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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Taking kids to scan?

18 replies

sandpit · 10/08/2011 21:22

I've got my 12 week scan next week and just realised won't have childcare for my 2dc (4 and 2). Do you think it's ok to bring them? Haven't told them I'm preg properly, although ds1 has noticed my growing belly so I've warned him there may be a tiny baby in there but we'll need to check at the hospital. He is very excited! My worry is if there is something wrong and they need to talk about serious stuff would be very hard with the kids bouncing round. What would you do?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

CroissantNeuf · 10/08/2011 21:24

I seem to remember that our local hospital advises you not to take siblings along to scan appts.

It may be the case in your hospital?

I would try and find someone to have them TBH.

thisisyesterday · 10/08/2011 21:27

at ours they specifically ask you not to bring them, and they warn that if you do they may not be able to do the complete scan,

so, i would try and find someone to have them if I were you.

Cattleprod · 10/08/2011 21:39

There is no way I would want a child at a scan. I'm very glad DS wasn't there at my 10 week scan where I was told that my embryo had died at 7 weeks. Can you ask a friend to look after them for a couple of hours?

SaulGood · 10/08/2011 21:43

I had absolutely no choice but to take dd to my 20 week scan. They do ask that you try not to but understand that sometimes it's unavoidable. DD was absolutely smashing, the sonographer took lots of time to show her things and talk to her and she gave dd some free pictures too. I was very, very lucky that the baby was fine and the sonographer lovely/understanding. I really had no choice at all.

catsareevil · 10/08/2011 21:44

If there is no-one else who could have them do you have a DH/DP who could look after the children while you have the scan?
I dont think its OK to take children to that appointment.

Squiglettsmummy2bx · 10/08/2011 21:48

I took mine, 8 & 6 as they have both known I am pregnant from 4 weeks when I found out & were really excited to see the baby. They sat silently with their mouths open in awe. My daughter was 2 when I had my 1st scan with my son & my my was meant to watch her but I got to the hospital half SN hour early & called me straight in. They were fine with her being there but she got funny about someone touching her mummy & we had to wait for my mum.

changer22 · 10/08/2011 21:57

We ended up taking my DS who was 3 as he was ill (with a cold?) and we learnt that I'd had a missed miscarriage.

We hadn't said that I was pregnant only that a nurse needed to look at my tummy. It was hard to be snivelling away and try to smile and talk about my tummy ache.

I would avoid at 12 weeks if at all possible. I know we took DD2 to a later scan (a positioning one?) but she was younger (2) and didn't pay any attention.

MrsPotatoHeadsStylist · 10/08/2011 22:15

I took my DD1 along to my 12 week scan for my second pregnancy. It wasn't ideal and would have been awful if it had been bad news but I had no option, no one to leave her with. Thankfully, it was ok and all was fine.

cantthinkof1 · 10/08/2011 22:25

I didn't take DS1 who is now 3 to my scans (i'm 37+3) he cannot sit still for longer than 2 minutes and never stops talking! At 20 week scan it was an hour after our appointment time that we were called and the scan took an hour because the baby was lying in a position where they couldn't check the heart valves. If we had taken DS he would have been going stir crazy by then!

startail · 10/08/2011 23:01

I must confess I didn't think about it. DH was aboard so DD1 (3) came to 20 week scan. Can't remember if she came to the dating scan, never had any babysitting so I don't think about these things.

Gill79 · 10/08/2011 23:02

Well I didn't want to take DS (3.6) to 12 week scan in case of any probs but we did take him to 20 week scan which was really special. The chances are everything is absolutely fine but the main thing to think about is the fact they will get bored v quick! DP missed the "spot the willy" moment as he had to take DS out to the toilet and they were both in maccy ds long before the end of the scan

Rooble · 10/08/2011 23:15

Like Changer, we took DS along to 12 week scan which revealed a missed miscarriage. I would never do it again. We thought it would be a lovely way to break lovely news to him and it was just hideous, hideous, hideous.

LittleMissFlustered · 10/08/2011 23:25

I had no choice but to take my youngest to my 12 week scan. He sat on the floor and played angry birds, oblivous to the rest of the universe. I didn;t want to though. It's a medical procedure at the end of the day and sometimes things don't go as planned.

I have made sure that my next scan will be child free.

sleepevader · 11/08/2011 08:42

I remember a sonographer saying on a similar thread that she has witnessed too many children distressed as their parents struggle to cope with bad news that she really recommends you dont.

Original poster

sandpit · 11/08/2011 09:32

Thanks for your replies.

There really is no one I can leave them with on this occasion so either we take them or rearrange the scan - didn't really want to do this as I've been counting down the weeks, but maybe it would be the best thing to do.

The only other thing i could think of would be for me to go in on my own and they could sit outside with DP and angry birds. And then if all is ok, perhaps they could all come in for a quick look at the end. And if it's not ok, i guess me and DP swap places and he goes in for a chat about what he's missed. Not ideal though, feels like he should be there all the way through whether it;s good or bad.

I think i'll give them a call and see what the rearranging options are.

thanks again

OP posts:

nunnie · 11/08/2011 09:38

DD had to come to my 32 week scan as my mother who usually has her was on holiday (selfish I know)

To be honest it was awful, the scan was being done due to an issue that was found on the previous scan. We decided that DH would sit outside with DD and not come in the room, but he wanted to be there incase of a problem. The problem had got worse and I tried not to show my concern in front of DD but it was very hard. We thenn had to sit in a waiting room for 2 hours to speak to the Consultant which was way to long for DD and DH had to keep wandering off with her.
He came into the Consultant appointment as he really needed to know what was going on and DD was very good but it was hard discussing things around her really.

Should say my DS is ok and the problem that was found is being treated which is lovely, at the time of the scan though we hadn't really any idea what would happen and it was very worrying.

I will not take a child with me again and if unable to get sitter then I would seriously consider altering the appointment if I am honest.

Poweredbypepsi · 11/08/2011 10:39

I don't take my children I am always terrified that something will be wrong. I would be more likely to take them to a later scan but the 12 week always feels so uncertain. Also 4 children 6 and under in a hospital is my idea of a nightmare.

I have my 12 week scan next week and dh has time off but we can't find anyone to look after the other children so it looks like he will have to stay home.

I am very sad he can't come because the pregnancy wasn't planned and I think seeing the scan would just make it seem a bit more real !
I am also for some reason totally convinced there will be something wrong and I know it would be nicer not to be alone if there is.

Bumpsadaisie · 11/08/2011 12:23

We took our DD to both scans - she was coming up for 2 and 2 exactly.

She was young enough that, had something been really wrong, we felt we would be able to hold it together while we took her to grandmas before bursting into tears, without her picking up too much or understanding what the sonographer was saying.

Not sure I would take an older school age child.

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