[Hugh Jboobs]

My wife is 8 weeks pregnant. It's our first one and we're absolutely thrilled about it, not least because it's taken almost two years of trying!

She saw the midwife for the first time the other day and has a date booked for the 12 week scan next month.

However, my wife is really worried that something is going to be wrong with the baby. She has no particular reason to feel this way, as there's no family history of miscarriage or problems like that. But I think her fears stem from the fact that she's a bit underweight and has a low BMI and also has low blood pressure.

I guess feeling anxious like this is fairly normal for a first pregnancy. But she's really worried that when we go for the 12 week scan, they won't find a heartbeat.

So we wondered about getting a scan sooner than that and paying privately for it. Purely so that we can put her mind at rest that everything is normal.

So does anyone have any experience of this sort of thing? Can you simply call a private hospital and book an apointment, or do you have to be referred by your midwife/doctor? If we did have one, is it OK from a safety point of view to still have the 12 week scan as well? Any ideas on how much we could expect to pay for a private scan?

She has a lot of "pregnancy symptoms" each day eg aversion to certain foods, tiredness, sore boobs, abdominal pains etc. If, in a worst case scenario, the baby didn't have a heartbeat, would she still be having such symptoms or would these have stopped?

I know I probably sound neurotic, but it's our first one and we're anxious to know eveything is normal.

Thanks in advance.

[24/7]

You can just ring and ask.
Congratulations to you both, and I wish you a happy and healthy pregnancy. All symptoms are a very good sign, as they occur with the rise in hormones. x

[Hobbit Feet]

There is a recognised syndrome where pregnant women believe constantly that something will go terribly wrong.

I can only speak from my experience but I hope it helps.

I had an early scan at 8 weeks due to a bleed via A&E, it was like a pulsing grain of rice.

I also had a private nuchal scan at 14 weeks I think (plus normal 12 week scan inbetween). The private scan used the NHS facilities and cost a couple of hundred pounds, but it's very detailed and is done with a consultant present. If your hospital will do a private scan at 8 weeks, it should cost considerably less than this, but they will probably say they don't have the resources.

I developed the syndrome where I eventally became quite ill through pregnancy related stress and the doctors and midwives were brilliant. I saw one of them every friday to listen to the heartbeat (alternating between them), and 4 weekly scans. Then it was referred to the hospital where they promised that I wouldn't have to go a day over my due date and that I could be induced straight away if nothing had happened by my due date.

I have a healthy 5 year old so all my worry was for nothing, but at the time it is very very real.

I guess the only sure way to get a very early scan is to present at A&E (I'm not for one minute suggesting you should do this)

Sorry to have rambled on.

And a BIG CONGRATULATIONS.

[Cheshire Robski]

We had our first scan at 6 weeks as my wife had a bleed. It was only a small bleed but my wife got herself very upset about it.

At first they were reluctant to give a scan but, after they saw that my wife was really quite upset, they booked her in.

It was 6.1mm in size with a definite heartbeat.

That was between Christmas and New Year. Now my wife is wondering if she is ever going to give birth as she is now 8 days overdue!

Congratulations, I'm sure it will be fine.

[Charlie_the_cat]

Originally Posted by Hugh Jboobs

my wife is really worried

Maybe she just discovered your DS screen name?

[timewarpbunny]

When I was pregnant with my 3rd we were told the hospital didn't offer 12 weeks scans in my area. I really didn't want to wait until the 20 week scan "just in case" - so we booked a private 12 week scan at an NHS hospital, the closest hospital that offered that service was about 100 miles away!

Anyway we had the scan, it cost £120 and you saw a consultant after normal hours. He really took his time over it all and was lovely.

So yes it can be done

[Hugh Jboobs]

Well just a bit of an update...

I rang up the local private hospital this morning and asked if we could book a scan. They said no problem, we don't need a referral or anything. The consultant's secretary is ringing me back later to arrange an appointment. She said it would be £80, which I thought was pretty reasonable.

Does anyone happen to know if these scans are totally safe? I mean, we're not potentially harming the baby by having an extra scan? We'll still be OK to have the 12 week one as well?

Thanks to everyone who has posted advice on this.

[darkmoth]

Originally Posted by Hugh Jboobs

Does anyone happen to know if these scans are totally safe? I mean, we're not potentially harming the baby by having an extra scan? We'll still be OK to have the 12 week one as well?

Thanks to everyone who has posted advice on this.

Yes it's safe, as it uses high frequency sound waves rather than electromagnetic waves like X rays.

It's all ok

[Inspiration]

I can't see any harm really as long as she doesn't begin to want a scan on a weekly basis or something like that.

[thedrewser]

Baby Bond.

We've used them (in Livingston, Scotland), twice, and they were great.

www.babybond.com

[Cheshire Robski]

Originally Posted by Hugh Jboobs

Well just a bit of an update...

I rang up the local private hospital this morning and asked if we could book a scan. They said no problem, we don't need a referral or anything. The consultant's secretary is ringing me back later to arrange an appointment. She said it would be £80, which I thought was pretty reasonable.

Does anyone happen to know if these scans are totally safe? I mean, we're not potentially harming the baby by having an extra scan? We'll still be OK to have the 12 week one as well?

Thanks to everyone who has posted advice on this.

This was a concern of mine too, in the early days.

Ultrasound equipment is simply a 'receiver' that takes noise and sounds and converts it in to visual images.

