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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Full bladder for scan?

33 replies

BonaDea · 13/08/2012 17:24

I have my first scan tomorrow (6+3 due to high risk pregnancy). It was all arranged with the hospital on the phone because there was a bit of urgency involved.

Anyway, the result of that is that I know where to go and when, but not what I need to do. Am I right in thinking that I need to go with a full bladder? And how full is full? The scan is at 9.40 tomorrow, but if I wake at 6.30 there is NO WAY I'll be able to not pee at all before then.

Help please!

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sundaesundae · 13/08/2012 17:28

1ltr of water at least an hour before, but not more than 2 (too soon and it will be in your stomach). They'll probably do a transabdo first, get you to empty and then to a transvaginal.

BonkeyMollocks · 13/08/2012 17:28

Did they tell you on the phone to have a full bladder?

I had two early scans 5 wks and 7wks. I didn't have a full bladder (went to the loo 5 mins before appointment) and nothing was said.

However, my 20 week scan I was told to drink a pint of water a hour before and hold it. They send you for a wee halfway through the scan. I do know why but I can't remember

I think you will be fine tomorrow unless they have specifically said. Good luck, hope evrything is ok. :)

trilottie · 13/08/2012 17:32

I was absolutely bursting for my first scan and it was too much - I think as long as there's something in there thats fine. They might just ask you to stand outside with a glass of water for half an hour. They press down quite hard so if you are bursting it could be a disaster.
I know how quickly water will go through me now so when they say in the letter (for the regular scans) to drink a pint an hour before, instead I drink half a pint half an hour before and I know that will be fine. Take a bottle of water with you so you can sip on the way in.
Best of luck!

Original poster

BonaDea · 13/08/2012 17:33

Thanks, folks. No, nothing was said when I spoke to them, but it was the receptionist rather than a midwife or anything and it was about 4.57pm on Friday so am sure she was in a rush!

Would be gutted to get there and mess it up by doing the wrong thing. Might have some water before leaving home then if I don't need it I can go for a wee and be happy!

OP posts:

ObviouslyInvisible · 13/08/2012 17:34

I had an early scan with both my pregnancies, and both were vaginal so no need for a full bladder.
If you can have some liquid in your bladder then maybe they'll give it a go abdominally, but they might just go with the probe thing anyway.

Loislane78 · 13/08/2012 17:34

When I had my 12 and 20 wk scans, it specifically said (capital letters and in bold), that I didn't need a full bladder. I'm 38 wks now so fairly recent. I'd phone to check as might vary.

GL :)

BonkeyMollocks · 13/08/2012 17:35

Is it worth a quick ring in the morning just to ask?

If you do need to have some then you should just need to drink it a hour before so you can have your morning pee and then drink water a bit later on. :)

Original poster

BonaDea · 13/08/2012 17:35

LOL - trilottie - you've made me giggle at the thought of them pressing down on me and pee squirting over their face or something!

OP posts:

KFFOREVER · 13/08/2012 17:37

I asked about this today for the 12 week scan and said they don't need full bladder.

Original poster

BonaDea · 13/08/2012 17:37

Thanks everyone. Will try to catch them in the morning, but we'll have to set off just as they're opening.

Wasn't expecting it to be vaginal - how thrilling!

OP posts:

nextphase · 13/08/2012 17:38

Easier to empty a bladder quickly than fill it.
Don't be bursting, but equally a bit of liquid there helps push your uterus up, making things easier to see.
Would suggest you go with a reasonably full bladder having wee'd in the morning, and then drunk a decent volume of liquid, and ask when you get there what is required. Then visit the ladies if an empty bladder is required.

Hope you get some good news.

BonkeyMollocks · 13/08/2012 17:39

Its likely it will be a internal one for 6wks they can see things better.

Good luck.

BlueMoon74 · 13/08/2012 17:40

Ok, so maybe a midwife will come alone and tell me I've been told a lie...BUT....! ...

I'm 26 weeks, had 3 scans. I was told by a male midwife that the reason for requesting a full bladder is for fatter women! It's apparently easier to scan and find the womb if the bladder is full and shows up on the ultrasound. ie. if you're pretty skinny/slim normally, a full bladder isn't needed.

This does seem to tie in, because I don't/didn't have any stomach fat, and when I went to the last scan, I didn't go with a full bladder at all, and the midwife made absolutely no comment whatsover! You also get much clearer scan pictures if you have less stomach fat (although that obviously makes sense)

The male midwife said that it's because they can hardly put on the forms,'If you're fat, please drink at least a pint before you come in, but if you're slim you don't need to bother' because of the uproar obviously it would cause!!!!

