Feeling lousy after first 20 wk scan

[lillylollypop]

I'm in Canada. I am a first time mom and went for my first anatomy scan yesterday at exactly 20 weeks. I'm so disappointed in how it went....

I had a 8am appt, we got there at 7:45. I made sure to eat 30 minutes before and had orange juice. They didn't come get me until 8:30. My husband was left outside. After about 30 minutes the lady sighs and tell me she is going to get my husband to show him. And after, I must walk for 30 minutes and eat sugar to get the baby to move and we could resume the scan.

She brings in my husband, shows us 5 secs of baby and tells me to wipe my belly off and go walk. I ask about the babies gender because we were really excited and wanted to start planning. She got upset I asked and went on to tell me she was not at liberty to say, only to take measurements. She was very stern during the whole scan, yelled at me for looking at the screen ( I was asked to just stare at the ceiling) and I was not allowed to talk or ask questions. Any questions I had, I was told she wasn't allowed to say.

Long story short, I was there till 11am. I had 3 ultrasounds due to babys position. I had to walk and eat sugary things 2 times. The last time they told me to walk for over an hour to get baby to move. ( they just needed to see the left hand).

I'm so disappointed. Did anyone else have an experience like this? This was not a private scan, but it wasn't done through ohip either. It was out of pocket.

The worst part is that they told me the results would be faxed to my midwife same day. I went to my midwife appt this morning and they still haven't gotten it. I called the clinic and they told me the doctor took all the cases home with her to finish them that night. She said maybe they could fax it over later in the afternoon. My midwife is off the rest of the week so I might find out later next week? What if somethings wrong with my baby?

 

[cncem]

Oh man, that is horrible!! That lady ought to not have that job anymore in my opinion, did you report her? I'm so sorry it went badly for you. Can you talk to your doctor and request another scan with another technician?

 

[lillylollypop]

Sadly this was the clinics way of doing things. I had 3 different techs with all 3 ultrasounds. They got what they needed so I doubt my midwife would sign off on another ultrasound. She told me most ultrasound clinics in this area are cold and sterile like that. I'm just so bummed, I was sooo excited for that appt!

 

[purplecat]

Ya I'm from Canada too and they are usually like that. You are extremely lucky if you get a nice tech! Its horrible. I've had good techs and bad. The tech I went to recently was super nice and even asked if I wanted to know the sex. I got lucky thus time

 

[salu_34]

Where in Canada are you from ?

I'm in Ontario. When I went for my dating ultrasound, the tech was super nice and friendly. When I went for my 12 week scan, I was told I didn't drink enough water, and that it would be hard for her to take measurments for the nuchal folds and all that. She banged on my stomach to get the baby to move around for her. She let me look at the screen, but made me feel like a child when I didn't drink enough water.

 

[lillylollypop]

I'm in Ontario as well! I'm sore from the ultrasounds. The techs were quite forceful with the ultrasound probe on my belly. Today it felt like I got kicked in the stomach. I know baby is okay though, the kicks are very powerful today.

But what if there were a problem with the ultrasound? I feel like they don't care.

 

[RandaPanda]

Ugh, that sounds awful I'm from Ontario too, but living overseas until I return home at 19 weeks. I was really looking forward to my scan scheduled for 19.5 weeks and just assumed they'd try their best to give me lots of info and tell me the gender...but now I'm not so sure based on your bad experience! Actually, I just remembered a friend of mine (who sadly lost her twins shortly after her scan) saying that her tech was rude and very rough with her during the US. If I had her experience or yours, I'd be tempted to file a complaint (wherever you can do that...) If you don't mind me asking, which area of Ontario are you in?

I'm over in China, and very used to the cold, sterile approach...I've already had 2 ultrasounds, and despite the techs speaking some English, they refused to even talk to me or show me anything. Thought that getting back to Canada might mean a friendlier approach, and I know that with the pregnancy emotions and jet lag, I'll probably cry if I get a mean tech

 

[rbourre]

My friend said she had a mean tech at our hospital. Thankfully both ultrasounds I've had nice ones. They aren't allowed to tell here what the gender of the baby is. I had to wait until the doctor's office got the report from the ultrasound and call and ask.

 

[RandaPanda]

Oh, I had no idea they couldn't tell us the gender at the US appointment!! About how long did it take for them to send your report to the doctor? And will they give me a picture? The pics I've gotten in China have been about 1.5x1.5 inches, so you can't see anything really! I guess I have no idea what to expect for my 20 week appointment.

