Scan Info

ShaShaBear

Just got my first scan date in the post! For May, leaving me only 10 weeks! (I thought you were supposed to be 12 weeks + for the scan?)
It's only asking me to drink 1-2 cups of water as well, whereas last time for my first scan, I had to drink 1-2 litres!! :eek:
Also, totally weird. But I'm booked into the MLU in Cavan and I asked for appointments and scans for Cavan and not Monaghan, and this scan is in Monaghan (Rooskey, not the hospital). Anyone know why that is?

pwurple

Congratulations! An early scan is great! I nearly burst into tears when my first scan letter came for when I was going to be 17 weeks.

I've actually had scans on all my pregnancies at about 6 weeks...

2 litres is excessive. How the heck you'd keep that in your bladder is beyond me. The 2 cups is fine, and sure if it isn't enough they can use the wand instead.

ShaShaBear

pwurple wrote: »

Congratulations! An early scan is great! I nearly burst into tears when my first scan letter came for when I was going to be 17 weeks.

I've actually had scans on all my pregnancies at about 6 weeks...

2 litres is excessive. How the heck you'd keep that in your bladder is beyond me. The 2 cups is fine, and sure if it isn't enough they can use the wand instead.

I've never had the wand, it sounds frightening! I was almost 14 weeks when I got scanned with Abi, so I was a bit surprised to see this! Although it does say Dating and Viability, so I assume they know how far along I am meant to be and will be measuring Baby accordingly! Yeah I had to have at least 1 litre in me, and I can assure you that while my scan was crystal clear (I could even see her eye sockets), the catastrophic fighting of the urge to literally squirt urine every time she dug the thing into me was sooo awful!

Novella

I had my first ultrasound at 7 weeks and 4 days (viability) and they didn't ask me to drink any water at all. It was transvaginal, as was the u/s I had at 10 weeks and 4 days (dating) but both times the baby could be seen fine. The wand isn't bad either. My only issue with it was that after my first ultrasound, I was only given one ball of cotton wool to clean up with after and she had used quite a lot of lubricant.

spottybananas

You're in the US though aren't you Novella? They're mad for super early vaginally scans there from like 4-5 weeks on. Don't need a full bladder for them, and they're only done here mostly by early reassurance scan places or if hospital wants to do it for some additional reason.

angeldelight

I had two transvaginal scans too - it was genuinely grand, not uncomfortable at all. Also get a much clearer picture in the early stages with them

spottybananas

Nope, I'm avoiding anything up there or taking off of bottom half until absolutely necessary, 37 weeks so far never been offered one.

ShaShaBear

spottybananas wrote: »

Nope, I'm avoiding anything up there or taking off of bottom half until absolutely necessary, 37 weeks so far never been offered one.

I was never offered one either. Got on scan at almost 14 weeks, and another at almost 33 weeks. That was it!

comongethappy

I had a private scan at 12 weeks, they ended up using the vaginal wand as baby was in awkward position

Ginny

I had a scan a private scan at 9 weeks, not vaginally and it is definitely 1-2 litres of water. Same as for general ovary/womb scans. It can be pretty uncomfortable but doable. Also make sure you drink the fluid in the right time frame, 30 mins before scan won't be long enough.

ShaShaBear

Ginny wrote: »

I had a scan a private scan at 9 weeks, not vaginally and it is definitely 1-2 litres of water. Same as for general ovary/womb scans. It can be pretty uncomfortable but doable. Also make sure you drink the fluid in the right time frame, 30 mins before scan won't be long enough.

I wonder why it says 1 to 2 cups 45 minutes beforehand? I know myself my bladder wouldn't fill that quick. It took the whole two litres an hour before the scan last time!

Penny Dreadful

I had 3 scans (12,21 and 35) on my pregnancy. Post delivery I had a problem with clots remaining and had to have 2 transvagjnal scans to measure size and location. They were fine and nothing to worry about at all.

pwurple

ShaShaBear wrote: »

I've never had the wand, it sounds frightening! I was almost 14 weeks when I got scanned with Abi, so I was a bit surprised to see this! Although it does say Dating and Viability, so I assume they know how far along I am meant to be and will be measuring Baby accordingly! Yeah I had to have at least 1 litre in me, and I can assure you that while my scan was crystal clear (I could even see her eye sockets), the catastrophic fighting of the urge to literally squirt urine every time she dug the thing into me was sooo awful!

I fnd the wand way easier than the belly scanner tbh, mainly because your bladder is empty and you can concentrate on the screen instead of trying really hard not to pee!

Hannibal Smith

I only had the wand once...on the one that wasn't to be. Next pregnancy I had a 9 week scan across the belly and not a mention of water drinking beforehand or the wand.

Congratulations ShaSha!

ShaShaBear

Think I'll just go with the 1-2 litres to be on the safe side. Sonographer was amazed at how clear it was the last time, and I was almost 14 weeks, this time I'll barely be 10, so it'll be interesting to compare the pictures with my daughter! Then I only have to wait 14 more weeks to get the gender 3D scan

Still no clue why I have to go to St. Davnet's when I asked for Cavan scans

Novella

spottybananas wrote: »

You're in the US though aren't you Novella? They're mad for super early vaginally scans there from like 4-5 weeks on. Don't need a full bladder for them, and they're only done here mostly by early reassurance scan places or if hospital wants to do it for some additional reason.

