First scan- what should I expect?

[BeckyG86]

Hello!

It is my first scan tomorrow afternoon (I say first scan- we paid for an early scan at 7+4 weeks, but this is the first hospital scan) and we are excited! I am also feeling some worry about everything being ok but I think that is normal. I found out about the appointment last week and I think most of that time I have had some worry but have been excited to get to see our baby. I am 12+1 weeks according to my LMP and my early scan said I was measuring about a week behind, but to stick to my dates until the hospital dating scan. I said I would have the blood test to test for the risks for Down’s Syndrome, Edwards’s and Patau’s at the hospital at the same time.

Obviously I understand that I will be having an ultrasound scan and a blood test after it, but what should I expect? How long will it generally take, how do you go about getting photos, how many are you allowed to buy, etc?

Also the letter says I need to drink a litre of water an hour before the appointment. I struggle getting a litre and a half in a day let alone a litre in an hour! I have the afternoon off work so I should get home by about 12.30-12.40pm, and my appointment is at 3pm, so aim to leave for the hospital at around 2pm to give us time to get there, park and find where we need to go but also allowing to get there 15 minutes before as informed, and pay for photos (I have been told you have to pay for them before your scan and it is a pay machine in the waiting room). Do you think that if I start drinking my litre of water at 1pm rather than 2pm and not go to the toilet I would be ok? I really don’t know how I am going to drink it in an hour! I will take a bottle of water with me to drink whilst travelling and while I am waiting, just to top up. I have even brought little 300ml bottles of water to try having one every 15 minutes, and I have thought about adding a bit of squash to try and make it easier for me to drink but it is the volume of water that worries me in such a short space of time!

Thank you in advance!

@BeckyG86 oh I struggle with water intake too! Not a big fan of it! I'd say starting at 1pm should be ok. I assume they just want to make sure you don't pee before the appointment and have the fluid in you. Try and add fruit in your water and not have too much squash!

Here is our baby! Measuring at 11+1 (My dates are 12+2, but after my early scan I expected it to be behind). All well, baby is healthy, good heartbeat, moving around and played up a bit for the sonographer, but played ball in the end! We do have to go back a week on Tuesday for another scan because I agreed to have the testing for Down’s syndrome, but because I am earlier than my dates baby is too small for the testing by just under 2mm! No issues though, and at least we get to see our baby again!