[mataji4]

I am wondering if those of you who have had the 20ish wk u/s with some babes and haven't with others, if you feel like it was just the super coolest thing in the planet to see your baby in your womb, or if it was just cool in the moment and could be skipped.

This is my last baby and I'm sort of wanting the experience of seeing baby in womb. Seems sort of amazing. But I'm very wary of interventions, and aware of false alarms with u/s and also the potential harm of u/s...so I'm not taking this decision lightly. I am just going back and forth every day!

I don't want to know what we are having prior to birth as I love meeting the baby on his/her birthday, but I also do want to know, kwim? So maybe I give in this time. Just scared I'll regret the whole thing.

Any advice?

 

[Amynf1]

I don't have any advice but I'll tell you what I am doing. I am having it at 22 weeks. I have a lot of the same feelings you have about it and frankly the whole thing makes me nervous but being that I am HBACing with a Korean OB using a Korean hospital for back up, I feel like if there is anything obvious that I need to be concerned with for the baby immediately after birth, I want to know now to mentally prepare. Koreans are not as mother/baby friendly and if there are any waivers, etc I need I would rather do the fighting now than after birth. One client of mine had her baby on post at the Army hospital but they found an irregular heartbeat so they transferred her off post because they don't have the resources for anything outside normal birth, c/s, healthy mom and healthy baby. The Korean hospital kept the baby in the NICU over a holiday weekend while waiting for the doc to come back in and they wouldn't let the mom breastfeed even though the baby was not in a life threatening situation (obviously since they waited for the holiday to be over to look at her). BUT they would let the mom pump and bottle feed her. It wasn't my baby and I was angry! It may not make a difference at all for me to do this u/s but then again it might and I'd rather be prepared and know what I'm dealing with in that case.

 

[mosesface]

We did have a us with dd to check for a possible heart issue (there was none) and I was in awe of the whole experience. I realized that it was the only time ever that we would be able to see all of her organs, bones, blood vessels, etc. As a mother, it felt so good to, just once, be able to see all those little hidden parts and know that they were good, in the right spot, and healthy. While I do not believe that routine ultrasounds are necessary, I was very thankful for the luxury.

We plan to have just the one US this time too, at 24 weeks.

 

[mataji4]

mosesface, I'm curious why the u/s at 24 weeks? Thanks for your perspective.

 

[mishaj]

Hi,

We had our scan with dd at 19 weeks, mostly to check heart- anything major, confirm the position of the placenta. It was a non-event for me- I did feel a bit let down as I couldn't really see anything on the monitor- everything was blurry. fuzzy and not the traditional cute profile pictures you see some mamas get. I thought I would cry or get super bonded to our little one- but alas, no. The kicks, flutters, hiccups and movements made me feel bonded and connected more then the few minutes of the ultrasound photo.

That said, being in the hospital and so sick with this one- when I saw the heartbeat at 7 weeks- I sobbed and it was a very special, emotional moment for me.

Good luck with your choice!!

Mj

 

[mosesface]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mataji4 mosesface, I'm curious why the u/s at 24 weeks? Thanks for your perspective.

That's when my mw suggests we do it. Her back up ob and perinatologist all say they get a much better view at 24 weeks and prefer to do it then. IIRC, my US with dd was at 25 weeks (same mw).

 

[mosesface]

I should also point out that our US was at a perinatal clinic with crazy high tech equipment and big screens to watch. The quality of the images was outstanding. I have seen many other ultrasounds that were not nearly as clear and were on teeny tiny screens. I don't think I would have been quite as impacted by one of those.

 

[ArtsyHeartsy]

I haven't had mine yet, but did with DD and it was one of my favorite experiences (along with all the movement) of that pregnancy. We brought my ss with us and my mother in law. It was a really fun experience. I guess I try not to worry about bad things happening, although this time around I am more nervous. I am still really excited about seeing the baby.

I guess I would say do it at least once, with one of your pregnancies so you can experience it, but you also have concerns that may overshadow that want. That's just my 2 cents.

Oh, and another note, here, with both my nmw and OB the 20 week scan is in a separate facility. I don't know about this one, but at the one with my dd there was a big bed to lay on and a big screen for us to watch and we could all see.