When midwifes measure you..

bylromarha

A very rough guide...each midwife does it differently, so with my second pregnancy my fundal height fluctuated wildly as my midwife went on lots of courses and it was never the same midwife covering her clinic!

modgit

Yep, definately rough guide, my GP friend says you should be up to your belly button at 20 weeks, and thats fairly sure, after that anything goes!

My DS2 was measuring 4-5 weeks more than my weeks so I was sent for scan, he arrived at 8lb 10oz, DS3 was going to be "about average, nothing large here" and arrived 9lb 8oz........

debjay

inkie wrote: »

IN 15 yrs of midwifery practice, I have never used a tape measure yet! Prefer to use my hands, as we have to palpate anyway to check lie and presentation of baby (in latter weeks anyway). Seems to be something else for people to get anxious over if they are over, or under what they should be in cm's. And it's from the symphysis pubis to the fundus (top part) of the uterus.

The current guidleines from NICE are that measurements are recorded from 25 weeks onwards and plotted on a graph. Some Units have altered these graphs to take into account different factors such as ethnicity.

becky004

inkie wrote: »

IN 15 yrs of midwifery practice, I have never used a tape measure yet! Prefer to use my hands, as we have to palpate anyway to check lie and presentation of baby (in latter weeks anyway). Seems to be something else for people to get anxious over if they are over, or under what they should be in cm's. And it's from the symphysis pubis to the fundus (top part) of the uterus.

I have been practicing for 9 years, and for the last 3 at least have always used a tape measure in accordance with NICE guidelines for best practice.

debjay

becky004 wrote: »

I have been practicing for 9 years, and for the last 3 at least have always used a tape measure in accordance with NICE guidelines for best practice.

Me too and thats why I pointed this out above to clarify what is now regarded as best practice

becky004

debjay wrote: »

Me too and thats why I pointed this out above to clarify what is now regarded as best practice

Great minds think alike! Must admit I have recently had a student midwife, who has been told to measure from 12 weeks!!! Personally I tend to measure from 18 weeks, though obviously measure if on palpation the lady feels more at an earlier date. What are your thoughts and practice in this instance? Reason I'm asking is I have A 16wk lady, on palpation way above the umbilicus, measures 29cm, not twins! But can't get a consultant to see her, measured 25 cm at 14 weeks!

inkie

How does your consultant clinic run? We just ring appointments desk and get an appointment if clinically indicated. This way there is no need to try and get the consultant to agree to see, as the lady would just turn up and be seen.

Lexi321

becky004 wrote: »

Great minds think alike! Must admit I have recently had a student midwife, who has been told to measure from 12 weeks!!! Personally I tend to measure from 18 weeks, though obviously measure if on palpation the lady feels more at an earlier date. What are your thoughts and practice in this instance? Reason I'm asking is I have A 16wk lady, on palpation way above the umbilicus, measures 29cm, not twins! But can't get a consultant to see her, measured 25 cm at 14 weeks!

As a student midwife I'm pretty sure we weren't told to start measuring by tape measure until 24 weeks or so, can't believe anywhere teaches 12?

1012donna

I was never measured with my two. Didn't know some places still did.

debjay

becky004 wrote: »

Great minds think alike! Must admit I have recently had a student midwife, who has been told to measure from 12 weeks!!! Personally I tend to measure from 18 weeks, though obviously measure if on palpation the lady feels more at an earlier date. What are your thoughts and practice in this instance? Reason I'm asking is I have A 16wk lady, on palpation way above the umbilicus, measures 29cm, not twins! But can't get a consultant to see her, measured 25 cm at 14 weeks!

I dont tend to measure until 25 weeks as I think that is when its recommended from.
With regard to your lady perhaps write a referral to the hospital to note this when she attends for her anomaly scan.