Soo......personally, unless you're a bigger girl, I wouldn't bother! It's so uncomfortable having them press down on a full bladder!!!!

(oh and at 6+3 you definitely won't need a full bladder. They will do a vaginal scan. I specifically got told to empty my bladder before it!!!)

Good luck! :)

MrsApplepants · 13/08/2012 17:41

Go with full bladder, you can always empty it as needed!

BonkeyMollocks · 13/08/2012 17:43

I'm abit at that Blue

I was a slim size 12 when I got pg.
Everyone I have spoken to was told to drink water before the 20 wk scan because it helps check something for the baby (still cant remember what) , it was still clear as day afetr my wee.

I can see that if you have alot of stomach fat then it may be trickier ti see, but still , i think I may have punched that male midwife!

BonkeyMollocks · 13/08/2012 17:46

It says that it pushes your womb up for better viewing.

I imagine thats a benefit for everyone not just 'fat women' .

Original poster

BonaDea · 13/08/2012 17:46

Well maybe I should be flattered they didn't mention it!

Men! What do they know?

OP posts:

BlueMoon74 · 13/08/2012 17:51

I'm just passing on what I was told!!!!!! He was actually quite a blokey bloke, not the type you'd expect for a midwife, and the reason he told me was because I was complaining he was pressing down so bloody hard (and I had a full bladder!)

He literally just went, Oh you can go to the toilet if you like, I don't need you to have a full bladder..so obviously I asked why! So he told me! DH was there too! It does make sense if you think about it!

TBH I'm grateful for the insight - haven't bothered with a full bladder since!

confuddledDOTcom · 13/08/2012 17:56

That early they won't get anything on an abdominal scan, it'll have to be TV, so no need for water.

Water is for lifting the uterus into the right place! I had a scan last week and because I didn't know how far gone I was I didn't drink because I didn't know if they'd do a TV or abdominal, so she told me to drink from the fountain outside the scan room. At first she had problems seeing anything but as my bladder filled up my uterus got into a better position and she could see more.

kalidasa · 13/08/2012 18:02

At 6 weeks they'll do an internal I think and for that they'll ask you to empty your bladder first.

I had further scans at 8, 12 and 20 weeks. For the 8 and 12 ones you were supposed to have a full bladder and the nurse said it was absolutely essential, but it was impossible for me because of hyperemesis - if I tried to drink lots I would just throw it up. So I don't bother and there was no prob, even with the 8 week one. The doctor at the 8 week scan said it wasn't necessary because I was very slim, so that does seem to accord with what bluemoon's midwife said. After that I relaxed and made no attempt to force myself to drink for the 12 week one.

Chunkychicken · 13/08/2012 18:07

The advice for my scans were as follows (I'm 26wks);

Dating scan - drink about a pint of fluid (not milk) over the 2 hours before the scan and do not empty bladder.

Anomaly scan - some fluid in your bladder helps see baby more clearly. Do not empty your bladder in the hour before the scan.

As the others have said, its to do with pushing your uterus up. If they have newer/higher spec equipment, they prob don't need the full bladder (it clearly varies from authority to authority, & this is slightly diff advice to that which I had with my DD 2.5yrs ago) and if its the dildocam, then no need for a full bladder there!!

ObviouslyInvisible · 13/08/2012 18:17

Dildocam!

nextphase · 13/08/2012 18:20

It might not be TV at 6 weeks.
DS1 was seen at 6+1 with an abdominal scan, and DS2 was seen with a heart beat at 6+3. If you came to my local hospital I'd suspect you'd get an abdominal scan first, going internal if they couldn't see what they wanted.

dietcokeandwine · 13/08/2012 18:31

I think it does depend on the hospital and the quality/spec of their equipment, tbh. Our hospital has clear notices up everywhere saying that you do not need a full bladder for any pregnancy scans and to make sure you go to the toilet before your scan! They have pretty high spec looking equipment so maybe this is why they don't need the full bladder.

FirstTimeMumma · 13/08/2012 18:39

I was told that it was absolutely essential i had a full bladder at my 7, 8, 10 and 12 week scans but not necessary at my 20 week one as baby was now large enough to see and measure clearly. As you can see, all the advice differs hugely so better to be safe and have a full bladder to which you can empty rather than getting a rubbish scan because they can't see much! Good luck with your scan!

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