Post # 6
Member
701 posts
Busy bee
Westwood : No, I don’t normally have NST’s/ultrasounds. This was the first one they’ve ordered since my 20 week anatomy scan (at that point he measured around the 40th percentile, and had no observable abnormalities).
They had wanted this one only to get the positioning, and weren’t even looking for the size estimate since thus far my pregnancy and test results have all come back completely normal, and my fundal height measurements are usually right on target or maximum 2 cm below where they should be (I’ve never measured large). One doctor (I see a rotating team of OB’s) did comment several weeks ago after feeling around that she expected him to be a small baby, although still normal…just smaller than average.
Post # 7
Member
701 posts
Busy bee
Makes me feel better that the estimates aren’t very accurate :). The measurements she took of his head did show that it was a little more oblong, which after reading seems to be generally associated with small babies (among other genetic disorders, but I had screening at 15 weeks that ruled those out). Guess I’ll find out soon enough though–only a few more weeks.
Post # 8
Member
9795 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
I wouldn’t be concerned at all. Weight estimates by ultrasound can easily be a pound or more off.
Post # 9
Member
2521 posts
Sugar bee
The error of margin for those things is pound in either direction… which is like 20%- so it is huge! Also, I believe that the average birth weight has gone up in the past few decades as well. I would take cue from your doctor and only be concerned if they are.
Post # 10
Member
9229 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
lula0508 : those estimates are nearly always wrong. My friend was told she had a baby on the smaller side and then (vaginally!) delivered a 10 pounder. Don’t let it stress you out.
Also I consistently measured large and had a 6 pound 11oz baby. It seriously is guesswork. The baby’s position can change it so much.
Post # 11
Member
648 posts
Busy bee
And just to make you feel better, if the baby is actually small, I was born at 37 weeks and when my mom went into the hospital because her water broke the nurses initially thought she was in the 25 week range. I ended up weighing 4lbs 4oz and I was completely healthy, so if your baby does end up being 5lbs 11oz, if he’s anything like me you shouldn’t worry 🙂
Post # 12
Member
1188 posts
Bumble bee
Agree with PPs!! Those estimates can be all over the place. I had an ultrasound in the afternoon when I was 40 weeks 6 days pregnant. They told me my son would be over 9lbs. I had him 12 hours later & he was 7lbs12oz. And the errors definitely go both ways!
On top of that, even if they’re correct, as long as you’re within the 5th+ percentile range, you shouldn’t worry. My nephew is 2.5yo and is <5th %ile for height and weight, but he’s totally healthy and smart as a whip! He may shoot up to 6’5″ when he hits puberty. Who knows?
Post # 13
Member
1386 posts
Bumble bee
My LO was estimtaed at 6lbs5oz at 38w, but was 6lbs1oz when born. She’s tiny – petite. It happens. She’s happy and healthy – never sick and only 17lbs at 19months.
Post # 14
Member
23 posts
Newbee
Unless you get pretty lucky and somehow have a large womb that barely compresses baby, ultrasound measurements tend to get less accurate the further along you get. Why? Because baby’s head is shoved down toward the birth canal and we can no longer properly identify markers as to where the most accurate measurements should be taken. The belly stops looking round and starts looking more oval becasue it’s compressed into a very small space. The legs are bent every which way and don’t tend to image well either. It’s not that the tech is incompetent- it’s just that babies are difficult at 36 weeks. Probably why the doctor isn’t worried. Plus- there’s not much you can do about the baby being small at this point, obviously, if it’s showing no signs of distress. Try not to worry.
🙂 –
Ultrasound tech
Post # 15
Member
650 posts
Busy bee
lula0508 :
My son was born at 38 weeks at 5lbs 12 oz. He seemed so small he seriously looked like a bird. Fast forward 18 years later and he’s 6’2″ and 200lbs. My daughter on the other hand was born at 40 weeks at 8lbs 7 oz and 15 years later is 5’3″ and 100lbs lol.
I wouldn’t worry 😊