GD Growth Scan.

The diabetes team have just rang me to see how I was feeling, and also booked ANOTHER scan at 36 weeks and a clinic appointment after that scan to discuss options with baby. so i’m guessing they are thinking what i’m thinking about likely needing to have her sooner rather than later ??❤️

I've known lots of people who have been told they have a massive baby and scared into c sections etc and then when baby comes out they are average 😅. Im not sure how accurate those scans are really but it's completely up to you. You have some time to think about what you'd like/gather information/talk to your healthcare providers and make a decision that is right for you and that you'll be happy with 🌸

@Chloe That’s another reason that I am so nervous as i’m terrified of a c section - and don’t want to have one and she could’ve been absolutely fine to come out the other way!🙈🤦🏼‍♀️

This is almost exactly the same as me with GD - 91st percentile at 30 weeks but now at second scan 33 weeks growth has dropped to 75th percentile. If you’ve started to control your sugars better or taking medication then the growth will slow down so doesn’t mean baby will be too big at all - the scans also have 20% error discrepancy which is massive! You’ll know more once you have a few scans which is why they book so many but 90th is a good size and not too big at all :) C sections are still last resorts if your GD is highly uncontrolled and usually alongside placenta issues. If you’re on insulin they like you to be induced before 40 weeks but this can be 39+6 so there’s no rush to get baby out as such. They only really worry if there was a mismatch of measurements for example baby stomach at 95th percentile but rest of baby is 80th percentile. Your body wouldn’t make a baby you can’t birth so I definitely won’t be changing my birth plan! 💖

@Ellie-May You definitely have options before you get to that! As the lady above said, you'll know more once you've had another scan or two. And if you control your diet from now then baby won't grow massive. Our bodies are amazing and to be honest, a bigger baby (as long as they are healthy and in proportion) isn't necessarily a bad thing, apparently bigger babies can actually cause labour to progress quicker because they put more weight on the cervix, causing it to dilate quicker. You may go into labour naturally anyway before 40 weeks, but sometimes the worry of being induced etc can cause things to get delayed. Best thing you can do is make a plan for all possibilities, knowledge is power. And try not to worry too much, because it'll stop the oxytocin. You've got this, whatever way you give birth with be amazing 🤗. Some women refuse the diabetes test altogether and just go for it! There's nothing at this stage that suggests you can't have a natural birth, so talk as much as you need to to your midwives x

Thank you ladies❤️ sorry i overthink a lot as i have anxiety! i’ve done everything i can so far to prepare for labour and plan the labour i would love whilst also planning for other possibilities but now it feels very much out of my hands so i’m struggling🙈xx

I don’t think that sounds huge tbh! I had a scan at 29+3 and baby was 3lb 9oz estimated which put him around 69th centile. Scans are more accurate but also not entirely accurate. If baby gets bigger it’s likely they’ll offer induction or c section but the choice will always be in your hands, you have the right to decline both x

@Ellie-May oh don't apologise! It's great you are preparing for your birth, it's a big event in your life and you absolutely should investigate and find all the info you need to feel empowered. You've only just learned you baby is potentionally big so you need a bit of time to process it and let it sink in and then you'll feel better once you get on top of the diet or if you need medicine etc for the GD. It's not out of your hands, you may just need to some time to think about all different births, and the pros and cons of each option, whereas before you may have only considered a natural birth. Birth is such unchartered territory so it's normal to have anxiety around it, but you have time and it's good you are asking things and learning, that's all we can do!

My baby was 4lb 3oz at 32 weeks and only on the 34th percentile. That doesn’t sound huge at all x x

@Kylie Maybe I got the lb wrong but on the growth chart it looked like it was plotted on the 90th percentile? Also that’s 2 weeks later and so maybe more normal then?? i don’t know xx

@Ellie-May percentile is completely personal to you depending on weight / height ect. so will be different for everyone. A 6lbs baby for someone 6ft would be considered small but for a 4ft person will be a lot bigger x

@Chloe oh wow i didn’t know that! so im 5’1 so i guess 4lb is bigger for me xxx