34 weeks pregnant, baby measuring small. Dr wants to induce

[buckwheaties]

Anyone’s baby was measuring in the 1 percentile?
When did you give birth and how much did baby end up weighing?

We are doing scans and monitoring once every week, and to me I feel like my baby is growing on a steady incline. Maybe small but.. growing. Maybe shes just a small baby because I’m small?

Her gains for reference:
2/14 2.5lbs
3/11 2.8lbs
4/8 4.2lbs

We are at 34 weeks now and my doctor wants to induce me at 36 weeks and 5 days!

I’m worried if that’s too early, I want her to be fully developed and not have to spend anytime in the NICU. I feel like they usually only induce early if your baby is measuring “too big”

I don’t have high blood pressure
Or swelling or any signs of preeclampsia
Is an IVF pregnancy though..

I just don’t see why she keeps saying the baby is small and I need to be induced when I feel like she would be average weight if we can wait till she’s full term!

Any input or similar experience please share to this conflicted mama. TIA

 

[pchris]

@buckwheaties Might be worth asking at r/beyondthebump

 

[buckwheaties]

@pchris Thanks! I’ll copy and paste and see what else I get to calm my nerves

 

[guitarguy0224]

@buckwheaties Measurements are ultrasound notoriously off. My baby jumped from 9th percentile to 72nd in the space of a week. They told me she would be above average weight, she was 6lb when born! They’re not very accurate.

I would wait until 38 weeks but obviously it’s up to you and health provider for what’s best.

 

[buckwheaties]

@guitarguy0224 I agree! Because to me… and according to my pregnancy app (lol) she’s growing fine. I totally want to push a couple more weeks out too! I rather have my baby cook more in my oven than the one outside. I have another appointment Monday and will ask more questions before I decide

 

[guitarguy0224]

@buckwheaties Good luck. I was pushed into unnecessary induction, regret it. advocate for yourself

 

[twobysmum]

@buckwheaties I can't say I have a similar experience with having a baby on the 1st percentile. I'm only 9 weeks pregnant with my first baby, but if it helps; I was born in 1994 with failure to thrive written all over my notes and as a baby I was on the first percentile for a long time. I was born at 38 weeks and I have lead a perfectly healthy life. I've always been on the smaller side in weight etc, but very healthy.

I know you're wanting advice about early induction, which I'm sorry I can't give, but I hope this could at least reassure you that 1 percentile babies can be healthy and thrive! I hope you're able to make the best decision for you and your baby. Good luck to you.

 

[buckwheaties]

@twobysmum Awe thank you for taking time out to share this with me. This definitely helps me feel better about baby if I go through early induction.

Wishing you a beautiful pregnancy, congratulations!

 

[mitsuha]

@buckwheaties My first was measuring irregularly (so legs were behind the growth of the head etc) but I had high BP yet no signs of preeclampsia. Saw an MFM who said my placenta was under too much stress from BP and do deliver soon bc I was at risk of stillborn baby. My son was born at 36 weeks and weighed 4lb 12pz. Turns out he had a birth defect with his intestines coming out of his umbilical cord. So he had to have surgery the next day and spent only a week in the NICU.

It does seem odd to push induction just because the baby is small with no other signs of anything. Babies can be small. Also sounds like you’re 2 weeks behind where I was and your baby is the same size as mine was when born. I would get a second opinion personally.

That being said, if your baby comes early at 36 weeks they may be totally fine to come home or only stay at the NICU for a few days. You’re probably not looking at a long stay unless there are other complications.

 

[buckwheaties]

@mitsuha Thank you! Does sound the most similar to my case so thank you for sharing! But oh no! Hope baby is healthy and great now! Seeing that so early on can be so heartbreaking. Yes baby is measuring approximately two weeks behind but baby could just be small… yknow . There’s no signs of anything else from baby or me to urge an early induction. I’m beginning to think the doctor just wants to run things on her own schedule, whatever convenient for her.

 

[mitsuha]

@buckwheaties I'm so sorry, it's so frustrating when your doctor isn't truly on your team. Our son is 3 and he's rarely sick, he's 90th percentile in both weight and height, and he's ahead of developmental milestones consistently. I hope that can put you at ease!

 

[lstump]

@buckwheaties Tell your doctor no, then. You won't agree to the early induction unless she can give you a solid reason for it.

 

[coffeered26]

@buckwheaties I had hyperemesis with all my pregnancies , currently on my third. With my firstborn , my little girl. She was born at 34 weeks and was 3 pounds and 2 ounces. They said she measured small as well due to me being so sick and having high blood pressure / preclampsia. I started bleeding and went into labor due to high stress , stroke level ! they gave me a steroid shot and tried to stop my labor to help her lungs develop , I was in labor for a whole 2 days ! She was born fine but wasn’t breathing properly , she did have a 1 month NiCU stay but once she was released she had absolutely no issues , no developmental neurological ! I was only 14,15 I didn’t fully grasp and understand what was going on due to being so out of it but you have to make sure your with a doctor you trust opinion ALSO if nobody else told you ! MAKE A WRITTEN OUT BIRTHING PLAN and give it to your nurses and labor and delivery staff your birthday plan a ton of things remember hospital policy is not the law ! You do NOT have to go with hospital policy though they have to push it. Ultimately it is your decision

 

[manimalcrackers]

@buckwheaties I had placental insufficiency where my cord wasn't flowing properly so the baby wasn't getting enough nutrients. She was born at 37 weeks and was 4lbs 14oz. Super good eater and no NICU time. It was just safer for her to be out of the womb than in it.

 

[buckwheaties]

@manimalcrackers Thank you for this! Very reassuring on the nicu part! happy baby was good and healthy for you, mama! My OB did send me to a specialist to check out the flow and those results and results thereafter were sufficient and flowing normal which is why I don’t see why I can’t cook her for at least another week. She’s also growing week by week, so there’s a steady incline… just still on the smaller scale