 

[ItsJana]

I'm from Canada too, but on the west coast. There is a tech I always seem to get stuck with (this is my third pregnancy) and she has been the nastiest woman no matter what I do. This last time at my 12 week scan I just laid there in silence listening to her huffing and puffing and muttering about how my bladder was too full. When my husband came in she snapped at him for asking a question about something on the screen, my four year old was there too. I made sure to leave a review on yelp and made sure to tell the receptionist when booking my 20 scan that I do not want this tech ever again and why...something I should have done last pregnancy. I've had nice techs before, few and far between, I've just decided that I'm not putting up with crap like this anymore.

 

[salu_34]

I'm living in Whitby, easy of Toronto. I've read from other ladies on here that you have to get your doctor to write on the requisition form that you want to find out the gender. I go for my 16 week appointment next Thursday so I'm going to talk with him about it ... Also about getting an OB too, lol.

 

[Yo_Yo]

Sorry you had such a mean thoughtless tech

I sometimes think they forget they are dealing with people's baby's. Um sure if it had if been bad news though, they would have got the info to your midwife as a matter of urgency. Sure everything is ok.

 

[Gizzyy]

This sounds awful. I would have flipped if she told me I couldn't look at the screen! You still get a lot of grumpy techs here in the UK but at least the scans are free on the nhs and they do try and make an effort to see the gender and you get your results back straight away. If there's anything wrong they would talk to you or bring in a consultant and take it from there. I would have reported her.
So sorry you had such a bad experience with your first scan

 

[jessieJ24]

thats horrible im sorry

 

[Zeri]

How horrible! I can't believe she made you walk around so much! And to say you're not allowed to look at the screen? At your own baby? WHAT!! I would've been seriously angry too! That's one of the only times you really get to see and connect with your baby, and look at it's growth! I'm so sorry you had such a disappointing experience. Hope that's really not the norm in Ontario?

I live in the Caribbean - had my 20 wk scan last week and the tech was so great. He was funny and really made me feel comfortable with his jokes and easy-going nature. The screen was right in front of me and he went through the physical checks (brain, facial features, heart etc), while pointing out everything on the screen and making sure I saw what he was referring to. I was able to interrupt him for questions at any time. When it came to gender - it's noted on the form that gender is not a routine part of the anomaly scan, but he asked if I wanted to know - and then took time to point out the reproductive organs etc., and when I wanted to see them again to make sure he went back and tried to get a better view. And he did a 3d scan at the end to try to get a glimpse of the face as well, but the baby wasn't cooperating. But he was so great, overall! And it really made all the difference.

 

[notmommyyet]

Im in Ontario and had nothing but great experiences with my daughter. At the 20 week she told OH to wait outside while she did the tests and brought him in for the end part. Probably another 20 mins of her just showing us her arms face and legs and stuff and asked if we wanted to know gender which we did so she told us. If I got a tech like that I wouldve lost it on her. She is allowed to tell you the gender. Everybody gets told the gender by the ultrasound tech I have never heard of it being any other way. Considering between my 5 closest friends they have 25 children between them. So sorry you had to go through that!!

 

[rbourre]

Oh, I had no idea they couldn't tell us the gender at the US appointment!! About how long did it take for them to send your report to the doctor? And will they give me a picture? The pics I've gotten in China have been about 1.5x1.5 inches, so you can't see anything really! I guess I have no idea what to expect for my 20 week appointment.

For me, my ultrasound was at 1pm on Friday and when I called Monday at 10:30am, it was there. They showed me everything on the ultrasound after they were done all the measurements and gave me 7 pictures. 6 of them were profiles and 1 was of his foot.

Im in Ontario and had nothing but great experiences with my daughter. At the 20 week she told OH to wait outside while she did the tests and brought him in for the end part. Probably another 20 mins of her just showing us her arms face and legs and stuff and asked if we wanted to know gender which we did so she told us. If I got a tech like that I wouldve lost it on her. She is allowed to tell you the gender. Everybody gets told the gender by the ultrasound tech I have never heard of it being any other way. Considering between my 5 closest friends they have 25 children between them. So sorry you had to go through that!!

I live in Ontario and our hospital is not allowed to tell you the gender, we have to wait until the doctor gets the report. It's stupid, but it's the rule here. There are signs in the waiting room saying the technician is not allowed to comment on the gender of the baby. My friend who came with me said "I know you can't comment on the gender, but can you at least show us the penis?" and the tech just laughed and said she's heard it all but won't tell.

