First Ultrasound
The moment that you have been waiting for is finally here - you get to see your little nugget for the first time via an ultrasound. Trust me, you will never forget this moment! You will be full of happiness and fear all at the same time. You usually have the first ultrasound around 5-8 weeks during pregnancy.
Now let me warn you, if you were anything like me pre-baby you may think that your first ultrasound is similar to what you usually see on TV - a doctor puts some kind of gel on your stomach and uses a device over it to see your baby. You my friend are WRONG. This ultrasound is going to be done via a transvaginal ultrasound - which means your doctor or ultrasound tech (yes your doctor may not be the one actually doing the ultrasound but the doctor will review your ultrasound to make sure everything is ok) will insert a wand that has been lubricated into your vagina. They do this process because the baby is soo tiny that the regular ultrasounds will not be able to pick up the important growth aspects. This is a painless process even though you may feel awkward about it.
During this ultrasound, the doctor will check your fallopian tubes, ovaries, cervix, and uterus to make sure everything is looking as they should be. The doctor will also confirm your pregnancy and if you are having more than one baby. The doctor will also look at your placenta and the size of the umbilical cord. The key things the doctor is checking for on the first ultrasound is the baby's heartbeat, location of the baby in the uterus and the size and development of the baby. The heartbeat is to confirm the pregnancy and if the doctor hears multiple heartbeats then there are multiple babies. Location is important because it will tell the doctor if the egg has implanted in the correct place. If the baby has NOT implanted in the correct place, then you are at a higher risk of having a miscarriage and putting yourself in danger. Finally, the doctor will check the baby's size and development and with this information the doctor is able to give you a more accurate timeframe for due dates. [Something that I did not know is that all babies have the same growth plan while they are in the womb. All babies will develop their bodies in the same timeframe (i.e. heart, lungs, and other organs will be formed around the same time for each baby.)]
Now let me warn you, if you were anything like me pre-baby you may think that your first ultrasound is similar to what you usually see on TV - a doctor puts some kind of gel on your stomach and uses a device over it to see your baby. You my friend are WRONG. This ultrasound is going to be done via a transvaginal ultrasound - which means your doctor or ultrasound tech (yes your doctor may not be the one actually doing the ultrasound but the doctor will review your ultrasound to make sure everything is ok) will insert a wand that has been lubricated into your vagina. They do this process because the baby is soo tiny that the regular ultrasounds will not be able to pick up the important growth aspects. This is a painless process even though you may feel awkward about it.
During this ultrasound, the doctor will check your fallopian tubes, ovaries, cervix, and uterus to make sure everything is looking as they should be. The doctor will also confirm your pregnancy and if you are having more than one baby. The doctor will also look at your placenta and the size of the umbilical cord. The key things the doctor is checking for on the first ultrasound is the baby's heartbeat, location of the baby in the uterus and the size and development of the baby. The heartbeat is to confirm the pregnancy and if the doctor hears multiple heartbeats then there are multiple babies. Location is important because it will tell the doctor if the egg has implanted in the correct place. If the baby has NOT implanted in the correct place, then you are at a higher risk of having a miscarriage and putting yourself in danger. Finally, the doctor will check the baby's size and development and with this information the doctor is able to give you a more accurate timeframe for due dates. [Something that I did not know is that all babies have the same growth plan while they are in the womb. All babies will develop their bodies in the same timeframe (i.e. heart, lungs, and other organs will be formed around the same time for each baby.)]
Mama Facts
|
Login to see Mama's Facts
|
