What to expect at early reassurance scan?

[OneDayLikeThis2013]

Hi all,

We've booked an early reassurance scan (privately) for tomorrow - I'll be 7+1. Can anyone tell me what to expect? E.g. Will the u/s be performed internally or externally? My letter says to come with a full bladder. I'm pretty confident with my dates as I have a really regular cycle and have been monitoring my ovulation date with the clear blue smiley face poas so we're hoping to confirm the number of little bean/s, the dates and fx see a little flicker of a heartbeat!

I had a scan at 6+6 - it was an internal scan as they said they'd get a much better photo
Told us straight away that our bean had a heart beating away and we got a photo ..

I would have thought a private one will be done externally.. I've had 3 private before over a 5year period and they were all external.
Good luck

Oh yeah sorry mine wasn't private so maybe private will be done externally

I have been seen on 'private' equipment on the NHS (complex recurrent miscarrier) many times (I think about 15 or so over the years). They tend to go for the internal first with the NHS because you'll always get the best result, rather than the external then the internal if there's an issue (as that can cause anxiety if they can't see). People find external more 'normal' but FWIW as someone who has had loads, internal is faster and easier to get a HB so I prefer it. I would request it over an external if I went private (in a future pregnancy, mine is now able to kick visibly).

Internals do not hurt at all and the wand is inserted only a couple of cm into the vagina, don't worry. I prefer internal as there's no need to hold in your pee.

As others have said, this time I saw a little baked bean thing with a flashing light heartbeat. Little bean is now big bean with arms, legs, fingers, toes kicking me in the bladder LOL! Hope you have the same experience. :)

I had one at 7+3. It was internal (NHS) and didn't hurt or feel uncomfortable at all. The doctor didn't even look at me; I had a sheet over my legs and it was all very sensitively done. The screen showed a little jelly bean with a flashing white dot in the middle of it: the heartbeat! It didn't look anything like a baby : ) but it was still pretty brilliant.

At 7 weeks, I had an internal one and it showed a jelly bean with a little 'brain' and a heartbeat.

Thanks all, that's all really helpful. We're both really nervous. I don't think I'll get much sleep tonight!

An internal scan has to be carried out with an empty bladder so as they have asked you to attend with a full bladder I'd assume they'll try external first. Good luck

Good luck :)

I'm just going to tell you what happened to me as a warning- I had one and they told me there was no baby there. I was inconsolable, made myself ill and was hysterical all weekend. Went to gp on the Monday and they sent me up the epu where I had a scan and saw a heartbeat etc and all was well. I'm now 14 weeks and my baby was very active, good size at 12 wk scan.
My DH, gp and attending nurse at epu were livid at the time about the clinic.
Please, please make sure your clinic is a reputable place and good luck with the rest of your pregnancy xxx

I don't want to be a miserable horrible person, I'm just wary of them. I don't want anyone to feel like I did, getting misinformed by rogue places.
Sincerely wishing you all the best OP xx

I had a reassurance scan at 8+5 weeks (well I thought I was 7+6 but the baby was much bigger than my dates.) It was internal straight off so had to go for a wee and the baby was a kind of heart shape with a little flicker beating away. I'm now 20+2.

Agh meant to say good luck but pressed post! xx

I had a private scan at what turned out to be 8 weeks. It was quite short but brilliant as I did not previously believe there was a baby there.
Sonographer found heartbeat very quickly, there was a little baked bean about 2.4cm long! He's now 10mo and rather larger! She found the hb, took some measurements to predict due date, checked the whole area then printed off a selection of pictures. Was prob only there 15m.

Mine was just external btw but I think there was option of internal if hb wasnt clear.

Hi all, so we had our scan today and it was amazing. Just one little bean (we both gave a little sigh of relief as I have multiples in the family) and all looks reall we'll at this point. Really strong flicker of a hb beating away. From my lmp we calculated that I was 7+1 but she measured bean at just over 6 weeks so a week or so behind. I'm still a little confused as we'd been monitoring my ovulation and according to the clea blue test I ovulated on day 14 and got an early BFP at 10dpo. Are the early scans sometimes slightly out and my dates are likely to change?

My early scan dated me as 6+5 but I thought I should have been 7+2
Then at my 12 week scan when according to their dates I would have been 11+4 I was 12+3! So I think it does vary

Full bladder suggests it will be external.

I've had several early scans and all of the before 10 weeks have been internal, whether private or nhs.

My private reassurance external scan dated me spot on at 8+6 at the time, went for 12 week nhs scan at 11+5 and they dated me 12+5 then at 20 week scan which should have been 19+5 my dates or 20+5 their dates and they then said he's meassuring 21 weeks so i wouldn't take anything for gospel.

Oh we also had to have a private scan for gender, as legs were firmly together for nhs one, my experience the private scanners have far better images, or maybe just nice big screens so that you can see things better.

I had a scan at six weeks due to spotting and previous miscarriage. All was fine with our peanut and was dated within two days of my dates/midwife's wheel. Went for my 12 week scan and they gave me a due date of five days earlier than original. My understanding is that the NHS will go off your 12 week dating scan for the due date and that is the one I am using now to count my weeks as it seems easier. Glad your early scan went well.