Measuring Way Ahead

My most likely guess is twins. 2nd most likely, you are due a month before you think. 3rd polyhydramnios (extra fluid). If you're going to Dr. Pettit, tell him M. says "HI!" I'm a homebirth midwife and he has been one of my back-up docs for many years.
M., CPM

Please try not to be scared. It's not an exact science. Maybe you have more amnionic fluid that usual. Maybe your baby will just be larger than average. But that's OK.

Like you, I also measured a few weeks ahead with both my pregnancies. I did not have diabetes either. My first son was born nine days early and weighed 9 lbs and 7 oz. My second son was born eight days before my due date and weighed 9 lbs 8 oz. Both were born via c-section. They are both healthy. My older son is now almost four and he's a little smaller than average and my one year old is average weight and a little taller than average. But they are both healthy, although the pregnancies were exhausting. It's hard carrying such big babies, especially since I'm only a little more than five feet tall!

Who knows when you'll have the baby. Wouldn't it be great if we could predict that? :) Try not to worry and enjoy getting another sneak peak at your baby in the ultrasound. Good luck. I wish you a happy and healthy pregnancy, delivery and baby.

It's probably nothing. First, the measurement is just an estimate, a handy "rule of thumb" which can be affected by many things, including your height, body type, maternal fat, baby size, level of amniotic fluid, the position of the baby (another commenter mentioned that -- the baby sticking his butt out or something), and perhaps other things as well.

Ultrasounds can be a useful diagnostic tool, but they can also be inaccurate when it comes to estimating fetal weight -- up to 2 lb. off either way, though usually within a pound or so. They are also less accurate when it comes to assigning a due date the later in pregnancy you are -- in very early pregnancy, they are accurate to within +/- 5 days; by the end of pregnancy, it's +/- 3 *weeks*. Considering that your periods were regular, I'd go with that.

Unless there is some problem (like you going into premature labor), you will not be having this baby in just a few weeks. You have a good reason to think that your baby is not ready to be born, and one fundal measurement is not going to change that. The latest studies all indicate that it is a bad idea to induce babies before at least 39 weeks for no medical reason. It's possible but not likely that you or the baby have some sort of medical reason why you ought to be induced; but in the absence of that, you should not be induced. [If your doctor suggests it, ask him what the medical indication is for an induction.] There are a whole load of problems that can come with being induced, including an increased risk of having a C-section, and also of the baby actually being premature. Even if your baby is in the early term period (37-38 weeks), babies born by elective induction (that is, with no *medical* reason) have more short-term and long-term problems, and even an increased risk of death. There is a lot of development (including brain development) that happens in the last few weeks of pregnancy, and that is short-changed with an induction. [Check out the March of Dimes website for more information.]

My first child and I measured ahead of schedule, (8 Weeks over was the most / twins would have been a question but my 4 week ultrasound only show one sac and them my 8 week showed only one baby) I had no Gest. Diabetes and they just keep a eye on me and the baby. I had alot of ultrsounds with him (5 or more) . I knew my date was own the money because I had surgery 6 weeks proir to starting to try. and we got pregrant first try after waiting for 7 years. My last ultrasound showed he would be in range of 8 to 11 pounds which scared me but he was only 9. So go for the ultrsound and don't worry. Also ask the dr how the weighs est. on the last ultrsounds are actually coming in because that also plays in the picture because the 11 pound thing scared me. But the Dr had said they were coming in high on the cut offs. I hope this helps. I have two kids and sometimes this just happens no exceptions. I had two both right at 9 pounds first child two days early and second child 1 day early. Good luck.

i had a coworked who this happened to, and it was the way the baby was positioned, butt out or something, so she measured bigger......then the baby rotated and started dropping and she measured earlier.

Are you positive your 31 weeks or is that just an estimate? The reason I ask that question is because many women have irregular menstrual cycles, unless you know exactly when you had your last period or when the baby was conceived you could be off a week or two or three.

Have you been tested for gestational diabetes? This could be increasing the baby's size.

I wouldn't be overly concerned, especially since the doctors aren't. If they were you would have had an ultrasound today.

I measured about 5 weeks ahead at the end of my last pregnancy. I was right on target up until 32 weeks, and then it seemed like my baby started growing double time. It turned out to be caused by a combination of things. My amniotic fluid levels were at the high end of the normal range. The excess fluid caused my fundal height measurements to be inaccurate. I also had a BIG baby. I was induced at 38 weeks because my doctor suspected macrosomia. She was right! I had a 9 1/2 pound baby. It turned out that I had a large placenta, so the baby was being over-fed. My doctor didn't have an explanation for it. I didn't have gestational diabetes, and my two other children both weighed around 7 pounds. According to her, sometimes it just happens.

I measured ahead and my dr thought I was having twins... NOT!
My ultrasounds said I was farther than I was also.
I knew within 3 days when I got pregnant... planned it and had it written on a calendar.
I was 10 days over due and didn't want to come then... I ended up being induced and it
took me 2 full days to have her with the aid of forceps.

I wouldn't worry too much about measuring ahead... just work on getting ready faster
just in case since sometimes babies tend to come early.

My guess is that you may just end up with a big baby. :) I know two women who have recently given birth to babies that were 9 pounds and up, and both of them measured several weeks ahead (3 weeks each, I think). One delivered via scheduled C-section around her due date, the other went into labor 6 days past her due date, the same day she was to be induced. To give a counter-example, I always measured on track, and my 7-pounder, 5-ouncer came two weeks early. I wouldn't be overly concerned. How you measure isn't necessarily an indicator of when the baby's coming.