20 week scan and midwife appointment

[EnjoyItAll]

Both my scan and appointment are coming up in the next couple of weeks and just wondered if anyone could tell me what to expect. My first scan lasted about 20 minutes I think but I know the 20 week is looking for different things. How long did yours last and did you have another blood test? Also with the midwife appointment what did you got through and how long did it last? My last one lasted 10 minutes involved a urine test, couple of questions and listening to babies heartbeat. Is it likely to be another urine test only or do they look for other things?

The scan can take much longer. We were told she'd look at everything herself and then she'd go back over and show us the highlightd - head, arm etc. They're looking for anomalies and if they find anything thry would tell you there and then.

I think I just did wee samples for midwife, listen to baby's heart, booked in for injections etc

thank you I have given myself quite a bit of time to get to work after so hopefully it will be enough. I've booked in with gp for whooping cough jab is that the only one I need? my.midwife told me to get whopping cough but hasn't mentioned others but she didn't book it in for me so if I need more I will need to book myself

The only other jab they recommend is the flu jab but it may be because flu season is over that it hasn’t been mentioned and most places probably won’t have any stocks left of this years vaccine (the vaccine is different each year as it’s tailored to the strain they predict is most likely to occur that season).

I didn't have a 20 week midwife appointment, I just had a scan. I think they only routinely take blood at 8 weeks and 28 weeks though.

My scan took ages, the baby had her head right down so they couldn't get the views they needed for the measurements. They sent me on a long walk, then tried again and she still hadn't changed position so they had me doing star jumps, tried tilting the bed up so my legs were in the air etc. In the end they booked me in for a re-scan a few days later- they weren't worried, they just couldn't quite get the head view at the angle they needed. I think the whole first scan appointment (including walk + second attempt) was about an hour and a half as we had to wait a bit after the walk for them to have time to see us again.

Just to give the opposite end of the spectrum, my 20 week scan was very straightforward and it took less than 20 minutes to get all the measurements. Think baby was in a good position and didn't move around too much.

I have mine upcoming too, so I don’t have an answer, but at all of my midwife appts she’s asked me “did you bring a urine sample for me?” Most of the time I hadn’t so just nipped off to the loo to do it there and then, but she gave me lots of sample pots and asked me to bring a sample to each appt - so I would assume you will be having your urine tested as standard at each appt, whether you bring it or go and do it there. I believe it’s to check your protein levels as high protein can be a sign of pre-eclampsia which actually progresses as the pregnancy does, so you can be diagnosed with it late on - unlike most other things where there is an “out of the woods” period.

It sounds like they didn't go through things very well with you at booking, OP, you shouldn't expect to have bloods again til 28 weeks as far as I know. Bloods for you at booking and 28 weeks, and at 12 weeks for the screening tests should you choose them.

I didn't have a midwife appointment at 20 weeks either and it's not mentioned on the flow chart in my green book either or in the scan letter (as it was in the 12 week, due to having the conversation about chromosomal screening blood tests). They may not have mentioned flu jab due to the time of year but again this is on the information in your green book and your midwife should have told you either way, I'd have thought.

My 20 week scan took about 45 minutes but that's only because we and the unit were running early and they had a trainee sonographer in so asked if they could have a bit longer and practice a few specific techniques once they'd got the measurements etc, it was really nice. Plus we didn't want to find out the sex so they were free to just crack on.

And all my later midwife appointments (16, 25, 28 so far) have all been urine sample, blood pressure, baby's heart, general chat and then anything specific such as jabs. They started measuring the bump at 28 week too but even with that I don't think I've had one longer than 20 minutes yet. Got my 31 week this week so will see if that's any different!