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thread: Drinking for 18-20wk scan

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Mar 2007
    6,900

    Drinking for 18-20wk scan

    Do I really have to... seriously?

    I have my scan tomorrow and they said to drink 500mls an hour before. Surely the baby is big enough to see now without needing to do this? I can't do it, I only drank about that much for the 12 wk scan and it was painful. I feel like I constantly have a full bladder atm anyway so I absolutely won't be able to do it. So, if I don't, is there going to be a problem?

  2. #2
    BellyBelly Life Subscriber & MPM

    Feb 2007
    Melbourne
    5,462

    I didn't need to drink anything before my 20 week scans with my boys. I wouldn't stress too much, maybe just drink as much as you are comfortable with?

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Jan 2008
    SE suburbs, Vic
    1,377

    I got told only to drink what I would normally drink before my 18 week scan, they told me that everything is big enough to see so you dont need to drink the water & fast. However with the early scans (before 12 weeks) they told me I had to drink 1 litre of water as everything is so small at that stage it pushes it all forwards & makes it easier to see.

    HTH enjoy your scan!

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Apr 2007
    Sydney
    900

    I know I panicked also as I have always had a small bladder. I even tried practicing weeks before to try and train my bladder. I did drink that much water and couldn't sit down in the waiting room. Finally my turn came and to get on the bed was just aweful. She put the scan on my belly and not more than 2 minutes later she said I am going to have to ask you to empty your bladder before we continue. I said to her, you have made my day! The scan went along just fine without my bladder being full, and they got all the pics they needed to so all is good.
    I would just say drink enough till your comfortable and leave it at that. Bugga drinking all that fluid and holding it, I think with todays technology they could find something easier than having to do that!

    Good luck and enjoy meeting your buba again!
    P.S. Ask for pics of the gender if you want to find out, i wish I did!

  5. #5
    Registered User
    Add Sterla on Facebook

    Jun 2008
    Tasmania
    3,011

    I had to do that for my 19 week scan, but I'm not sure why it is. I had to down 3 glasses of water (750ml) an hour before the scan. It was very uncomfortable, to say the least - especially when you have a little baby sitting on your bladder already! But once I got into the scan, I was so mesmerised by seeing my little one up on the screen that I managed to forget all about my full bladder.

    I don't know why you have to have a full bladder for the scan - but I was advised specifically to do it. I figure there must be a good reason.

    Have a fantastic scan!!!

  6. #6
    BellyBelly Life Subscriber & MPM

    Feb 2007
    Melbourne
    5,462

    A full bladder pushes your uterus up making it easier to see your bub on the scan.

    Enjoy your scan!

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Mar 2007
    6,900

    Thanks guys!! I'm not going to bother drinking anything out of the ordinary then, I will just end up needing to go to the loo as soon as I get there anyway and then my bladder will be empty, lol.

  8. #8
    Registered User

    Jul 2006
    6,869

    I had to drink 1 litre both times with my girls and i was told it was so they could see MY kidneys, bladder etc....LOL

    Then once they scanned them i could go to the loo.

    With this bub they said emptier the better...LOL

  9. #9
    BellyBelly Member

    Dec 2005
    3,130

    i too dread this water drinking before scan procedure! i only have to have 600mls though an hour before scan. so i plan to drink it within the second half of the hour so its not building up for so long. if you have the scan and they find that you need a fuller bladder i think they just make you drink some and then wait a while longer.

  10. #10
    Registered User

    Oct 2007
    1,282

    SJ - I drank 600ml for my scan (mostly within an hour of the scan so I didn't hold it for too long). They did about 5 mins of the scan with my full bladder then I was allowed to empty it and the remainder of the scan (about 25mins) was with an empty bladder.

    Enjoy - you are going to love seeing how big your bub is now.

  11. #11
    Registered User

    Oct 2007
    Sunshine Coast
    746

    How bizarre, I was told that the emptier the bladder, the better. I was actually sent out of the room to go to the loo!

  12. #12
    Registered User
    Add ~clover~ on Facebook

    Sep 2007
    travelling
    9,557

    I was always told to start on 1 litre 2 hours before & finish it an hour before.I don't think I once got the lot in though. I was usually still drinking in the waiting room. Never had any problems.

  13. #13
    Registered User

    Mar 2007
    6,979

    If you think drinking 500ml's an hour before is bad enough, then try this......

    I had to do that and THEN turned up to my appointment only to be told that my sonographer had called in sick (GGGRRRRR) and that I was to have to wait 30mins for the next sonographer to be available!!!!!!!!! So yeah, you can imagine how busting i was by the time I got in to the scan!!!!

    For the last half of my scan (so the last 20mins) I got to empty my bladder so they could see better in certain areas, you might be lucky to get that too???

    Regardless, I still enjoyed it I wasn't going to let that person ruin my scan!

  14. #14
    Registered User

    Mar 2007
    6,900

    Oh no Ren.

    My u/s place just called and said that the sonographer has called in sick!! grr... Luckily I can have one at the same time just at another one of their places further away. I wasn't waiting until next week!

  15. #15
    Registered User

    Mar 2007
    6,979

    Sara, that's great!! Be thankful they told you NOW and not tomorrow morning when you TURNED UP for your appointment!!!!

  16. #16
    Registered User

    Nov 2007
    124

    i was told to drink a glass of water before my appointment. I drink a lot of water throughout the day so just drink enough to make me think about needing to go and then stopped. I could not even imagine having to drink a litre...it would of been soooooo painfull!!!!

  17. #17
    Registered User

    Mar 2007
    6,979

    GOOD LUCK today Sara - you will love the Scan!!!

  18. #18
    Registered User

    Mar 2007
    6,900

    Thanks guys! I didn't drink anything that I normally wouldn't, everything was fine I even had to go to the loo halfway through! lol, so I doubt I could have drank what they told me!

    Best news, bubs is healthy!!!!

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