Drinking copious amounts of water for ultrasound? - Page 2

[expat_canuck]

This is interesting, because I was told to drink water before my 20 weeks ultrasound, but for a completely different reason. I was never told to make sure I had a full bladder, but was told it was to ensure sufficient amniotic fluid so the baby can move around easily to get good measurements.

She said they usually tell mamas to drink a glass of water before they head out to for the ultrasound, but that in the summer (here in Florida, anyways), they tell women to drink 32 oz of water, because otherwise many women come in dehydrated.

[allisonrose]

I have my ultrasound next week and was also instructed to drink 32 oz of water an hour before the appointment and to not pee. I'm thinking about really stepping up my hydration for the day and then drink a more manageable 20 oz before the appointment. I'll talk to my midwife about it at our prenatal this week.

With my son, I wasn't given any special instructions and the tech had no problems getting the measurements needed.

[Aliy]

i have tried to cheat on the water and then been made to wait and drink more.

[Joyster]

I drank some water for first trimester u/s, but never the huge amount recommended. I had to have an u/s at 23 weeks because this guy was hiding his face and balling his hands. I had one bottle of water, and the tech, a mother of three who had the same midwife told me that the giant amount is rarely needed. I had to have another one at around 35 weeks, they told me to drink a tonne of water. I outright refused. Good thing too, because they were running 1 hour late. I watched several other women in pain and felt so bad for them. Of course I didn't need to tank up, they didn't have any problems seeing what they needed to see at 35 weeks.

[orange_mommy]

My first pregnancy I had an US at 14 weeks and drank the amount they told me to. I felt like I was going to pass out in the car on the way to the lab, I felt so awful after holding that much liquid in! When I laid on the table, the US tech said "Oh my gosh, your bladder is obscenely full!" and told me to go pee a certain amount out (about half I think) and then come back. I thought it would be impossible to stop midway, but it relieved me SO much that the rest of the time was smooth sailing! I would say drink what you can, and then beg for mercy and ask if you could let some out when you get there!

[hollytheteacher]

Weird!! My m/w has never instructed me to drink any water before an u/s at all and usually I pee right beforehand. This is my second pregnancy and they never asked me to drink water last time either...nor did i get an "instruction" sheet...i just showed up and they did the u/s!! lol

[macandcheese]

Originally Posted by Cujobunny

Amanda - wife to DH Kelly

Totally o/t -- my bike riding DH is a Kelly as well!

[limette]

After the first two kids I became convinced (based on comments from the techs) that the whole thing is just some sick joke to torture pregnant women with.

For baby number 3 I didn't drink anything prior to ultrasounds and they worked fine.

[orange_mommy]

Judging by the comments thus far... could it be that some places have better technology and don't "need" you to drink fanatically, and some are not so up to date technology-wise and need you to drink in order for their machinery to do the trick?

[WifeofAnt]

My tech said the only reason I needed to have liquid in my bladder was to see my low-lying placenta (that I didn't know was low lying until then). After she got pics of my placenta and a few other basic measurements I was told to empty my bladder.

[NewMoonMum]

WOW. I have never, not one single time in my first or current pregnancy, been told to drink extra fluids before an ultrasound. In fact, I am asked to give a urine sample before each appointment, so I go in empty!!
I mean good lord, at this point, if I wait too long to pee, I begin cramping and can be uncomfortable-even get contractions-for the rest of the day!!

That's craaaazy.

[miso_soup]

Originally Posted by adoremybabe

It is possible to have too much in your bladder. I had to pee in the middle of an ultrasound once. The tech couldn't see properly

I have a pretty small bladder anyway, and I tend to drink a lot of water in general. At my 12 week u/s, the tech had to send me off the the bathroom TWICE to pee - all she could see was this giant dark looming bladder on the screen crowding everything else out

[orange_mommy]

Originally Posted by miso_soup

all she could see was this giant dark looming bladder on the screen crowding everything else out

lol!!

[MacroMama]

By the way, I read a tip on another thread here that in order to get the baby to move around a lot so they can take measurements and you can tell the gender, is to eat something sweet a little while before the u/s.

I did that for my first and he was bouncing around like crazy!

[myk]

yes, but i fell a bit short of that amount i think. i peed 2 hours before going, then drank as much as i could, and then hoped there wasn't going to be much of a wait.