Ultrasounds...

[ryleeee]

when should i schedule one for? what's the "normal" time to get the first one done?" i go for my appointment with my family doctor on the 25th of this month, and i will almost be 2 months at that time.

[mamabeth]

Well, ultrasounds are a bit of a question around these parts, and they are probably not medically necessary. I had one done with dd and will with this pg too for peace of mind and to see if there's more than one, etc. With dd it was at about 10 weeks, and this one will be at 8 or so. Anytime after 6-7 weeks they can usually see a heartbeat and date the pregnancy. It depends on your practice too, with mine, they let you decide if you want one or not.

[allgirls]

here in Ontario we can have a choice of one at 12 weeks which is for dating purposes or one around 20 weeks which is more about the organs and size of baby...I haven't decided which one to take yet if either...I am leaning towards the 12 week one....I don't want to know the sex which you can often find out at the 20week one.

Maybe I won't take either....

[Forevermama]

Assuming all is well with this pregnancy, I will get 2. One to date and make sure all is well in theer on the 24th (7w4d along) and 1 at around 20 weeks to check organs, growth etc. Then no more peeks for me until this little one decides to come on out

[aishy]

I got none with my first two pregnancies. I got one with my third because I wanted to know the sex. And I haven't decided for sure for this one, but I think we'll get one for the same reasons as last time. I may keep it a secret from family though, so we can decide when/how to tell them the sex rather than them calling us right away!

aisling

[P-chan]

Your family doctor will probably give you advice on when/where to schedule them. Make sure that your insurance will cover it before you go ahead.

I'll have an ultrasound next week to date the pregnancy (no post-partum AF after my son, so dating it will rely on ultrasound) and see the heartbeat. I'm also planning on having one in the 18-22 week phase to do check what can be checked.

For my last pregnancy, I had a third ultrasound about 5 days before my son was born to try to estimate weight and position. I know that guessing weight by ultrasound is notoriously full of errors, but they told me 8 lb. 11 oz. and he came out a few days later at 8 lb. 13 oz.

[leahdbc]

I skipped the first ultrasound with my first pregnancy, and opted only for the 1 at 20 weeks to check for any medical issues which would have required me to give birth at a larger hopsital in Atlanta.

This go round, we agreed to both ultrasounds and will ask for one very close to the end to check position again - I really don't want another surprise breech. So I had the first ultrasound yesterday to date, check number (yep, just one in there) and most importantly to check location in terms of my scar and to verify my cervix length (I have a problem with it shortening early. THis will give a baseline to compare with)

Next one at 20 weeks.

We will though, refuse all doppler checks. We bought the practice a fetalscope last time and I will ask that they use it again this time when it comes up.

[KermitMissesJim]

I'll be having my first next week. I can't ever pin down a due date without one. Even with one, it's a guess.

[Worldshakerz]

Leahdbc...how soon can you hear a heartbeat with the fetalscope? I was considering not getting the dopplers and only the 20 week ultrasound. From what I've read the dopplers used to hear the heartbeat are even stronger than the ultrasounds.

[leahdbc]

Originally Posted by Worldshakerz

Leahdbc...how soon can you hear a heartbeat with the fetalscope? I was considering not getting the dopplers and only the 20 week ultrasound. From what I've read the dopplers used to hear the heartbeat are even stronger than the ultrasounds.

It is a bit longer before you can use the fetascope than the doppler. I *think* around 20 weeks or so. Maybe earlier if your midwife is especially familiar with them. It really helps to have them push in, gentle didn't seem to get the job done with my first pregnancy. (they make fetascopes with special head rests - these tend to work best in our experience)

We had to buy one for our practice - the only midwife who owned/used one left early on and took it with her. So we bought one, took it in for our appts and then gave it to them after the birth.

[onlyboys]

One of my instructors said that the sweetest sound in the universe was a rapidly beating baby heart heard though a wooden fetoscope.

You can hear them around 20 weeks with a fetoscope.

We may buy one just to listen; then I can use it in my practice, if I ever get there...

[leahdbc]

Originally Posted by onlyboys

One of my instructors said that the sweetest sound in the universe was a rapidly beating baby heart heard though a wooden fetoscope.

ohhhhh, we wanted to buy a wooden one but they tend to be so pricey compared to the 'modern' version.

Do you have any sources/links for nice wooden fetoscopes?

[onlyboys]

Cascade has some wooden ones that are handcrafted in Oregon. The really fabulous ones are from Germany, I think. I'll email her and see where she got hers. I think it was a gift from a client, so they should be pretty accesible.

[ryleeee]

so i have my ultrasound papers and can have it done at the end of april. ahhhhhhhh that's so long away! but my 21st birthday is on the 20th, so it will be the BEST birthday present ever, seeing my little one on the screen...i'll probably cry. and cry. and cry. and cry. and cry.

[eclipse]

i'm going to have to have one to date the pregnancy early on because i only had one PP AF since dd - and it was a really weird one. i'll probably have the other at around 20 weeks.

[andreac]

I had an early (12 wks or so) and a late (NST and confirmation of fluid levels at 41 w) with my first. We arent't planning any routine ultrasounds this time around, not sure yet if my midwife had an opinion, but I'm pretty sure she's of the "it's up to you" camp. We would consider one if this baby goes overdue, but probably not until we reached 42 weeks, since Cole was 13 days past my EDD and perfectly healthy!

[IfMamaAintHappy]

I will get one done after 20 weeks to check organs and make sure everything's going well. My DH doesnt like to know the gender, so I check at some point because I love knowing. I was not only successful at keeping my secret for 10 weeks until the baby was born last time, DH still doesnt know that I knew!

[JoyofBirth]

The best time is at 20 weeks or beyond. You can see the heart best after 20 weeks. We got one just have piece of mind that all was well. We just wanted to be prepared if anything was wrong.

[NewYearsEve04]

oops! wrong thread!

[Rach]

With Eva, I had one to date the pregnancy, because my dates and their dates were off. [I was right!] I had the standard 20 week ultrasound. [because it was standard!] and I had to have a few more due to her small size and my developing pre-e.
My sister had the standard one at 20 weeks, but had to have another at 30 weeks because she was measuring small. Turns out, the baby was measuring right on time, but he had a serious heart condition! Sometimes the condition isn't even noticed until after birth, when the baby goes into distress.
So I may be too late to date the pregnancy by the time my appointment rolls around, so I'll probably just have the 20 week one, but towarsd the end, I'm going to get another one, to check for any birth defects. I'm a worrier now that it happend so close to home, ya know?