If you are booking a private scan (because no partners at NHS ones) when are you booking it for?

[aToadOnTheWhole]

By which I mean, are you going in between the NHS ones? So about 16 weeks or leaving it later?

I've got my dating scan next week, no partners, and (all being well) I anticipate this for the 20 week scan too. So my DH won't see the baby at all unless we book a private one.

With my first pregnancy we had a jazzy 4D one at about 26 weeks. we won't be finding out the sex so it makes no difference that way, I'm just interested in what other women are doing about it.

[Hrcg87]

Hi we booked a private one for 16 weeks and then going again at 26/28 weeks not yet booked this one. It was a great experience as the furthest we have gotten with a pregnancy after 2 miscarriages.

[Poppyismyfavourite]

I had one at 11 1/2 weeks - just a few days before the NHS 12 week one.

[aToadOnTheWhole]

That's sort if what prompted this thread poppy I had a wobble of "what if the worst has happened" and about being on my own. But actually, on reflection, DH would be more likely to fall apart and at least being on my own I could mitigate the hurt for him by telling him gently later on.

[AlbertCookie]

We're thinking about booking one....my dating scan is 2nd October and originally I wanted to have a private one before this, but now I'm thinking it might be better and nicer for my partner to be see the baby a little bit later on, so maybe 17 or 18 weeks, then we could find out the sex together too. So I think that's what we'll most likely do all being well.

[SkyBlue20]

We had one at 10 weeks and have booked another for 18 weeks - probably would have done it closer to 17 weeks (I didn’t have my dating scan until 13+4 so 16 would have been very soon) but have booked it for the day of what was the due date from our MMC so waiting a little bit longer. It’s nice for DH to be there but also, like you said, would be good to find out together if anything is wrong.

[MaverickDanger]

We had one at 24 weeks as my trust still isn’t allowing partners at scans - the only local scan places to us were closed until I was 18 weeks though, at which point I was so close to my 20 week scan.

I have weirdly enjoyed going to a very calm, quiet waiting room, with only a handful of people, as opposed to lots of people in there. They were also very good at saying that someone could come in from outside if there was bad news.

24 weeks was good as we saw a lot, he had grown from 20 weeks but he could still move around etc so got good angles.

[Oatmilk1]

We did 8w private scan because we almost didn't believe it was true and then 12/20 nhs I attended alone and then did a 29w private scan as my husband wanted to see the baby again.

[ivfbeenbusy]

I had a private one at 10 weeks and 16 weeks but have lost several babies including one at the 12 week scan so I'm just doing them as and when I need to manage the anxiety - I'm having twins too so 2 babies = twice the worry!

[Oneandabean]

I had one at 8 weeks so partner could see before dating scan. Where I am no partners at 12 week scan but they are allowed at 20 week scan so may be worth checking. I’ll get a 4D scan at around 30 weeks too

[otterbaby]

We had a private one at 16 weeks to find out the sex together and had a 4d scan at 28 weeks. He was however at the 12 week scan (just barely missed the Covid restrictions by about 2 weeks!).

[MumChats]

We booked one for 22 weeks - so i would be in a hospital for the 20 week one (just in case) and so DP could then see the baby afterwards. But in the end our trust changed the rules so he was able to come to the NHS 20 week one. We've moved the private one to 30-something instead just so we can make sure everything is still okay with the baby! We wouldn't have booked it at all if we'd known he could come to 20 weeks but it's quite nice now to know it's coming up!

[scotgal99]

I had private ones at 8 & 16 so that I’d have 4 weeks in between NHS ones. Otherwise it just seemed like too long to wait...and it meant my husband could attend. Bit annoying that they’ve changed the guidelines in Scotland now so that partners can attend 12 & 20 week scans. I missed the cut off for the 20 week scan with a partner by 1 week.

[RWK29]

@aToadOnTheWhole Took DH for a private one at 22 weeks 😊 I wanted to wait until after the big 20 week scan to make sure everything was looking well with baby so far. I had swayed over booking a private one between the 12 and 20 week scans for him but read on here about someone having gone for a private scan at about 18 weeks roughly and an issue being flagged up with baby and they then had to wait over 2 weeks for their NHS scan to get a proper diagnosis 😓 so that quickly put me off!

[SaveUsername123456]

We booked for a few days before my dating scan as I wanted the first time seeing our baby done together. Again a few days before 20 weeks.

[Esssa]

I had a private scan at 10 weeks after a previous bad outcome at the 12 week scan so I had my partner with me. Thankfully my NHS trust are now allowing dads into the 12 and 20 week scans so if it doesn't change again we can both go next month. If it changes we might book another for 24ish weeks as I think I'm in for growth scans from 28 weeks so it will break it up nicely.

[NameChange657]

As of this week my local trust is allowing one person to accompany ladies to scans for the 20 week anomaly one. It's not much but it's a little hope that some may follow their lead soon too!