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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

early scan tommorow and nervous

45 replies

maybetwo · 15/12/2005 11:04

I think mainly due to the fact that I had ptsd after my experience at the same hospital with dd 2 yrs ago. My stomachs churning at the thought of it all. Lots have talked of internal scans , what does this entail ? Or am I better off not knowing???The women who booked me at my gps for this said i didnt need to drink the pint of water you normally do????

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

followthestarlover · 15/12/2005 11:07

hi matbetwo! why are you having an early scan?
I had an internal scan at 6 weeks and it was fine.
they have a rounded stick thing that they insert "you know where"!!! It doesn't hurt at all, although you will feel the sonographer moving it around.
I wore trousers, which was a mistake! worth wearing a skirt to preserve a little dignity!!!! lol

If you are worried about the hospital is there any chance you could use a different one for the birth?

feastofsteven · 15/12/2005 11:09

Yes, they prefer to do it on an empty bladder. An internal scan involves the sonographer/doctor inserting the scan probe in your vagina. I think the scan probe is lubricated. Because you are at such an early stage of pregnancy it may take them a few minutes for them to locate what they are looking for. When I had the internal scan, there was a health care assistant and registrar in the room, and they brought in the Consultant to double check. I never the internal scan a particularly stressful experience and it wasn't painful, but obviously given that you have had problems with PTSD you will have a different perspective. I hope that your partner or a friend will be able to accompany you. Internal scans show about a weeks more development than an abdominal scan, so they are particularly useful at the early stage of PG.

Original poster

maybetwo · 15/12/2005 11:15

Ive had bleeding star , Ive got a thread in conception about it. Im not sure I have any choice were I am to choose hospital its all done on postcodes it seems.

Im not even sure if I am having a internal scan, is that what they do for 6 week ones? I assume theyd not pick much up with the standard one.

My dh is coming with, Im not so much worried about the procedure(or may be I am), Im not sure , I think its the whole situation of wiaitng rooms , hospitals , doctors and not being in control. I cant seem explain it properly .

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followthestarlover · 15/12/2005 11:20

oh that's why i had mine too maybetwo! it was also a dating scan as i didn't know how far on i was.

It will almost certainly be internal, as you say, they won't pick much up on a regular scan.

They were lucky enough to pick the heartbeat up on mine, and found no reason for the bleeding. i even got a little picture of the teeny tiny sac!

Hope it all goes well for you. I am sure it'll all be ok... have you spoken to your midwife about how you feel?

harpsiheraldangelssing · 15/12/2005 11:23

would just add that the probe is not really uncomfrotable, not like when you have a smear, much less intrusive IME
good luck

harpsiheraldangelssing · 15/12/2005 11:26

I think I might know what you mean maybetwo about waiting rooms. Time seems to stand still, and go on forever at the same time. I hate those places.
I used to take something lovely to smell (bizarre I know, but I hate the smell of hospitals and it used to bring back bad memories) like lavender or frankinsense on a hanky. a good magazine and also could you try to do a relaxation exercise/breathing?

Original poster

maybetwo · 15/12/2005 11:28

I havnt yet got a midwife,can you have one this early , is it something you request yourself before the 12 week booking in????

Im looking into a private one due to the pnd/ptsd after dd. I thought it may be better for me if I had personal continous care. Im not sure if we can afford it or how it works when in the throws of laboour and how much duristiction they have. I think i need another thread on that , once the scan is done tommorow.

Im so tearful as Im writing and reading the posts. Im quite upset fearful & scared really (not about procedures though , but interactions with staff I think). I know its probably out of proportion & irrational , but I think I always knew I hadnt resolved alot of stuff from last time.

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GoodKingGeorginars · 15/12/2005 11:29

They will be doing an internal scan, impossible to see anything with an external one at that stage. I had one, it was absolutely fine. They use loads of lubricant and it is much easier than a smear. Definitely wear a skirt.
If it is the hospital situation that it is worrying you - and it seems to be - then maybe it would help if you got them to explain exactly what they are doing in advance. And see if you can find anyone sympathetic and latch on to them. Glad DH is going with you, that should really help.
Depending on where you live I'm sure you could change hospitals if practical. From what I remember, you are entitled to ask for any hospital, you don't acutally have to go to the one your postcode dictates.
Good luck!

GoodKingGeorginars · 15/12/2005 11:31

PS don't think you are being irrational, all that you descibe feeling seems perfectly understandable after your previous experiences. If you do decide to get some sort of private care as well, maybe a doula would help and be cheaper? they could be with you and help you deal with everything, and wouldn't cost as much as a private midwife/private care

followthestarlover · 15/12/2005 11:32

if you can't afford to go privately, then how about a doula? would obviously still cost money but i would imagine it would be cheaper than doing the whole lot privately.

that would mean you had someone with you who knew everything you wanted and could stand up for you and be there for you, and also give you some help after the birth too

followthestarlover · 15/12/2005 11:32

lol x posts georgina!

harpsiheraldangelssing · 15/12/2005 11:37

maybetwo I reall really feel for you. you are not being irrational, not in the least.
try not to worry about the private mw just yet. Just one thing at a time I think.