 

[notmommyyet]

Oh, I had no idea they couldn't tell us the gender at the US appointment!! About how long did it take for them to send your report to the doctor? And will they give me a picture? The pics I've gotten in China have been about 1.5x1.5 inches, so you can't see anything really! I guess I have no idea what to expect for my 20 week appointment.

For me, my ultrasound was at 1pm on Friday and when I called Monday at 10:30am, it was there. They showed me everything on the ultrasound after they were done all the measurements and gave me 7 pictures. 6 of them were profiles and 1 was of his foot.

Im in Ontario and had nothing but great experiences with my daughter. At the 20 week she told OH to wait outside while she did the tests and brought him in for the end part. Probably another 20 mins of her just showing us her arms face and legs and stuff and asked if we wanted to know gender which we did so she told us. If I got a tech like that I wouldve lost it on her. She is allowed to tell you the gender. Everybody gets told the gender by the ultrasound tech I have never heard of it being any other way. Considering between my 5 closest friends they have 25 children between them. So sorry you had to go through that!!

I live in Ontario and our hospital is not allowed to tell you the gender, we have to wait until the doctor gets the report. It's stupid, but it's the rule here. There are signs in the waiting room saying the technician is not allowed to comment on the gender of the baby. My friend who came with me said "I know you can't comment on the gender, but can you at least show us the penis?" and the tech just laughed and said she's heard it all but won't tell.

Wow that is crazy. We get to leave right then and there with our pictures. May I ask what area in Ontario you are from? Or the other ladies for that matter? If nobody is comfortable with that then will you say at least or close or far from me? I am really curious. I am in Niagara Falls. And while I could wonder if things have changed my friend just found out a few weeks ago at her US. So we can still find out here

 

[rbourre]

Oh, I had no idea they couldn't tell us the gender at the US appointment!! About how long did it take for them to send your report to the doctor? And will they give me a picture? The pics I've gotten in China have been about 1.5x1.5 inches, so you can't see anything really! I guess I have no idea what to expect for my 20 week appointment.

For me, my ultrasound was at 1pm on Friday and when I called Monday at 10:30am, it was there. They showed me everything on the ultrasound after they were done all the measurements and gave me 7 pictures. 6 of them were profiles and 1 was of his foot.

Im in Ontario and had nothing but great experiences with my daughter. At the 20 week she told OH to wait outside while she did the tests and brought him in for the end part. Probably another 20 mins of her just showing us her arms face and legs and stuff and asked if we wanted to know gender which we did so she told us. If I got a tech like that I wouldve lost it on her. She is allowed to tell you the gender. Everybody gets told the gender by the ultrasound tech I have never heard of it being any other way. Considering between my 5 closest friends they have 25 children between them. So sorry you had to go through that!!

I live in Ontario and our hospital is not allowed to tell you the gender, we have to wait until the doctor gets the report. It's stupid, but it's the rule here. There are signs in the waiting room saying the technician is not allowed to comment on the gender of the baby. My friend who came with me said "I know you can't comment on the gender, but can you at least show us the penis?" and the tech just laughed and said she's heard it all but won't tell.

Wow that is crazy. We get to leave right then and there with our pictures. May I ask what area in Ontario you are from? Or the other ladies for that matter? If nobody is comfortable with that then will you say at least or close or far from me? I am really curious. I am in Niagara Falls. And while I could wonder if things have changed my friend just found out a few weeks ago at her US. So we can still find out here

This was in Tillsonburg (close to London). It's just a small town. I asked and they said ultrasound clinics can tell you but a lot of hospitals won't especially around here. When I had my daughter, we lived in Cambridge and I went to the ultrasound clinic (where they do u/s, x-rays, etc) and they told me at my ultrasound. It was awful having to wait the whole weekend, but I'm happy now to know I'm having a little boy.

 

[lillylollypop]

Thanks everyone for being so supportive! I was worried it was just my hormones and I was being unreasonable. I've had two ultrasounds here and never once received a picture. I feel robbed of this experience.

For those asking, I am in Toronto. I'm unsure if its just the clinic I went to, or if its a toronto thing to not discuss anything with the mom. I feel like its my baby, my body, tell me whats going on! I hate being kept in dark. I was thinking of a homebirth and after this, im am most deff doing a homebirth. I can't stand people making up my mind for me.

On a side now, after pestering my poor midwife and the ultrasound clinic I finally got a call this afternoon.......

We have a perfectly normal baby girl ! Being a first timer, this is such a huge relief. I had a feeling that if there were any questionable things in the ultrasound, my midwife would have contacted me sooner. But you never know, right?