Unlike an x-ray machine that actually transmits radio waves to 'scan' the body.

Good luck with the pregnancy, I'm sure it'll all be fine.

Anyway, better get off to the hospital now, my wife is to be induced in a hour!

[bazaar1]

Originally Posted by thedrewser

Baby Bond.

We've used them (in Livingston, Scotland), twice, and they were great.

www.babybond.com

I used them too and can highly recommend them, I was 9 weeks at the time and the sonographer (SP?!) picked up that I had inverted uterus straight away which meant I didn't need a full bladder at scans etc - something the NHS didn't pick up in EITHER of my pregnancies (tut tut) until they tried to induce me!

You also get a little pic to take home with you.

Its totally safe to do and well worth it - it cost about £90 I think

[bambii]

Originally Posted by bazaar1

I used them too and can highly recommend them, I was 9 weeks at the time and the sonographer (SP?!) picked up that I had inverted uterus straight away which meant I didn't need a full bladder at scans etc - something the NHS didn't pick up in EITHER of my pregnancies (tut tut) until they tried to induce me!

You also get a little pic to take home with you.

Its totally safe to do and well worth it - it cost about £90 I think

Just another vote for Babybond! Used them for our gender scan at 28 weeks. Was amazing!

Hope all goes well with the scan OP, you should be able to see a HB now too, probably won't be able to hear it though! Its an amazing sense of relief though. Hope the pregnancy goes smoothly

[Hugh Jboobs]

Another update...

There's a Babybond centre fairly near to us. Gave them a call and managed to get an appointment for tonight!!!!! It's £99, which will be money well spent to stop my wife worrying!

I'm nervous, but also very excited!! I'll post back later if anyone is interested (hopefully with some good news)

Good luck to you and your wife with the birth, Cheshire Robski!

And thanks again to everyone who has replied. It is much appreciated, believe me.

[Ber]

Hi OP - if you don't mind me asking how old is your wife?

[Hugh Jboobs]

Originally Posted by Ber

Hi OP - if you don't mind me asking how old is your wife?

God, that question had me thinking for a while. I actually had to count on my fingers...

She's 28. Will be 29 next February. Why?

[Ber]

Originally Posted by Hugh Jboobs

God, that question had me thinking for a while. I actually had to count on my fingers...

She's 28. Will be 29 next February. Why?

Its just when you said you had been trying for 2 years - I'm in a similar situation and was thinking that if she was of a similar age to me then I don;t need to start worrying. But I am older so you haven't helped at all

Congratulations to you both though

[tvtimes]

Congratulations mate. I wouldn't worry too much, its only natural that she's worried after so long trying. Just try your best to be as supportive as you possibly can.
There are many private clinics you can go to around the country. There is a chain called bumps that do nice little packages one of which is a reassuring package where they do a scan and you might even get a photo if the fetus is big enough. Google bumps.

Or alternatively tell ur partner to go to her gp complaining of very bad back pain and he will book you in at the epau ( early pregnancy assessment unit) they will scan but you won't normally get a photo. Hth

[purplelinus]

Originally Posted by Hugh Jboobs

God, that question had me thinking for a while. I actually had to count on my fingers...

She's 28. Will be 29 next February. Why?

Tell your wife not to worry about her weight, if it was a problem FOR HER she wouldn't have been able to get pregnant in the first place. I feel pregnant at 32 when I weighed 7 stone and had no problems with this at all during my pregnancy....in fact I've put a bit of weight on now everythings' calmed down a bit!

Hope everythig goes OK, I had a nuchal scan at 13 weeks (which is standard in this area as the are doing some research) and I highly recommend it, they put your mind at rest (for a bit anyway!)

[Hugh Jboobs]

OK another update...

I'm absolutely bloody chuffed!!!

We went for the scan at Babybond and I'm so ridiculously glad we did!

Not only was the baby present and correct and healthy, but he/she was also much further on than we thought! According to our calculations, my wife was 8 weeks pregnant, but the sonographer's measurements said that she is actually at 12 weeks and 2 days!!!!

We worked out that if this is correct, the baby was conceived on the weekend we were away celebrating our wedding anniversary!

It was just so amazing. We could see its little legs kicking and it was jumping around and punching its arms back and forth like a boxer! We could also see and hear the heartbeat. An amazing sight to behold. She did a 4D scan as well, although I preferred the normal black and white one.

So now we've got to get in touch with our midwife and let her know cos I presume we'll have to bring our official 12 week scan forward - at the moment, it's booked for four weeks time, which is actually 16 weeks.

My wife is thrilled and totally at ease now. It was the best £99 we've ever spent.

Thanks again and again and again for all the advice I've received on this one. I'm the proudest man in the world at the moment and I don't think I'll stop grinning all day!

[Ber]

Excellent news Hugh!

[purplelinus]

Excellent, I can remember how excited we were, take care of her xx

[Ginger Daddy]

Originally Posted by Hugh Jboobs

My wife is thrilled and totally at ease now. It was the best £99 we've ever spent.

and if your wife had got her dates right, the most unneccesary £99 you have ever spent as you would have been going for a free scan anyway this week.

[Ber]

Theres always one, isn't there...

[Ginger Daddy]

Originally Posted by Ber

Theres always one, isn't there...

Just stating a fact

Although yes, you cant really account for hormonal pregnant women. So I take that back.