Private scan - babybond?

[TeacupTempest]

Just wondering if anyone had had a private scan or used babybond?

I am travelling around the country at the moment. AM away from home. Not registered with a GP. It would be so much easier for us to have a private scan but I want to make sure I am doing the right thing.

Also what is the difference between having a scan at 9 1/2 weeks and 12. I could wait till 12 but if I get an early one it coincides with visiting my family as its my mums birthday. Would be great to tell her then. If I wait I wont be going home till June so would have to tell her we are expecting over the phone.....

Thoughts? Advice?

I can't advise on babybond but I had a scan at just less than 11 weeks and then again at 13 and the difference was amazing on the first on it was a wiggle on the second it was a person you could see it's profile and it's hands and feet. We got an amazing picture. So if you can hold off I would x

You can see loads more at 12 weeks. I used Babybond for a private scan at 9 weeks and they were fab, but more for reassurance than for a proper check. Could you not register with the GP near your mum's and then transfer when you are settled?

12 w is the most accurate time to have a dating scan - I had 2 scans before this and they didn't tie in with my dates at all. The 12 w scan did. Also, if you want the screening tests then they are done at 12 weeks too.

You will need to register with a MW as you'll need to have notes. Not sure how you do this without having a GP. You have a booking appointment with mw at 8weeks-ish and they see her again at 16w.

I used babybond but for a 3d scan much later on.

You must register with a GP now. You need blood tests, and a full medical history taking as you may need various referrals to specialists. A scan is the least of your worries! Please register with a GP soon.

Of course I will register with a GP! I intend to do so when I visit my mum but I wont then be able to wait around for a referral for a scan.

I will try to get an appointment with MW at same time but not sure if I will be able to.

Thanks for the advice about the scans and dates.

I've used babybond for anomaly scans... they were fantastic.

But in my experience the NHS maternity system is so keen on risk stratification and minimising potential legal action that I would guess that even with a late booking you will get offered the usual scans, even if too late for the Down's screening.

I had a 13week nuchal scan with Babybond in Milton Keynes as the NHS couldn't fit me in in time. As it has implications if the results are good they wont do it unless you give your doctor and midwife's details as well.

I presume you could get the dating scan though if you are struggling to register (but then you would be stuck with a less reliable triple or quad test at about 16 weeks for Downs - at 37yrs was a concern for me).

As HTK says you also need a few blood tests and things as well so maybe sooner to get into the NHS would be wiser.... (and cheaper!)

I used Baby bond as the NHS in my area would not provide the Nucal Scan despite me being 39 - ( disgusted!). Babybond were great - very professional - I got about half and hour and was able to take two friends with me, ( although the sofa they had would have held more!!). I had my NHS 12 scan (late at 13 weeks) a few days later and again was very disappointed - only allowed to have one person in with you - was in there for about 5mins despite no one else waiting to go in after me. The lady made no effort to give me a good view of the baby and whacked off two pics that were disappointing. I have booked a gender scan back at babybond in a months time. My NT results came back at 1:2464

We used Babybond for a scan at about 12 weeks and at 27 weeks. However I used these as extras rather than replacement for NHS scans. The private scans I have had focused much more on showing you the baby and taking pictures rather than the NHS ones which were all about taking the required measurements to do the medical checks. (Although I know you can request the more 'medical' types of scan at Babybond) The other benefit of the private scans are you can pick your own apt time - NHS you just have to take what they give you however inconvenient. Given this I would say wait until 12 weeks as you will see alot more.

You should be having a NHS scan between 11 and 13 weeks though so they can do the Down/genetic screening - register with a GP ASAP and get refered to a midwife service - it can take a while for all the paperwork and apts to come through. In my area they will not do the Down screen after 13+6 - no flexibility. Unless you don't want that, but you should see a midwife to talk about it.

You could tell your family without a scan - a scan does not guarantee everything will be OK, although it is reassuring. We had to tell close family at about 8 weeks because we were at a family wedding and I had severe morning sickness and didn't want to have to lie all weekend about why I kept disappearing. We only told people that we would have wanted to know if things had not worked out.