Philadelphia Nesties
PhillyGal34
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Womencare moms... XP from Philly Babies
I have my first prenatal appointment scheduled in a few weeks. What should I expect? I am being seen at the Abbington location because I needed an evening appointment. Will I get an ultrasound? I'll be 8 weeks by that time... I really want to see / hear the baby's heart to make sure everything is ok before we tell our family (It's going to be earlier than I'd like but with Christmas we won't be able to keep it from them!)
Thanks in advance!
Our little hippo was as impatient as mom!
Hoping for a full 40 weeks!!
Re: Womencare moms... XP from Philly Babies
You won't typically get an ultrasound at 8 weeks unless you are high-risk (like having had previous miscarriages), however, every practice is different.
Also, not all practices have their own ultrasound machine but just have handheld dopplers for listening to the heartbeat and I believe 8 weeks is too early to hear the HB.
#1 12.11.11
#2 10.23.13 EDD
Ditto Jen. Not all offices have U/S machines. The office I go to does but when I went for my 8 week, the US machine was broken. I had to make an appointment at Abington for an US and the soonest I could get was 1.5 weeks later. I didn't hear the heartbeat until 12 weeks because I have an inverted ute.
Try calling your specific office and ask if they do an 8 week U/S as a standard procedure. Some offices do not. It also depends if your insurance will cover it. My office does (Abington OB/GYN) but like I said above, the machine was broken the day I went.
For me, the worst part of being pregnant was not knowing what was going on 100% of the time. I was not high risk and the only ultrasounds I had were at 9.5 weeks, the sequential screen and then at 20ish weeks. From the ~20 weeks to 39 weeks I was going crazing hoping that everything was OK in there.
Oh! I'm a liar. I got a 3D U/S @ 28 weeks but that was for us to get pictures and see the baby. Not for any medical necessity.
Thanks... I'm calling now. I didn't want to call and bug them but it's bothering the heck out of me!
I think I'll have to get a 3D just to see everything and make sure it is ok! I'm a worrier!
OH and congrats, btw.
Def call and ask. Can't hurt. Trust me... I'm sure this is the least of the crazy questions they get on a daily basis from crazy pregos.
Congrats!
They can't always see a heartbeat at 8 weeks so it can be more torture waiting if they don't see it that early. That's why they typically wait until 10 to 12 weeks to do them. They can usually hear the heartbeat with a doppler by 10 weeks.
ETA Sorry I had a brainfart. 6 weeks is too early, that's what happened to me and I had to wait till 8 weeks.
That is the sequential screen. I had that done at 12 weeks. That checks for the fluid levels behind the neck for DS and Spina Bifida I believe. It also involved blood work that has to be done at a certain amount of gestational weeks, which I cannot remember.
We were lucky enough to have a u/s at my first visit at 7 weeks. Couldn't hear a heartbeat. I think we could see it though. I think it also depends on your build. If you're thinner in the stomach area it makes it easier to hear it.
Sounds like your doc was discussing the sequential screen. They do a finger prick blood test and an ultrasound to test for problems like ds and trisomy 18. That was the first awesome ultrasound we had - she looked like she was waving at the u/s.
Just keep in mind that any 'optional' ultrasound might not be covered by your insurance.
Congrats and good luck!
We had our 8 week appointment at Lankenau 2 weeks ago and they did a trans vag ultrasound and we saw the heartbeat.
Ultrasound pics just look like a blob though. : )
Congrats! H&H 9 months to you
I was was 6w1d at my first appt...they gave me a script for an ultrasound and said I could get it done whenever. The doctor said we should be able to see the HB at 6 weeks, but not hear it until 8 weeks.
Thanks everyone! I want time to fly on one hand but I want to enjoy it all too. Can't wait to hear the heartbeat!
I also went to Womencare and was very happy.
We had an u/s and heard the heartbeat with doppler at 8 weeks. However, the only reason they did the u/s was because when the NP did my internal, she thought I might have been farther along. Since we wanted to do the sequential screen and there is a very specific window (between 10-12 weeks) to do it, we did a dating u/s that day.
I mostly went to the Willow Grove office - just easier.
Good luck and let me know if you have any questions!