QuestionMY DUE DATE IS SET FOR APRIL 4TH 2008 AND I RECENTLY HAD AN ULTRASOUND DONE ON JAN 17TH IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM.I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS 28 WEEKS 1 DAY.I WAS SUPPOSE TO BE 28 WEEKS 6 DAYS COMPARED TO RECENT ULTRASOUNDS, BUT THE NURSE LATER MEASURED MY STOMACH WHICH WAS 20 TO 21 INCHES I BELIEVE WHICH WOULD PUT ME AT ABOUT 5 MONTHS SHE SAID BY THE MEASUREMENTS BUT THIS WAS PRIOR TO THE ULTRASOUND.I DIDN'T REALLY ASK BUT I WASN'T TOLD THAT I HAD ANY ABNORMALITIES BUT I AM STILL CONCERNED ON WHY MY STOMACH ISN'T THAT BIG.I WAS TOLD THAT THE BABY WEIGHT A LITTLE OVER TWO POUNDS.IS THAT HEALTHY AND WHY DO YOU THINK I'M NOT REALLY THAT BIG?
AnswerA little over 2 pounds is absolutely perfect weight for 28-29 weeks! My triplets were 1-13, 1-13, and 2-0 at 26 weeks, so your baby is right on track!
Every baby is different. Just look around you and see all the different shapes and sizes that people come in. Those differences start in the womb, too, as early as 13-14 weeks. When they measure your "gestational age" via ultrasound, what they are really doing is measuring your baby's size, then comparing it to an average baby. So at 28w6d, your baby was the size of the average 28w1d baby. That doesn't mean there's anything wrong, any more than there's anything wrong with a first grader who is an inch shorter than another first grader.
As for why your fundal height seems to be off, this is a very, very subjective measurement. How you carry depends so much on your baby's size, your baby's position, the shape of your uterus, and your own height, weight, and body shape. Some women just carry more compactly, and this shows in a lower fundal height measurement.
What is more important than any individual measurement is that your baby is healthy, active, and growing. You can monitor "healthy" and "active" yourself, just by observing your baby's movements throughout the day and night. Already, your baby may show a "schedule", consistently awake and kicking at certain times of the day (or night!). As long as your baby continues to be active, he/she is probably just fine. As for growth, as long as your belly continues to grow, and does so on a consistent curve, it doesn't matter what the actual measurement is.
Congratulations on your new baby, and good luck!
