Early gender scan or be patient

[17december2021]

I'm tempted to get an early gender scan at 16weeks (next week) but I'm not sure if I am just being impatient 🙈

Should I get one? Should I wait the full 5 weeks until my 20 week scan?

Can anyone guess from my last scan pic what baby might be 😁 see pic attached x

I would get it. Our private scan at 16 weeks was a lovely experience, where the midwife took loads of time to show us the baby.
The 20 week scan is all about measurements and very business-like. In our case, we got a very grumpy midwife who deliberately angled her body between me and the control screen that is designed for mum's to follow so I couldn't see a thing, even when I asked her if she could kindly shift a little bit to give me a glimpse. My husband was there fortunately and he could see the control screen.
She then showed me the baby for about 10 seconds and proceeded to deliberately give us 4 identical pictures on the printout when there was a greater variety available.

Private scans are all about your experience so there's a better chance of you getting a nice view of your baby.

Why not. I'm rubbish at nub theory.

We went with the private gender scan this time. More because I wanted to check in on baby than wait 7 weeks to the anomaly scan. Was lovely to see all was well and we got a little 4D look at her tiny face too. Hubby was hoping for a boy but he's just really good at making girls lol, she'll be our 5th girl and got 1 boy.

I've also been debating this afternoon to get an early gender scan or not. I've even emailed one to ask if I can bring my DD8 along with us to find out...they've come back and said yes so I'm more inclined to go for one now. I say go for it. I'll be 16 weeks in exactly 2 weeks.

Also I'm thinking yours might be a boy

Absolutely get the early one! My 20 week scan ended up being a bit inconclusive because of the baby’s position they couldn’t do some of the checks on his heart etc. I came away feeling totally deflated. Obviously relieved when we went back and everything was fine but I was so glad we’d found out the gender early as I definitely wouldn’t have felt like going to pop the balloon and share the news with our family after the slightly depressing scan

Our 16 week gender scan was a lovely Experience!!

The 20 week scan was very business like. Very quiet. Nothing really shown or explained. I had to go back to get the face and heart checked again as he was in a difficult position.

If you're wanting an enjoyable experience book an early one! Otherwise the NHS one is more about anomalies etc and they're more concerned (rightly) with that, so the gender reveal wouldn't be as lovely

@Curlymam88

Also I'm thinking yours might be a boy

I think with all the lovely comments here I will get an early scan ☺️ I hope yours goes well!

Thanks for your guess! I've been thinking boy from the start, will soon see!

Thanks everyone! I think I will go ahead and book the early scan! Oh so exciting ❤️

Pls feel free to keep guessing the gender from my scan, I love to hear people's thoughts ❤️

Boy. My DD found out at 15 weeks that she was having b/g twins. It was so exciting.

Go for it. I got the blood test, so I knew at 13 weeks I think?? I wanted to know!

My 20 week anatomy scan was a bit stressful because DS was being awkward and they couldn't get half the pics they needed so I had to get two more scans to make sure they had all the details.

Aftwr checking my daughter does want to come ive just booked mine for 2 weeks time so exciting!!

@Curlymam88

Aftwr checking my daughter does want to come ive just booked mine for 2 weeks time so exciting!!

Yay so excited for you! Let us know your results 😍

In our case, we got a very grumpy midwife who deliberately angled her body between me and the control screen that is designed for mum's to follow so I couldn't see a thing, even when I asked her if she could kindly shift a little bit to give me a glimpse

Pretty sure she will have been more concerned with checking the health of your baby than deliberately trying to obscure your view.

Get one separate. The 20 week scan isn't for sexing. It's just a nice thing if it happens.

Do they really call it a gender scan rather than a sex scan? Bit odd but I guess times have changed.

We got an early scan with our first. They told us we were having a baby girl.....I was overjoyed until it turned out it was a boy at the next scan.....thats the trouble with the early ones, they are not always conclusive ;-)

I had one with my ds and it was a lovely experience so I would say go for it. At the private scan they took their time, I got to see ds in 4d and had lots of pictures. I had a lovely midwife this time at my nhs 20 week scan who asked if we wanted to know at the start of the scan, she then said she would do all the measurements and if baby was cooperative would have a look. She did all the measurements and then asked what my instinct was, I replied girl and she confirmed that I was right. She was smiling at me when my baby was waving and I waved back like a numpty and gave me tissues when I cried. Not my first baby, I have dd and ds already but I was very happy that dd will 🤞be getting the sister she has asked for. So if you do wait hopefully your 20 week scan will be a lovely experience too x

I had an early gender scan at 16+3 and they said it was in an awkward position and still a bit small to say for definite. It was really rushed and I panicked about it being too small and they basically just threw me out. Paid for 15 minutes and was out in 5, that was with wiggling and trying to get it to move.

I’m going back for a free rescan in a couple of hours, I’m now 18 weeks. Hopefully the wee bugger behaves itself this time.

Definitely book one, but be prepared that 16 weeks might not be far along enough to get a definite answer. I was gutted as many people I know were able to find out at that stage and I wasn’t and it immediately heightened my anxiety.

@BabySmuff2021

I had an early gender scan at 16+3 and they said it was in an awkward position and still a bit small to say for definite. It was really rushed and I panicked about it being too small and they basically just threw me out. Paid for 15 minutes and was out in 5, that was with wiggling and trying to get it to move.

I’m going back for a free rescan in a couple of hours, I’m now 18 weeks. Hopefully the wee bugger behaves itself this time.

Definitely book one, but be prepared that 16 weeks might not be far along enough to get a definite answer. I was gutted as many people I know were able to find out at that stage and I wasn’t and it immediately heightened my anxiety.

Oh that is frustrating! Wishing you all the luck for the scan today! Fingers crossed ❤️ let us know!

I had one at 16 weeks and I'm so glad I did. I was scanned for nearly 25 minutes even though the appointment was supposed to be 10 minutes. It took ages to find out the sex as my little boy refused to uncross his legs for ages and the sonographer was determined to find out for me. She even said if she couldn't see she would get me back in later in the day to try again. It was really nice and relaxing with a big screen and she went through everything with us and showed us a peek in 4D. What I also like is they gave me like 30 photos and some videos. At my 20 week anomoly scan one of the viewing screens was broken, so my partner got to see everything but I could only see when the sonographer periodically turned the screen around so turns out the private scan was a very good idea.

I'd get one! But then I paid for the sneak peek blood test at 10 weeks and that cost twice the amount of a scan!

We got one at 18 weeks and loved it! I agree with what other pp have said about it being more an experience for you than a medical procedure. My husband didn’t end up making it to the anomaly scan so we were glad we’d done the private so we could find out we were having a girl together :-)

I would get one. I had one at 18 weeks with DD and 16 weeks with Ds. I wasn't sure if we would actually find out at 16 weeks as I was worried it was too early but Ds had his legs wide open and it was obvious even to me!

Unfortunately I can't get one for this pregnancy. Everywhere local seems booked up until after my 20 week scan. I may book one of I can't find out at 20 week NHS scan though

We did it because we wanted our children there to find out, our hospital doesn't allow it. Look it's your baby and your excitement do it if you want it'll still be special at 20 weeks them confirming it :-)

@Yesyoucantell

Do they really call it a gender scan rather than a sex scan? Bit odd but I guess times have changed.

People seem reluctant to use the word sex for the sex scan, so tend to use the term gender scan instead, even though it’s incorrect.

But obviously you can’t tell a baby’s gender from a scan - and it may grow up not to have a gender at all.