Monitor your Baby's Growth

#GrowingMatters

Big or small. Your baby's growth matters. 

All pregnancies are different. Regardless of your size, what's most important is a healthy rate of growth for your baby. 

• Assess: Early in pregnancy your risk for fetal growth restriction (FGR) will be assessed.  For women at a higher risk of FGR it may be necessary to monitor the growth of your baby with regular ultrasound. 
• Measure: At each antenatal visit from 24 weeks onwards, your baby's growth will be measured and plotted on a growth chart. 
• Monitor: If your baby is growing slower than expected, increased monitoring may be required and any concerns will be discussed with you. 

The Safer Baby program recommends you attend al your pregnancy care appointments to assess, measure and monitor your baby's growth to reduce your risk of stillbirth. 

What is Fetal Growth Restriction? 

Fetal Growth Restriction (FGR) is when a baby is growing slower than expected and indicates that the baby is not reaching it's growth potential. 

When and how will I be assessed? 

All women should be assessed for their risk of FGR in early pregnancy.  Starting from 24 weeks the growth of your baby will be measured.  Your maternity healthcare professional will use a measuring tape to measure the size of your abdomen. This is called the symphysial fundal height (SFH).  This measurement should be plotted on a growth chart and will be noted in your pregnancy record.  For some women it may be necessary to monitor the growth of your baby by ultrasound. 

Why is my baby growing at a slower rate - what is causing this? 

If a baby is growing slower than expected your maternity healthcare professional should investigate the cause.  Often this is related to how the placenta is working but it is important to note that sometimes a cause cannot be found. 

I look smaller than other women who are due at the same time as me. Should I be worried? 

Every women is different and every pregnancy is unique.  Your maternity healthcare professional will be tracking your baby's growth at every antenatal visit and will talk with you about next steps if there are signs that your baby's growth has slowed. 

What can I do to monitor my baby's health? 

It's important to come to each antenatal visit to have your baby's growth checked.  Additionally, every baby has their own unique pattern of movements, which you will get to know.  If your baby's movements pattern changes, it may be a sign they are unwell. 

If you have questions about your baby's growth you should discuss this with your maternity healthcare professional or Aboriginal Health Practitioner. 

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