Yeah, I am in the US. I did also have a transvaginal scan in early pregnancy in Holles Street at one stage.

They are mad for starting care super early over here though, as soon as I told my doctor I was pregnant, things began for me. I'm not even 20 weeks yet and I've had four ultrasounds already. Not a high risk pregnancy either, everything has been perfectly normal and going fine.

tinkerbell

LOL!!! It's 1-2 PINTS, not 1-2 litres!!! I thought they said litres to me for an early scan and I rang them up the day before to confirm and the midwife said "God no, PINTS! Sure you'd burst with 2 litres". So I just drank a small bottle of water a half hour before hand. Even that was torture. There was a slight delay seeing me so I was bursting - ran up to the secretary and she said "empty a bit out but not all". OMG when you're bursting how difficult is it to empty out PART of your bladder?! Torture!!! Sure I'd to go again 5 mins later. Once my consultant scanned me I was told "right go to the bathroom before you explode and then come back here!" It was the most uncomfortable half hour ever! My hubby and consultant thought it was hilarious though :pac:

ShaShaBear

tinkerbell wrote: »

LOL!!! It's 1-2 PINTS, not 1-2 litres!!! I thought they said litres to me for an early scan and I rang them up the day before to confirm and the midwife said "God no, PINTS! Sure you'd burst with 2 litres". So I just drank a small bottle of water a half hour before hand. Even that was torture. There was a slight delay seeing me so I was bursting - ran up to the secretary and she said "empty a bit out but not all". OMG when you're bursting how difficult is it to empty out PART of your bladder?! Torture!!! Sure I'd to go again 5 mins later. Once my consultant scanned me I was told "right go to the bathroom before you explode and then come back here!" It was the most uncomfortable half hour ever! My hubby and consultant thought it was hilarious though :pac:

I still have my scan app from Abigail - it definitely says 1-2 litres on it!

spottybananas

That's insane. I drank 500 ml and it was plenty, my friend drank over a litre and was told to pee some of it out because it was too full, same sonographer.

January

Why don't you ring and ask why you have to go somewhere else for scans?

5unflower

I'd say I wouldn't give too much thought to the exact amount of water to drink. Have a cup or two in you at the time and see how it goes. I was 10 weeks at an early scan and when I arrived the first thing the receptionist told me to do was to empty my bladder...!

ShaShaBear

January wrote: »

Why don't you ring and ask why you have to go somewhere else for scans?

Well I have been ringing the MLU but they're hard to get at the best of times! Thought someone might know!

franzilein

My letter says to drink 1 liter of water before the 12 week scan as well. Does anyone know if I can request an internal scan rather than an abdominal? I know where I am from all early scans are internal scans and my sister (who is a midwife) says they are much more accurate.

ShaShaBear

franzilein wrote: »

My letter says to drink 1 liter of water before the 12 week scan as well. Does anyone know if I can request an internal scan rather than an abdominal? I know where I am from all early scans are internal scans and my sister (who is a midwife) says they are much more accurate.

Ive absolutely no idea to be honest. It was never offered to me or even mentioned for that matter. It's literally a tiny footnote on my letter, almost like a subtle "mammy" type threat - "If you don't drink what we tell you to, we're going to do this the hard way"

tinkerbell

franzilein wrote: »

My letter says to drink 1 liter of water before the 12 week scan as well. Does anyone know if I can request an internal scan rather than an abdominal? I know where I am from all early scans are internal scans and my sister (who is a midwife) says they are much more accurate.

Why would you want an internal for a 12w scan? By that stage, the baby is big enough usually to pick up on an ultrasound. Internals are used usually only from before 7-8w or so.

franzilein

Not sure really as I'm not an expert, but it's what is considered best practice in my home country until week 15 and it's what my sister recommended... It wouldn't bother me anyway as I've had it done loads of times...

ShaShaBear

franzilein wrote: »

Not sure really as I'm not an expert, but it's what is considered best practice in my home country until week 15 and it's what my sister recommended... It wouldn't bother me anyway as I've had it done loads of times...

There really is no need for them past 11-12 weeks as the baby is very well formed! I could make out my daughter's eye sockets and nose on the 12 weeks scan done abdominally, and re-adjusting the gestational age isn't an exact science even vaginally, considering the baby could just decide to vacate early or sit tight for an extra fortnight anyway

Cunning Stunt

This is mad - I have had umpteen scans over my last pregnancies and was never asked to drink anything beforehand! It's all news to me!

ShaShaBear

Cunning Stunt wrote: »

This is mad - I have had umpteen scans over my last pregnancies and was never asked to drink anything beforehand! It's all news to me!

That is odd!
Well I got my card with my booking appointment which is also in Monaghan instead of Cavan, but the scan is marked as being in Cavan! Rang to ask and no-one seems to know where my scan is