Pre-scan paranoia

[DrGB]

I have my first scan on Friday, and while I've known other women feel paranoid that there might be something wrong with the baby, my main fear is ... what if there IS no baby?

I was feeling crampy before I even knew I was pregnant without knowing that was a symptom (I thought it was earl period pains so was only doing a test to double check!), my nausea kicked in a week earlier than I expected because I'd been told it was a 6-weeks-at-earliest thing, my bum has changed shape, my breasts have gone up a whole cup size and my abdominal muscles have clearly relaxed. Oh yes and I have all kinds of food aversions largely centering around milk/cream, and my favourite chocolate now tastes disgusting.

So it's not like I don't have clear physical symptoms, or that those symptoms could all be psychosomatic.

But I'm still terribly afraid that I'll get there on Friday and the scan will show ... nothing.

Is this even vaguely normal? Does anyone have any advice?

[MumNWLondon]

totally normal to think this, i bet almost everyone on this board was worried about this before their first scan... so what you are feeling is totally normal....

[MrsHappy]

Of course it is normal! Or if not then we are both crazy...

I barely slept a wink before my 12 week scan with DD1. And when I did sleep I had nightmares: that they scanned me and there was a KITTEN in there, that the scan showed nothing but a huge bundle of hair (ick) and that the scan showed nothing and 'they' told me off for making up the whole pregnancy.

No idea how to deal with it, but after the scan I had a pretty much worry-free pregnancy.

[northernlurker]

Very normal fear. Every scan I've ever had (3 dcs) there is a slight 'oooh is there definately a baby then?' worry. You feel really daft (and amazing) as you watch it wriggle it's way around. DrGB - you are pregnant, there is a baby in there and in about 6 months it will make it's way out - you'll have no trouble believing it then!

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

REAALY normal

I kept thinking I was there fraudulently and was rather embarrassed going in!

[DrGB]

Ah thanks ladies!

Must be one of those fears pregnant women only tell each other! And I suppose I can see why, having just done so myself!

Feels better just to know I'm not craxy.

[HerbalHolly]

Mrs Happy - I have my first scan tomorrow and I've been dreaming that the baby isn't a baby but kittens too! So happy to hear that someone shares my concerns
DrGB the only thing I can suggest is to not read the 'babies due in august' thread and to try not to think about all the things that could go wrong. For most ladies it all goes wonderfully, probability is on your side. I wish I could follow my own advice though... Argh

[emsyj]

Before my first scan, I dreamt that I spontaneously gave birth to a small, plastic gorilla coated in white fur. I was very upset because I didn't love the baby and kept forgetting to feed it (although obviously it didn't do it any harm, given that it was plastic.... )

Yes, I think everyone before their first scan is convinced that they will be sent direct from the maternity unit to the psychiatric unit for treatment for their delusions, after no baby is present. Tis normal.

[DrGB]

Hurray! There was a baby there! It wriggled 'on camera' and everything! Measurements put it at exactly the conception-day I thought based on the ClearBlue results as well, which is nice (since I'd just come off the pill there was no LMP to date by!).

Thankyou ladies, it was a real help last week in keeping calm.

[GuernseyFrench]

Congratulations DrGB