12 week scan today, how much water should you drink before it?

[Phoenix]

And how long before the appointment should you drink it. I can't remember from having ds 3yr ago

Does it not say on the letter?

I think it was about an hour before, and amounted to about a pint, but I would check with the hospital if I were you.

It doesn't say how much it just says attend with a moderately full bladder. How the hell do i know when it's moderately full?

I thought that was the 20 week scan - don't remember drinking for the 12 week scan. It's been a while though!

not normally as important to drink before the 12 week scan as before the 20 week one. but normally suggest a pint and don't go for a wee for at least an hour before hand.
Good luck and enjoy your scan today.

Oh how silly!

Yes, drink a pint an hour before.

Good God I would never manage this amount of drinking and bladder control. As rather a veteran of scans now, I don't bother to drink extra water at all, just don't go to the loo before leaving for the hospital, as I normally would. It takes 45 mins to get there and I aim to get there half an hour early because of parking/public transport delays. Never been a problem. There is usually a delay at the scanning unit anyway IME.

Thanks everyone

Same here mrsg; never bother drinking extra and it's never been a problem. I think the official advice is one pint of water, which I always thought was more important for 12 week scan than 20?
If the worst comes to the worst, they'll just send you out for more water!

For every scan I've had they've always marched me to toilet beforehand as bladder is now supposed to be empty?

It is supposed to be one pint one hour before. But I had my scan this morning (yay!) and she sent me to go to the bathroom as there wasn't enough room for the baby to move and be measured.

I had same situation as Chaya - I drank 2 litres of water, and the lady doing the scan said my bladder was so big it was blocking the baby so I could please "deflate it". So seems like the above advice of not overdoing it is sensible.

I had my 12 wk scan last week,the letter said to have a full bladder.The sonographer said it helps to push the womb up and gets a better picture.I only had a few sips & got called in early but the baby was really clear.
Don't drink loads too early or it will be really painfull busting for a wee when the sonographer presses down on it.I did this last time.

I had the same advice about a pint an hour before....but take it from me dont overdo it!

I shouted at poor Dh for every bump in the road and then was in so much pain when I got to the hospital i had to dash off for a wee anyway.

To be honest the needing to go to the loo was so bad I had worked myself up into a mega stress by the time of the scan so I could think of nothing else....it did spoil the whole thing a bit.

have 20 week scan in a week and will be more careful !

There was no information on my letter at all so I drank a moderate amount of water (thought I'd fill myself 'half' up). When I had the scan the sonographer told me my bladder wasn't full enough and sent me off to the cafeteria to drink a bottle of water and come back half an hour later. It was great as I got two goes at seeing our baby!

I guess every hospital is different and every sonographer likes to work in their own way. Some may find it easier to take the measurements with a full bladder, some with an empty one.

Was no info on my 12wk (dont think had a 20wk letter??) and i didnt know i was supposed to drink lots!!! So i didnt! My scan was V clear on both thou...

I just had a Pelvic scan and in my letter it said to drink 2 pints of water an hour before.Was bursting by the time my appt. came round.

I remember this vividly for my 12 week scans, as I always have bad sickness and drinking water is really hard,by the time they've finished I rush to the loo and throw up!

I didn't drink anything extra. Was never told to either. Scans all very very clear.

I drank just less than a pint and all was fine (pic on my profile )