Measuring 5 Weeks Early!

Is it the size of the baby or is it that you have excess amniotic fluid or did they say? Due dates are typically a guestimate with at least a two weeks swing either way. I don't want to send off alarm bells but excess fluid can be a sign of something to be concerned about. I would just give them a call and ask. Best of luck.

I measured 4 weeks early with my first child. He ended up coming 6 weeks before his due date. He was 8lbs and 9 ounces. The doctor then decided that he was wrong with my son's due date. I also do ultrasounds. It is not exact on the due date. Babies grow at different rates due to genetics, weight gain by the mother, and if there are any complications with the pregnancy. It is not always guarenteed. I would see a different sonographer and have another fetal ultrasound tech measure again.

Both of my babies were over 10 pounds at birth and both were delivered at 37 weeks (3 weeks early!) My doctor would not consider delivering them before 37 weeks which I totally trusted as I wanted my babies to come out healthy and fully developed. The first my water broke at 37 weeks, the second the baby was sitting on nerves and I couldn't feel my right arm, so they performed the c-section at 37 weeks. For your baby's health, hold it in as long as you can...who knows, maybe your baby will decide to come before the 26th.

I measured 3 to 4 weeks bigger, it was miserable!! My doctor would not let me schedule a c-section before 38.5 weeks. Im really hoping to not get that big this time. Im 5'3 and he was 9 lbs. I have never been so uncomfortable in my life. Hang in there Mama!

When I was 32 weeks I measured 36 weeks and my doctor said it was because my baby was way up and stretched out and that can make your uterus measure bigger. So she didnt order an ultrasound. At my next check up though, I started measuring normal again. Im 38 weeks now and have been on track since.

I didn't have a "normal" pregnancy with my last one - I had identical twins, so I was measuring bigger than "normal". I got to 29 weeks and looked like I was going to pop any day and that is when the pre-term labor started and the OB's stopped it, we ended up doing this 5 times then I had to be induced at 34 weeks because my blood pressure went up sky high and a ton of protein in my urine. Your body will let you know when its time.

That seems a bit off to me. Is this your first baby...i'm guessing no since its a scheduled c-section. The most I ever measured ahead was a week or so. With my second I actually measured a week behind. I was lucky to have a doctor that did an ultrasound at every appointment, thats just his policy.

Are you certain when you last period was? Another question would be if your significant other is of large stature. We have a friend who had their baby 6 weeks early and he weighed 6 lb 8 oz (only 4 oz less than our 39 weeker). Her husband is big and they said their baby would weigh around 10 lbs at birth if full term. At 34 weeks she was rather huge too.

The ultrasound should be fairly close to the correct size. At 38 weeks our girl was measuring about 7 1/2 lbs and she was born at 6 lb 12 oz. So it is off a bit.

Good luck with your little one!

I was measuring that far ahead with both of my boys. I had scheduled c-sections due to their size. My first boy was 10-10 and 23 inches, with a 15 1/2 inch head. So glad I didn't have to push him out! And my youngest was 9-6 and 22 inches and a 15 inch head measurement. My first was born at 39 weeks, 5 days, and I wasn't dilated or effaced at all. I shudder to think if I went to 42 weeks and tried to deliver naturally.

Good luck!

Hi,
Was the baby measuring on schedule At the 20 week scan? That is more reliable for dating then later scans. Also depending on which practitioner measured me, they all seemed to get different dates. I was measuring behind, with the tape measure, and it turned out the baby was just really low. I was panicked and it turns out the baby was fine and the right size. Also with my first I was huge and they thought he would be over 9 lbs and he was 7 lbs.
Best of luck!

Most often an ultrasound will be ordered if you are more than plus or minus 2 cm from the number of weeks you are. The result may be that there is extra fluid, a large baby, or baby's position is causing the big measurement.

The doctor probably will not deliver the baby any sooner than 39 weeks unless there is a health concern. There is a national campaign (sponsored by the March of Dimes and other organizations) to reduce elective deliveries before 39 weeks because there were so many complications. Most hospitals are no longer allowing deliveries before 39 weeks because of that.

Babies who are big for their "age" are not necessarily more mature, they are just large and are subject to the complications of prematurity or late preterm delivery that normal size and small babies are.