'Big scan'...need info please!

qwertytlk

hi everyone. I'm approx 25wks pregnant. Havent had a scan or anything yet as i only found out i was pregnant on valentines day! So i'v met with a midwife and heard the heartbeat etc, very excited but worried as i went almost 5months without knowing i had a baby growing inside me. I have my big scan and booking visit in the rotunda this coming monday but am not sure what to expect. Can anyone tell me what this visit entails? And why is it called a 'big scan'? Thanks :-)

Das Kitty

It's probably called that because it's the only scan!



Don't worry it's a brilliant experience, they'll measure and check the baby and confirm your dates and you should get a little picture to take home.

January

It's the "big scan" because it's the anomaly scan and they'll check to make sure baby has everything in the right place etc

Congratulations!

pollypocket10

The "BIG" scan is normally the one where they take measurements of head, length of the limbs etc. The smaller ones they just have a quick look at heart beat, amount of fluid and check the placenta and things like that.

Don't let the name fool you, I thought my big scan was going to last ages with all the measurements but they finished fairly quickly. They'll be likely to ask if you want to know the sex at this stage too!

It's all very exciting though so try not to be nervous The way I see it, there are mothers who drink, smoke, do drugs etc all the way through their pregnancies and have perfectly healthy babies so even though you didn't know, chances are you didn't do anything that could harm your baby anyways!

Best of luck

qwertytlk

thanks. Thats good t know. i was pregnant at 19 but suffered a miscarriage. I had an appointment for my 3month scan when they take all your info, urine and bloods, but i never made it as i lost the baby before that. So this time i obviously havent had that appointment at 3 months, so i'l be doing all the stuff i would have done at that appointment at this one i have on monday. Hopefully the baby is in the right position to tell the sex as we both want to find out. I have so much to sort out and so little time! I'v missed over half my pregnancy already. Going by my date's i'm about 25 weeks, so midwife said i'm due middle of june. When do most people start buying things for the baby?

wmpdd3

Thats amazing, I can't imagine how you didn't know. I'm v irregular but when I couldn't stand the smell of coffee, I knew there was something serious wrong!

I bought nothing, my friend gave me everything.

The main things you will need are, car seat to bring baby home, crib / cot, chair for day time.

You could borrow a bag for the hospital. pick up a few bits every week for the bag.

I only bought 7 baby gros and 7 vests and 2 cardigans for the 1st 3 months. More than enough.

Then bottles/ sterliser if you need them.

I wouldn't recommend shelling out on a travel system buggy car seat thing as at 6 months you;ll be delighted to have your little stroller. If possible see if you can borrow someone's travel system.

Best of lock.

qwertytlk

i know, i still keep laughing at myself thinking "how did i not realise" but my periods are seriously irregular, as in i night not get one for 3-4 months then get them for a month then back to a big gap again. I'm quite small, size 8 with flat stomach so when the bottom of my belly, below the belly button, started looking a little bloated and feeling hard i thought i was just bloated. Then i mentioned it to my mam an she asked if i was pregnant. Turns out i was! I really never thought in a million years i would be because of the my periods are. I've had so much going on in my life the last few months i probably just didnt join the dots like i should have. But please god my scan will show that everything is progressing normally and baby is ok. Then me an daddy will be out buying bits and pieces and allowing ourselves to get really excited. Its only 3 more days now so not long! A friend said i could have her moses basket and bouncer, which is great. Havent had any other offers yet as she is one of the only people who know. I'm trying to keep it to myself until we get the scan, thank god we dont have long to wait for that because believe me its more than obvious at this stage :-) thanks for the tips

pollypocket10

qwertytlk wrote: »

i know, i still keep laughing at myself thinking "how did i not realise" but my periods are seriously irregular, as in i night not get one for 3-4 months then get them for a month then back to a big gap again. I'm quite small, size 8 with flat stomach so when the bottom of my belly, below the belly button, started looking a little bloated and feeling hard i thought i was just bloated. Then i mentioned it to my mam an she asked if i was pregnant. Turns out i was! I really never thought in a million years i would be because of the my periods are. I've had so much going on in my life the last few months i probably just didnt join the dots like i should have. But please god my scan will show that everything is progressing normally and baby is ok. Then me an daddy will be out buying bits and pieces and allowing ourselves to get really excited. Its only 3 more days now so not long! A friend said i could have her moses basket and bouncer, which is great. Havent had any other offers yet as she is one of the only people who know. I'm trying to keep it to myself until we get the scan, thank god we dont have long to wait for that because believe me its more than obvious at this stage :-) thanks for the tips

Wow that is so exciting... wish I'd missed half of my pregnancy, it seems to be taking a life time (thankfully baby should be arriving any day now )

Definitely hold off until you're reaching the last few weeks(if you go early your OH can always fly in and pick up the essentials when you are in hospital). We have more than we could ever need at this stage and had to buy very little. Actually we only bought furniture for the nursery and that was because I wanted it new, it's our first and we plan to have more so I think it's worth the investment, but we did have an offer of a cot too.

Best of luck with your appointment!

qwertytlk

i know i do feel lucky in a sense, i will feel like the luckiest girl in the world if everything is ok with baby. We literally cant wait for our scan on mon, only 3 days! :-)

Skadi

OP, you are not the only one. My periods are very irregular and often lasting no more than a day. On my last pregnancy I bleed a few times so had no idea I was pregnant just figured they were periods and that I was getting fat. Wasn't until I was 22 wks that I realised I was pregnant.

It's hard for people with regular periods to understand, but I just never took much notice of my periods and I had no morning sickness. On a first pregnancy too you don't seem to grow that much so you never really notice it. I did complain of indigestion but figured it was the foods I was eating.

Best of Luck with everything.

She Devil

The big scan is very exciting!!
You get to see everything at every angle!! The songrapher will be silent for a bit to just to warn you as they are checking their measurements so don't be worried, I was warned about this before I went in, and if I hadn't been i'd have paniced!

qwertytlk

i had my scan mon and thank god everything is ok.it turned out it wasnt actually my big scan but just one to confirm dates and that everything wb ok with the baby. She also said she thought it was a boy.The sonographer wasnt very nice, all business, didnt want to point anything out or answer our questions. Just generally rude with no bed side manner. I was quite upset afterwards but midwife then told me she was an agency worker and at my big scan next wk the normal consultant would be there so she assured me it would be different then. I'm not bothered now as i know everytin is looking good! I'm so excited. And looking forward to big scan nxt wk. Thanks for all the replies:-) x