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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

12 week scan and drinking - please sort my head out on this

19 replies

AliceHurled · 02/04/2012 21:05

I have my 12 week scan tomorrow.

The letter says I have to drink 1.5 pints, 1 hour before. Now this fills me with fear. I went for a non-pg related scan once, and drank less than they said and was in agony. The sonographer remarked what a extremely full bladder I had - no shit it was awful awful.

So this time I want to drink enough but not be in pain. But at the moment I seem to need a wee less than I used to, so can't work out how to gauge it.

I know this sounds a bit silly, but it's really stressing me (have all sorts of wee ishoos). Please tell me what to do/what you did.

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McPhee · 02/04/2012 21:08

Ok, I was told it takes 2 hrs for your bladder to fill properly for this scan. I left it too late to get drinking thinking it would just appear in my bladder So I would say erm........good luck

ladie · 02/04/2012 21:19

I assume that I have a small bladder (from what you write you sound like you have one as well) and I drank 1 Pint one hour before.

My full bladder was also commented on. I wouldn't drink any less though.

good luck!

umboo · 02/04/2012 21:20

i got some great advice on this from here when i was due to have my 12w scan and was really stressing about drinking the water, mainly because i knew i was likely to sick it up again

many people on here said to drink what i could and not worry if its not the exact 1.5 pints they say, just drink so you feel full. and also i think everybody's different, someone else said don't worry if you don't drink it all an hour before, just drink what you can and then keep sipping water til the appointment.

there were a few people on here who had drank loads and then were kept waiting so to avoid that i drank what i could at home and then checked theywere running to time before i started to try to get a few more sips of drink down me.

i don't know if any of that's helpful but basically you don't need to drink to the point of feeling so uncomfortable, just drink as much as you can without feeling like you're going to burst!

LadyoftheLift · 02/04/2012 21:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Catsycat · 02/04/2012 21:27

I've always been OK to be scanned with a pint an hour before. But then I have been bursting, and extremely uncomfortable by the time I've been scanned. This time I had a private 12 week scan, and the rule was that you had to have a completely empty bladder !

PurplePidjin · 02/04/2012 21:32

A pint is 568ml so that's one regular sized bottle of evian/volvic/whatever. Maybe start one about 2 hours before you're due to go in and keep sipping, rather than downing a full pint in one hit

therumoursaretrue · 02/04/2012 21:43

I completely forgot about needing a full bladder but had a glass of hot water and lemon before leaving the house, so then bought a 500ml bottle on the way in to the hospital which I just sipped while I was in the waiting area. The scan itself wasnt uncomfortable but I was bursting for the loo by the time it was over as they had kept me 40 minutes late!

Original poster

AliceHurled · 02/04/2012 21:44

Thanks all. Like the sound of the empty bladder scan!

I will see what I manage tomorrow - the worst that can happen it I have to reschedule I guess. Rather that than weeing on the waiting room floor.

OP posts:

catsareevil · 02/04/2012 21:56

Better to drink a little less and have a partially filled bladder for the scan that to have to empty your bladder completely while you are waiting.

ellangirl · 02/04/2012 22:03

My hospital does not require you to have a full bladder for a 12 week scan. It is not necessary to get a clear picture except when trying to get a clear picture earlier on in pregnancy from an abdominal scan. In the unlikely event that your uterus is still too deep in the pelvis to get a clear picture then you will just have to drink more. If your bladder is too full by the way it is possible to just let out a little bit to relieve the pressure, provided your pelvic floor muscles are strong enough

Alibobster · 02/04/2012 22:26

Alice, I too had to drink 2 pints of water for a non-pregnancy scan once and I have never been in so much pain in my life! I was actually crying when I got to the hospital. I was scared to go pee incase it interfered with the scan and they had to rearrange my appointment. When I hopped onto bed sonographer commented on how full my tiny bladder was and told me to go pee! I had my 12 week scan on Friday and I had to pee before I left the house then 40 mins later at hospital- needless to say my scan picture was beautifully clear with no need for a full bladder. I would say just drink as you normally would and please don't reschedule and don't cause yourself pain. If they couldn't get a clear picture anyway all they would do would be to give you some water and tell you to sit in waiting room for 10 mins. Best of luck x

Original poster

AliceHurled · 03/04/2012 07:42

Thanks everyone. My mantra now is full but not painful. I did go for a scan at 6 weeks and barely needed the loo and they still saw fine. I'm just a bit anal at times about following instructions but will turn that down a bit. Thanks for setting my mind at rest. I did have weird dreams/ nightmares about scan all night, including about the liquid issue, but weird pregnancy dreams are usual these days.

OP posts:

sparklekitty · 03/04/2012 08:56

Thats really odd because when I had mine the letter specifically said you don't need to have a full bladder for the scan. I wouldn't stress about it too much hun, drink what you can and enjoy the scan. The last thing you want is to be so desperate to wee that you don't enjoy the scan

theressomethingaboutmarie · 03/04/2012 09:24

My appointment letter didn't indicate anything about having a full bladder. I just drank water as normal, used the loo at the hospital before my appointment and no comments or issues at all. Please don't worry too much about it!

MissPollysTrolleyed · 03/04/2012 10:06

My appointment letter said that I didn't need to prepare for the scan in any way so my only preparation was to have a pee just before I went in . We saw everything we needed too though so it didn't seem to make any difference.

GoGoBananas · 03/04/2012 10:12

At my 12 week scan they were running 2 hours late.

Reception kept encouraging me to 'hold on'. By the time I got in there I was crying with pain and the sonographer said she'd never seen such a full bladder and could I 'let half out' (hahahahahahahahahaha). Three times I went to the loo and wee'd what I thought was a significant amount and it wasn't enough. So I emptied my bladder. Took ages and I sat there sobbing.

Never bothered drinking anything other than normal amounts after that. No problems.

SarryB · 03/04/2012 10:58

Eh, I hated that 12 week scan - like you, told to drink 1.5 pints beforehand. Which I did, and was desperate for the loo by the time we got to the hospital. I was very uncomfortable, and had thrown up about 4 times that morning too. So I was hungry as well.

And she said I didn't have a very full bladder, so the pictures wouldn't be very clear. I was annoyed! The minute she finished, I leapt off the bed and rushed to the loo and weed a lot. Grrr.

Original poster

AliceHurled · 03/04/2012 13:13

Well I was put on the naughty step with a jug of water for having an empty bladder

I didn't really need a wee after till had my bloods done either.

But we could see a blob, all present and correct. And wriggly.

OP posts:

signet2012 · 03/04/2012 13:29

I have a tiny bladder, its a running joke in our family when leaving the house everyone always shouts "kids and Signet go and have a wee first!!"

You just know that as soon as we leave the drive... I'm going to need a wee!

When I had my 12 week scan I was thinking "oh shit - Never in a million years can I a) not wee for a hour, b) drink a pint and not wee for a hour!

So I drank half a pint the hour before, and drank another half a pint slowly whilst waiting for the scan. I was commented on my full bladder too! Baby was standing on its head, which they needed to see so they sent me off for half a hour to have a walk about and a jiggle. Told me to have a wee. Which I did and the scan was just as clear as it first one.

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