Drinking a Pint of Water for Scan...and holding it in!

[Thisisit2022]

I know I'm not BU because I appreciate that I need a full bladder for a scan but I'm posting here for traffic as I'm stressing out! I'm due a scan on my pelvic area tomorrow and I can't eat after midnight (which is fine) but I need to drink a pint and a half or so of water AN HOUR beforehand and must have a full bladder for the scan.. However, I pee all the time! I can't leave the house without having a wee and then another straight after and I can't go an hour after so much liquid. Does anyone have any tips or techniques at all for what I can do? They said they will have to send me away and rearrange if my bladder isn't full and it's taken months to get this appointment.

Hi OP, when I was pregnant I dreaded going for scans for this reason. One nurse actually told me I had a smaller bladder.

What I found helped was I had a wee just before I left. I brought the water with me then and started drinking it en route to the appointment. Used to work a treat.

Good luck with the scan x

I've had loads of full bladder scans while pregnant. I do a big wee just before I leave the house, then down the two pints of water then get to the hospital just in time for the appointment. Wee as soon as you're scanned.

I also found not drinking tea on the morning helped as I swear I need about 3 pees per cuppa.

The water you drink doesn’t go directly to your bladder though! You wouldn’t be able to pee out the water you had drunk 5 minutes later anyway.

If you’re really this worried then I suppose the answer would be to not drink anything in the couple of hours before you drink the pint of water? Then the pint will be there but for the scan but not eg 2 pints?

Often you don't need as much as they advise, agree just to drink on the way to the scan, that'll be fine.

I have a very impatient bladder! I did the following for scans over the years.

Be well hydrated without drinking loads at once, start drinking well the day or two before.

Sip on the water gradually after leaving the house, dont worry about a full pint exactly an hour before and gulping it down, that's just going to make you need to go suddenly. The bladder is constantly being filled, get to where you feel like you could go, but don't have to then the bladder is being stretched but not uncomfortably so.

You don’t need to drink that much…. I got sent out my scan as I’d drunk too much. A pint is far too much for my small bladder, just don’t be dehydrated.

I used to do this too.

My bladder fills up quickly and doesn't seem to take as much as the maternity department thinks it should. They always recommended at least a pint for a full bladder for scans.

I often had a wee before I left and just under half a pint then it was full by the time of my appointment. They even asked me to empty it a bit at a couple of my scans.

OP you know your weeing habits. Try to drink as much as you reasonably can. It's likely to be enough. Have a wee before you leave and drink the water around 20-30 minutes before your appointment time.

I was told to drink water at least 40 to 50 minutes before the scan. I do pelvic floor exercises which seems to help.

If I had one of these again I would leave it a little later to have the drink - I was so desperate and uncomfortable by the time I had the scan.
It must vary from person to person - if my daughter ever needs one I think she'll need far more water than that - she can last all day without a toilet trip.

I’m lucky that I live really close to the hospital but even so the prospect of walking there will a full bladder made me want to wee so I went a bit early, took my water bottle and drank more there. They had water in the waiting room and if you’ve not got a full enough bladder they send you back in to drink more and wait a while.

Just curious but does anyone know why your bladder has to be full?

Thank you all so much! I really appreciate the replies. I'm interested about those that say to drink on the way, just before the scan and that this has worked for them. I have no idea how long it takes liquid to hit the bladder but I think this would work best for me. Luckily it's a morning appointment so I might not eat OR drink after midnight, wee as much as I can and just take the water with me on the way!

About 5 minutes for me,I have the bladder the size of a thimble!

I had one of these recently and was also worried as I pee a lot too.

I did similar to others - made sure I’d had a big wee just over an hour before the appt then drank about half the amount they wanted and sipped the rest on the way. Seemed ok. I was surprised to find I wasn’t bursting by the time if the scan, which was good, but it was a relief to go straight after. There was a toilet cubicle in the treatment room so I could literally go straight after they’d finished the scan.

Don't forget that in this weather you'll be sweating some out so don't skimp on the pint!!

I did this too and it worked fine

My appointment was brought forward whilst I was there and he could see the water in my stomach. It takes about 20 mins to fill, so just sat back in waiting room. In my experience it's full of women filling and they know what's what.

A full bladder will tip your uterus up into a better position to be seen on the scan. The fluid in it also helps the ultrasound waves to travel and so gives a clearer picture.

I think you are making it worse for yourself by stressing. You will feel desperate to go for a wee just because you know you aren't allowed, not because you are in fact desperate to go. You bladder doesn't have to be a max for a decent scan, but it does help for it to be a bit full. Do as others say, wee, drink the water and then distract yourself.

I btw took this instruction a bit too seriously and went in with a super full bladder. The sonographer even commented that it was VERY full. I think she was mocking me slightly, and I definitely get the impression that she really didn't feel it was necessary.

It's annoying as the appointments usually run late anyway! I'd have a pee then started drinking on your way to the appointment. If they can see enough they just send you out to wait for a bit.

Echoing the wee before you leave home and drink on the way posts. Also, recommend scoping out where the nearest toilet is to the scan dept when you get there so you can make a beeline for it afterwards!

I'm having this done tomorrow. Easier said than done but try not to think about it. Don't put the water in a pint glass as it makes it look worse than it is!
I remember going for a scan when pregnant they were running really late. I was absolutely desperate for a wee so the staff said I could go and let a bit of wee out but not a lot . That was not easy 😆

In some cases I think they can do a trans vaginal scan instead if your bladder is not full enough, and for this you have an empty bladder. Maybe give them a call and ask if this would be an option for you?
I am anxious so it's pretty hopeless for me to go into a situation I find highly stressful and not immediately need to wee!