My dating scan is due in a couple of weeks and the hospital has stated that i need to drink water for the external scan, and an empty bladder for the internal scan. What i'm worried about is that i'm finding it IMPOSSIBLE to drink large amounts of fluids without either being sick or running to the loo rather quickly. What i want to know is whether they INSIST that you have the external scan or if they give up and do the internal scan?? With my last pregnancy i just had the external scan as i was 20 weeks and coped fine, but i'm sure i won't have a full bladder when they scan me this time as i just can't hold it!!
Before everyone says "ring the hospital" i will do nearer the scan date, i just want to know how everyone else coped and if you've had the same problem as me???
2006-11-22 05:17:42 · 16 answers · asked by cuddlymummy 4 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
dating scans are ultrasounds performed around 10 weeks pregnant to try and estimate a due date
2006-11-22 05:23:13 · update #1
You have to have a full bladder when you have an ultrasound. Because the machine releases sound waves into your body and it bounces off of baby so they can visibly see better. If they cannot see properly they will not complete the scan and you will have to come back in like a few days WITH A FULL BLADDER to have the scan done. The sound waves need to pass through the bladder to effectively see baby. If it is full it is stetched thinner and the sound waves can pass easy.
I had NO clue how to do it either. Here is my suggestion. Do as you normally do. You will have to wait for a while before you actually are able to get in for the scan. So pack at least 2 bottles of water or clear fluid (I had to drink lemon lime soda because water made me sick). Drink as much as you can on the way to the doctors and keeping drinking while you wait. Some women start drinking like 2 hours before they are scheduled for the exam and they cannot hold the urine that long.
RIGHT after they finish the scan you will be able to go to the bathroom as they evaluate your results.
congrats on the baby :-D
2006-11-22 05:25:55 · answer #1 · answered by Summer H 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
All you need to do is drink at least 2 litres just before you have the scan! you will then be able to go to the toilet afterwards.
the first question an examiner is asked is Where is the Loo?
Its all about getting the timing of your fluid intake right! Start too soon and you wont be able to hold it! About an hour before usually works for most people and I've even seen some waiting for a scan who are drinking water etc.
As any external scan on the abdominal area requires a full bladder you are not unusual in having this problem. Remember they can get a much clearer image and try to think of seeing your baby as it will take your mind of the full bladder!
2006-11-22 05:36:34 · answer #2 · answered by willowGSD 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you talking about your 20 week scan?
I found this really hard too.
If your scan is first thing in the morning then try just not emptying your bladder when you get up - it will be full and although its uncomfortable it will save you having to drink all that water.
My scans were in the afternoon and they said I had to drink over a pint of water (it was the middle of July, really hot too!) - the first few times I tried it just made me ill so they had to reschedule my scan as my bladder wasn't full enough and they sdaid they needed it full so they could see the bottom edge of the placenta (to check that I didn't have placenta previa)
Second time I started early - my scan was about 2.30pm so at about 11am I got a pint glass, filled it with water, and just kept sipping it slowly until it was all down. Unfortunately my bladder filled up really quickly but I managed to hold it in until I got to my scan.
If you really can't manage it they may offer you an internal scan - but when I had mine and my bladder wasn't full enough they just rescheduled it for another day (the nurse said to go outside and drink 6 cups of water and I told her that if I did that I would just throw up, so she said "well come back another day then".) They are not always very helpful like that.
2006-11-22 10:25:55 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am not sure what you mean by internal and external, but when I went for my ultrasound at 18 weeks, I wasn't able to drink all the water they told me to, and when I got there, the lady told me I was too full. So she actually had me empty 2 cups of urine before she started the scan and half way through she let me empty some more. She said that if I was struggling to hold it in, that meant I was too full. Definately call closer to the time, but I would say drink as much as you are able to and it should be enough. Good Luck!
2006-11-22 06:29:30 · answer #4 · answered by emilyanne 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
With my first pregnancy they told me to drink water but with my second pregnancy they didn't tell me to drink any water at all but i did anyways because that's what i thought to do. When i had my ultrasound (one week ago) i was told to empty my bladder once i was at the app. Because the bladder was full it was hard for them to look at the baby well. Personally i wouldn't worry about drinking a ton of water especially if you can't hold any. I had a second scan done two days later and they didn't need me to drink any water that time either and it was at the hospital. You shouldn't stress over it i don't think it matters a whole lot anyways.
2006-11-22 05:25:05 · answer #5 · answered by Curious J. 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I had mine 11 months ago, and was asked to drink 1 pint in the hour preceeding my appt. Not as bad as I thought it was going to be. I was told that if my bladder wasn't full enough to get a good picture, they would then do an internal scan - not sure why you need both if they show the same thing???
2006-11-22 06:43:32 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The picture will be clearer on the ultrasound with a full bladder, without one they may not make anything out on the screen. They can't make you have any scans, but they are recommended.
2006-11-22 08:01:35 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
confident have an entire bladder, this pushes the toddler up so that's seen less difficult. no prefer for an entire bladder at 20 week- toddler is colossal sufficient. ive had a daughter and had scans for this being pregnant-im 22 week now. all my scans have been ultrasound on my abdomen and that i had 3 till now i became into sixteen weeks!
2016-10-04 06:16:49 · answer #8 · answered by Erika 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like your having two kinds of ultra sounds, back to back. The reason you need to drink until you do a pee dance(hint hint!), is Everybodies bladder is different and needs different amount of water to fill theirs (bladder)up, but since your pregnant, their is something(baby) in the way, just drink until your full not sick( that won't do you any good), because as soon as you have that ultra sound, they are gonna make you pee all of that water you just drank and proceed with the other test, which is more pleasant. I use to get sick too, because I have a small bladder. Those instructions they gave you is for people of 400 lbs too! See what I mean now, good luck and it will be done and over with before you know it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2006-11-22 05:29:07 · answer #9 · answered by mdzevolveddammit 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I am sure you can opt out of the scan if you wish. But if you do go, and you bladder is not full enough then they will make you sit outside and drink until it is full.
Good luck.
2006-11-22 09:32:12 · answer #10 · answered by FUGAZI 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