Original poster

maybetwo · 15/12/2005 11:45

thank you all for your support , Im having a winge on another thread , as feeling sorry for myself. Pg hormones have really kicked n this week. I really sorted myself out after pnd (hypnotherapy, cbt books new work opportunities). I have been proud of my progress and chnage in me and now Im back to being low , tearful and emtionally all over the place.

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followthestarlover · 15/12/2005 11:48

aww, i really feel for you maybe... just remember, it IS just the hormones. You beat the pnd/ptsd and you said you were proud of yourself, of the progress you made... just keep thinking of that.
You can do this again, think of getting your new baby and how fab your family will be.
Also, remember that you are in no way guaranteed to have pnd again. Especially if you are prepared for it!
Do you have a good support network around you? family and friends etc?

I do think it'd be a good idea to get in touch with your midwife, just to express your concerns and have someone to talk to about it all.
I suffer/ed from depression and my midwife made sure that everything was in place ready for the birth should anything go wrong... so i had the number of a counsellor, and my GP was aware etc etc. Luckily I didn't need it!

Original poster

maybetwo · 15/12/2005 12:02

yes thankfully , my mum is always there for me as are my sisters and my dh is doing all he can.Some friends know whats going on and have been checking in on me frequently, but its hard to be this open with them. My dd is also being v sweet right now. I think she knows something is different with mummy.

I dont have a midwife organised as I didnt think one was asigned(sp?)one till 12 weeks ? In this area you get asigned a team , which means you see someone different almost each time. Thats also why I thought an IM was a good idea. Although as hars said , I think I should look into that after my scan results.

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followthestarlover · 15/12/2005 12:10

well... i saw one just after i found out i was pregnant. I went to the GP, who said to make an appt for the next week (so would have been around 7 weeks)
I guess it was a bit different because it was my first pg, but she just went through stuff and then made an appt for my booking thingy

we also have a team, 3 from local surgeries work together so you're guaranteed to see one of the 3 each time!

I am certain they wouldn't mind you having an appt at all, if you wanted to talk about stuff with one of them!"

GoodKingGeorginars · 15/12/2005 12:47

taking one thing at a time is excellent advice
Get throught tomorrow and see how you go. And remember, hormones have a lot to answer for!

rubles · 15/12/2005 15:15

Maybetwo, I have just posted on your other thread and have to apologise if I sounded flippant as I didn't realise you were so upset..sorry.

Despite what others on this thread have said I had a scan last time at 6.5 weeks, after repeated bleeding, and that was external - it showed a 13mm sac. They made another appointment for a weeks time and then it showed that the sac had grown and there was a heartbeat. Maybe it varies according to which trust you are in as to how they approach it.
Oh, and the EPU nurses were really caring and sensitive.

dobbin · 15/12/2005 21:10

Good luck for tomorrow maybetwo. I had the same symptoms as you at 9 weeks and the scan (internal) was very unembarrassing because all the focus was on the baby. It may be worth mentioning your history to the staff (perhaps your dh could do that) before they do anything just so they know to take extra care.

CaChristmasLista · 15/12/2005 21:20

Hi Maybetwo,
I had a dating scan at just over 6 weeks pg with both of my DS's. Both were external, and you could see the heartbeat on both. Please try not to worry. (((Hugs)))

Original poster

maybetwo · 15/12/2005 21:24

CaChristmasLista did u have to have the pint+ of water ? NO one has told me which Im having.

Thank you dobbin.

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GoodKingGeorginars · 15/12/2005 21:28

goodness, I didn't realise you could have external ones at that stage.
Could you ring and clarify before you go? I think it would help you to know exactly what's going to happen, you need as little extra stress as possible by the sounds of it. And you don't want to be sitting around waiting for your bladder to fill up
Good luck again

CaChristmasLista · 15/12/2005 21:29

Think they asked me when I got there if I had drank plenty of water, and I had because friends said you needed to before a scan. At that point had never even heard of an internal scan (before my MNing days )

Original poster

maybetwo · 15/12/2005 21:45

Just phoned the unit to ask about what type of scan, great some huffy nurse answered "well we cant tell you that just by looking at your appt name". Great and sooo the lovely bedside manner road starts again NOT. What is so worng in wanting to know more about things , why is it ok to treat us all on a need to know basis.

This is how they explained it on the hospital web site Qoute
"Senior Sister of *** Ward said ?we have wanted for a long time to care for women with difficulties in early pregnancy in a dedicated area with easy access to the specialist staff and equipment they need, rather than in the hubbub of A&E. The women who we care for are going through a worrying and stressful time and we hope that the unit will make this a less distressing experience for them.?

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blueshoes · 15/12/2005 22:06

maybetwo, I'm sorry you had to put up with that v. unhelpful response from the nurse, when you were already worried about the scan and dealings with staff . She could just have asked you how far along you were to answer your question. I find that hospitals are singularly unhelpful over the phone. I guess (liability aside), they don't have always have time when you are there, much less when you are at the end of a line.

I am almost certain it would be an internal scan. I have have had regular scans since 6 weeks throughout my pregnancy with dd, so speaking from experience. It is not uncomfortable at all. Make dh hold your hand. ((((hugs))))

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