12 week scan- may only get 2 days notice?!

[magnumicelolly]

1st time Mum here... have been hopping about anxiously waiting for 12 week scan date and rang today to find out if they know when it might be yet. Apparently I am not even on their system yet so the hospital can't tell me. They said I may only get 2 days notice of the date.

I'm getting really worried. Hopefully I will be able to get time off work at that short notice, but my partner is pretty sure he won't be able to- he really wants to be there and I want him there too for support. What if something turns out to be wrong, I won't be in any state to drive myself home :( Is this standard?

I know it is a minor worry in the scheme of things but it is really making me upset at the moment. Any advice would be really appreciated! Should I try to scrape money together to go private and if I do am I likely to be able to choose a date/time?

Your legally employer has to let you take the time of for pregnancy related appointments. You may want to consider telling your manager that you are having a scan, that way they will be more understanding if, god forbid, you don't feel up to going back to work for a while.

You would be able to get a scan when you wanted privately, but if it's a scrape might be better off saving for baby's needs. Your work has to let you have time off, but sadly not your partner. You had to buy a token for £2 for photos at my 12 week scan, but maybe they have a DVD you can buy at yours?

Not surprised you want partner there though, it's a lovely thing to watch. Maybe he could speak to his employers and get half day leave?

Good luck!

Thanks both. So is it normal only to get 2 days notice? Seems very unfair on people who work! He's going to ask but doesn't think they will be very happy about not even having a weeks notice- normally he has to ask at least a fortnight in advance for time off. Could really have done without this, was coping quite well until now but feel like I've lost it! Thanks again for taking time to reply :)

You can always ring up and rearrange once you have a date; or discuss with them you need further notice and quite often if you're polite they can help out - or they could at my hospital.

Self employed so I couldn't just take time off at the drop of a hat either

Unfortunately in some areas 2 days is normal. It's incredibly frustrating as the 12 week scan is such an important part of pregnancy as it reassures and makes the whole thing seem real.

Your employer has to give you the time off for your scab but do let them know you're expecting a phone call/letter and there won't be much notice. They've probably experienced this before anyway.

For your partner, ask him to have a chat with his line manager and/or whoever makes the decisions on time off. They may make an exception as it'll only be for a few hours and they should understand he would want to be there for you if anything were not to be quite right.

Fwiw my DH made it to my late notice scans at 12w and 20w even though he also needs quite a bit of notice for time off. He moved work around for one and took half a day for the other.

Good luck and congrats!

Lol scan not scab!!

I know you're desperate to see your baby, but it's normal to have your first scan any time up to 15 weeks I think (mine was scheduled for 14.5!), and you can have the tests (nuchal fold etc) done until this point. When your letter comes, could you try rearrange?

I think if you both speak to your bosses sooner rather than later and let them know this is on the cards and you won't have much notice then hopefully they'll be ok. Well, i say 'they' - as pp say your work has to let you go. But any half-decent manager will try and work this out for your P, especially if he offers to make the time back or take a half days leave.

Congratulations by the way!

I can't remember how much notice I got - more than 2 days but less than a week I think.

Legally you can take time off whenever you need to, though I understand it is harder for the partner.

I think I got 2 weeks notice of my 12 week scan with DD in 2006, so long enough for DH to book off (it fell on my day off).

So it may depend on the area, though with all tests they can usually be reschedualed - if you ask nicely.

Congratulations x

first of all congratulations. Secondly, I'm afraid you will have to get used to this sort of thing unless you plan to go private. If you need more regular appointments and scans for any reason, your employer will have to get used to being gone for much longer than you might think. Even when I managed to get 8.45 appointments, I sometimes was there before the receptionists, let alone the medical staff and might not be seen until an hour after the set time. What does you DH do that he can't get a couple of hours off for something like this? (Again, I think he may have to tell the employer). As others have said, its highly unlikely and God-forbid, but if it NOT all plain sailing, you need someone there. If he really can't, can your mum or a sister come? It is pretty much par for the course and you will need to be quite pro-active to ensure that things get booked in, done, results chased up etc. (in my experience anyway)

I didn't even get a 12 week scan in my last 2 pregnancies (the last two that progressed that far, anyway) they aren't part of the package here. They are for dating purposes and since the majority are well aware of their dates, they aren't too essential. Can you bring someone else with you and get a few pics?